The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information since its establishment.
Matthew Hancock
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield Central on 19 October 2015 to UIN: 10764.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made any additional capital funding available to Highways England since the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.
Andrew Jones
My Department has not agreed any additional capital funding for Highways England for the spending review 2015, beyond that announced in the Autumn Statement 2015. The Autumn Statement confirmed the level of capital funding across the spending review period for Highways England as set out in the Road Investment Strategy, which triples investment in our strategic road network. SR15 also confirmed that Highways England will receive an additional £230m to deliver Operation Stack.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-03-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.228 of Budget 2016, on what date he plans to close the Money Advice Service.
Harriett Baldwin
At Budget 2016, the government published its response to the Public Financial Guidance Review and launched a consultation seeking views on the government’s plans to restructure the statutory financial guidance providers – the Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise. This paper, which closes on 8 June 2016, sets out a new delivery model for public financial guidance and seeks views on how, within this model, the proposed services could best be offered. The new delivery model is designed to better complement the financial guidance provided by the third sector and the industry and provide more targeted support for consumers.
The government will consider the responses to this consultation over the summer, and in parallel, work closely with the affected organisations to finalise the delivery structure. A detailed timetable will be set out with the final response, which will be published in the autumn. The government has been clear that the three affected organisations will continue to provide guidance to consumers until at least 2018.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-05-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many single line tracks there are on passenger lines within a 120 mile radius of all London rail stations; and what they are.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
This is an operational matter for Network Rail and London Underground.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May 2016 to Question 37683, on child maintenance arrears, on how many occasions his Department has used each of the enforcement powers referred to in that Answer in each of the last five years.
Priti Patel
For the 1993 and 2003 Schemes the information you requested is set out on Page 40 of the Child Support Agency quarterly summary of statistics which can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-march-2016
Information on enforcement for the 2012 scheme could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-09-05.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to ensure that the LEADER and Countryside Stewardship schemes continue to be funded when the UK leaves the EU.
Mr David Gauke
The funds mentioned are covered under the Chancellor’s recent announcement on EU funding, available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-philip-hammond-guarantees-eu-funding-beyond-date-uk-leaves-the-eu
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the size of increase in demand of the ambulance service in the East of England in the last 12 months; and whether his Department plans to take steps to meet that demand.
Mr Philip Dunne
NHS Improvement (NHSI) is responsible for overseeing National Health Service trusts. NHSI advises that East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s (EEAST’s) performance has seen a sustained improvement since March 2016. However, the Trust is still not meeting the national standards for category A (immediately life-threatening) calls. In August 2016, it responded to 68.9% of Red 1 calls and 62.3% of Red 2 calls within eight minutes, against a standard of 75%. For all category A calls, it responded to 90.8% within 19 minutes, against a standard of 95%.
NHSI advises that overall demand on the Trust’s services has increased by 4.6% over the last 12 months, although the higher acuity ‘Red’ demand has increased by approximately 15%. This substantial increase in high acuity demand represents thousands more calls needing a response against the eight-minute standard. In 2016/17, to the end of August 2016, the Trust had responded to 3,699 more high acuity patients (Red 1 and Red 2 calls) in eight minutes than in the same period in 2015/16.
NHSI advises that staff turnover at EEAST has been steadily reducing over the last eight months. Turnover of EEAST frontline staff for the period 1 August 2015 to 30 September 2016 was 7.12%. The Trust’s reference period for reporting staff turnover is 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015, and within this period turnover was 8.31%. Based on the most recent national benchmarking data for June 2016, turnover for all staff at EEAST was 9.85%, fifth lowest of the 11 English ambulance trusts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the options that were agreed by the UK, Morocco and the Saharawi under the 1990-91 ceasefire agreement for a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara have changed.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The options for a referendum on the self-determination of Western Sahara, as set out in the UN Secretary General’s 1990 report and the 1991 MINURSO mandate, have not changed. The UK fully supports UN-led efforts to encourage Morocco and the Polisario Front to agree a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings he has had with homecare providers to discuss how to improve recruitment and retention rates in the care sector.
Alistair Burt
I have responsibility for adult social care. I regularly meet with homecare providers to discuss a range of topics including improving recruitment and retention rates in the care sector.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the human rights situation in the Maldives, and what consideration they are giving to immediate targeted sanctions by the UK and at a EU level on senior officials and key supporters of the government of the Maldives, including freezing assets and travel bans.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK is concerned about the decline in respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the Maldives. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), visited the Maldives on 17 and 18 January and expressed these concerns to President Yameen and other key members of the Maldivian government including Foreign Minister Dunya.
We will continue to apply pressure through a range of bilateral and multilateral means to bring about the positive changes we all want to see in the Maldives.