Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many publicly-funded jobs relating directly to the Northern Powerhouse there are in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) London and (e) other regions of England.

    Greg Hands

    The latest regional public sector employment survey figures are available online at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pse/public-sector-employment/q3-2015/index.html, the figures for Barnsley and Barnsley East can be found in the Annual Population Survey (Oct 2014-Sep 2015): https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp.

  • Damian Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Damian Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Damian Green on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy and timeliness of information given to women born in the 1950s of changes to the age at which they become eligible for the state pension; and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Following the Pensions Act 1995, which set out the timetable for women’s State Pension age to rise from 60 to 65, changes to State Pension age were communicated in State Pension estimates issued to individuals on request. These estimates provided individuals with their most up-to-date date of reaching State Pension age. Since April 2000, the Department has issued more than 11.5 million personalised State Pension statements to people who requested them.

    Independent evidence submitted to the Work and Pensions Select Committee demonstrates that there were several mentions of State Pension age equalisation in the national broadsheet and tabloid press between 1993 and 2006.

    The Department also ran a pensions education campaign in 2004, which included informing people of the future equalisation of State Pension age. A 2007 DWP report, Attitudes to pensions: The 2006 survey, reported that 86 per cent of women aged 55-64 and 90 per cent aged 45-54 were aware that the State Pension age will increase in future.

    The Government sent letters to women affected by changes in the 1995 Act between April 2009 and March 2011 using the address details held by HMRC at that time.

    The timetable for equalising State Pension age at 65 for women and men and for the increase to 66 was accelerated by the Pensions Act 2011 following sharp increases in life expectancy projections. A concession worth £1.1 billion was made prior to the passing of the 2011 Act which capped the maximum delay that anyone would face in claiming their State Pension to 18 months rather than two years, relative to the previous timetable. The Government sent letters between January 2012 and November 2013 to all those directly affected to inform them of the changes to their State Pension age.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions Public Health England has had with NHS England on the commissioning of school nurses offering level one paediatric continence services since the transfer of school nurse commissioning responsibilities to local authorities.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England is a member of NHS England’s Complex Health Needs Board, which discusses matters such as continence support through school nurses.

    As continence services fall outside of the public health grant, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have responsibility for commissioning continence services and will have discussions with local partners regarding commissioning within the school nursing service. Public Health England’s communication with NHS England has been to stress the importance of promoting this partnership approach by CCGs to ensure that local school nursing services are able to incorporate appropriate levels of continence support.

  • Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 11 May (HL8207), what representations they have made about the conditions under which political prisoners are held in Azerbaijan, particularly in the light of the reported assault of Ilgar Mammadov by prison guards in October 2015, and the June 2016 judgment by the European Court of Human Rights that the Azerbaijani authorities failed to provide adequate medical care to Leila and Arif Yunus during their imprisonment on political grounds.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK raises concerns about the conditions under which political prisoners are held in Azerbaijan at every appropriate opportunity. Our Embassy in Baku has requested to visit a number of prisoners, but the authorities have not yet granted permission. In the Council of Europe, we regularly call for more information on Ilgar Mammadov’s condition.

  • Lord Snape – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Snape – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Snape on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many motorists have been prosecuted for the inconsiderate use of the middle lane on the motorway network since the announcement that the police would take appropriate action to discourage such behaviour.

    Earl of Courtown

    This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Children’s Society, The cost of being care free, published in June 2016, if he will take steps to provide additional protection for care leavers to reduce the number of benefits sanctions being applied to such people.

    Damian Hinds

    Our primary goal is to help care leavers get into work wherever possible and our interventions are tailored to achieve this. Care leavers aged between 18 and 21 have the opportunity to join the Work Programme from day one of their benefit claim, so that they receive tailored, locally-appropriate employment support at the earliest opportunity. We also provide additional support, over and above the standard Jobcentre Plus offer, to young claimants, including care leavers, aged 18-24. Work Coaches tailor interventions to the needs of the individual to address a variety of barriers to work, including improving job search skills, referral to skills and other work-related training such as Traineeships, Apprenticeships and work experience.

    We have safeguards in place for care leavers along with other claimants who may be considered vulnerable. Work Coaches support all claimants with complex needs, or who require additional support, to ensure that they fully understand what they have been asked to do to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services.

    Care leavers, like all claimants, take ownership of planning how they will meet their requirements and ultimately secure employment. They will be supported by their Work Coach who will assist them in meeting their requirements through providing encouragement and direction, using a range of communication methods.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what material and financial support his Department is providing to people made redundant in the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    In relation to SSI’s closure in Redcar, I expect the majority of the fund announced on 2 October to go towards supporting training of former SSI workers and those in the supply chain, helping businesses to grow and create jobs, and the future of the Tees Valley economy more broadly. We are working with the local Task Force, chaired by Amanda Skelton, to shape these proposals and in total, we have agreed over £40 million of support aimed at skills and jobs creation:

    • £3 million has been made available to four Further Education colleges in the region to support re-training activity, as well as a further £2.65m skills funding to plug any gaps in skills provision not available via the Further Education Offer;
    • £1.7 million to ensure that the fifty apprentices who were with SSI can continue their apprenticeships with alternative employers;
    • A £16.5 million Jobs and Skills Fund to help local firms employ former SSI workers or their spouses in full-time or part-time jobs for a minimum of three years;
    • £16 million support for firms in the SSI supply chain and wider Tees Valley impacted by the Redcar steelworks closure, to safeguard jobs, provide the stimulus to create new posts and provide expert assistance to help them expand their business
    • £750,000 to fund advice and grants to start up a new business.

    In addition, we have announced a package, worth up to £9 million, jointly with Tata, to support Scunthorpe steelworkers, the local economy and supply chain. We are working closely with a local Task Force, chaired by my noble Friend Baroness Liz Redfern, to deliver this support.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many incident response units for the mass decontamination of members of the public there are in England which could be used in the event of a CBRNE attack; and how many such units are able to be deployed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    Greg Clark

    The Fire and Rescue Service provide a mass decontamination response capability on behalf of the Ambulance Service, which is deployable 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as part of the DCLG New Dimensions Programme.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the recommendations of the Low Commission on formulating a national strategy for advice and legal support in England and Wales in the current Parliament.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Ministry of Justice welcomes the work done by the Low Commission in producing its reports and recommendations, and we recognise the importance of advice being available in all contexts.

    As the Justice Secretary said in June 2015 we want to create a one nation justice system to work better for victims and to deliver faster and fairer justice for all citizens. We are discussing how this can be taken forward.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of Public Health England on the Zika virus.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England’s (PHE) Medical Director is fully engaged in cross-Government discussions on tackling Zika virus and regularly provides updates to Ministers. Staff in the Department, PHE, and other Government departments are in regular contact to monitor the Zika virus situation.