Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many trade negotiators are employed by his Department; how many such negotiators his Department plans to recruit; and what estimate his Department has made of the cost of those negotiations.

    Mr David Jones

    Britain has been at the forefront of the free trade-supporting countries in the EU for the last 40 years. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and skill mix, are now under consideration. We will have the right resources in place so we can secure the best possible outcome for the UK as a whole.

  • Lord Hay of Ballyore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Hay of Ballyore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hay of Ballyore on 2016-10-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made working with retailers, supermarkets and farmers to ensure the future of the dairy industry in the UK.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government has continued to work closely with farmers, retailers and manufacturers to help with the prolonged period of low prices experienced by the dairy industry in the last 2 years. Wholesale prices have started to improve sharply and we have also seen some improvements in the UK farmgate milk price, albeit from a very low level.

    The long-term outlook for our dairy industry remains positive with strong growth in global milk demand forecast to continue until 2025.

    The Government cannot dictate prices but has sought to help dairy farmers manage risk. We have introduced a new system of extended tax averaging, allowing farmers to choose whether to spread their tax over a two or five-year period. We are exploring opportunities for a dairy futures market and better branding and labelling in supermarkets.

    The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) appointed in 2013 oversees relationships between supermarkets and their suppliers to ensure large supermarkets treat their suppliers lawfully and fairly. We have invited evidence on the case for extending the remit of the GCA to provide more support for farmers and will consider any representation we receive. The dairy industry’s Voluntary Code of Practice has also made a positive contribution in developing a fair and balanced dairy supply chain, helping farmers to secure fairer contracts with their milk buyers.

    The Government is committed to working with industry to develop new market opportunities. Government itself is now buying more British food as a result of our reforms – more than 90% of the butter and cheese bought is made from British milk generating £11m of business for our dairy industry. Further afield, we have been opening new export markets where we know there is a huge demand for quality British dairy products, and we are working to maximise this opportunity by pushing the British dairy brand with the launch of the Great British Food Campaign, and designating 2016 “The Year of Great British Food”.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many fines for their child’s non-attendance at school have been levied on parents in England in each year since 2005.

    Nick Gibb

    The number of penalty notices issued to parents for offences relating to Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996 in each academic year since 2004/05 is set out online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parental-responsibility-measures-academic-year-2012-to-2013.

    The most recent data published by the Department for Education is for the academic year 2012/13. The department does not collect data regarding fines issued by the courts on this matter.

    The Ministry of Justice publishes data on criminal justice system outcomes by offence in England and Wales. This information can be viewed at the following link under the offence category “112A Education Acts”:

    www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014

    “

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Answer by Baroness Altmann on 19 November (HL Deb, col 265) promising to look at the gender pay gap for older women, whether they will also look into the gender pay gap between men and women under 35 years of age.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We are pleased with the progress made towards eliminating the gender pay gap women working full time under the age of 40, but we are not complacent. To encourage young women to consider a wide range of career options, we have revised statutory guidance for schools on careers to raise aspirations; established a new Careers and Enterprise Company to encourage greater collaboration between employers and schools to inspire young people; supported the ‘Your Life’ campaign to encourage more young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM); and published the ‘Your Daughter’s Future’ guidance for parents.

  • Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Garnier on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on proposed fixed recoverable costs in clinical negligence cases of concerns expressed in a letter to him of 9 November 2015 from Action against Medical Accidents, Sands, National Voices, Meningitis Now and the Birth Trauma Association.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department is currently preparing to go out to public consultation on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs (FRCs) for clinical negligence claims as originally proposed by Lord Woolf and Lord Justice Jackson in 1996 and 2009 respectively. The Department undertook a pre-consultation process in late 2015 and obtained feedback from a range of respondents. Since the pre-consultation, the Department has been working to assess how concerns raised can be addressed and reflected in the formal consultation.

