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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Oliver Dowden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Oliver Dowden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Dowden on 2016-06-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discretion his Department has to waive rules on non-payment of housing benefit to people with savings over a prescribed amount for (a) looked after adults, (b) vulnerable adults and (c) adults with disabilities.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The capital limit of £16,000 applies to all Housing Benefit claimants, other than those on the guarantee element of Pension Credit.

    While it is important to encourage saving, it has been the consistent policy of successive governments that substantial amounts of capital should not be ignored altogether when deciding entitlement to benefits which are based on need.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many staff his Department plans to employ by the end of the current financial year; and in which regions those staff will be employed.

    Mr Robin Walker

    The Department for Exiting the EU now has over 200 staff in London, plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and we are still growing rapidly. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are regularly reviewed. We will ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with the task at hand.

    As a new department we do not yet hold diversity data for all of our staff but we will be collecting this in line with standard Civil Service practice.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the future role of NHS Foundation Trusts in the NHS.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We will continue to discuss the role of foundation trusts (FTs) in the National Health Service with the leaders of NHS Improvement as the organisation moves to a more aligned approach to the regulation and oversight of FTs and NHS trusts.

    The clinical and economic sustainability of all trusts is of paramount importance, and NHS Improvement will continue to support NHS providers to determine the most appropriate means of securing their long-term future.

    The NHS Trust Development Authority is continuing to refer organisations to Monitor for FT authorisation decisions. No decisions have yet been made about how this activity will be undertaken by NHS Improvement from 1 April 2016.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on whether people resettled in the UK under the vulnerable persons programme will be able to access banking services.

    Richard Harrington

    Refugees who are resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme are granted a five year humanitarian protection visa and can therefore access banking services in the UK.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff employed by his Department (a) receive working tax credits and (b) work part-time; and what proportion of each such group are women.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested in part (a) is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    On 31 December 2015 in the Department for Work and Pensions 35,834 employees work part-time and 88% of this group are women.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the promotion of human rights of the UK leaving the EU.

    Jeremy Wright

    At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent cost estimate is for each of the road projects listed in the Government’s announcement, Major roads investment in the Midlands, published on 1 December 2014 that have not yet been completed; and what the final costs were of any of those projects that have been completed.

    Andrew Jones

    For schemes that are Open for Traffic, the actual out-turn costs have been provided. Schemes that are in development or construction show the latest approved estimate.

    Scheme Name

    Announced

    Estimated Cost (£m)

    Source of Estimate

    M1 junctions 28 to 31

    2010

    205.8

    Under construction

    A453 widening

    2011

    170.0

    Scheme complete

    M6 junctions 10a to 13

    2011

    98.3

    Scheme complete

    A14 Kettering bypass widening

    2011

    37.6

    Scheme complete

    M1 junction 19 improvement

    2011

    190.7

    Under construction

    A45-A46 Tollbar End

    2011

    106.3

    Under construction

    A38 Derby junctions

    2013

    180 to 282

    In development

    M5 junctions 4A to 6

    2013

    106.4

    Under construction

    M54 to M6 and M6 toll link road

    2013

    237 to 344

    In development

    M6 J5 to J8 smart motorway

    2010

    110.7

    Scheme complete

    For the remaining schemes outlined in the 1 December 2014 announcement, the current costs are the cost category as quoted in the RIS Investment Plan, which can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/381496/roads-investment-strategy-summary-of-schemes.pdf

    There is currently no cost information for the Strategic Studies as they are in the very early stages of investigating options.

    “

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regional variation there has been in the proportion of shifts which have not been filled since the introduction of national price caps for NHS agency staff.

    Alistair Burt

    Information on temporary staff fill rates is not collected centrally.

    NHS Improvement has calculated that since the introduction of the price caps, agency spending by National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts has fallen from £303 million in October 2015 to £287 million in February 2016.

    Monitor has previously released information on the number of trusts reporting using shifts in excess of the price caps from 23 November to 28 December 2015. This can be accessed here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/497353/FOI_agency_staff_payments.pdf

    “

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that the commitments made at the Anti-Corruption Summit (a) are ambitious, (b) are specific, (c) include a timeframe for implementation and (d) are enforceable.

    Matthew Hancock

    Yes.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-06-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what monitoring is conducted to ensure that local authorities commission open-access contraceptive services for all persons present in their area.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Local authorities are mandated to commission open access sexual health services and are accountable for their statutory duty to improve the public’s health. Public Health England (PHE) has a specific role in assurance of the ring-fenced grant and that local authorities are meeting the grant conditions and the terms of the associated statutory regulations. PHE publishes data on outcomes from services for each local authority in England and can provide support and advice where necessary.

    Departmental and PHE officials meet regularly with stakeholders where open access to sexual health services is discussed.