Tag: Daniel Zeichner

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to tackle fraud relating to European Health Insurance Cards.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Department takes any allegations of fraud and abuse seriously and works with the National Health Service on an on-going basis to detect and tackle any suspected fraud relating to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

We have introduced a raft of measures to tighten up systems and procedures, both for issuing EHICs and checking the subsequent claims made to the United Kingdom. These measures include requiring additional proof of entitlement, mandatory declaration and email verification processes.

The Department is also undertaking a major system redesign project which aims to strengthen existing processes. Reducing further the potential for fraud and error is one of the key objectives of this work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the examination boards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland collect data on the number of private candidates who sit GCSE and A-Level examinations.

Nick Gibb

These questions are a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write directly to the Hon. Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House libraries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the amount paid in road user compensation claims by local authorities in England outside London from 2012-13 to 2013-14.

Andrew Jones

The management and defence of insurance claims on the local highway network is entirely a matter for local highway authorities.

The Department for Transport’s road condition statistics for 2013-14 suggest an improvement to the local road network, since 2012-13.

The Department supports local authorities to manage their road networks efficiently and effectively, with record funding of £6billion from 2015 to 2021. Also, from 2016-17, the Department is introducing a Local Highways Maintenance Incentive Fund, to reward those authorities who are demonstrating good practice in this regard. The assessment of local authorities’ eligibility for this Fund includes scoring of the effectiveness of their asset management and risk management approaches.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to (a) maintain and (b) increase real terms funding for marketing of domestic tourism after 2015.

David Evennett

The British Tourist Authority received a very positive Spending Review settlement, with a stable budget over the next four years for both Britain and England activity, an increase in overall GREAT funding and the new £40million Discover England Fund. The Fund will be administered by VisitEngland and will benefit both domestic and international tourism, making it easier for all visitors to book, access and enjoy our tourism offer.

Following the floods caused by storms Desmond and Eva,, £1million has also been provided for a promotional campaign to encourage British families to take holidays in the North of England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-20.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what research the Government Equalities Office has (a) commissioned and (b) assessed on the extent to which women are asked about their plans to have children during job interviews; and what steps the Government plans to take to reduce the incidence of that practice.

Caroline Dinenage

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination is unlawful and wholly unacceptable. The Government and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission are working together on the largest independent research project of its kind in Great Britain to better understand the issues, including that of inappropriate interview questions.

The Government’s next steps will be informed by the final findings of this research, due to be published later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to spread the £300 million for cycling announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 over five or six years.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government has agreed a four-year revenue and five-year capital settlement for local transport spend, which includes cycling and walking investment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information she holds on the proportion of A Level students who have chosen to take an AS Level in 2015-16 under the reformed AS Level and A Level system.

Nick Gibb

The information requested will not be held by the Department for Education until autumn 2016. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) will publish information on AS level exam entries and results in August 2016. The department will publish this information for the first time in the provisional “A level and other level 3 results” statistical first release in autumn 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the reasons for regional variation in the condition of local authority A roads that merit the indicator which states that they are roads where maintenance should be considered.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport regularly publishes Official Statistics on the proportion of roads where maintenance should be considered by region in England. The latest available published data are for the financial year 2013/14.

Road maintenance is a matter for individual local highway authorities, and it is for them to prioritise work according to local need. However, we are providing local highway authorities with record funding of £6 billion for local highways maintenance plus a £250 million pothole action fund as recently announced by the Chancellor on top of this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of particulate matter pollution; and what account her Department took of such trends when developing its air quality plan.

Rory Stewart

There has been a long term decrease in the emissions of all air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM). This trend can be seen in our recent statistical release, Emissions of Air Pollutants in the UK 1970 to 2014, published on 17 December 2015. Emissions of PM₁₀ have fallen by 72.6 percent since 1970 and emissions of PM_2.5 have fallen by 76 percent. The UK plan for improving air quality is designed to fulfil our requirements in relation to nitrogen dioxide. Many of the sources of nitrogen oxides are also sources of particulate matter. A number of the solutions identified in the plan to address nitrogen dioxide will also have an impact on emissions of particulate matter and will contribute to this downward trend.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to equalise fees for spousal visas for spouses of UK citizens and such fees for spouses of EU citizens resident in the UK.

James Brokenshire

We have no plans to equalise these fees.