Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the vehicle safety recalls of Vauxhall Zafira B models, what assurances he has received from Vauxhall that all blower motors will be replaced in every vehicle that has been recalled.

    Andrew Jones

    Under the secondary safety recall (R/2016/104) all affected Vauxhall Zafira B vehicles equipped with manual control heating and ventilation systems produced between 10/02/2005 and 24/10/2014 will be recalled to receive a new heater blower motor as part of the safety recall.

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the effect on children’s fitness and activity levels of the Primary PE and Sport Premium.

    Edward Timpson

    We want all pupils to be healthy and active. We have ring-fenced over £450 million to improve PE and sport in primary schools (2013/14 – 2015/16), and committed to doubling the primary PE and sport premium to £320 million a year from September 2017 using revenue from the soft drinks industry levy. Schools have the freedom to decide how to use the funding based on the needs of their pupils, and can choose to target funding on the least active and children from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. Schools are accountable for their spending through Ofsted inspections and are required to report plans and impact online.

    We have evaluated the impact and schools’ use of the premium through the independent research company, NatCen. Evidence indicates the funding is having a positive impact and schools reported almost universally that the PE and sport premium had had a positive impact on physical fitness (99%), healthy lifestyles (99%), skills (98%) and behaviour of pupils (96%).[1].

    We are currently exploring options for future evaluation once the premium is doubled. Further details will be announced in due course.

    [1] Evidence from the 2015 report, based on findings of a two year study between 2013 – 2015: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-premium-an-investigation-in-primary-schools

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish a list of the areas in which heroin has been given to heroin addicts in line with his Department’s policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

    Nicola Blackwood

    As outlined in the Government’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, the use of injectable diamorphine as part of treatment for a small cohort of entrenched, long-term opiate users can be effective.

    On behalf of the Department, Public Health England managed a pilot programme of supervised injectable diamorphine prescribing at a cost of £2 million per annum. The pilot ran from 2012 to 2015 at: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in Southwark, London; Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Brighton; and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust in Easington, County Durham.

    Information about expenditure on diamorphine prescribing for the treatment of dependence, sites where it is available outside this pilot, and how much diamorphine has been prescribed to heroin addicts is not collected centrally. The decision to commission and fund the local provision of diamorphine prescribing is for local authorities.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of progress on Total Transport pilots.

    Andrew Jones

    In March this year 37 rural local authorities in England were allocated £7.6m funding to pilot Total Transport Schemes in their areas. This initiative is examining how existing resources can be allocated and co-ordinated more efficiently.

    The pilots are being run over a two-year period and individual schemes are currently in progress. There will be a review around April next year.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they define moderate” in the context of opposition in Syria.”

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The moderate opposition in Syria, the majority of whom use the brand of the Free Syrian Army, call for a pluralistic political system in Syria that respects the rights of all Syrians (including minorities) and rejects terrorism and terrorist tactics. They have repeatedly condemned Islamic extremism, and have been fighting, and beating back Daesh in Syria for over two years while also protecting their communities from vicious attack from the Assad regime. They have scored significant victories in Idlib and Aleppo in Northwest Syria and in Dera’a province in the South.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21502, airstrikes in Syria, whether the robust process referred to includes an assessment of the number of civilian workers likely to be deployed in such installations and the potential number of casualties and other collateral damage from such airstrikes.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Yes. This is the most important part of the process.

  • Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that police forces and local authorities are making use of female genital mutilation protection orders.

    Karen Bradley

    Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders (FGMPOs) were fast-tracked for implementation in July 2015, ahead of the school holidays, and are already being used protect girls at risk of FGM.

    The Ministry of Justice published guidance on FGM Protection Orders for local authorities in July 2015, and in September 2015, the College of Policing updated its Authorised Professional Practice on FGM to include guidance on FGMPOs.

    In addition, the Government will shortly be publishing updated FGM multi-agency guidance, which we are placing on a statutory footing for the first time. This will help increase awareness of FGM and improve compliance with good practice and will include guidance for all professionals on FGMPOs.

    We will also continue to work with the police and other agencies to take forward the recommendations in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s report into ‘honour-based’ violence to ensure the police response to victims, including through use of FGMPOs, is as strong as possible.

  • Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to support the Northern Powerhouse through funding for the arts.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    This Government will continue to invest in the great towns and cities of the North to support growth and increase engagement in the arts through our capital funding and investment by the Arts Council. We will support innovative exciting arts and culture projects such as the Factory in Manchester and the Great Exhibition which will celebrate the fantastic culture of the North.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-04-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reports of the high flooding risks in 57 stations on the London Underground.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The operation and resilience of the London Underground system is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). London Underground routinely examines the risk of flooding and other issues that might affect the smooth running of the Tube service and these reports are part of that process. London Underground and TfL are investigating what more can be done to mitigate these risks and minimise any potential future disruption.

  • Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) medical assessors and (b) others considering applications for (a) personal independence payment and (b) other benefits have knowledge of (i) muscular dystrophy, (ii) neuromuscular conditions and (iii) other rare and progressive conditions.

    Justin Tomlinson

    All healthcare professionals carrying out assessments receive comprehensive training in disability analysis, which includes the evaluation of how medical conditions affect claimants in their day-to-day activities. Prior to carrying out an assessment, assessors refresh their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.

    Benefit entitlement is determined by the Department’s decision makers, who receive extensive training to enable them to evaluate a claim and assess a claimant’s needs. In order to make a decision on benefit entitlement the decision maker considers all the available evidence, including the reports received from the healthcare professional and any further evidence, which may include reports from GPs, hospital doctors and other clinicians.