The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were absent from school due to having a mental health condition in each year since 2010.
Edward Timpson
The Department does not hold information on absence due to a mental health condition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Dobbs on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Leader of the House what percentage of House of Lords divisions resulted in Government defeats (1) in the 2001–2005 Parliament; (2) in the 2005–2010 Parliament; (3) in the 2010–2015 Parliament; and (4) since the 2015 general election to date.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Statistics compiled by the Journal Office indicate that the percentage of House of Lords divisions resulting in Government defeats were as follows:
|
Parliament |
Percentage of defeats |
|
2001-05 |
38% |
|
2005-10 |
32% |
|
2010-15 |
21% |
|
2015- |
69% |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the national consultation on the future of children’s centres will be launched; what its terms of reference will be; and what the timetable is for responses to be received and the Government to announce its proposals.
Mr Sam Gyimah
We value the services provided by children’s centres. We intend to consult to see what role children’s centres should play to ensure they are able to have the most impact as part of integrated local services for families. An independent survey carried out by the national children’s charity, 4Children (published October 2015) estimated more than a million children and families are now using children’s centres.
The consultation will offer parents, carers, local authorities and key stakeholders the opportunity to influence and drive what we expect from children’s centre services and where we see them having the greatest impact. We plan to launch the consultation shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the Department for International Development’s bilateral expenditure directly targeting reproductive health in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.
Earl of Courtown
Details of DFID expenditure can be found in Statistics on International Development GPEX tables, available online, which I have attached for ease.The latest published report contains 2013/14 data. Data for 2014/15 will be published in late January 2016.
DFID supports reproductive health through a variety of bilateral channels including: projects and programmes at the country level; strengthening health systems in our partner countries to deliver improved reproductive health outcomes; and funding research. We also provide support through multilateral channels and global partnerships such as the Global Fund. In 2013/14, bilateral spend on reproductive health was £49.4 million. Bilateral spend on family planning also supports better reproductive health outcomes and in 2013/14, bilateral spend on family planning was £127.0 million. This is in support of our commitment, made by the Prime Minister at the 2012 London Summit, to double our spending on family planning.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-02-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on the replacement of the value for money assessment quantitative assessment tool for comparing private finance and conventional procurement options; and which PF1 and PF2 projects used (a) the original value for money assessment quantitative assessment tool or (b) any replacement tool.
Greg Hands
The Government’s approach to appraisal is set out in the Green Book. This provides a common, standard method for comparing all public spending decisions that use central government funding; the approach to appraising potential PPP projects is consistent with this central guidance.
The quantitative assessment tool was in place from August 2004 until its withdrawal in December 2012, all projects which commenced between these dates should have used the tool. For details of specific projects during this period, please see the spreadsheet ‘Current projects as at 31 March 2014’ at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-initiative-projects-2014-summary-data
A replacement quantitative assessment tool has not been issued by HM Treasury due to the limitations of standard models; since December 2012 procuring authorities have undertaken appropriate quantitative assessment in accordance with the principles set out in the Green Book.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to restart work related to his Department’s pre-consultation on moving the May Bank Holiday, published in 2011.
David Evennett
The Government looked at the current pattern of all bank and public holidays as part of the Tourism strategy published in 2011, which concluded there is no overall consensus for change. There are no plans to make another consultation on this subject.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his Oral Statement of 11 April 2016, Official Report, column 26, on the Panama Papers, from which departmental budgets the Government plans to draw the resources to support the new cross-agency taskforce to analyse the information that has been made available in those papers.
Mr David Cameron
This is new money provided by the Treasury. It will be spent on bringing together some of the most sophisticated technology, experts and resources to tackle money laundering, tax evasion and wider forms of financial crime anywhere in the world.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the mental and other health services that will be needed to assist the unaccompanied children who will be brought to the UK from refugee camps (1) in Europe, and (2) outside Europe.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The United Kingdom has been operating resettlement schemes for many years and we already have established and effective networks to accommodate and support resettled people. The increase in numbers will require an expansion of current networks and the impact on local communities and infrastructure will need to be managed carefully. That is why we are working with a wide range of partners to ensure that people are integrated sensitively into local communities and that we have the right support in place for unaccompanied refugee children who arrive in the UK from Europe whilst ensuring we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.
The guidance, Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children, sets out the health duties for local authorities, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS England. The guidance sets out that local authorities and the National Health Service should take account any particular needs of the child, including if they are unaccompanied asylum seekers. This guidance is attached.
Whilst there are a range of health care professionals, for example youth workers and teachers, who deliver interventions and support for children and young people with mental health conditions, clinical need should be determined by a specialist initial assessment in line with guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Local areas have published Local Transformation Plans that set out how mental health services will be delivered for their population. As part of their plans, local areas were asked to set out how they planned to meet the needs of more vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied refugee and asylum seeking children (UASC).
NHS England ensures that all commissioners of health services have appropriate arrangements and resources in place to meet the physical, emotional and mental health needs of looked-after children, including UASC. They will work with local commissioners to raise awareness of the Resettlement Programme and highlight the additional numbers of children who will require their attention and support.
Decisions about the resources needed to meet the mental health and other health needs of all children and young people, including UASC, are taken at a local level by CCGs. This may include decisions to recruit additional staff where necessary.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the monitoring and oversight mechanisms in place in respect of the use of EU funds to ensure that the Khartoum Process complies with human rights norms.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government is continuing its Chairmanship of the Khartoum Process, and remains committed in its support for human rights. Our focus remains on the implementation of the actions agreed at last year’s EU-Africa Valletta Summit on migration.
We are working with EU and international partners to ensure that EU funding underlying the Khartoum Process is properly monitored and overseen, including compliance with the EU Treaties which includes respect for human rights.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government plans to appoint a new Special Envoy to (a) Yemen and (b) Oman.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
There are no current plans to appoint a new special envoy.