The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Prime Minister, what special advisers have (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully sought his permission to work on a EU referendum campaign.
Mr David Cameron
The arrangements for special advisers who wish to work for a campaign are set out in the Cabinet Secretary’s letter of 23 February. It is not appropriate to publish personal data about individual special advisers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the risk of increased suppression of demonstrations, civil society organisations, and of threats to Iraqi citizens from Iraqi government forces and militias.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We are following demonstrations by civil society organisations which are currently taking place in Iraq. These follow large demonstrations which took place during summer 2015. We welcome the overwhelmingly peaceful nature of these demonstrations and the measured manner in which they have been policed. Demonstrators commented on the good treatment by and positive interaction of the Iraqi Security Forces. This is in stark contrast to 2011 when lethal force was used against demonstrators. We are also following similar demonstrations in Iraqi Kurdistan.
However, we are concerned by recent reports alleging that Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish Security Forces, Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces and militias have committed human rights abuses and violations during recent military operations. We have been clear that Iraqi forces need to do everything they can to protect civilians and demonstrate that they are fighting on behalf of all Iraq’s communities. Prime Minister Abadi and Kurdish Regional President Barzani have committed to investigating all reports and ensuring those responsible are held to account. We regularly underline with the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government the importance of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jenny Chapman on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations her Department has received from primary schools on the requirement to make milk available during the school day.
Mr Sam Gyimah
We have had one piece of correspondence on milk from a school in recent months. The Department does not collect data on the consumption of milk. The revised School Food Standards are effective from 1 January 2015 and designed to be easier to read and implement. A full public consultation on the School Food Standards regulations was held between 6 March and 16 April 2014. All schools were subsequently notified of the guidance through our termly communications with schools. The standards and guidance are available on gov.uk at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of whether the most recent Public Performance Measure figures reported by Govia Thameslink Railway put Govia Thameslink Railway in breach of its Remedial Plan.
Claire Perry
The Public Performance Measure figure does not put Govia Thameslink Railway in breach of their Remedial Plan.
The Franchise Agreement does not include the Public Performance Measure as one of the benchmarks against which their performance is measured. The Department for Transport (DfT) performance benchmarks for Govia Thameslink Railway are for Delay minutes and Cancellations for which GTR are responsible, and Peak Short formation, as specified under Schedule 7.1 of the Franchise Agreement: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/525766/tsgn-franchise-agreement.pdf.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish updated country guidance for asylum applications made by Eritrean nationals.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Updated country information and guidance on Eritrea will be published on the www.gov.uk website shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-10-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from the Road Haulage Association on lorry drivers setting up personal service companies for tax purposes; and what steps his Department is taking to promote tax compliance among road hauliers.
Jane Ellison
The Road Haulage Association wrote to the Government on the 18th March 2016 to raise their concerns about this issue. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has worked with the Road Haulage Association and others to highlight the managed service company and employment intermediaries rules which are designed to ensure that people who provide their services through their own limited companies pay the appropriate employment taxes. HMRC robustly enforces compliance with these rules, including in the road haulage sector.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the total capital and current spending on (1) drainage, and (2) flood prevention, by (a) local authorities in England, and (b) the Environment Agency, in each of the past ten years and in the current year.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Local authorities decide what to spend on drainage and flood prevention depending on local priorities. The Department for Communities and Local Government publishes statistics on local authorities’ revenue expenditure and capital expenditure outturns on GOV.UK. They are currently published from 2007/08 until 2014/15 with budget and forecast figures for 2015/16. Figures in relation to defences against flooding and land drainage are included in the statistics.
The Environment Agency invests in flood and coastal erosion risk management. Whilst in some cases there may also be secondary drainage benefits of this work, the Environment Agency does not measure those benefits and so cannot report on spending on drainage.
The table below shows the Environment Agency’s expenditure on flood and coastal erosion risk management in each of the past ten years, with budget figures for the current year. All figures are in £m, with real terms figures given at 2015/16 prices.
|
Year |
Total |
Total Real Terms |
|
2005/06 |
445.1 |
549.7 |
|
2006/07 |
439.7 |
528.7 |
|
2007/08 |
459.4 |
536.7 |
|
2008/09 |
565.6 |
644.6 |
|
2009/10 |
620.1 |
688.9 |
|
2010/11 |
651.6 |
704.4 |
|
2011/12 |
548.5 |
582.5 |
|
2012/13 |
537.1 |
561.4 |
|
2013/14 |
535.9 |
548.8 |
|
2014/15 |
569.3 |
575.0 |
|
2015/16 |
601.4 |
601.4 |
In addition to the above, exceptional funding of £30m; £180m; and £60m was provided to the Environment Agency in financial years 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 respectively (cash terms), following the winter 2013/14 flood event.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups in England have published recovery plans in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
George Freeman
As part of NHS England’s financial management processes, it expects clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with planned cumulative overspends to provide it with recovery plans. Financial recovery plans may also be requested where a CCG’s financial position deteriorates during a financial year. In the past three years the number of CCGs with planned cumulative overspends has been nine in 2013/14 (with 19 actual cumulative overspends at year end), 18 in 2014/15 (19 at year end) and 22 in 2015/16 (29 forecast full year overspends as at November 2015).
NHS England has requested CCGs submit final financial plans for 2016/17 by the beginning of April. As in previous years, those planning cumulative deficits will be required to submit or refresh recovery plans. NHS England will not be in a position to estimate the number of CCGs likely to submit recovery plans in 2016/17 until the planning process is further advanced.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of whether the bus service operators grant is used by bus operators to keep fares down.
Andrew Jones
We have been reviewing the Bus Service Operators Grant scheme in recent years with a view to improving its effectiveness in supporting bus services. In their assessment of the impact of any changes in policy associated with the Bus Service Operators’ Grant, departmental economists normally assume operators pass subsidy received on to passengers 50% through lower fares and 50% through increased service levels. Under these assumptions, they estimate that BSOG has the impact of keeping fares 3% lower than they would be in its absence in England outside of London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the availability of sufficient long-term funding for the delivery of the commitments in NHS England’s Transforming Care programme.
Alistair Burt
In the national service model and Building the right support published in October 2015 NHS England, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services set out how areas would be supported to deliver lasting change to people with a learning disability and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges.
To develop community capacity, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), local authorities and NHS England’s specialised commissioners have formed 48 transforming care partnerships (TCPs) to plan for the future. TCPs have been asked to use the total sum of money they spend as a whole system on people with a learning disability and/or autism to deliver care in a different way to achieve better results. This includes shifting money from some services (such as inpatient care) into others (such as community health services including mental health services or individual packages of support). The costs of the future model of care will therefore be met from the total current envelope of spend on health and social care services for people with a learning disability and/or autism.
During a phase of transition, commissioners will need to invest in new community support before closing inpatient provision. To support them to do this NHS England will make available up to £30 million of transformation funding over three years, to be matched by CCGs, and £15 million in capital funding. This funding is in addition to the £10 million made available to six fast track areas in 2015/16.