UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2016

  • Wendy Morton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Wendy Morton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wendy Morton on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department’s spending was on Overseas Development Aid in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) the first 10 months of 2015-16; and what the recipient countries of that aid were.

    Alistair Burt

    In 2013-14 the Department spent £11.66 million on Official Development Assistance. In 2014-15 the Department spent £11.5 million on Official Development Assistance.

    The Department’s Official Development Assistance in 2013-14 and 2014-15 is a proportion of the Department’s assessed contribution or subscription, to the World Health Organization (WHO). The subscription funds our contribution to all the functions of the WHO. The WHO provides the leadership and co-ordination role in global health for all its 194 member countries. As part of this role it provides technical support and assistance on the ground.

    WHO is able to use the assessed contribution flexibly to fund its priorities as agreed by the United Kingdom and other member countries. We do not therefore have specific data of individual countries supported through our assessed contribution. However, more specific information on WHO funding flows to regions, individual countries and programmes can be found on WHO’s web portal at:

    http://extranet.who.int/programmebudget/Biennium2014/Financing

    The 2015 Official Development Assistance figures have not yet been finalised. The Department for International Development will release the 2015 figures in the National Statistics publication on 1 April 2016.

    “

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2016 to Question 30235, in how many instances the Kingfisher Unit was used under rule (a) 40 and (b) 42 of the Detention Centre Rules in 2015.

    James Brokenshire

    The use of Kingfisher Unit at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre for individuals removed from general association is managed in accordance with Rules 40 (removed from association) and 42 (temporary confinement) of the Detention Centre Rules 2001.

    For the period 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 provisional management information from the service provider, Serco, indicates that the Kingfisher Unit was used on 91 occasions for Rule 40 and 18 occasions for Rule 42. Removal from association under these rules is limited to as short a time as possible.

  • Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Executive Remuneration Working Group’s conclusions that the current pay approach for listed companies had resulted in a poor alignment of interests between executives

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government has noted the views set out in the interim report of the Executive Remuneration Working Group.

    Government reforms introduced in 2013 provide a significantly more transparent and robust governance framework for executive pay. The reforms give shareholders a binding vote at least every three years on company pay policies and an annual vote on the remuneration report which sets out exactly what directors have been paid. The annual vote is advisory but if the shareholders vote down the report, the company has to bring a revised pay policy to the next Annual General Meeting.

    These reforms give shareholders effective powers to challenge excessive executive pay and to hold boards to account on pay policies and it is now for investors and companies to engage constructively to ensure that pay policies are fit for purpose and that they align the interests of executives, shareholders and companies.

    Evidence from the current round of Annual General Meetings is that the reforms are having an impact and that shareholders are increasingly willing to use these powers where they are dissatisfied. BP and Smith and Nephew’s shareholders, for example, voted against their companies’ remuneration reports and the shareholders of Weir Group voted against that company’s remuneration policy in a binding vote. There have been significant shareholder votes against the remuneration reports at a number of other companies.

    The Government has no current plans for further legislation or regulation, but expects to see companies liaising effectively with shareholders and adjusting pay policies where there is shareholder dissatisfaction.

  • Lord Lexden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Lexden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lexden on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the review of electoral fraud being undertaken by Sir Eric Pickles will be completed and its recommendations published.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    Sir Eric Pickles will issue his report to the Prime Minister in due course.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has held with administrations of the House and of the House of Lords on the capacity of Parliament to process additional legislation required as a result of the UK exiting the EU.

    Mr David Jones

    We are considering the detailed arrangements for ensuring that Parliament can provide proper scrutiny of any legislation resulting from our decision to leave the European Union and will be taking this forward with the administrations of both Houses.

  • Kate Osamor – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Kate Osamor – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking in co-operation with UN agencies to tackle the increase in child brides in refugee camps and conflict areas.

    Priti Patel

    The UK is committed to the ‘Call to Action’ on women and girls and keeping girls and women safe in emergencies, including providing £23.5 million to UNFPA in Syria, to support women and girls vulnerable to child and forced marriage, domestic violence, and sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation through improved access to psycho-social support and sexual and reproductive health care.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) premium and (b) subsidy payments the new Northern franchisee is expected to make or receive in each year of that franchise’s duration.

