The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what lessons were learned from the universal credit scheme pilot; and what changes have been put in place as a result of those lessons.
Priti Patel
The Department published a series of reports on Universal Credit. The latest can be found here:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has held with patients affected by muscle-wasting conditions on the benefits of cough assist machines.
Ben Gummer
The provision of cough assist machines is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Clinically led CCGs have independence and autonomy to make commissioning decisions for local populations, taking into account the available evidence and individual circumstances, as appropriate.
The evidence base to demonstrate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the use of cough assist machines in muscle-wasting conditions is not well established. In order to improve the evidence base, the National Institute for Health Research, which is funded through the Department, is seeking to commission research on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of mechanical cough assist devices compared to other methods of sputum clearance. The deadline for outline proposals was 21 January 2016 with full proposals expected for consideration in July.
NHS England has been working with Muscular Dystrophy UK through the Bridging the Gap project to address areas of concern raised by patients and their representatives, one of which is the provision of cough assist machines. The establishment of Bridging the Gap was supported with just under £600,000 awarded by the Department through its Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund. Through this work, a number of CCGs have now developed commissioning policies which set out the circumstances in which to consider these devices based on one developed by Walsall CCG, which has been shared nationally as an example of good practice by Muscular Dystrophy UK.
On 26 April 2016, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, met with Muscular Dystrophy UK and a number of patient representatives specifically to hear their concerns about the provision of cough assist machines.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-06-09.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the Government’s response to the discussion paper on options for supporting English regional airports from the potential impacts of air passenger duty devolution, published in July 2015.
Damian Hinds
The Government is carefully considering the responses received to the discussion paper on options to support English regional airports from the potential impacts of air passenger duty devolution and will respond in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals related to the recommendations of the Law Commission’s report on level crossings, published in September 2013.
Paul Maynard
We welcome the Law Commission’s recommendations on the reform of level crossing legislation, the majority of which we accepted. We are considering opportunities to take measures we accepted forward through primary legislation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Campbell on 2016-10-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to amend the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 to allow the Coal Authority to take into account blight when making compensation payments.
Jesse Norman
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to review the powers under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating endometriosis in the last year.
Jane Ellison
This information is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the running costs of the Isle of Wight Island Line were in each category of expenditure in each of the last three years.
Claire Perry
We do not have the running costs of the Isle of Wight Island Line in each category of expenditure in each of the last three years. What we do have are the figures for 2014/15 as supplied by SSWT:
|
Costs |
£m |
|
Staff costs |
2.093 |
|
Station Lease costs |
1.298 |
|
Depot Track Renewals, Maintenance, Materials |
0.66 |
|
Track access and Electric Traction |
0.123 |
|
Other |
0.443 |
|
Total Costs |
4.617 |
SSWT have informed us that the Island Line generated the following income in each of the last five years:
2010/11 = £0.9m
2011/12 = £1.0m
2012/13 = £1.0m
2013/14 = £0.9m
2014/15 = £0.9m
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning the whereabouts and medical condition of the two Birzeit students who were arrested on 7 October and are being detained in an undisclosed location.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities on this issue. Officials in our Embassy in Tel Aviv have, however, raised our concerns over the treatment of Palestinian detainees on many occasions, including with the Israeli Ministry of Justice, Attorney General’s Office and National Security Council.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the Government has made on the establishment of a memorial to UK citizens killed in terrorist attacks overseas; and what consultation the Government is undertaking with families of victims about that proposal.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
On 22 January I launched an online consultation seeking views on what form the national memorial to British victims of overseas terrorism should take (Official Report, 22 January 2016, col 47WS). The consultation is open until 4 March 2016. I have written to families of victims for whom the Government hold contact details. I have also issued an open letter available on gov.uk to invite all those with an interest to respond to the consultation should they wish to. Decisions on the memorial will be taken after we have fully considered responses to the consultation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-03-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether local authorities that engage in foreign boycotts risk acting in breach of the common law as well as the UK’s regime of procurement rules.
Lord Bridges of Headley
On 17 February, the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) published procurement guidance for public authorities that makes clear that boycotts in public procurement are inappropriate outside where formal legal sanctions, embargoes and restrictions have been put in place by the UK Government.
This new guidance gives no consideration to matters of common law, which is a matter for the courts. However, the guidance makes it clear that local level boycotts can be unlawful and lead to severe penalties against the contracting authority and the Government.