Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect on the number of people employed in roles classed as an essential public service who are from non-EU countries of the salary threshold increase for Tier 2 visa applications to £35,000.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government announced in 2012 that from 6 April 2016 Tier 2 visa holders who apply for settlement in the UK will be required to meet a minimum annual salary requirement of £35,000. PhD level roles and those in recognised shortage will be exempt from the £35,000 threshold.

    Data of the number of people employed in specific regions of the United Kingdom is not available. The Home Office holds individual records showing the working location of Tier 2 (General) migrants, but centralised records show the registered address of the Tier 2 Sponsor, which is normally that organisation’s Head Office.

    The Home Office published a full impact assessment on the changes to Tier 2 settlement rules when they were laid before Parliament on 15 March 2012. This includes the impact on the top ten occupations and is available on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117957/impact-assessment-tier2.pdf

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral contribution of 23 March 2016, Official Report, column 1558, when his Department plans to carry out an impact assessment of the proposed closure of HM Revenue and Customs offices on the local economy of East Kilbride.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has based its decisions on the location of its future regional centres on a number of key principles including access to a pipeline of talent and the need to retain its current staff and skills.

    As part of its initial planning HMRC conducted high level People Impact Assessments to assist the process.

    HMRC plans to update the Impact Assessments when one to one discussions have been held between staff and their managers ahead of any office move which may affect them.

    The one to one discussions will establish whether or not they can move and the level of support which will be required, including the potential impact on people with protected characteristics.

    HMRC plans to retain a presence in East Kilbride as a transitional site until 2025-26.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a payment of £1,000 to each person reaching the age of 100.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This government is committed to ensuring that older people are able to live with the dignity and respect they deserve and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people. That is why the government has committed to increasing the State Pension by the triple lock, with someone on a full basic State Pension receiving around £570 more in 2016-17 than if it had been uprated by average earnings since the start of the last Parliament.

    In total, the government will spend around £95 billion on the State Pension in 2016-17.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress her Department has made on meeting the target of committing 0.7 per cent of national income to international aid.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK has met the international commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on Official Development Assistance in recent years and we will continue to do so

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of continuing care home closures, what plans are in place to meet the care needs of the growing elderly population.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department has not seen loss of capacity of social care provision. The Government recognises that the care sector is operating in a challenging financial environment and continues to engage with the care sector to understand their concerns about their financial viability and the sustainability of services.

    The Care Quality Commission monitors the finances of the largest care businesses to identify likely insolvencies that would stop services. The Department continues to monitor the whole of the market of care providers, engage with the sector to better understand the challenges they face and support local authorities who purchase services.

    The Department is working closely with the Local Government Association to consider targeted action to address the issues.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of TB in the UK.

    Jane Ellison

    The five year Collaborative Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy for England 2015-2020 was launched by the Department, in partnership with Public Health England (PHE), in January 2015. It lays out 10 key areas for actions needed to achieve a year on year decrease in TB incidence, a reduction in health inequalities and, ultimately, the elimination of TB as a public health problem in England.

    Since the strategy was launched PHE along with NHS England have formed a TB Strategy implementation team which has facilitated the establishment of seven TB control boards covering all of England. The TB control boards will lead local TB networks in delivering the 10 key changes outlined in the Strategy.

    Over the past three years there has been a year on year decline in the number of TB cases in England, from 8,086 in 2012 (a rate of 15.1 per 100,000 population), down to 6,520 in 2014 (a rate of 12.0 per 100,000 population).

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs staff at Sidlaw House, Dundee will have the same terms and conditions if they are transferred to the new regional centres.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.‎

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will introduce tele-teaching in prisons and young offending facilities to improve general education and reduce reoffending rates.

    Andrew Selous

    A review of the quality of education in adult prisons and young offender institutions for 18-20 year olds is currently being led by Dame Sally Coates and will report in due course. Options for improving education outcomes will be considered, including looking at the most effective use of Distance Learning and ICT. Dame Sally is due to report later this year.

    The review of the youth justice system in England and Wales being led by Charlie Taylor will also consider education in the youth secure estate and will conclude later this year.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of a lack of bovine TB vaccine on the spread of bovine TB in the areas that border Wales.

    George Eustice

    Following advice from Public Health England on the need to prioritise available stocks for humans, the Government has taken the decision to suspend attempts to source BCG vaccine for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme and other private badger vaccination deployment projects in England until the supply situation is resolved. This follows the decision of the Welsh Government to do the same. Our long-term research to develop an oral TB vaccine for badgers and an effective TB vaccine for cattle is not expected to be affected by the current supply issue.

    The Government is continuing to take strong action to deliver a long-term plan to eradicate the disease and protect the future of the UK’s dairy and beef industries. The comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls, improving biosecurity on farm and when trading, and badger control in areas where TB is rife. Bovine TB policy is a devolved matter but my department liaises closely with the Welsh Government on matters of common interest, including the impact of the current hiatus in badger vaccination in both England and Wales.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has paid to staff in overtime in each of the last 24 months.

    Karen Bradley

    "Home Office overtime expenditure on overtime is published as part of the transparency data.

    Figures for January 2014 to December 2015 (the latest available month) can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-management-information-2015

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-management-information-2014