Tag: Kevin Hollinrake

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to (a) reduce the number and (b) support the families of people reported as missing for more than three months; and when he expects to bring forward legislative proposals on the proposed guardianship bill.

Dominic Raab

The government is currently reviewing the Missing Children and Adults strategy, originally published in 2011. We are engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including the charity Missing People, to update the guidance given in relation to all cases of children and adults going missing. The refreshed strategy will be published later this year and will include measures relating to preventing people going missing and improving the responses by all agencies to the families of long-term missing persons. We will introduce legislation to create a new legal status of guardian of the property and affairs of a missing person as soon as parliamentary time permits.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing clear national planning guidelines for the (a) maximum density of shale gas well sites per square mile and (b) minimum distances of such sites from towns and villages.

James Wharton

The planning system currently requires shale well site density and distance to settlements to be considered where relevant in plan making and decisions on planning proposals, taking into account local context. Were limits to be set in national planning guidance, they may not provide appropriate protections in some contexts, or rule out otherwise acceptable development in others.

For minerals such as shale gas, local authority mineral plans should set out environmental criteria for the assessment of applications and take into account cumulative effect of multiple impacts from individual sites and/ or from a number of sites in a locality. Planning law requires that decisions must be taken in accordance with the development plan for the local authority, including any relevant mineral plan policies, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

In all cases, national planning policy must also be taken into account when applications are determined. This is clear that when a planning permission is granted for mineral development, including shale gas, there should be no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment, or on human health. It also ensures relevant cumulative effects are considered.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make representations to Highways England and Transport for the North on extending the A64 dual carriageway to Barton Hill.

Andrew Jones

Highways England’s forthcoming work on the next iteration of their Route Strategies is the means of assessing pressures and needs and generating proposals across the entire strategic road network, including the A64. The Route Strategies will inform the preparation of the next Road Investment Strategy. Any specific proposals that require investment will of course need to be underpinned by a strong and clear business case.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward planned improvements to the Northern Rail service between Scarborough and York that are due to take place in 2019.

Andrew Jones

The possibility of bringing forward the planned improvement to this route was fully explored with Arriva Rail North during the closing phases of the franchising process in late 2015 and was not considered achievable. This position has currently not changed, but should it do so then earlier implementation would then be considered with the franchisee.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that examination marking is consistent and objective.

Nick Gibb

This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked the Interim Chief Regulator, Amanda Spielman, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-06-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by what process his Department plans to evaluate and continue to develop national antibiotic prescribing targets for primary and secondary care.

Jane Ellison

The Department takes advice on the measurement of prescribing levels and the development of objectives for levels of prescribing of antibiotics from the Department’s Health’s Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections as well as the English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance.

The English Surveillance Programme on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance, (ESPAUR), was established by Public Health England (PHE) in 2013 in response to the publication of the UK 5 year Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). ESPAUR provides the data on prescribing of antibiotics and levels of resistance to antibiotics in both primary and secondary care that allows the Department to evaluate progress.

PHE uses the ESPAUR data to provide ongoing expert advice to NHS England to enable ongoing development of commissioning incentives to encourage healthcare providers to achieve the antibiotic prescribing quality measures recommended by the national expert Advisory Group on AMR and Healthcare Associated Infections for primary and secondary care.

The Department’s Policy Research Programme has also commissioned the Imperial National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit to evaluate and research the impact of reduced antibiotic prescribing on hospital admissions and mortality.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will consider extending the exemptions that exist in the sea fishing industry to self-employed workers seeking Skills Funding Agency support for apprenticeships in the construction industry.

Nick Boles

Under Apprenticeship Frameworks, there are very specific instances where an apprentice is able to undertake an apprenticeship without being employed; where they are made redundant and where they are in an occupation that does not traditionally have an employer. In order to facilitate apprenticeships under these circumstances, specifically where employers do not exist, Government has provided funding to cover training and support. Fewer than 2000 apprenticeship starts fall under these conditions each year, of which fewer than 40 are in the sea fishing industry.

The role of an employer in an apprenticeship, where possible, is considered vital and ensures the apprentice receives appropriate training, pay and support during their apprenticeship programme. The Government is therefore not considering widening exemptions that exist into other sectors at this time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of (a) the effect of the National Tariff on the choice of antibiotic therapy available in hospitals and (b) the implications of the cost of such therapy for that availability.

Nicola Blackwood

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 Act transferred responsibility for developing payment systems for health care services from the Department to NHS England and NHS Improvement (formerly Monitor). The costs of drugs that are used in the course of a patient’s stay in hospital are reimbursed via the Healthcare Resource Group tariff that the provider receives for that spell.

We are advised by NHS England that they are not aware of issues with the national tariff having an impact on the choice of antibiotic therapy available in hospitals.

The decision on whether to prescribe an antibiotic is entirely a matter for the clinician, based on his or her clinical judgement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-03-24.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the proposed 36 month stamp duty grace period for people transitioning from one property to another will apply retrospectively.

Mr David Gauke

The Government appreciates that there may be circumstances where an individual sells a property which was a main residence and then experiences a delay before purchasing a new main residence. Where an individual is replacing a main residence, the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax should not apply to the purchase of a new main residence within 36 months of the disposal of a previous main residence.

In addition to this, the 36 month time period will commence from 25 November 2015 for those who had sold a previous main residence prior to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, in order to provide additional transitional support.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of eviction possession hearings that took place in respect of (a) private and (b) social landlords in the last year for which data is available.

Sir Oliver Heald

The number of possession hearings that took place in respect of (a) private and (b) social landlords are available on GOV.UK using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mortgage-and-landlord-possession-statistics-april-to-june-2016

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