Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to increase the number of public appointments of women in the last three months.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments and​ has an​ aspiration that 50% of new public appointees should be women. We are making ​good ​progress, with 44% of new appointments made to women in 2014-2015 and a higher proportion of all public appointments (new appointments and reappointments) went to women last year than at any other point previously recorded.

    The Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office supports departments on all issues relating to the diversity of public appointments. Steps we are taking to increase diversity include streamlining the application process​, placing an emphasis on ability over previous experience,​ and increasing awareness of opportunities by using a central website, social media.

    I hosted an event in February for a variety of diversity networks to encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply for Public Appointments and to advertise them in their own networks. The Cabinet Office is also represented at events run by diversity networks to raise awareness of the opportunities available.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for the role of the local education authority in the provision of state education after the conversion of state-maintained schools to academies.

    Edward Timpson

    As set out in the Department’s recently published White Paper, ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’, in a fully academised system, local authorities (LAs) will have more clearly defined responsibilities in representing the interests of pupils and parents. LA’s education responsibilities will focus on:

    • Ensuring every child has a school place

    • Ensuring the needs of vulnerable pupils are met

    • Acting as champions for all parents and families

    Further information on the fully academised system and the role of local authorities can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/educational-excellence-everywhere

    “

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to reduce consumer energy prices.

    Andrea Leadsom

    There are now 33 independent suppliers for households to choose from in additional to the six largest suppliers, giving more choice than ever before. By switching from a standard tariff to the best fixed, direct debit deal on the market, many people could save around £300 and some could save even more. We have already made it simpler and quicker to switch supplier and are working towards next day switching.

    The Government supports the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into the retail energy market and we will take forward appropriate implementation of its final recommendations which are due to be published shortly.

  • Joanna Cherry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Joanna Cherry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joanna Cherry on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Burundi on (a) ending political violence and unrest and (b) alleged extra-judicial killings, torture, lack of freedom of expression and other human rights abuses in that country.

    James Duddridge

    I am extremely concerned about the situation in Burundi. During my visit to Bujumbura in December 2015 I emphasised to the Burundian Government that killings, torture and other abuses must stop and that they must take action to end impunity. I underlined the need for media, opposition and civil society to be allowed to operate freely and that all sides must renounce violence and participate fully in the dialogue. I repeated these messages in my letter to the Burundian Foreign Minister in May. Our Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region reiterated these points in meetings with Burundian ministers in Bujumbura last week and during her visit to Arusha in May for the second round of the dialogue facilitated by former Tanzanian President Mkapa.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to reduce racist hate crimes since the EU referendum.

    Sarah Newton

    The Government condemns all hate crimes and is committed to tackling these crimes in partnership with the communities affected.

    The scenes and behaviour we saw over the summer, including offensive graffiti and abuse hurled at people because they are members of ethnic minorities or because of their nationality, are despicable and shameful. We must stand together against such hate crime and ensure that it is stamped out.

    We already have in place some of the strongest legislation to tackle hate crime in the world – this includes specific offences for racially and religiously aggravated activity and offences of the stirring up of hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation. We also have stronger sentences for hate crime.

    The Government has committed to taking action to improve our response to hate crime. This includes joint training between the police and Crown Prosecution staff to improve the way the police identify and investigate hate crime; building on the improvements to police recording of hate crime by working with the police to break down religious-based hate crime by religion; and working with victims and advocacy groups to improve victims confidence to come forward and report such crimes.

    The police are also improving their operational practices and recording. Last year, the College of Policing published Operational Guidance for officers responding to hate crime which comprehensively covers how to address all forms of hate crime.

    On 26 July, the Home Office published a comprehensive new hate crime action plan which builds on the work already done, and sets out Government action over the next four years to tackle hate crime. It includes:

    ● new steps to boost reporting of hate crime and support victims;

    ● new CPS guidance to prosecutors on racially aggravated crime;

    ● a new fund for protective security measures at places of worship, which is currently open for applications; and

    ● additional funding to community organisations tackling hate crime, including racist hate crime.

    The increased levels of hate crime reporting seen over the summer have now reduced and we have observed three consecutive weeks of reporting levels that fall within the expected levels that we have observed in previous years. Police will continue to monitor the signs of tension and will react swiftly if they identify any future raised levels.

    Nobody in this country should live in fear because of who they are and anyone who experiences hate crime should report it to the police, either in person at a police station, online through the True Vision website, or by phoning 101.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the findings in the Report from the charity Sense, Realising Aspirations for All; and what steps he is taking to ensure that people who are deafblind and those with complex needs benefit from plans to halve the disability employment gap.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We welcome the Sense report, Realising Aspirations for All. We want all disabled people and those with a long term health condition to fulfil their potential and achieve their aspirations.

    Everyone has an important part to play in making the transformative changes required for long-term reform on supporting disabled people into work and contributing to halving the disability employment gap.

    We will soon publish a Green Paper that will explore a range of options for long-term reform across different sectors enabling everyone to realise their aspirations, regardless of their health condition or disability. We are engaging with a range of stakeholders, including organisations that represent the needs of deafblind people, through our preparatory work and detailed consultation plans that will follow.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has assigned to providing mental health services for patients with stroke diagnoses for 2015-16.

    Alistair Burt

    We do not hold this information centrally.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the reasons are for the reduction in Grade 6 and 7 employees of HM Revenue and Customs in Dundee in the last decade.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.‎

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to prepare for the outcome of the EU referendum.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain – so we get a better deal for Britain and secure our future. The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU.

  • Lord Crisp – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Crisp – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Crisp on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the Department for International Development spent on mental health in low- and middle-income countries in 2015.

    Baroness Verma

    Tracking of inputs, allocations and expenditure is based on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) codes, which are used for reporting official development assistance.

    The UK’s health focus in developing countries is on improving the provision of basic health services for the poor by strengthening and supporting health systems, health worker capacity and access to essential medicines. Increasing coverage, equity, access and quality will strengthen health services to address all health problems including non-communicable diseases, like mental disorders and dementia.

    DFID is helping countries to make fairer, transparent and evidence-based decisions about how to set priorities and allocate resources in health. We support research on mental health through our PRIME (Programme for Improving Mental Health Care) programme. This research is providing world class evidence on implementation and scaling up for treatment programmes and having this adopted by policy makers.