    Andrew Jones

    The new Northern Franchisee is expected to receive subsidy payments during each year of its franchise term. I note however, that under this franchise agreement the amount of annual subsidy will be reduced by £160million by the end of this 9-year contract and at the same time, unlike the last Northern franchise in 2004 which included limited plans to invest in services or meet demand, this new franchise will deliver more than 2,000 extra services each week, nearly a 40% increase in capacity and the complete removal of the outdated and unpopular Pacers by the end of 2019.

    The subsidy payments are set out below in both nominal terms and in real (i.e. constant) terms in 2015/16 prices. Years 1 to 9 are the payments for the core Franchise Term. Year 10 is an optional extension period of up to one year, callable at the discretion of the Secretary of State.

    Year

    £M

    Nominal

    Real – 2015/16 prices

    Year 1

    2016/17

    281

    275

    Year 2

    2017/18

    276

    262

    Year 3

    2018/19

    282

    260

    Year 4

    2019/20

    247

    221

    Year 5

    2020/21

    204

    177

    Year 6

    2021/22

    158

    134

    Year 7

    2022/23

    136

    113

    Year 8

    2023/24

    114

    92

    Year 9

    2024/25

    92

    73

    Year 10

    2025/26

    53

    39

    “

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what alterations were made to the pulsion system of the Type 45 destroyer between the launch of the first and the sixth such destroyers.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The decision to procure the Rolls Royce WR21 was taken in November 2000 by the then Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon. In announcing the decision, he accepted this decision "presents a greater degree of risk to the programme."

    Following that decision a number of issues with the Type 45 Integrated Electrical Propulsion (IEP) system were identified when the First of Class, HMS Daring was launched in 2006.

    From 2006 to the launch of the sixth and final Type 45 in October 2010, the Type 45 Destroyer class had around fifty minor design alterations directly attributable to the development of the Type 45 IEP system identified. The subsequent implementation process for acceptance of these alterations is necessarily rigorous to maintain safety and system design intent. As a result, the majority of Type 45 IEP alterations were implemented after the launch of the last of class.

    A report was commissioned in 2011 to examine the reliability of the power and propulsion system in greater detail. This work was re-assessed in 2013 to examine the extent to which the issues identified in the report had been dealt with, (by changes to operating procedures and training) and establish which were not simply the problems associated with a new complex system.

    As part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 the Government is committed to improving the Type 45’s power and propulsion system an ongoing Equipment Improvement Plan is successfully making further alterations to the existing power and propulsion system.

    Over the last two years, Type 45 Destroyers have been routinely deployed to the Gulf to maintain a destroyer presence in the region, including HMS Defender’s support to US Carrier operations against Daesh.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the (a) scale of the difficulty experienced by trusts in recruiting to consultant posts and (b) effect of that difficulty on numbers of occupied consultant posts in cellular pathology.

    Ben Gummer

    Individual healthcare providers are responsible for ensuring that they have the right level of staffing to provide high quality care to their patients.

    The following table taken from the monthly workforce statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) shows the total consultant figures for May 2010, November 2010 and for November 2015 working in the National Health Service in England. The data for November 2015 is the latest available. The HSCIC statistics do not show cellular pathology, but data is provided for those working in the pathology group.

    England full-time equivalent

    May 2010

    November 2010

    November 2015

    All Consultants

    35,174

    36,010

    42,423

    Consultants in Pathology group

    2,426

    2,486

    2,597

    Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre NHS monthly workforce statistics

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is available for prison officers in dealing with inmates who are under the influence of psychoactive substances on the prison estate.

    Ben Gummer

    Public Heath England has produced guidance to support healthcare and operational staff in prisons in England manage the impact of new psychoactive substances on the health and wellbeing of prisoners and staff and help staff manage security. This guidance is available at:

    http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/nps-manual-final.pdf