Tag: Lord Scriven

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have carried out to determine whether the police facial recognition database complies with the Data Protection Act 1998; and what were the findings of that review.

Lord Bates

There is no facial recognition database as such. The Police National Database (PND) includes photographs of persons taken on their arrest. These images can be uploaded onto the PND by police forces. Full face images of a suitable size and quality are then enrolled in the facial image recognition gallery within the PND, which can be searched using automated facial recognition software. As set out by the Code of Practice on the Operation and Use of the PND, chief police officers are responsible for the development and implementation of appropriate procedures and systems so that personal data is processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and other relevant legislation and guidance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the timescale for the delivery of the HS3 rail scheme, and what budget is allocated to it.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Since March, the government and Transport for the North have undertaken significant work to develop options for transformational improvements to the North’s rail network; building on committed upgrades in the North of England and integrating with HS2.

By March 2016 we will conduct an initial prioritisation of options to focus further work and inform the development of an appropriate timeline for implementation.

The government has also established a new £300 million Transport Development Fund, which following advice from the National Infrastructure Commission, could support the development of proposals such as Northern Powerhouse Rail (HS3).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-03-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 10 March (HL6471), whether the Secretary of State for Health or any other Minister was made aware of NHS England’s plan to introduce a sugar tax on its premises by 2020 before it was made public; if so, which Ministers were made aware; when they were made aware; and what was the reasoning for the Secretary of State or Minister being informed.

Lord Prior of Brampton

We have a range of conversations about key issues at Ministerial and official level with NHS England. NHS England is independent and the decision on a sugar levy on the National Health Service estate is a matter for them operationally. We are interested to see the results of their consultation on a sugar levy.

The Childhood Obesity Strategy will be published in the summer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the reasons are for the delay in the start of operation of the South Yorkshire Tram Train service.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Department for Transport and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, the joint funders of the tram train pilot project, have been advised that Network Rail has initiated a review of the current programme of works needed to adapt their infrastructure to operate the tram train vehicles between Meadowhall South and Rotherham Parkgate.

The Department understands that Network Rail has encountered significant issues with the approval of new bespoke electrification equipment needed to operate the tram train vehicles. The joint funders are clearly disappointed by this further delay.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-11-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assumptions they have made about the increase in demand for social care in calculating that the new 2 per cent council tax levy and the £1.5 billion for the Better Care Fund, announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, would meet future demand; and whether they will list the assumptions made and the projected increase in demand for each year from 2015 to 2020.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Spending Review decisions take into account a range of financial and economic factors as well as changes in demand. Our analysis of adult social care demand drew on:

‒ academic modelling of future demand for services;

‒ projections and data on pay including the National Living Wage from the Office of Budget Responsibility and Skills for Care;

‒ gross domestic product deflators for inflation; and

‒ consideration of the potential for efficiencies and savings, based on a range of sources.

That analysis informed the decision to provide a settlement which means local government has access to the funding it needs to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament, including:

‒ The social care precept which puts money raising powers into the hands of local areas who understand the need in their area and who are best placed to respond;

‒ From 2017-18, social care funds for local government, rising to £1.5 billion by 2019-20, to be included in an improved Better Care Fund; and

‒ More than double the funding for the heavily oversubscribed Disabled Facilities Grant to over £500 million per annum by 2019-20.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made for the electrification of the South TransPennine route between Sheffield and Manchester.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Network Rail is currently updating its national electrification strategy taking into account Sir Peter Hendy’s Report on Network Rail’s 2014-2019 rail enhancements portfolio and the recommendations of the North of England Electrification Task Force. The Task Force placed the South TransPennine route in the second tier of lines it recommended for future electrification. The updated strategy will be subject to public consultation during 2016 and inform the Government’s Rail Investment Strategy for 2019-2024.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the financial effect of the Budget announcement of changes to business rates relief on (1) local government across England, (2) councils in South Yorkshire, and (3) Sheffield City Council.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

These tax cuts provide significant support to local businesses. The Small Business Rate Relief measure announced at the Budget will mean 600,000 of the smallest businesses will not have to pay business rates.

Local authorities will be compensated in full for their loss of income as a result of these changes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action has been taken, by whom, and when, to ensure that Network Rail deals with the slippage of the start date of the South Yorkshire Tram Train service.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Department for Transport and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, the joint funders of the tram train pilot project, have been advised that Network Rail has initiated a review of the current programme of works needed to adapt their infrastructure to operate the tram train vehicles between Meadowhall South and Rotherham Parkgate.

The Department understands that Network Rail has encountered significant issues with the approval of new bespoke electrification equipment needed to operate the tram train vehicles. The joint funders are clearly disappointed by this further delay.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-11-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, for each local authority in the Yorkshire and Humber region, of whether the social care budget will meet future demand in the period between 2015 and 2020, in the light of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

No such assessment has been made. It is for local authorities to allocate funding to individual services from their overall budget. In recognition of increasing demand for social services, the Spending Review announced an ambitious plan to integrate health and social care across the country by 2020, and a £3.5 billion package to support local authorities with responsibility for adult social care to meet the needs of their local population. This includes giving councils the additional freedom to introduce a social care precept onto council tax bills, which local authorities in Yorkshire and Humber with responsibility for Adult Social Care services can choose to take up from 2016-17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 10 December (HL3975), what was the increase in demand they assumed and modelled for social care year on year for each year between 2015 and 2020.

Lord Prior of Brampton

To model the increased demographic demand on state funded adult social care the Department commissioned modelling from the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU). PSSRU’s analysis is currently in the process of being peer reviewed prior to publication.