Tag: 2016

  • Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers have sufficient network bandwidth capabilities to make full use of the situational awareness and tactics which the F-35 can offer the Royal Navy; and what plans they have to enhance that use.

    Earl Howe

    The current network bandwidth installed on the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is sufficient to carry out the endorsed scope of carrier strike operations. As with all programmes, requirements and opportunities are kept under constant review and amended where necessary.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the value was of (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) employment and support allowance sanctions imposed by his Department in each of the last five years.

    Priti Patel

    The Department does not make an estimate of the value of benefit withdrawn as a result of benefit sanctions.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the most common reasons are why people who are remanded in custody do not go on to receive subsequent prison sentences.

    Mike Penning

    The reasons why some people who are remanded in custody do not then go onto receive prison sentences are not recorded. The decision to remand an individual into custody is taken by the independent judiciary. The presumption is in favour of bail, but the judiciary will use their discretion to remand an individual into custody, taking into account a number of factors including the seriousness of the crime and whether a remand into custody will be necessary to prevent absconding, committing further offences or interference with witnesses.

    If a defendant is subsequently given a custodial sentence, the time they have spent on a remand into custody will be deducted from their sentence.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the level of vehicular noise on the M1 passing Mill Hill town.

    Andrew Jones

    In response to the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provided noise maps for transport sources such as roads, which identify noise ‘Important Areas’, the most seriously affected locations. Those which are located next to the trunk road and motorway network in England are required to be investigated by Highways England.

    Between the A41 near Apex Corner and M1 junction 2 in the Mill Hill area, four locations on the M1 have been identified as being noise ‘Important Areas’. Highways England are continuing investigations into these sites, including a study at a location opposite Mill Hill Broadway station to see if a noise barrier is practical here, which is expected to be completed by March 2017.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what arrangements have been made for the process of approval of expenses claims submitted by the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam under the Public Duty Cost Allowance.

    Ben Gummer

    The purpose of the Public Duties Cost Allowance is to assist former Prime Ministers with the costs of continuing to fulfil duties associated with their previous position in public life. Exceptionally, the then Prime Minister agreed that the former Deputy Prime Minister , the Rt Hon Member for Sheffield Hallam, should be able to have access to the allowance to recognise the special position he held in the Coalition Government. Other former Deputy Prime Ministers are not eligible for the allowance. The allowance is set at a maximum limit of £115,000 per annum. The amounts paid are a reimbursement of expenses, accounted for in the published Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts. The former Deputy Prime Minister is eligible for the allowance from the date of leaving ministerial office for the duration of this Parliament.

  • Baroness Parminter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Parminter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Parminter on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made on the implementation, through public procurement policy, of their commitment to achieve 100 per cent sourcing of credibly certified sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government Buying Standard for food and catering was amended in October 2012 to state that, from the end of 2015, all palm oil used for cooking and as an ingredient in food shall be sustainably produced. The Government has been making good progress towards meeting this requirement, with the majority of departments reporting that their catering contractors are complying with it. The next report on progress under the Greening Government Commitments, covering 2015/16, will include an update on sustainable procurement issues, including palm oil.

  • Lord Donoughue – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Donoughue – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Donoughue on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of any intermittency issues concerning renewable generating capacity installed using finance from the UK International Climate Fund.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    Through the International Climate Fund (ICF) we support a number of renewable energy projects in developing countries, with the aim to increase the availability of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. On the grid, we support a diverse portfolio of renewable energies which are planned to contribute to generation diversity and system stability; we also support off-grid renewable energy systems, which are integrated with storage technologies. ICF support not only keeps the lights on, but also improves health and education, spurs economic growth and creates jobs. Our work is aligned with the new Global Goals, particularly Goal 7, to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps NHS England is taking to standardise the collection of data on cholesterol.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) provides information and data for commissioners, analysts and clinicians in health and social care and is responsible for matters relating to standardisation of the collection of cholesterol data.

    The HSCIC administers the Health Survey for England which is an annual survey of the general population. Since 2008, it has included measurements of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The data is publically available from the UK Data Service.

    Additionally, cholesterol testing in primary care for people diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes is included in the Quality Outcomes Framework. This information from this is published every year by the HSCIC.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the British Medical Association’s report Prescribed drugs associated with dependence and withdrawal: building a consensus for action published in October 2015 on the effects of sudden withdrawal from prescribed drugs that have been over-prescribed; and (2) the need for more training on those effects; and whether they have plans to take any action as a result of that report.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We welcome the British Medical Association’s report and its contribution to addressing this serious issue.

    It is the responsibility of local areas to plan, develop and improve health services according to the healthcare needs of the local population, including services for people dependent on prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

    The Department, Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England (NHSE) are responsible for helping local areas to understand how they can best support people dependent on prescribed or over-the-counter medicines and have undertaken a number of initiatives. These include:

    – supporting a project by St George’s University of London to strengthen the training of medical students in relation to substance misuse;

    – supporting the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education, Royal College of General Practitioners and others to develop information and educational materials, and training on addiction to medicines for General Practitioners and other healthcare professionals;

    – the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency publishing a learning module on benzodiazepines in April 2013;

    – PHE supported an expert group led by the Faculty of Pain Medicine at the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCOA) to develop an online only core resource on opioid pain medicines that can be used as a source of consistent information by any medical body developing its own materials, and are working with RCOA colleagues to support the widespread dissemination and implementation of this online only resource;

    – in June 2013, PHE published a commissioning guide for the NHS and local authorities, ‘Commissioning treatment for dependence on prescription and over-the-counter medicines: a guide for NHS and local authority commissioners’, which sets out their expectation that support should be available in every area for people with a dependency on prescription or over-the-counter medicines, based on a full assessment of local need. A copy of this guidance is attached;

    – PHE supporting a small number of local areas to pilot improvements in their commissioning of responses to dependence on prescribed or over-the-counter medicines; and

    – Commissioning research into prescribing patterns of dependence forming medicines in primary care.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the Government has to extend the period of time separating spouses of service personnel have to vacate his Department’s accommodation.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no plans to extend the period of time in which separating spouses of Service personnel have to vacate MOD provided accommodation. However, the current 93-day period can be extended further according to individual circumstances, such as children’s schooling, relevant welfare and any medical considerations.