Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent review his Department has conducted into the adequacy of suicide prevention support for (a) men and (b) women; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    There has not been a formal review of the adequacy of suicide prevention support for men and women. However, we published a national strategy, Preventing Suicide in England: a cross-Government strategy to save lives in 2012. I announced in a Westminster Hall Debate on 19 November 2015 that this strategy was a dynamic one, being reviewed and refreshed regularly. We continue to monitor and track trends in suicide and work with organisations across Government and industry and with a range of stakeholder organisations to implement the national strategy. We publish an annual report on our progress. The next annual report will be published early next year.

    The Department provides financial support to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance consisting of a range of organisations concerned with suicide prevention which provides expert advice on implementing the national strategy.

  • Julian Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Julian Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will ensure that affordable rent to buy housing is exempt from the Government’s pay to stay proposals for higher income social tenants.

    Brandon Lewis

    Higher income social tenants in a Rent to Buy scheme will not face increased rent under proposals for pay to stay. This is because the rent they pay is an intermediate rent which is excluded from social rent policy.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what coordination he is undertaking with other EU member states on the deployment of military assets to rescue migrants and refugees at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Navy is not currently involved in a Search and Rescue Mission in the Mediterranean. However, HMS Enterprise, which is currently deployed as part of the EU Naval Forces Operation in the Mediterranean, will coordinate with assets from other EU member states in order to respond to vessels in distress.

    In addition, a Royal Marine force protection team is deployed on board the Border Force chartered vessel MV VOS GRACE currently in the Aegean Sea, supporting the EU’s FRONTEX-led search and rescue operation.

    In total, the UK has rescued over 12,500 people in the Mediterranean.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the HM Revenue and Customs policy paper, Income tax: changes to dividend taxation, published in December 2015, if he will publish the data and calculations used as the basis for the statement that 95 per cent of all taxpayers will either gain or be unaffected by changes to dividend taxes.

    Mr David Gauke

    The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) policy paper “Income Tax: changes to dividend taxation” sets out the estimated impacts of the reforms to dividend taxation announced in Summer Budget 2015. At Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced that the dividend tax credit will be replaced by a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance from April 2016 and that dividend tax rates would be amended from the same date.

    The tax base comprises dividend income subject to income tax, estimated using the Survey of Personal Incomes and other HMRC administrative data, and projected in line with OBR determinants. This is used to calculate the number of affected persons.

    An explanation of the methodology can be found in the Summer Budget 2015 policy costings document:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/443195/Policy_costings_summer_budget_2015.pdf

    “

  • Lord Wasserman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Wasserman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wasserman on 2016-03-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the terms of reference of the Police Reform Group; when it was established; what is its composition; and whether it is in receipt of public funds.

    Lord Bates

    The Police Reform and Transformation Board is a non-statutory governance board which first met on 23 February 2016. It has been established and supported by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to provide strategic oversight and impetus to police transformation.

    Funding of the Board is a matter for the NPCC and APCC. Further information is available from the APCC and NPCC http://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/new-board-set-up-to-oversee-further-police-reform

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what effect the withdrawal of service providers from the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme has had on the projected numbers of prisoners able to take part in that programme.

    Andrew Selous

    No Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) has withdrawn from the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme. As part of the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, CRCs are required to deliver the services set out in their contract. CRCs can decide to contract with other organisations to deliver some of those services. If these sub-contractors decide to no longer provide services, the CRC will decide whether to re-tender or provide the service themselves. This should not affect the number of offenders able to access the services.

    We are not restarting the tendering process for probation providers. CRCs are in the process of finalising their supply chains. Contract Management Teams closely monitor arrangements to ensure consistency of service provision and that prime and sub-contractors comply with the terms of an Industry Standard Partnering Agreement set out in the original tender documents.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) children under 18 years of age and (b) young people aged 18 to 24 received (i) social welfare, (ii) family, (iii) immigration, (iv) debt and (v) housing legal aid funding in each year since 2009-2010.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    This information is due to be released as part of the pre-announced annual statistics bulletin for the LAA on the 30th June 2016.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the UK’s representatives on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance were appointed and to whom they report.

    Alok Sharma

    The UK delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is currently led by Sir Eric Pickles, the UK Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues, appointed in September 2015, who reports to the Minister for Human Rights in the Foreign Office and also to the Prime Minister. There is no formal process for appointing members of the UK delegation. Representatives are drawn from a range of UK non-government organisations and academic institutions, covering Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Delegates are expected to play an active part in the IHRA’s various working groups and committees, including taking part in discussions between formal meetings, and fund their own travel costs. We always welcome expressions of interest from organisations interested in being represented.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of its capacity to (a) secure and (b) extend UK fishing rights; and whether her Department plans to have in place an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles after the UK leaves the EU.

    George Eustice

    Exit from the EU presents us with an opportunity under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to improve the way waters in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone are managed. Defra officials will be working with the Department for Exiting the European Union, Devolved Administrations and stakeholders to develop proposals that will allow the UK to best take advantage of this opportunity.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions on the effect of sanctions on the mental health of people who have been so sanctioned.

    Alistair Burt

    Ministers in the Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions have not had any recent discussions about the effect of sanctions on the mental health of people who have been so sanctioned.

    However, Ministers have many discussions with stakeholders about a range of issues, and the Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions met on 3 June and agreed to greater cross government working between their respective Departments. Following that meeting, the Department of Health and Department for Work and Pensions Work and Health Unit was created to improve the health and employment outcomes of benefit claimants.

    We know that people come into contact with the welfare system at a time when they may be vulnerable because of unemployment and its associated consequences. The Department for Work and Pensions provides guidance and training for staff to help them identify and support people who may be vulnerable.