Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to regulate dance movement psychotherapy.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Government is committed to proportionate regulation of healthcare professions. Whilst statutory regulation is sometimes necessary where significant risks to users of services cannot be mitigated in other ways, it is not always the most proportionate or effective means of assuring the safe and effective care of service users.

    Occupational and professional groups that are not subject to statutory regulation, such as Dance Movement Psychotherapists, may consider setting up a voluntary register. The Professional Standards Authority accredits those registers that meet its standards, providing patients, the public and employers with assurance about the standards and competence of registrants.

  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many civil servants are supporting Lord Strathclyde in the preparation of his report on the powers of the House of Lords; and which political advisers are also providing support to that review.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

    Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

    Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

    The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

    Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

    Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.

  • Patricia Gibson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Patricia Gibson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patricia Gibson on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Financial Conduct Authority plans to publish a consultation on nuisance calls.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has committed to undertake a review on unsolicited marketing by consumer credit firms. This will take place early next year. The FCA intends to consult on any proposals in summer 2016.

    The FCA requires that when cold calling by phone, the identity of the person and the firm is made clear at the outset, as well as the purpose of the communication, so the consumer can decide whether to proceed.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the diary of engagements of the Chief Social Worker for Children since 1 January 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department does not publish the diaries of staff members. Diaries often contain sensitive information and releasing them could impact both on the policy making process and the willingness of officials to meet with particular groups if this information were to be freely available.

    Since her appointment, the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler, has visited the following local authorities: Bexley; Birmingham; Blackpool; Calderdale; Cambridgeshire; Camden; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire West and Chester; Derbyshire; Doncaster; Enfield; East Sussex; Gloucestershire; Greenwich; Hackney; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Hull; Islington; Kensington and Chelsea; Kent; Kingston on Thames; Kirklees; Lancashire; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; North Lincolnshire; Northamptonshire; Portsmouth; Redcar and Cleveland; Richmond upon Thames; Rotherham; Sheffield; Slough; Solihull; Staffordshire; Tower Hamlets; Wandsworth; Westminster; Wigan; Wolverhampton; Worcestershire; and York.

    As well as visiting local authorities, the Chief Social Worker meets with representatives of many children’s services departments.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to cap the number of times a person in receipt of benefits can be sanctioned in a month.

    Priti Patel

    The Department has no plans to cap the number of times a sanction might apply to a claimant’s benefit in a month.

    There are established safeguards to prevent the accrual of sanctions. This prevents the duration of a sanction escalating if the sanctionable failure occurs within two weeks of a previous similar failure.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of changes in his Department’s headcount in each financial year of the 2015 Spending Review.

    Joseph Johnson

    As part of the Department’s contribution to deficit reduction BIS received an overall 17% reduction to Resource DEL under the 2015 Spending Review. In order to meet that reduction, the Department is committed to becoming more efficient and effective, including by reducing its overall operational headcount across the whole BIS Group, in consultation with staff in the headquarters and Partner Organisations. The details of exactly what headcount reductions will need to be made in each financial year of the Spending Review are being considered alongside our overall approach to a new business model for the Department.

  • Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what process Tier 2 intra-company transfer visas for IT undergo when they reach her Department.

    Mike Penning

    The process for handling Tier 2 intra company transfer (ICT) visas for IT is the same as that for any other application under the Tier 2 intra company transfer arrangements. All applications are validated to ensure the correct fees have been paid, all mandatory questions have been answered on the forms, and applicants have submitted their biometric information. Checks are also undertaken on every application to assess any adverse immigration or security issues.

  • Marie Rimmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Marie Rimmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marie Rimmer on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the development and publication of proposals on the top-up and tariffs system that is set to operate once business rates have become fully devolved.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The retention of business rates locally is an important part of our plan to take power out of Whitehall and return it to local government. This means we will no longer be taking local business rates income into Whitehall for redistribution as grant. All locally collected business rates will stay with local government.

    We have already been clear that we will retain redistribution within the system. We recognise that we will need to redistribute to ensure councils don’t lose out merely because they currently collect less in rates.

    The Government is currently working with the Local Government Association, and engaging directly with local authorities, to develop the detail of this change. This includes developing the mechanics of redistribution. As previously announced, we will consult later this year and implement this important change to the local government finance system by the end of this Parliament.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much funding the Government provided to Citizens Advice Scotland in each of the last five years.

    David Mundell

    The UK Government provide funding to Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), the umbrella organisation and membership body for the Citizens Advice Bureaux network in Scotland, through the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), and (via the Pension Wise service) through Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT).

    The total UK Government funding to CAS over the past five financial years, including BIS and HMT funding, is set out below.

    Financial Year

    Total funding

    2015/16

    £9,583,511

    2014/15

    £8,797,196

    2013/14

    £5,614,800

    2012/13

    £6,887,500

    2011/12

    £2,900,000

    Funding increased substantially between 2011/12 and 2012/13 to reflect the additional functions CAS had taken on as a result of the consumer landscape changes, including the joint delivery (with Citizens Advice England and Wales) of the Consumer Service helpline, education and advocacy on general consumer issues, and as the advocate on behalf of consumers in the regulated energy and postal sectors.

    Funding also increased substantially between 2013/14 and 2014/15 when the Government established the Pension Wise service to offer free and impartial guidance to people on the new pension freedoms which came into effect in April 2015.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Prior of Brampton on 22 October 2015 (HL Deb, col GC37), what progress has been made in establishing across the country a network of NHS practitioners interested in Lyme disease.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We will be considering options for improving professional engagement on Lyme disease in light of the reviews on the diagnosis, treatment and transmission of Lyme disease, commissioned by the Department to inform future decision making. Public Health England continues to work with local authorities and primary care providers to raise awareness.