The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with how many local authorities his Department has worked to improve budgeting advice for universal credit claimants.
Damian Hinds
Universal Credit has introduced Personal Budgeting Support to provide budgeting and money advice to claimants as part of Universal Support provisions. We have engaged with all 380 local authorities in delivering this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2015-11-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of recent reports about VAT fraud by online traders operating from abroad, what discussions they have had in the last three months with (1) Amazon, and (2) eBay, about the extent of such tax evasion on their online marketplaces.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
HM Revenue and Customs is in regular contact with the largest businesses through its dedicated “Customer Relationship Manager” model.Details of discussions with individual taxpayers cannot be disclosed due to taxpayer confidentiality.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-11-30.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish a National Framework for the care of (1) children, and (2) adults, who have suffered a severe brain injury and are cared for at home.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Department has no plans to publish a specific National Framework for the care of children or adults who have suffered a severe brain injury.
However, there are National Frameworks for continuing care for children and young people (under the age of 18), and for NHS Continuing Healthcare (for individuals aged 18 or over), which support the provision of packages of care for those assessed as eligible to meet needs that have arisen as a result of a disability, accident or illness including severe brain injury. Copies are attached. The diagnosis of a particular disease or condition is not in itself a determinant of eligibility.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-01-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 6 January (HL4779), what generally” means in that answer
Lord Prior of Brampton
The general position in England is that clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) arrange health services for persons for whom they are responsible. Broadly speaking CCGs arrange secondary care, which would include abortion services.
A CCG could commission services, including abortion services, for persons ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland who are nevertheless registered (on a temporary or permanent basis) with a general practitioner who is a member of that CCG, if such services would improve the physical or mental health or treatment of illness of that person. This would be a matter for the CCG to decide however and they are free to exercise their discretion in that regard. There is no duty on a CCG to arrange health services for a person usually resident in NI (or Wales or Scotland) unless that person is present in the CCG’s area and needs ambulance services or accident and emergency services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has provided to witnesses, survivors and the families of victims of the terrorist attack in Sousse, Tunisia, on 26 June 2015.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Immediately after the terrorist attack in Sousse, a helpline was set up to provide advice to British nationals in the area. At the height of the crisis there were 140 FCO, Police, MoD and DfT staff in Tunisia. Rapid Deployment Teams comprising of consular staff and Red Cross psychosocial experts were sent to Tunisia to assist those affected. We worked with the tour operators to help those families who wished to return to the UK. Some of the injured and the 30 deceased were repatriated back to the UK using military assets. The next of kin were offered support via Police Family Liaison Officers. This support was offered through our Exceptional Assistance Measures policy (EAM) which we have the discretion to use in extremis after a terrorist attack.
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) established an ad hoc Ministerial Committee, supported by a Joint Unit based in the FCO, to coordinate Government assistance to British nationals affected over the longer term. The Committee has oversight of arrangements for a fitting memorial service, a physical memorial, compensation and a programme to provide support for those experiencing difficulties with mental health. We have partnerships with victim support organisations in England, Wales and Scotland to refer bereaved families to specialist support, and have a dedicated support page with further information on GOV.UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average growth in Gross Value Added for (1) the English Core Cities, and (2) Liverpool, from 2009 to 2014.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the proposal to the International Maritime Organisation to develop a work plan to define shipping’s fair share in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions ahead of the meeting on 18 to 22 April 2016.
Mr Robert Goodwill
We welcome the paper submitted to the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee proposing the development of a work plan to define international shipping’s fair share in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Negotiations on how the global shipping sector can contribute to the goal in the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature increases to well below 2°C, and to pursue efforts towards 1.5°C, are at an early, technical stage.
Department for Transport officials have been working closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other departments to ensure that the UK is well placed to play a leading role in the upcoming discussions regarding this “fair share” and will continue to do so as progress is made towards a global solution to tackling emissions from international shipping.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students were on the roll of university technical colleges in (a) 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015 and (d) 2016.
Nick Boles
According to published January census data, the number of pupils on roll in all University Technical Colleges (UTCs) was 795 in academic year 2012/13, 2,946 in 2013/14 and 6,363 in 2014/15.
The census data for January 2016 has not yet been published. However, the 2015 October census data shows 9,454 pupils on roll in all UTCs in the 2015/16 academic year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on supporting access to mobile digital technology for farmers.
Rory Stewart
Improving mobile connectivity across the country is a key priority for the Government. Defra works closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on this, with a key focus on rural and hard to reach areas. Defra Ministers are directly involved through meetings with DCMS Ministers and the Digital Implementation Taskforce.
4G mobile rollout in the UK has been one of the fastest in Europe; 90% of premises now have 4G coverage from at least one operator. Two legally binding licence obligations will help deliver improved mobile coverage across the UK. Telefonica will provide indoor 4G coverage to 98% of UK premises by the end of 2017. This complements the obligation on each of the UK’s four mobile network operators to provide voice and text coverage to at least 90% of UK landmass, also by the end of 2017.
To facilitate rollout, the Government is reforming the Electronic Communications Code to make it cheaper for the industry to provide coverage and is introducing reforms to the planning regime to allow, amongst other things, taller masts and to enable upgrades of communications infrastructure.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jessica Morden on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on the use of Farepak unclaimed funds in 2019.
Margot James
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, has not held discussions with HM Treasury on the use of Farepak unclaimed funds in 2019; Farepak creditors will still be able to make claims for monies they are owed when they are handed over where the claims were accepted as valid by the joint liquidators.