Tag: Grahame Morris

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that local authorities meet their obligation under the National Planning Policy Framework to meet the housing needs of disabled people requiring wheelchair accessible homes.

Brandon Lewis

Local authorities are best placed to understand the housing needs in their area. We expect them to work closely with key partners and their local communities in deciding what type of housing is needed.

National policy sets out clearly the need for local authorities to plan for the housing needs of all members of the community and that planning should encourage accessibility. The introduction of optional requirements for accessibility in the Building Regulations provides local authorities with the tools needed to ensure that new homes are accessible and that in particular the needs of disabled people are met.

Local authorities are held accountable for their housing delivery via their Local Plans which are tested by local independent planning inspectors and are scrutinised via yearly Authority Monitoring reports which set out progress on delivery against Local Plan targets. In addition local authorities must determine individual decisions in line with the development plan and other material considerations, such as the National Planning Policy Framework and having regard to viability considerations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-03-04.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the amount currently owed to HM Revenue and Customs in tax credit overpayments and (b) the potential effect of the reduction in the income rise disregard on the amount so owed in each of the next three years.

Damian Hinds

The amount of tax credit debt owed to HMRC as at 31 March 2015, the latest available figure, is published in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2014-15. The Annual Report and Accounts for 2015-16 are due to be published in June this year.

The impact on new debt from the reduction in the disregard is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what representations he has (a) received and (b) made on the introduction or piloting of a system of automatic electoral registration.

John Penrose

I have considered a range of proposals from local authorities and civil society organisations that could change how registration is currently delivered. The Government is committed to further modernising and improving electoral registration, building on the successful transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER). We are keen to explore further possibilities in this area but are concerned there may be tension between some forms of automatic registration and the principles underpinning IER, namely individual responsibility and ownership over registering to vote.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will request that train operating companies publish the criteria they use for calculating rail fares.

Claire Perry

The rail fares we regulate have been capped at inflation (Retail Price Index) for three years running, and will continue to be capped for the life of this parliament. The Government sets the maximum amount by which regulated fares can rise. Details of how fares regulation applies to train operators can be found in Schedule 5 of the Franchise Agreement which can be found on the Department’s website. Other fares are unregulated, and train operators are permitted to set these on a commercial basis.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-register-of-rail-passenger-franchise-agreements

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which Jobcentre Plus offices he has contacted on the use of their own locally-developed claimant communications rather than using those produced by his Department.

Priti Patel

The Department has guidelines on its intranet for all Jobcentre Plus offices about the use of locally-developed claimant communications. These guidelines make it clear what can and cannot be produced locally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications for retrospective reviews for continuing healthcare in the North of England have been successful in each of the last five years.

David Mowat

NHS England does not collect this information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the Ministry of Justice no longer has responsibility for Government policy on freedom of information and data protection.

Matthew Hancock

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements of the 17 July [HLWS134] and 17 September [HCWS209]. As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Prime Minister is responsible for the overall organisation of the executive.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many decommissioning relief deeds relating to decommissioning activity in the UK Continental Shelf have been signed to date; and what the total value of such deeds is to the (a) public purse and (b) decommissioning industry.

Damian Hinds

At Budget 2013, the government announced it would begin signing decommissioning relief deeds. These deeds represent a new contractual approach to provide oil and gas companies with certainty on the level of tax relief they will receive on future decommissioning costs.

Since October 2013, the government has entered into 72 decommissioning relief deeds. Oil & Gas UK estimates that these deeds have so far unlocked more than £3.5bn of capital, which can now be invested elsewhere.

The government committed to report to Parliament every year on progress with the deeds. The report for financial year 2014-15 can be found at:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2015-07-21/HCWS162/.

The government does not publish the names of companies with which it has entered into decommissioning relief deeds as this information is commercially sensitive.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement the Infertility Network UK recommendations on access to IVF treatment.

Jane Ellison

The Department funded Infertility Network UK (INUK) to develop advice to NHS Commissioners on standardising eligibility criteria for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. The Department has consistently encouraged NHS Commissioners to have regard to this advice. The INUK advice is listed as a resource for clinical commissioning groups (CCG) in the NHS England “Commissioning Fertility Services Factsheet”.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend that eligible couples should receive three full cycles of IVF treatment. The Government has made clear that blanket restrictions on treatment are unacceptable and all decisions on treatment should be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs and in line with NICE Guidelines.

While we have not made an assessment of access to IVF treatment, we are aware of the annual survey by Fertility Fairness. I have written to stakeholders, including Fertility Fairness, and invited them to discuss what could be done to improve the provision of IVF services along with representatives of NHS England and Monitor.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes she plans to make to advice on her Department’s website relating to (a) goods for which an origin is indicated on their labelling, (b) goods from Golan and (c) other goods in response to the European Commission’s Interpretative Notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, published on 11 November 2015.

George Eustice

The Commission’s Notice recommends that goods imported into the EU which originate from Israeli settlements in the occupied territories should bear an indication which makes that provenance clear. That recommendation is already included in the current technical advice to UK retailers and importers concerning the labelling of agricultural produce from the West Bank which was issued by Defra in 2009. There is therefore no need for changes at this stage.