UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that rail commuters have greater access to the cheapest available tickets (a) on the day they travel and (b) when booking in advance; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    We recognise the pressure on hardworking families and have put a stop to increases in regulated fares until 2020, extending the cap on rail fares which we regulate introduced in 2014. This will save the average season ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and means average earnings are outstripping rail fare increases for the first time in a decade. We are also taking a number of steps that will make it easier for people to obtain the best value ticket for their journey. We have committed to introducing more flexible tickets for people who work or commute part-time, which could enable customers to buy discounted advance carnet-style tickets. Arriva Trains Wales and Great Northern already offer flexible products and both GTR and c2c have commitments to introduce more flexible tickets on their smartcards.

    The evidence also shows that advance fares, which can offer good value for people who are able to book in advance, are a key rail success of recent years where we have seen huge growth. Unregulated advance tickets have increased from 8% of revenue in 2007/08 to 15% of revenue in 2014/15.

    In December 2014, I challenged the rail industry to improve the information they provide through ticket vending machines. The industry has responded positively with a code of practice on retail information published in March 2015. Most train operators now have actions underway and complete, including providing new messages on screens and improved availability of off-peak tickets through vending machines. The Department continues to monitor progress closely in this area.

  • Nigel Adams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nigel Adams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Adams on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the names of all insurers which have Flood Re-compatible products available to consumers on the day of launch of the Flood Re-scheme before that day.

    Rory Stewart

    Flood Re is on target to start operating on 4 April. Flood Re will publish a list of participating insurers shortly before its launch.

    For the first time it offers the prospect of available and affordable flood insurance to households at high flood risk.

    The insurance market will continue to adapt after Flood Re is launched – it will be important for people to continue to shop around for the best deal.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of officials of his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of total sick leave that leave was in each such year.

    Brandon Lewis

    These statistics relate to absences recorded as “Mental Disorders” under the World Health Organisation categories of absence, which includes non-stress related absences such as depression. The figures therefore should not be read as being fully related to stress caused absence and it should also be noted that non-work related stress absences would also be recorded here.

    Sickness absence due to mental health absences, in the Department were as follows:

    Year

    Number of Officials Absent due to ‘Mental Disorders’ (Headcount)

    Proportion of Total Officials (Headcount)

    Absences due to ‘Mental Disorders’ as a Proportion of Total Working Days Lost

    2011

    109

    4.0%

    18.3%

    2012

    92

    4.2%

    25.0%

    2013

    104

    5.2%

    24.3%

    2014

    98

    4.8%

    20.1%

    2015

    113

    5.3%

    32.8%

    Back in the Summer of 2014 DCLG paid for two staff to become mental health first aid Instructors so that a programme of mental health first aid could be rolled out across the Department. 32 staff have since become mental health ambassadors. The increase in the level of absences due to mental disorders in 2015 is likely to reflect more honest and open reporting of absence by staff following the work done by our Mental Health First Aiders to reduce the stigma that is sometimes felt by sufferers of poor mental health.

    For the 12 month period ending December 2015, the Department’s overall absence rate was 6.5 average working days lost per member of staff. This is lower than the Civil Service average of 7.4 days, the public services average of 8.4 days and private sector services average of 8.2 days (figures from the October 2015 CIPD annual absence management survey).

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many local authorities in each of the nations and regions of the UK have a multi-agency service dedicated to supporting members of the armed forces and former members of the armed forces and their families.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence does not hold this information.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 17583, on child maintenance, for what reason there is a difference between the estimated costs of (a) caseworker activity to review and update Child Support Agency (CSA) arrears and (b) establishing arrears on the CMS system set out in paragraph 93 of the Department’s final impact assessment on CSA case closure, dated 10 April 2013, and those supplied in that Answer.

    Priti Patel

    The estimates given in the answer to question 17583 differ from the figures in the Impact Assessment (£123m) because:

    i. The actual caseload has been slightly smaller than was forecast at the time of the Impact Assessment and

    ii. There has been improved analysis of the effort required to close cases, informed by the actual experience of closing cases.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to (a) assess and (b) address the effect on rail services of the infrastructure bottleneck at Croydon.

