Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is the Government’s policy that the EU Ports Services Regulation should be subject to the 12-month review procedure to assess its conformity with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality agreed between the Prime Minister and the EU and that no further action should be taken to progress that regulation until that review has taken place.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As part of the settlement secured by the Prime Minister, the European Commission has committed to establish in the future a mechanism to review existing EU legislation for its compliance with the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality. This is an important shift in how the EU operates. Negotiations on the EU Port Services Regulation (PSR) are ongoing and I am committed to defending the UK’s successful ports and to opposing any amendments that would damage the efficiency and competitiveness of our ports sector.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what forecast his Department has made of the cost of legal fees for the High Speed 2 project over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department has appointed a joint team of solicitors/parliamentary agents from Winckworth Sherwood and Eversheds LLP to provide support in relation to the HS2 Phase One hybrid Bill. The value of the contract as agreed with Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group is £10.5m. The contract duration is from March 2012 until six months after Royal Assent.

    The Department has also appointed a joint team of solicitors/parliamentary agents from Winckworth Sherwood and Eversheds LLP to support the preparation of the HS2 Phase 2a hybrid bill, which is expected to be deposited in 2017. The value of the contract as agreed with Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group is £4.2m over three years, with the opportunity to extend the contract for an additional one or two years, subject to approval.

    The Department also continues to instruct a number of barristers to support the HS2 project. However, the use of barristers is demand led and so the total cost of fees over the next five years is not possible to forecast.

  • Baroness Whitaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Whitaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Whitaker on 2016-05-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether UK cluster bombs have been sold to the government of Saudi Arabia; and if so, when.

    Earl Howe

    The Governments of the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed an agreement in August 1986 that covered the supply of BL-775 cluster munitions to the Royal Saudi Air Force. The last of these were supplied in early 1989. We are not aware of the sale of any other UK cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia.

  • Peter Bottomley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Bottomley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bottomley on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust first checked the case notes of patient KM; and whether the medical director of that Trust wrote to Mr Agrawal to withdraw and to apologise for believing that the patient had died.

    Mr Jeremy Hunt

    This is an employer and employee matter between the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Mr Aditya Agrawal respectively. The Department cannot comment on individual employment matters that are the responsibility of independent organisations, and that are subject to ongoing legal proceedings or on matters relating to individual clinical cases or other personal information. We understand that the cost to East Lancashire Trust of legal proceedings concerning Mr Agrawal is £296,848.42 to date, and that the Trust does not have insurance costs for legal awards in the event of the Trust or one of its employees being subject to legal action for defamation.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the level of parental contributions required to fund extended school activities on participation of pupils pupils from low-income families in such activities.

    Edward Timpson

    We want to ensure that all young people get the best start in life, with the opportunity to receive the knowledge and skills, the right advice at the right time, and great, challenging life-shaping experiences that will ensure their future success. We know that effective schools personalise their support for disadvantaged pupils, which can include the use of extended school activities. Schools are free to use the funding they receive, including through the pupil premium, to offer these activities. We have committed to protecting the pupil premium at current rates for the duration of this Parliament, providing £2.5billion of additional funding this year alone to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.

    The Department for Education does not collect information on the amount of funding schools receive from parental contributions for extended school activities or how this affects levels of participation in such activities. It is for schools to set their charging and remission policy. Any charges for extended services cannot exceed the cost of the provision, and in setting their charging policy schools can determine the circumstances where they will remit or partially remit any charges.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Nokes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Nokes on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with headteachers on (a) expanding childcare and (b) developing a right for parents to request that schools provide childcare.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Schools are an important provider of high quality early education and childcare, and the government has already improved the regulatory framework and supported schools to help them deliver more places for children. We are actively working with schools and others to identify and share good practice and learning across the system so that more schools can offer flexible, full-day nursery provision either themselves or in partnership with others. This work will feed directly into the Early Implementation pilots of the 30 hours entitlement in 2016.

    As a part of this, officials have had a number of discussions with unions, including the National Association of Headteachers about the 30 hours entitlement, and have met them on the new parental right to request before school, after school and holiday childcare for school-aged children. We continue to work closely with unions and other representative bodies to assess how both of these policies will work in practice, and intend to work collaboratively with them on implementation. A full economic impact assessment and new burdens assessment will be carried out in due course.

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Table 7.1 of the Final Report of the Airports Commission, published in July 2015, if his Department will make an assessment of the effect on the data in that table under an appraisal period of (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of possible factors that would trigger a change in circumstances for a working tax credit claimant who has been transferred from universal credit (UC) which would cause their tax credit entitlement to be re-assessed based on UC thresholds.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not available.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what statistics his Department collects on the body mass index of patients admitted as in-patients or out-patients at hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The information requested is not collected centrally. The Health and Social Care Information Centre does not collect body mass index details as part of the accident and emergency or Hospital Episode Statistics datasets.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what he plans his Department’s policy on industrial relations with transport unions to be over the next three years.

    Claire Perry

    Industrial relations within the transport industry are primarily managed by the service providers in that industry, e.g. the rail companies. The Department for Transport is committed to continuing to work constructively with the transport unions to deliver the best possible transport services. We will also develop and promote this Government’s trade union reforms as part of that relationship.