Tag: Parliamentary Question

Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment his Department has made of the costs and benefits to the UK of leaving the EU Customs Union; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robin Walker

We are confident that we will secure a successful outcome and deliver the best deal for Britain in the upcoming negotiations. The relationship we build with the EU will be bespoke to the UK. There are of course a number of different models for EU trade relations from which we can learn. We understand the advantages and disadvantages of those models, and are analysing closely the impact which adopting them would have on the UK economy and UK trade.

01/01/2023
Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to implement the family test; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it and encourage routine use of the Test. Thiscould includetraining officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevantevidence, learning materials and best practice.

01/01/2023
Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish details of his proposal to introduce Ofsted-style ratings for clinical commissioning groups’ mental health services.

Alistair Burt

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has announced that the new Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) assessment framework being developed by NHS England will contain six key clinical areas, including mental health. The framework will be published in March 2016 and will be operational from 1 April 2016.

An annual assessment of these clinical areas will be moderated by independent panels of experts. Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of MIND, has been appointed panel chair for mental health.

A first simple assessment of all CCGs in these six areas will be published in June 2016. The formal annual summative assessment of all CCGs for 2016/17 will happen at the end of that financial year and be published in summer 2017. The annual assessment will be based on a four point scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

01/01/2023

Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the average length of time taken by Concentrix to determine applications for mandatory reconsideration of a tax credits decision.

Mr David Gauke

The number of requests for mandatory reconsideration of a decision about a tax credits award that Concentrix have received since the commencement of their contract with HM Revenue and Customs in November 2014 is as follows:

Month	Number of MRs
November 2014	0
December 2014	2
January 2015	6
February 2015	38
March 2015	29
April 2015	137
May 2015	100
June 2015	45
July 2015	71
August 2015	108
September 2015	1221
October 2015	925
November 2015	871
December 2015	2371

The total is about 1.6% of all decisions Concentrix made in the same period.

As of 15 January 2016, there are 566 mandatory reconsiderations in progress that have been opened and Concentrix are waiting for customers to provide further evidence. Concentrix have 30 further mandatory reconsiderations that are awaiting determination.

The average length of time taken between Concentrix starting to work a mandatory reconsideration and making a decision is 24 days. This includes the time needed for customers to provide any further evidence.

01/01/2023

Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-02-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent finding by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that pre-exposure prophylaxis could reduce HIV rates in men who have sex with men in the UK by between 40 and 60 per cent.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England is working with local authorities, clinicians, patient representatives and Public Health England to consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to groups at increased risk to prevent them acquiring HIV. This includes a full review and analysis of published literature in this area. The PrEP clinical policy proposition is one of many going through NHS England’s 2016/17 prioritisation round.

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of cases in which year 10 pupils have enrolled on courses not yet accredited as subjects which have had all four exam board specifications rejected by Ofqual.

Nick Gibb

Current pupils in year 10, who are due to take their GCSE exams in summer 2017, are taking the new English and mathematics GCSE qualifications which were accredited in 2015 together with existing GCSE qualifications in all other subjects. A further 20 subjects at GCSE and 11 subjects at AS/A level are being accredited now for first teaching from September 2016. The accreditation of the new qualifications is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked Amanda Spielman, the Interim Chief Regulator, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

01/01/2023
Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-04-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average financial penalty issued for a breach of the Highway Code in each of the last three years.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Enforcement of cycling offences and collection of data on such offences is a matter for the Ministry of Justice and Home Office.

Based on information provided to the Department for Transport, the number of defendants proceeded against at Magistrates’ courts and found guilty and sentenced for some cycling (non- motoring) offences in England and Wales from 2012 to 2014 (latest available) can be viewed in the attached table. This includes the average fine given at all courts for the specific offences listed in the table.

The Home Office collects data on the number of fixed penalty notices issued for motoring offences only and these data are published by the Home Office in the annual ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ publication. Data on fixed penalty notices issued to cyclists are not held centrally.

We are not able to provide an overall average financial penalty figure for all cycling offences. Many of these cycling offences are recorded under a miscellaneous offence grouping. The information required to split this miscellaneous grouping at offence level is held in individual court files, which can only be inspected at disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023
Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health has seen the complaint by the Nordic Cochrane Centre to the European Medicines Agency regarding maladministration at that organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

I am aware of the document from the Nordic Cochrane Centre. Whilst the issues raised are a matter for the European Medicines Agency (EMA), we are satisfied that the EMA has adequate processes in place to manage any potential conflicts of interest of its scientific experts and to uphold the integrity and impartiality of its decision-making. There was consensus agreement amongst EU Member States on the conclusions of the recent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine safety review, and we have confidence in the outcome of this review.

Aside from the EMA review, the World Health Organization’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety advised in December 2015 that it had not found any safety issues to date that would alter its recommendation to use the vaccine. It concluded that there is no evidence that postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and complex regional pain syndrome are associated with HPV vaccination. Thorough reviews undertaken by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Health Canada have also concluded that available evidence does not support a link between HPV vaccine and development of serious and chronic illnesses.

01/01/2023
Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the value of shooting sports is recognised in legislation protecting wildlife.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Nature protection and management is a devolved issue, so I can only answer with respect to England. When carried out in accordance with the law, shooting is a legitimate and humane activity. In addition to its significant economic contribution, providing jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas, the Government recognises that shooting offers important benefits for wildlife and habitat conservation and can be a useful wildlife management measure.

The Government’s position is that people should be free to undertake lawful activities if they wish to do so and shooting is a permitted method of control in legislation protecting wildlife.

01/01/2023
Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from English local authorities on the effect of UK withdrawal from the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Secretary of State and the department has a positive working relationship with local authorities and engages with them on a wide range of policies both at the ministerial and official level.

The Secretary of State recognises the value that local authorities can add to the work the government is carrying out on identifying the effects of the UK’s exit from the European Union and will continue to engage with them as we prepare for the UK’s exit.

01/01/2023