    Respondents to the pre-consultation exercise in August confirmed that there is no exact correlation between value and complexity of clinical negligence claims. The consultation will include consideration of the maximum value of claims that will be covered by the FRC regime, whether there should be any exemptions; and thedate and method of implementation. The consultation is also looking at how behaviours can change to streamline and speed up the way in which clinical negligence claims are processed through the legal system. We, therefore, do not agree with the suggestion in the 9 November letter to delay the consultation whilst a review takes place.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23991, whether calls to make a claim for benefit are free for all (a) pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, (b) monthly contract mobile telephones and (c) landline telephones.

    Justin Tomlinson

    All benefit new claims lines have 0800 numbers and are therefore free whether claimants call from mobile phones or landlines, with the exception of Universal Credit which has an 0345 number as the expectation is that claims are made online.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultations have taken place on privatisation of railway stations currently owned by Network Rail; and which stakeholders have been so consulted.

    Claire Perry

    Network Rail is exploring new models for station management and ownership with the goal to bring improvements for both passengers and the communities they serve. They have engaged Citigroup as advisors to consider a range of potential options but no decisions have been taken at this early stage. Any decisions on such potential future options will take account of the ‎findings of Nicola Shaw’s report into the longer term shape and financing of Network Rail.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding her Department received from the European Social Fund (a) between 2007 and 2014 and (b) from 2014 to the last month for which data is available.

    George Eustice

    The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not received any funding from the European Social Fund.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 34010, what the cost of providing NHS dental services in the West Midlands was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    The table below shows the expenditure on National Health Service dental services in the West Midlands. The total expenditure figures have been broken down into primary care (delivered by high street dentists through General or Personal Dental Services contracts (GDS/PDS)) and other services (delivered in community and secondary care settings).

    2010/11 £000

    2011/12 £000

    2012/13 £000

    2013/14 £000

    2014/15 £000

    1

    GDS/PDS Cost

    279,997

    290,274

    286,385

    197,166

    200,904

    2

    Fees Charged

    (63,328)

    (65,765)

    (66,682)

    (47,667)

    (50,014)

    3

    Net Cost

    216,669

    224,509

    219,703

    149,499

    150,890

    4

    Other (community and secondary care)

    69,132

    65,093

    139,583

    71,233

    73,131

    5

    Total Expenditure

    349,129

    355,367

    359,286

    220,732

    224,021

    Source: Rows 1, 2, 3 – Primary care expenditure, Department of Health accounts (2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13) and NHS England accounts (2013/14 and 2014/15); Row 4 – other programme budgeting NHS England.

    Notes:

    1. Figures provided are the expenditure incurred by primary care trusts (PCTs) within the former West Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA), and, from April 2013, NHS England West Midlands Area Teams regional teams, in commissioning dental treatment. The balances show the gross expenditure incurred in providing GDS and PDS, which are alternative models of dental care, and the fees charged to the recipient in providing the treatment.
    2. Total expenditure is the sum of rows 3 and 4.
    3. Expenditure figures between years are not directly comparable owing to changes in commissioning arrangements from PCTs to NHS England from April 2013. The 2013/14 and 2014/15 columns do not include areas formerly known as Shropshire and Staffordshire, and Telford and Wrekin, which were part of the West Midlands SHA footprint.
    4. In addition, responsibility for public health and prevention programmes moved from PCTs to local authorities in April 2013.
  • Caroline Spelman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Caroline Spelman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Spelman on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has provided to (a) the UNHCR and (b) other organisations to support Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia in each of the last three years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Over the past three financial years DFID has disbursed £16,999,196 to UNHCR in Ethiopia (of which £7,010,225 was in 2013/14, £9,896,334 in 2014/15 and £91,637 in 2015/16).

    From this total, £1,108,571 was allocated for child protection services for Eritrean refugees (£368,068 in 2013/14 and £740,503 in 2014/15).

    A further £1,846,027 from this total was allocated over the three years in question for core relief items (basic household goods) for all refugees in Ethiopia, including Eritreans.

    Funding for Eritrean refugees was not provided directly to any other organisation in Ethiopia.