The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Graham on 2015-12-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the White Paper on supporting people with health conditions and disabilities to get into work.
Priti Patel
As announced in the Spending Review, the Government will publish a White Paper in 2016 that will set out reforms to improve support for people with health conditions and disabilities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the transition to the equalised state pension for women affected by those changes.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland are in regular contact on the range of pensions issues. Additionally, DWP Ministers meet from time to time with the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development to discuss matters of common interest. Indeed, the Minister for Pensions is scheduled to meet the Minister for Social Development next month to discuss a number of pension matters.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any future plans to make all secondary schools academies.
Lord Nash
The government’s ambition is for every school to have the opportunity to become an academy. Over 60 per cent of secondary schools have already become academies and we want to encourage more schools to do this. The Education and Adoption Bill, currently going through Parliament, will enable us to intervene more quickly to turn underperforming schools into academies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-02-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the 20,000 refugees promised to be accepted in the UK will have arrived by May.
Lord Bates
The Government is working closely with local authorities, international delivery partners and the voluntary sector, putting in place the plans and structures to deliver this and ensuring the system is scaled up in a way that protects the interests of all concerned. The number resettled in a particular period will depend on a range of factors. This includes the number of referrals we have received from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the number of confirmed places we have received from local authorities that are suitable for the specific needs of those who have been accepted for resettlement. Progress on resettlement will be indicated in quarterly immigration statistics – the last set were published in February 2016 and showed 1,085 people resettled between October and December 2015.
The Government remains on track to resettle 20,000 refugees by the end of the Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people undertake quality assurance in the NHS outside of clinical commissioning groups.
Ben Gummer
We do not hold information centrally on the number of people working in the National Health Service who have a quality assurance role.
However, the fundamental standards set out the standards against which care should not fall and all providers are expected to have systems and processes in place to assure themselves that they are assessing, monitoring and improving the quality and safety of their services.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for the inspection and regulation of quality of all healthcare providers and its findings are published together with a performance rating. Where a provider’s performance falls below the fundamental standards the CQC has specific powers to take appropriate action.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-05-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of the present design of ballot papers for persons with difficulties of sight.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The design of ballot papers used in elections and referendums in the UK was revised by the last Government to make them clearer and easier to understand for voters. The changes were subject to a programme of user-testing involving representative samples of the voting public. RNIB, who were consulted on the changes, considered that they did not raise significant issues for blind and partially sighted people
Returning Officers are required to display an enlarged version of the ballot paper in each polling station and provide upon request a large hand-held sample copy to assist visually impaired electors to vote. They must also ensure each polling station is equipped with a tactile voting device to assist blind / partially sighted electors. This device has raised numbers and numbers in Braille and fits over the ballot paper. When the Presiding Officer or a companion reads out the list of candidates or parties to the voter, it enables them to cast their vote independently and in secret.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with representatives of local authorities on possible amendments to the meaning of the term supply in the Video Recordings Act 1984 to include adults providing children with access to recordings categorised as containing age-inappropriate content.
Matt Hancock
Following public consultations involving representations from classification bodies, child welfare groups, local authorities, content producers and many others, since 2010 we have legislated twice to strengthen the protections provided by the Act. This has ensured that retailers now cannot sell or rent any age-inappropriate DVDs or video games discs or cartridges to children. It also ensures these products are all labelled with relevant British Board of Film Classification (DVDs) and PEGI (video games) age ratings and content advice. This means adults have better information to help them make responsible decisions about the material children can access.
We will continue to work with industry and the age ratings bodies to encourage further promotion of the BBFC and PEGI age ratings to consumers including through initiatives such as BBFCInsight and AskAboutGames.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to provide financial assistance to local authorities which are increasing their insurance cover against the risk of terrorism.
Mr Marcus Jones
Local authorities are democratically elected organisations, and as such are responsible for managing their budgets and insurance arrangements in line with local priorities and risks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has conducted a review into the adequacy of the service provided by agencies supplying supply teachers to school; and if she will make a statement.
Nick Gibb
Schools, academiesand local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and management of their supply teachers.This allows them to manage their resources and staffing structures in a way that meets local needs and priorities without central prescription from government.
Supply agencies are independent of the Department for Education and decide their own recruitment practices but must comply with legislation set by the Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate (EASI) – which covers other occupations not just teachers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2015-12-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what total (a) gross and (b) net revenue has been collected by HM Revenue and Customs from companies in the tonnage tax scheme since 2000-01.
Mr David Gauke
The table below shows estimated tax liabilities due to tonnage tax for each year from 2000-01 to 2013-14 (the latest year for which data are currently available):
|
Tax |
Tax Liabilities |
|
Year |
£m Rounded |
|
2000-01 |
1.4 |
|
2001-02 |
2.3 |
|
2002-03 |
2.9 |
|
2003-04 |
3.1 |
|
2004-05 |
3.4 |
|
2005-06 |
3.9 |
|
2006-07 |
4.3 |
|
2007-08 |
4.3 |
|
2008-09 |
4.4 |
|
2009-10 |
4.6 |
|
2010-11 |
4.6 |
|
2011-12 |
4.4 |
|
2012-13 |
4.2 |
|
2013-14 |
3.6 |
Notes: 1. The latest data for 2013/14 are provisional and may be subject to change.