Tag: Parliamentary Question

Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) average waiting time for a practical driving test and (b) number of staffing opportunities at test centres not yet filled was in each region of England in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency recruitment strategy.

Andrew Jones

The average waiting time for a car driving test for the 2015/16 financial year was 8.4 weeks. The average waiting time for a car test measured at the time of writing (24 May) was 11.5 weeks.

The following table explains the current driving examiner recruitment position:

	New Recruits 2015/16	Planned Recruits 2016/17	completed training since 1 Apr 2016	currently undergoing training	training start confirmed	offer made – undergoing pre- employment check	Ongoing recruitment (latest advert)
Scotland & N England	28	58	2	8	16	9	32
Central England & N Wales	64	67	7	4	24	3	49
Southern England & S Wales	59	58	9	8	30	2	45
London & S E England	42	104	8	8	13	7	52
	193	287	26	28	83	21	178

During 2015 DVSA carried out a review of the end to end process of driving examiner resourcing – from forecasting demand for driving tests to understand where and how many driving examiners are needed, through the attraction and selection stages of recruitment to offer of appointment and training. The overall assessment was that there was significant scope for improvement at all stages in the process. The recommendations of the review are being implemented and include:

the use of improved forecasting models
modernised attraction approaches
more focussed assessment methods
streamlined training programmes.

The overarching objectives are to shorten the time from a driving examiner vacancy being identified to it being filled. DVSA also wants to improve the diversity and capabilities of the new starters it appoints.

01/01/2023

Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will estimate the total (a) legal and (b) other costs to the public purse of conducting trade negotiations after the UK has provided notice under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty of its intention to leave the EU.

Greg Hands

Until we leave, the UK will remain a full member of the EU, with all of the rights and obligations. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has also established a Department for Exiting the European Union for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU.

01/01/2023
Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was spent on specialist HIV treatment and care in England for each year from 2010–11 to 2014–15.

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

Data provided by NHS England shows the estimated expenditure in relation to HIV treatment and care services from 2010 – 2013/14 which are the latest figures available.

Data for financial years 2011/12 and 2012/13 are from National Health Service programme budgeting estimates. Data for financial year 2013/14 are a combination of programme budgeting estimates and NHS England expenditure data on specialised services. Data between these years are not comparable, as responsibility for the commissioning of some services relating to HIV and AIDS and related public health services transferred from primary care trusts to local authorities on 1 April 2013, and are therefore excluded from NHS figures from this date forward.

2010-11 – £571 million

2011-12 – £642 million

2012-13 – £630 million

2013-14 – £570 million

01/01/2023
Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which UK citizens’ data have been collected by the government of the United States through the PRISM programme, and whether they have taken steps to prevent such data being collected in the future.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence. This includes discussions with allies and liaison agencies.

01/01/2023
Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 2 December (HL3987), what is the procedure for children who are dependants of British citizens and persons who are living legally in the UK, and who have had asylum claims accepted by the French authorities, to apply for entry to the UK in order to be reunited with their families.

Lord Bates

The UK does not hold statistical information of the number of asylum applications made in France by dependent children of British citizens or persons living legally in the UK or how many of these applications have been accepted by the French. Statistics for transfers of asylum applicants from France to the UK on the basis of family ties are not routinely recorded.

We will consider any request made to us by the French asylum authorities to take responsibility for an asylum applicant in France because they have close family in the UK in accordance with the terms of the Dublin Regulation concerning the principle of family unity and the best interests of the child. This is subject to an applicant first claiming asylum in France. If they do not wish to claim asylum, individual migrants in France as in any other country, are entitled to apply under the Family Reunion provisions to join relatives in the UK by making the appropriate application.

01/01/2023
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-01-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Ofwat concerning the profits made by water companies between 2010 and 2015.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The Government has regular discussions with Ofwat about its strategic priorities and objectives for regulation of the water sector.

Ofwat sets price controls independently of Government. This independence is crucial to ensure stable economic regulation which keeps investment costs down and customer bills low.

In 2009, Ofwat set price controls for the period from 2010 to 2015. During this period water companies benefited from several factors outside their control, including low taxation and low borrowing costs. In March 2013, Ofwat challenged companies to share gains with their customers. The then Secretary of State wrote to companies in November 2013 in support of Ofwat’s drive. As a result, companies absorbed costs and provided water bill discounts worth £435 million over this period.

In 2014, Ofwat delivered a tough price review which means that bills will fall by around 5% in real terms from 2015 to 2020.

01/01/2023
Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the number of schools which have been built using EU funds.

Edward Timpson

The department does not hold information on the number of schools which have been built using EU funds, nor does it hold information on the number of schools which have received funds from EU sources for improvements or maintenance.

01/01/2023
Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many medical professionals have completed each of Health Education England’s e-learning training sessions on female genital mutilation in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16 to date; and which e-learning training packages are currently available for medical professionals to access.

Ben Gummer

Health Education England’s Healthcare Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) e-learning programme was launched on 19 March 2015 and has been available for 11 months to date. We are therefore unable to provide statistics for the periods 2013-14 and 2014-15.

For the period 19 March 2015 to date, the numbers of professionals who have completed each of the e-learning modules are:

― Introduction to FGM – 4,325 times completed by users;

― communication Skills for FGM Consultations – 3,432 times completed;

― legal and Safeguarding Issues Regarding FGM in the United Kingdom – 3,198 times completed;

― FGM: Issues, Presentation and Management in Children and Young Women – 3,116 times completed; and

― FGM: Issues, Presentation and Management in Women and Around Pregnancy – 3,008 times completed.

All five of the above e-learning packages are currently available to healthcare professionals including school nurses, practice nurses, health visitors and general practitioners, via the e-learning for healthcare training platform.

01/01/2023
Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the pension entitlement is of officers of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

Andrea Leadsom

Under the Energy Act 2004, it is the responsibility of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority to provide and maintain the pensions of the officers of the civil nuclear constabulary. These pensions are currently provided by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 26 April 2016 to Question 34525, if he will publish the (a) outcomes of his Department’s regular discussions with local enterprise partnerships on their progress with local growth programmes and (b) annual performance review with the Local Enterprise Partnership.

James Wharton

We are clear in the Local Enterprise Partnership Assurance Framework that Local Enterprise Partnerships should operate transparently, giving people confidence that decisions made are proper, based on evidence, and capable of being independently scrutinised. How each Local Enterprise Partnership will achieve this is set out in their local assurance framework. In accordance with this approach, Government does not publish outcomes of regular discussions with Local Enterprise Partnerships or of annual reviews.

01/01/2023