    Claire Perry

    Network Rail’s Sussex Route Study has assessed capacity constraints on the Brighton Main Line. It is increasingly apparent the junctions around Croydon create a complex operating environment for train operators, which translates into constrained capacity and potential delays for passengers. As we develop our emerging priorities for improvements to the national network in 2017, we will give due consideration to improving these junctions.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which reports commissioned by his Department from external bodies between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2016 have not yet been published; when each report was commissioned for research; what the nature of the research commissioned was; from which external body or individual person the research was commissioned; what the value was of each such piece of research commissioned; on what date each report was received by his Department; for what reasons the research has not yet been published; and when he plans to publish each report.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Department commissions a wide range of research to support its objectives. The general presumption is that research results used in the course of the Department’s business should be made available to broaden knowledge and better inform discussion. In a few circumstances (for instance, where the research relates to security matters or where the Department does not hold the necessary rights to publish) such information is not published; but such circumstances are exceptional. Information on publication of the outputs of this research is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Harrison – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Harrison – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harrison on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost over a five-year period of providing group-based education courses for all people living with diabetes.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard for diabetes, attached, sets out that people with diabetes should receive a structured educational programme. NHS England is statutorily required to have regard to this.

    There are a number of national and locally developed patient education programmes available including Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) for Type 1 diabetes, and Diabetes Education and Self-management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) for Type 2 diabetes.

    While there is still much room for improvement, the proportion of people with diabetes being offered structured education is improving. 16% of people newly diagnosed with diabetes were offered structured education in 2012/13 compared to 8.4% of those diagnosed in 2009. In the same period the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes offered or attending structured education rose from 11% to 18.4%.

    No estimate has been made of the cost over a five-year period of providing group based education courses for all people living with diabetes.

    The Department is developing plans to improve outcomes for those with diabetes. This will be announced in due course.

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with clinical commissioning groups on the implementation of recommendations contained in NHS England’s Nutrition and Hydration Commissioning Guidance.

    Jane Ellison

    Several clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) worked with NHS England to develop the guidance (Stafford, Leicesterand Rutland, Gateshead and Salford) and discussions continue with them about the ongoing implementation of the guidance.

    NHS England’s patient experience team has had discussions with Sutton CCG about implementation of the guidance as part of the Care Home Vanguard programme there.

    The five CCGs which make up North Central London Strategic Collaborative Commissioning Group are proposing to have one CQUIN to ensure they are ‘commissioning excellent nutrition and hydration’ services. This will be used for all nine acute providers that cover Barnet, Camden, Islington, Haringey and Enfield. They are going to share their proposed outcome measures as soon as they have been agreed.

  • whether they are in discussion with him about the effect of incitements to violence.” – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    whether they are in discussion with him about the effect of incitements to violence.” – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by whether they are in discussion with him about the effect of incitements to violence.” on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the remarks by Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari delivered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and posted online on 16 January, that the basic principle is that the Islamic state should work to conquer the world through Jihad for the sake of Allah” and that “it must conquer Rome

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem have discussed this in detail with the Jordanian Waqf, including raising our concern over the language used. The remarks made are indeed deeply concerning. However, the person filmed (Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari) has no connection to the Palestinian Authority, or the Jordanian Waqf. Although the video footage does appear to show him speaking inside the al Aqsa mosque, he was not preaching from the minbar, nor is he authorised to do so by the Waqf. We regularly raise incitement with the Palestinian Authority, and have urged key figures to encourage calm and condemn violence. Our Consul-General raised the issue of incitement most recently with the Palestinian Minister of Health on 21 January, and Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rjoub on 26 January. We welcome President Abbas’ recent restated commitment to reviving the Tripartite Committee on Incitement, as the best channel to address allegations of Israeli and Palestinian incitement.