Tag: 2016

  • Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Pincher on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

    Karen Bradley

    The Act is already having a significant impact. All victims of modern slavery can now access the support they need. In 2015 alone, the police and CPS prosecuted 12 defendants using the new modern slavery offences and used Slavery and Trafficking Prevention and Risk Orders on at least 12 occasions. Over 100 businesses have published slavery and human trafficking statements. And the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner is spreading best practice and helped to secure the UN’s first ever Goal to end modern slavery.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish guidance for local authority pension schemes on investment in arms companies producing banned munitions; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Investment decisions in the local government pension scheme are the responsibility of the 90 designated administering authorities in England and Wales and must be taken on the basis of expert advice and in compliance with the Scheme’s regulatory framework. Since 2000, pension fund authorities have been required to publish a statement of investment principles, including their policy on the extent to which social, environmental or ethical considerations are to be taken into account in the selection, retention and realisation of investments. The regulations also require that each statement is published locally.

    We have no immediate plans to change these existing obligations, but will keep them under review.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46089, if his Department will collect information on the number of babies born in transit between Stafford and Stoke Royal University Hospital.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    We have no plans to ask NHS Digital to collect such information.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) men and (b) women were diagnosed as having HIV in (i) the UK and (ii) each London borough in each year since 2010.

    Jane Ellison

    The proportion of the 15-59 year old population (standard reported population) recorded as having human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in England and Wales and across each of the London boroughs is shown in tables 1 and 2.

    The number of males and females newly diagnosed with HIV in the United Kingdom and across each of the London boroughs is shown in tables 3 and 4.

    The data to reflect this information can be found in the attachment.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish his Department’s business case on the closure of his Department’s office in Sheffield.

    Joseph Johnson

    Since summer 2015 the Department has been reviewing its business model. By 2020, we want to simplify our structure, become more digital, be cheaper for taxpayers and better for users. As part of this we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint. The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office in St Paul’s Place was formed in light of these plans.

  • James Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    James Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Davies on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government has taken to encourage underground cabling connecting (a) wind farm and (b) other such installations to distribution centres in order to present visual amenity and prevent adverse environmental impacts.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government expects network companies to use the most appropriate technologies available to provide the required connection for the particular project in line with its customer’s connection needs, its statutory obligations to have regard to the environment and to mitigating adverse impacts where reasonable, and relevant planning requirements.

    This is reinforced by the Government’s energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) in particular NPS EN-1[1] and NPS EN-52, which make it clear that proper consideration should be given to all feasible means of connection, including undergrounding.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/47854/1938-overarching-nps-for-energy-en1.pdf

    [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/47858/1942-national-policy-statement-electricity-networks.pdf

    “

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consultation his Department conducted prior to the launch of its consultation on infected blood: reform of financial and other support.

    Jane Ellison

    We developed proposals in the consultation document based on a wide range of views we have heard over time including via numerous debates, representations from Members and several inquiries conducted by Parliamentarians.

    In addition, an independently facilitated meeting was held on 5 October 2015 with some members of three groups (Tainted Blood, the Contaminated Blood Campaign and the Haemophilia Society). The aim was to further inform the Department’s understanding of what matters most to members of these groups in terms of financial and non-financial support. A separate meeting was held in November with members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood, where we sought views on proposals for reform ahead of consultation.

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent and impact of the number of defendants in criminal cases appearing without representation as revealed in the report by Transform Justice Justice Denied? The experience of unrepresented defendants in the criminal courts.

    Lord Faulks

    Data on litigants in person in Magistrates’ Courts is not centrally recorded. There has been no change in the scope or eligibility for legal aid in the magistrates’ courts since means testing was introduced in 2006.

    Legal aid is available, where necessary, for both magistrates’ and Crown Court cases, subject to defendants being means tested.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the total cost of fees, facilitation costs and enabling works for HS2 in each year since 2010.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The table below sets out the spend on HS2 in each year since 2009/10. Data for 2015/16 is currently provisional and so is not included.

    2009/10
    £m

    2010/11
    £m

    2011/12
    £m

    2012/13
    £m

    2013/14
    £m

    2014/15
    £m

    Total HS2

    9.43

    24.3

    54

    207.6

    318.2

    362.7

  • Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what responsibilities his Department has for (a) formulating and (b) overseeing regulation of the shale gas industry; and if he will make a statement.

    Jesse Norman

    Responsibility for formulating and overseeing regulation of the shale gas industry has been transferred to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The Department will fulfil the same role previously undertaken by the Department of Energy and Climate Energy.

    The Government has been clear that shale development must be safe and environmentally sound. The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering concluded that risks can be managed if industry follows best practice enforced by regulation [1]. We already have one of the most robust regulatory regimes in the world for shale gas and we will look to continuously improve it as the industry develops.

    [1] The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineers, Shale gas extraction in the UK: a review of hydraulic fracturing, 2012