Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many claims the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) has settled within one week of the trial date in each of the last five years; and what the cost has been to the NHSLA of those claims in each such year.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not hold the information requested. This data has been supplied by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA).

    The NHS LA aims to resolve claims promptly and fairly without court proceedings or going to trial wherever possible. It does not record cases which resolve within one week of trial separately.

    The table below shows the number of claims the NHS LA has defended where (a) the claim has been resolved in favour of the claimant and (b) judgement has been given in favour of the claimant in each of the last five years.

    Year of trial

    Number of claims resolved in favour of claimant

    Number of claims resolved in favour of defendant

    2011-12

    11

    22

    2012-13

    9

    32

    2013-14

    9

    34

    2014-15

    21

    39

    Total

    50

    127

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

    We understand that the hon. Member maybe asking for the number claims in which liability is admitted before trial.

    The table below shows the number of cases in which liability is admitted before trial.

    Year resolved for damages payment

    Pre trial

    2011-12

    5,306

    2012-13

    5,262

    2013-14

    5,354

    2014-15

    5,801

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on the effect of charges on local authorities of changes to funding over the next five years announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The 2015 Spending Review confirmed a historic four year settlement for local government, including making councils responsible to local people for their financing, rather than central government. It delivers a long-held ambition for councils to be financed from locally raised resources. And it means that by the end of this Parliament, councils will benefit from 100 per cent business rates retention – something they have been calling for, for over a quarter of a century.

    It is a settlement which has been subject to extensive consultation, including with the Local Government Association, which welcomed the offer of a four year planning horizon. A range of additional funding flexibilities were sought during the consultation, especially on fees for planning and licensing.

    In February 2016, proposals were outlined to link future increases in councils’ fees for processing planning applications to performance in terms of speed and quality of decisions.

    By the end of this Parliament, local government will be able to retain 100 per cent of local taxes, including up to £13 billion of revenue from business rates, to spend on local government services. In order to ensure that the reforms are fiscally neutral, these new powers must come with new responsibilities, as well as phasing out grants from Whitehall. The government is working closely with the Local Government Association to design the reforms.

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received an evaluation of the Troubled Families programme from the consultancy firm Ecorys; when they received that evaluation; whether they plan to publish it; and if so when.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    I can confirm we have received a draft evaluation of the original Troubled Families Programme from Ecorys. The original draft report was received last autumn. The evaluation comprises several different strands. The evaluation is not yet ready to publish as there have been methodological issues with one of the strands. We expect the contractors to complete the reports shortly and in line with protocol, the Government will publish them soon after.

  • Lord Rennard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Rennard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rennard on 2016-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the independent report commissioned by the Electoral Commission, Evaluation of Electoral Administration at the EU Referendum, published in August, which showed that almost half of Counting Officers responsible for the referendum considered that their teams had insufficient funds available to support the work required to compile the electoral register, whether they plan to review the electoral registration funding process.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    It is the responsibility of Local Authorities, under the Representation of the People Act 1983, to appoint an Electoral Registration Officer who has a statutory duty to maintain registers of UK Parliamentary and local government electors for their area. To support Local Authorities with this process, and fund the transition to Individual Electoral Registration, the Cabinet Office has provided over £25 million of funding in 2014/2015 and over £15 million in 2015/2016. In addition, the Government has committed to cover the additional costs associated with the modernisation of electoral registration for at least the rest of this parliament.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 13786, what (a) arrears, (b) compensation and (c) other remedies have been issued to victims of modern slavery in relation to the 60 cases opened since February 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    None of the investigations opened in February 2015 have yet concluded. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) cannot comment on on-going investigations.

    HMRC’s role in these investigations is to ensure that the correct tax is paid and any employees who are entitled to the National Minimum Wage receive it.

  • Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the purchase of buy-to-let property by a person whose current residence derives only from their job will be deemed as a second home for tax purposes under the new Rules on Stamp Duty coming into force in April 2016.

    Mr David Gauke

    The new higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) will apply to the purchase of additional residential properties and will come into force on 1 April 2016. Work-related accommodation which is provided and owned by an employer does not count when considering whether an individual is purchasing an additional property or not. The Government will shortly consult on the policy design, including on the treatment of particularly difficult cases, to ensure the change to SDLT is implemented in a fair way.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the gauge clearance is of routes used to divert freight services disrupted by the temporary closure of the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle.

    Claire Perry

    This is an operational matter for Network Rail. Network Rail advises that the current published freight clearances by diversionary route are as follows:

    i. The freight clearance for the diversion via the East Coast Main Line is W9.

    ii. The published freight clearance for the diversions via Glasgow & South Western Route and the route between Kilmarnock and Barassieare both W8.

    iii. The published freight clearance for the diversion via Mauchline to Newton on Ayr is W7

    However, in response to the situation at Lamington, Network Rail has confirmed clearance to move certain types of larger deep-sea containers on both the Glasgow & South Western Route and the Newton on Ayr route.

  • Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on developing the planned annual asylum strategy; and when she expects that strategy to be published.

    James Brokenshire

    The asylum strategy will outline how we will focus our efforts on the most vulnerable refugees, and how we will take a tougher approach to those whose asylum claim is unfounded or could reasonably have been made in another country. This will include looking again at the end-to-end asylum process from upstream to in-country.

    We will publish the strategy annually, as set out in the Home Secretary’s party conference speech. There are no plans to run a formal consultation but officials are engaging with a range of partners in preparing the strategy.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on consumer energy bills of bringing forward by one year the start of the Capacity Market.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Capacity Market is designed to encourage competition and a low clearing price. It is technology neutral and will procure any type of capacity to meet the target at the lowest possible cost to consumers. By keeping more plant in the market, it is also likely to increase competition and drive down costs. The Capacity Market will protect consumers from higher cost spikes that would occur if our electricity supplies were less secure.

  • Mike Freer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mike Freer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Freer on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which (a) ministers and (b) officials of her Department will be present at the International Aids Conference in Durban in July 2016.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK government will be represented at the International AIDS Conference in Durban in July 2016. Precise attendance has still to be finalised.