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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Department for Transport figures showing a rise in the number of drivers failing a breath test.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Our assessment of Home Office figures on breath tests is that the proportion of drivers providing a positive or refused to provide a sample over recent years has remained constant, with only a slight rise in 2014 to 11% compared to 10.5% in 2013. By contrast, it was 20% in 2003.

    With Malta due to change their drink drive limit, all other European countries will have a lower alcohol limit, but they do not necessarily have a better record on reducing drink drive casualties. The TRL Report ‘PPR 796’ prepared for the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety (PACTS) shows that Britain, rather than having a higher level of road casualties in collisions involving alcohol than other European countries, has a comparable level despite the higher limit. Harmonisation with other countries’ limits is not a reason on its own for lowering the limit.

    We therefore have no plans to lower the drink drive limit in England and Wales. Our approach in tackling drink driving is through rigorous enforcement, tough penalties, and changing the social acceptability of drink driving – including through our award-winning THINK! campaigns.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-03-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they propose to cut £4.4 billion from benefits for disabled people over the course of the Parliament.

    Lord Freud

    We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010.

    The government has no further plans to make welfare savings, beyond those already announced. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.

  • 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 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the consultation on the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy will not take place until spring 2016.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The first Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy will consist of a number of distinct elements that need to be produced prior to formal consultation. My Department has already begun work on these elements which will include a Statement of Funds Available and a National Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, as well as establishing appropriate governance arrangements. Although the formal consultation will not be till the spring, we are engaging with stakeholder groups throughout development.

  • Lord Brabazon of Tara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Brabazon of Tara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Brabazon of Tara on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to change the £10 Christmas Bonus for pensioners.

    Baroness Altmann

    The Government has no plans to change the £10 Christmas Bonus.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish an estimate of how many people in each region and parliamentary constituency will benefit from the rise in the income tax personal allowance to £11,000 on 6 April 2016.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government estimates that the increase in the personal allowance to £11,000 in 2016/17 will reduce the income tax liability for 29.2 million individuals in the UK.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gavin Newlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the new Enterprise Allowance scheme.

    Priti Patel

    Latest statistics show that 76,960 new businesses have been set up with the support of the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA).

    A cohort study of the initial participants in the scheme showed that 78% of the first 2,960 NEA participants who started to trade remained off benefits for 52 weeks.

    In January 2016 we published an evaluation report which showed that business established with the support of NEA had a sustainability rate of 80%, with over 90% of these trading for over 12 months. Around half of the respondents to the survey reported an expansion in their customer base or an increase in turnover. The majority of respondents were planning to expand their business in the future.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222253, what estimate he has made of the number of service personnel who have suffered mental illness in the current year.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) compiles records of UK Armed Forces personnel who have been assessed as having a mental health condition at either of the military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs) or one of the facilities contracted by the MOD to provide in-patient treatment.

    During the period 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015, the most recent full year for which verified records are available, 4,858 personnel were assessed as having a mental health disorder.

    Verified figures are also available for the period of 7 April to 30 September 2015. During this six month period, 2,576 personnel were assessed as having a mental health disorder.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will discuss with vehicle manufacturers improvements to in-vehicle technology to prevent vehicle hacking.

    Anna Soubry

    Government recognises that vehicle security is a priority to ensure the safety and security of the public and their data. Government is actively engaging with the automotive industry, including vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to develop understanding and capability around the rapidly evolving cyber threats to vehicles.

    As vehicle technology is advancing rapidly, particularly with respect to connectivity and automation technologies, the nature and level of threat, together with vulnerabilities and the potential impact of any successful exploit is changing. It is important that vehicles are "secure by design" and government is working with industry to ensure the opportunities of these new technologies can be realised safely and securely.

    Connected technologies present cyber security challenges across a broad range of sectors. The recent Strategic Defence Spending Review, and the recently announced National Cyber Security Centre provide cross-cutting strategy for cyber security and it is important that automotive is considered as a part of this wider agenda.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions the Government has had with the government of Israel on political prisoners.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK has not specifically raised the issue of political prisoners. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised concerns around detention, including Israel’s extensive use of administrative detention. Administrative detention should, according to international law, be used only when security makes it absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice, and as a preventative rather than a punitive measure. On 24 February, our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of administrative detention with the Israeli authorities.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether a provider would need to achieve an Excellent rating in (a) one, (b) two or (c) three of the Teaching Quality, Learning Environment and Student Outcomes and Learning Gain categories in order to achieve an overall Excellent rating under the Teaching Excellence framework.

    Joseph Johnson

    A provider’s performance in the three areas of Teaching Quality, Learning Environment, and Student Outcomes and Learning Gain will not be subject to individual ratings. Assessors will make a holistic assessment, considering all three areas, in order to award a single TEF rating for the provider.