The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of junior doctors who have opted out of the European Working Time Directive.
Ben Gummer
The Department has not made any estimate of the number of junior doctors who have opted out of the European Working Directive.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2016-06-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the higher education entry rate data, published in December 2015, what steps his Department is taking to increase the rate of entry to university from young people in (a) Bristol South constituency and (b) other areas that have a low rate of university entry.
Joseph Johnson
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone with the potential has the opportunity to benefit from higher education, irrespective of their background.
In the last academic year we saw record entry rates to higher education, including among those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Since 2010, we have established a stronger framework, with increased responsibility placed on higher education institutions to widen participation. The Director of Fair Access has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 containing an estimated £745m to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds – up from £404m in 2009/10.
In addition, we will take steps through the Higher Education and Research Bill to widen access and participation further. This will include strengthening the system of access agreements, and introducing new transparency duties on higher education institutions. We have also asked Universities UK to form a Social Mobility Advisory Group to set out what further steps the higher education sector itself can take to promote social mobility.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new homes for social rent were completed in Bristol South constituency in each year from 2010 to 2014.
Brandon Lewis
Statistics on additional housing for affordable rent provided in each local authority area in England are published in the Department’s live table 1006a which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply
These figures include both newly built housing and acquisitions.
Figures are not collected on the basis of Parliamentary constituencies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about the level of junior doctor cover at weekends.
Ben Gummer
We have evidence that hospital leaders consider the junior doctors’ contract to be a significant barrier to delivering more seven-day services. NHS Providers’ written evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) on contract reform for consultants and doctors and dentists in training[1] stated that the junior doctor contract is still a significant source of barriers to seven day working and reform of the junior doctor contract is also required to support trusts to deliver more seven-day services. In particular, the pay banding system for junior doctors needs to be reviewed. There were concerns from employers that the banding system is too complicated, can create “perverse incentives” for junior doctors, and means that providing more seven-day services is unaffordable, since more junior doctors would be working outside core hours and receive premiums under the current banding system. NHS Providers also believe that more hours in a day and more days of the week need to be defined as core hours, as the current arrangement does not support the delivery of more seven-day services or reflect the needs and expectations of today’s patients. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has also said that premium pay rates are hindering efforts to put services on a seven-day footing.
[1]
http://www.nhsproviders.org/resource-library/written-evidence-ddrb-special-remit/
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to accelerate the reunification of families for unaccompanied refugee children in Europe.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government began work to implement the ‘Dubs amendment’ immediately after the Immigration Bill gained Royal Assent. Over 30 children who meet the criteria in the Immigration Act have been accepted for transfer since it received Royal Assent in May, the majority of these have already arrived in the UK.
We continue to work with the French, Greek and Italian authorities and others to speed up existing family reunification processes or implement new processes where necessary for unaccompanied children. We have seconded a UK official to Greece, we have a long-standing secondee working in Italy and will shortly be seconding another official to the French Interior Ministry to support these efforts.
We have established a dedicated team in the Home Office Dublin Unit to lead on family reunion cases for unaccompanied children. Transfer requests under the Dublin Regulation are now generally processed within 10 days and children transferred within weeks. Over 120 children have been accepted for transfer this year from Europe.
We also continue to consult local authorities about the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK, where it is in their best interests.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes were completed in Bristol South constituency in each year from 2010 to 2014.
Brandon Lewis
Statistics on house building starts and completions are not available by parliamentary constituency.
These statistics for England and for each local authority district, including Bristol, are published in the Department’s live tables 253 (annual) and 253a (quarterly), which are available at the following link:
http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building
The house building statistics exclude other sources of housing supply such as conversions.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the number of personal assistants who provide care to people formerly in receipt of the Independent Living Fund who will be entitled to pension scheme auto-enrolment; and what guidance his Department has issued to employers of such employees on that matter.
Justin Tomlinson
All personal care assistants that meet the eligibility criteria for automatic enrolment will be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme by their employer. In order to be eligible, staff must be between 22 and State Pension age and must earn more than £10,000 per year (which is £192 per week).
We are working with The Pensions Regulator to ensure that employers of personal care assistants are supported with their automatic enrolment duties. The Regulator has tailored its online Step by Step guide and offline communications specifically to employers of personal care assistants. Furthermore, the Regulator provides information that will help employers of personal care assistants to choose a pension scheme. Finally, the Regulator has a dedicated Industry Liaison team who engage with providers, employers, intermediaries, charities and user-led organisations to raise awareness and understanding of automatic enrolment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will take steps to provide additional support for people who need to dispose of a property after the death of a relative by reviewing existing council tax liabilities.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Government provides an exemption from council tax for up to 6 months to people who have inherited properties which are left empty due to the death of the occupier. This applies after the granting of probate, or after letters of administration have been signed. Local authorities additionally have discretion to offer discounts of between 0% and 100% for empty homes. Authorities can also defer payment of council tax until the proceeds of a sale are made available.
The Government has no plans to change this support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people resident in Bristol South constituency were deported in each year from 2005 to 2014.
James Brokenshire
The information requested is set out in the table below:
|
Year |
Total |
|
2006 |
14 |
|
2007 |
13 |
|
2008 |
20 |
|
2009 |
14 |
|
2010 |
16 |
|
2011 |
30 |
|
2012 |
10 |
|
2013 |
15 |
|
2014 |
10 |
|
Total |
142 |
Caveats
Bristol South constituency postcodes taken from the ONS Postcode Directory (ONSPD) (Office for National Statistics)
Data is based on the last recorded address on CID at the time of departure, incorrect/incomplete postcodes will not have been matched
Removal figures uses Management Information based on the Historical Removal report.
Figures provided from 2006 onwards as earlier data is not captured due to the unreliability of CID data at that time.
The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to continue to invest in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Mr Nick Hurd
The UK is currently reviewing all core contributions through the Multilateral Aid Review. We are committed to remaining a world leader in tackling global diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. We will continue to invest in the Global Fund, which has saved 17 million lives.