The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Attorney General, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.
Jeremy Wright
The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and whenever appropriate the Law Officers’ Departments would follow that guidance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many sexual assault referral centres offer therapeutic services for (a) adults and (b) children under 18.
Jane Ellison
The independent review of pathways for victims of sexual assault was commissioned by NHS England. Work on next steps, including production of a summary report, is ongoing.
Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) service models vary from area to area, dependant on the commissioning decisions taken by police and Police and Crime Commissioners in partnership with their NHS England commissioners. Data on the numbers of SARCs offering therapeutic services is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries offer extended opening hours.
Alistair Burt
We are committed to transforming general practice, and ensuring general practitioner (GP) services are available seven days a week by 2020. Of the total 7,875 GP surgeries in England, over 2,500 practices are involved in the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund and are currently offering improved access, including extended hours, to around 17 million patients according to the latest figures.
Additionally, the Extended Hours Directed Enhanced Service (DES), in place since 2008/09, is a way that GP practices are incentivised to offer extended access through the contract. 5,875 practices received a payment for 2014/15, totalling £83.984 million. Practices providing this DES could also be taking part in the GP Access Fund. Key requirements include the provision of additional clinical sessions (routine appointments including emergency appointments), provided outside of core contracted hours, in keeping with patient preference.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-02-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take to engage with (a) industry bodies and (b) trades unions on the sourcing of steel for equipment procured by his Department from UK suppliers.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Government is committed to implementing measures to address any barriers that prevent UK steel suppliers from competing effectively for public sector contracts. To that end, new guidelines for departments on sourcing and buying steel for major projects were published in October 2015. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has written to its largest defence contractors to highlight these guidelines, which emphasise the importance of pre-market engagement, including through industry days and signalling future pipelines for steel.
The MOD would not routinely meet with trades unions on this type of issue and has not received any representations. It has met with the UK steel industry through its membership of the Cabinet Office Steel Procurement Working Group. This group is looking to ensure that UK steel suppliers can compete on a level playing field with international suppliers on major projects.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he plans to take to ensure that people who lost money to Ecohouse Development Ltd will receive compensation.
Anna Soubry
The activities of the company are subject to an ongoing investigation by the Insolvency Service. The outcome of that investigation may influence the likelihood of a civil recovery using existing provisions in insolvency legislation.
Where, on the application of the liquidator, the court is satisfied that the business of a company has been carried on fraudulently or recklessly, the court can declare that persons such as directors of the company are liable to contribute to the company’s assets.
In addition, for future cases a new measure in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 enables the Secretary of State to seek a compensation order from a disqualified director (this measure does not apply in this case as the legislation only came into force after the company went into liquidation).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the Government plans to publish its response to Lawrence Tomlinson’s report on the lending practices of banks to small businesses.
Anna Soubry
The matter is being taken forward by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which has appointed firms to conduct an independent “skilled persons” review of RBS’s treatment of business customers in financial difficulty and the allegations of poor practice set out in Lawrence Tomlinson’s report. The review is complex and is still ongoing. The FCA expects to make an announcement about the outcome of the review later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to Freedom in the World 2016, published by Freedom House in January 2016, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding that Tibet is the second least free country in the world.
Mr Hugo Swire
The Government regards the Tibet Autonomous Region as part of the People’s Republic of China. We do have concerns about rights and freedoms in Tibet. We urge the Chinese authorities to respect freedom of religion, expression and association in Tibet in line with China’s constitution and the international frameworks to which it is a party.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings Ministers of his Department had to discuss tax evasion and avoidance between (a) 5 April 2016 and 5 May 2016 and (b) 6 May 2016 and 6 June 2016.
Matthew Hancock
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis. In line with the practice of previous administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to keep open the Kinloss army barracks.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence is continuing to review our estate to ensure it is smaller and more sustainable, this will allow us to focus on delivering future Defence capability and has enabled the investment in sites such as Lossiemouth and Faslane.
Whilst no decision has been made on the future of Kinloss Barracks, Scotland will continue to be a vital home for our Armed Forces. However Scotland, like the rest of the UK, must expect some sites to close as well as investment in these other locations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lexden on 2016-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether sales of school playing fields are increasing; and if so, whether they will take steps to curb such sales.
Lord Nash
Local authorities and schools must by law seek consent from the Secretary of State to dispose of playing field land. The department has a strong policy presumption against the disposal of school playing fields and only provides consent to dispose of playing field land if the criteria set out in the departmental guidance are met; which includes an expectation that proceeds from sales are reinvested in sports and education facilities. The department publishes a list of department decisions on applications for consent to dispose of school playing field land.
It would neither be practical or desirable to artificially curb the sale of school playing fields, when such disposals may represent the most effective use of public assets. Often changes are made to education provision, such as school closures or mergers, which mean it is no longer necessary to retain playing fields for school use. In such cases it is only right that local communities are able to benefit from space that otherwise would not be used. Converting surplus or unwanted assets to invest in school grounds has benefits that extend far beyond the school gates. No operating school has disposed of its entire playing field.
It is therefore right that schools should continue to determine what is suitable for their individual circumstances; subject to strong statutory protections including the Secretary of State’s consent and the application of rigorous criteria for what is best for pupils’ education and wider school and community life.