Tag: David Anderson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what additional resources his Department plans to make available to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator to ensure it meets the 90-day target in issuing complaint outcomes set by the European Directive on Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Joseph Johnson

Should an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, such
as the Office for the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA),be found
to be continually failing to comply with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations
2015, the Government has set out a process that enables an appointed body (the
Chartered Trading Standards Institute) to monitor compliance, recommend
improvements and, ultimately, remove a body from the approved list.

The OIA is independent of Government and funded by compulsory subscriptions
from higher education providers. All higher education providers in receipt of
student support funding are required, through legislation, to join the OIA and pay
subscription fees. The OIA makes an assessment each year of the level of
funding it requires to ensure that its costs can be met.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will place in the Library any information her Department holds on the number of jobs imported coal supports in each of its source countries; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

The number of jobs imported coal supports in each of its source countries is not information that the Department of Energy and Climate Change holds.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-03-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will commission independent research on the (a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) technical viability of building ultra-supercritical coal fired power stations in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

Coal is the most carbon intensive form of electricity generation. I have no plans to commission independent research on the viability of building ultra-supercritical coal fired power stations in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department holds data on the amount of heat a tonne of biomass gives off when burned compared to a tonne of coal; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

The Department annually publishes the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES). Appendix A of DUKES contains data on the calorific value of fuels:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447648/ DUKES_2015_Annex_A.pdf.

The gross calorific value of dry biomass fuels, (the DUKES values have been corrected for moisture content), vary between 10 gigajoules per tonne (GJ/t) for poultry litter and 24 GJ/t for meat and bone meal. A typical dry wood based fuel has an energy content close to 19 GJ/t. Treatments such as torrefaction or charcoal production increase the energy density of biomass derived materials. However these manufactured biomass fuels are not commonly used for heating in the UK.

A tonne of coal can also vary in heat content, depending on the rank of the coal, but lies between 24 GJ/t for bituminous coal as used in the pulp, paper and printing industries and 34 GJ/t of fuel for anthracite used in households. Typical bituminous house coal has a gross heat content of 30 GJ/t.

These values represent the maximum heat available from a fuel in a laboratory test. The useful heat provided by combustion of that fuel to the business or home will depend on the efficiency of the combustor in which it is burnt and the design of the energy distribution system. The combustor efficiency can range from an open fire which may provide 20% of the energy in the fuel as useful heat, to modern condensing wood pellet boilers with gross efficiencies around 90%.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff in her Department hold qualifications at A-level or above in statistics.

Nick Gibb

The Department does not hold information requested.

For staff joining the Department specifically as statisticians there are minimum requirements.

For those joining at Fast Stream level, the requirements are:

• a minimum of a 2:1 degree in a numerate discipline such as mathematics, economics, psychology or geography; the degree should contain some formal statistical training;

• a graduate diploma of the Royal Statistical Society or an equivalent qualification.

For those joining at EO grade, the requirements are:

• a minimum of a 2:2 degree in a numerate discipline such as mathematics, economics, psychology or geography; the degree should contain some formal statistical training;

• a graduate diploma of the Royal Statistical Society or equivalent qualification;

We also welcome applications from candidates who do not have a degree but can demonstrate significant experience in a statistics related field, plus continuing professional development in a relevant area that leads to qualifications (for example the RSS Higher Certificate).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings NHS England has had with PTC Therapeutics to discuss an agreement on price for Translarna to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy since 15 April 2016.

George Freeman

NHS England has advised that on 4 May 2016 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) asked NHS England and PTC Therapeutics to continue to work towards agreeing an acceptable managed access arrangement for Translarna (ataluren) for the treatment of children aged five and over with Duchenne muscular dystrophy caused by a nonsense mutation.

NHS England and the company have been asked to reach agreement on the cost of the drug to the National Health Service by 7 July.

NHS England has advised there have not been any commercial meetings with PTC Therapeutics in the period since 15 April 2016, however, it is in regular contact with the company.

NHS England will be meeting with PTC Therapeutics when it has concluded the detailed preparatory work required to effectively respond to NICE’s request within the set timescale.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, House of Lords, 9 July 2015, Official Report, column 286, what his policy is on part funding of the NHS through insurance and co-payments.

Mr Philip Dunne

There is no plan to change the way that the National Health Service is funded nor any consideration of changes. The Government remains committed to the principles of the NHS, enshrined in the NHS Constitution, that access to NHS services is based on clinical need, not the ability to pay.

The Government is also committed to working with the NHS in implementing its own plan for the future of the NHS – the Five Year Forward View – backed up by the commitment made in the Spending Review to provide an additional £10 billion in real terms by 2020-21 compared to 2014-15. This fully funds the plan.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-10-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will request that the Parole Board publish the basis on which it took the decision to release Harry Roberts from prison in October 2014.

Andrew Selous

The decision to release Roberts was made by the independent Parole Board based on the risk presented by him. It is not appropriate for Ministers to interfere with decisions of the Parole Board to release an offender, or to seek disclosure of the Board’s reasoning.

Since Roberts’ release, the Government has changed the law so that the sentencing starting point is a whole life order for anyone who is over age 21 and convicted of the murder of a police or prison officer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how her Department took into account the planned Chinese government involvement in the construction of new nuclear energy facilities in its impact assessment on removal of market support mechanisms for wind and solar energy.

Andrea Leadsom

Chinese investment in new nuclear power stations was not a factor in our assessment of the impact of changes to government support for renewables.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the inspection regime is for ensuring that hens are housed in conditions compliant with relevant EU directives.

George Eustice

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) enforces the relevant welfare legislation and carries out welfare inspections on farms to check that the UK legislation, which implements European law, is being followed. This includes spot checks and planned risk based inspections.

In addition, a programme of inspections is carried out under EU cross compliance legislation to farmers that claim cross-compliance subsidies. The APHA also enforce the requirement for owners or other responsible persons to inspect their hens at least once a day.

Our expert advisory committee, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, has concluded that stockmanship, and the correct application of husbandry standards, whatever the system of production, is key to ensuring good welfare for farmed animals. This view is relevant to all livestock, whether in intensive or extensive production systems. The EU Commission’s Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare recognised that there is a wide variety of enriched cage designs for laying hens, and that the layout of some cages can affect bird inspection. Both the EU Commission in its 2008 report on the welfare of laying hens in various systems and the Farm Animal Welfare Committee recognise the welfare benefits of enriched cages and have given their support to this system of production.