Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from football supporters clubs in England and Wales on whether the Fit and Proper Person Test used by the Football League and Premier League is appropriate and effective; and if she will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    Any concerns to my Department (DCMS) regarding football’s rules and regulations, including the application of the Owners and Directors Test (formerly Fit and Proper Persons Test) are referred to the Football Association or Leagues. It is however worth noting that as well as a commitment to keep the Test under constant review, the Football Authorities have also said they will meet with supporter representative groups to listen to any concerns they have over current or prospective owners. The intention is set out in the Government Expert Work Group’s report on Football Supporter Ownership and Engagement.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to embed the family test into its policy making.

    Mr David Gauke

    Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.

  • Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made in negotiations with Barclays Bank plc about business banking services being offered through the Post Office.

    George Freeman

    The Post Office is negotiating with the major banks, including Lloyds and Barclays, with a view to extending and standardising the services available to the banks’ small business customers. These are commercial negotiations which are still ongoing. The Government is clear that completion of these negotiations should be a priority.

    The Government is keen to see continued and wider availability of banking services through Post Office branches. In this context, we welcome the recent agreement between HSBC and the Post Office to provide HSBC’s business customers with services through Post Office branches.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Ofcom’s review of the future regulatory framework of the independent television production sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom reported on the operation of the television production sector on 23 December. I am now considering that report, and will make a decision in due course.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the cost-benefit analysis related to his Department’s decision to close its Sheffield office.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department intends to close the Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place by January 2018. This intention is based on the strategic vision for the Department by 2020 that seeks to save 30-40% of its operating costs, reduce the number of locations it operates from (from currently around 80 to 7 centres and a regional footprint for the provision of local services), and halves the number of its Partner Organisations.

    The location strategy is based on the need to simplify delivery and focus expertise in specific areas. This includes locating the policy function in one place, close to Ministers, in the HQ in London. This decision was based on on-going analysis and discussions, leading to the decision by the Executive Board.

  • Angela Rayner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Angela Rayner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on employers offering higher salaries to employees who opt of occupational pension schemes.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Section 54 of the Pensions Act 2008 prohibits employers from taking any action for the sole or main purpose of inducing a worker to leave a workplace pension scheme.

    The Government takes potential inducement by employers very seriously. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is responsible for all matters relating to employers’ compliance with their enrolment duties, including investigations into individual cases of potential inducement by employers.

    Through automatic enrolment we are delivering a fundamental shift in workplace pension saving that is changing the way that people are enabled to save for retirement. Already 100,668 employers have completed their declaration of compliance with the Regulator, resulting in more than 6 million eligible jobholders being automatically enrolled into a qualifying pension scheme.

    The law relating to inducements is an important safeguard for workers and the Regulator has statutory powers of investigation and enforcement it can use in appropriate circumstances. We are working with the Regulator to monitor the number and nature of possible inducement cases as the roll-out of automatic enrolment continues. That will enable us to judge whether the current legislation covering inducement, and the guidance and messaging provided by the Regulator, are operating effectively to protect employees, and whether change may be appropriate.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all people diagnosed with HIV have access to (a) pre-exposure prophylaxis and (b) other treatments.

    Jane Ellison

    Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a new use of HIV drugs which has shown clinical effectiveness in research trials at preventing HIV in people at high risk of getting HIV such as men who have sex with men and people with HIV-positive partners. PrEP would not be suitable for people who already have diagnosed HIV. However, in July 2015, NHS England approved a significant new investment in a ‘Treatment as Prevention’ programme whereby HIV drugs are offered to all newly diagnosed patients whatever their CD4 count. Previously, treatment would begin when the CD4 count has declined to 350 cells/mm3 or less. This will significantly decrease the chance of HIV transmission between individuals and also reduces the risk of illness in the person with HIV.

    The National Health Service continues to deliver excellent HIV treatment and care for people with HIV with referrals into services within two weeks of diagnosis.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings NHS England has had with PTC Therapeutics to discuss an agreement on price for Translarna to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy since 15 April 2016.

    George Freeman

    NHS England has advised that on 4 May 2016 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) asked NHS England and PTC Therapeutics to continue to work towards agreeing an acceptable managed access arrangement for Translarna (ataluren) for the treatment of children aged five and over with Duchenne muscular dystrophy caused by a nonsense mutation.

    NHS England and the company have been asked to reach agreement on the cost of the drug to the National Health Service by 7 July.

    NHS England has advised there have not been any commercial meetings with PTC Therapeutics in the period since 15 April 2016, however, it is in regular contact with the company.

    NHS England will be meeting with PTC Therapeutics when it has concluded the detailed preparatory work required to effectively respond to NICE’s request within the set timescale.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on the effect on the gaming industry of the timing of Triennial review of stake and prizes; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The Chancellor receives a large number of representations on a wide range of issues and it is not normal practice to release details of such representations.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the levels of sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department contributed a written submission to the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s inquiry into the scale and impact of sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools in 2016. This is published on the Parliament website.[1] The Committee published the report of its inquiry on 13 September, and the Government will make a formal response to the usual timetable.

    The Department does not collect information on the number of cases of sexual harassment or sexual violence either by pupils or by teachers – and it has not produced any estimates.

    The closest information held on levels of sexual harassment and sexual violence by pupils is the number of permanent and fixed period exclusions for sexual misconduct, which includes lewd behaviour, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual bullying, sexual graffiti and sexual harassment.

    Exclusions information, broken down by reason for exclusion, is published annually by the Department in the ‘Permanent and fixed-period exclusions in England’ National Statistics release.[2]

    The 2015 National Foundation for Educational Research’s teacher voice survey is a nationally representative survey commissioned by the Department. Teachers were asked questions on a range of topics, including common forms of bullying. Sexual bullying was not included as a category, however, a minority reported that homophobic, biphobic, or transphobic bullying was common at their school. The report and data have been published by the Department.[3]

    The closest information held on sexual harassment and sexual violence by teachers relates to the number of cases of teacher misconduct relating to sexual misconduct reported to the Department. However, cases of teacher misconduct relating to sexual misconduct cover a broad range of incidents and it is not recorded whether these relate to incidents that took place on school sites.

    [1] http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/sexual-harassment-and-sexual-violence-in-schools/written/34902.pdf

    [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-exclusions

    [3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-voice-omnibus-june-2015-responses

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