Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what investment his Department has made in software components in the last six months.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Cabinet Office routinely purchases software components to facilitate business operations and has purchased a number of software components, such as desktop software, document management systems, business applications and software as service components. Details of transactions are listed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-spend-data

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  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on the maximum travelling time for a 16 to 18 year-old pupil to access sixth form education if it is not available in their local authority area; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The statutory responsibility for transport to education and training for 16- to 19-year-olds rests with local authorities, including those students who attend school or college in a neighbouring local authority area. Most students receive a discount or concession but it is for local authorities, along with local transport providers and schools or colleges, to decide whether to provide support and which students are eligible. These decisions are best made locally in light of local needs, the resources available, and other local circumstances.

    The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also available to support young people with the costs associated with attending education or training, and transport is the biggest single area of expenditure for which this fund is used. Schools and colleges are responsible for deciding how to distribute their bursary allocations to students, and for establishing what criteria to use.

    Local authorities are encouraged to take travelling times into account when considering post-16 transport arrangements. There is an expectation of 75 minutes as a maximum travelling time each way to and from school or college but this is not a mandatory requirement.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure consumers are placed on the cheapest tariff available by their energy supplier.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Strong competition in the retail energy market is the best way to ensure that customers are on the cheapest tariff that meets their particular circumstances. The Government and Ofgem have been working to improve competition and there are now 39 companies supplying energy to households across Great Britain.

    The Government supports the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into the retail energy market and we will take forward appropriate implementation of its final recommendations which are due to be published shortly.

    We recognise that vulnerable consumers may need support to engage in the market and that is why we have provided £3 million over the last three years to community organisations through the Big Energy Saving Network.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role the Government is playing in UN discussions on improving mechanisms for casualty recording.

    James Duddridge

    The UK welcomes efforts to improve the UN’s recording of casualties as a means of ensuring UN decision making is better informed and civilians are better protected in conflict. We will continue to support the UN Secretary-General, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and all other relevant parts of the UN system as they take this work forward. We are a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a strong supporter of the Human Rights Up Front Initiative.

  • Dominic Raab – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dominic Raab – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dominic Raab on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders have successfully challenged deportation from the UK on human rights grounds in each of the last 10 years; and how many such claims relied upon (a) Article 3, (b) Article 8 and (c) another Article of the European Convention on Human Rights.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The following table shows the total number of foreign national offenders who have successfully challenged deportation from the UK on human rights grounds for the financial years 2006-07 to 2015-16. Data prior to this date is not available as it was not captured by the Home Office central reporting system.

    Please note that the Home Office is not able to provide data on successful appeals where claims are broken down by Article 3, Article 8 and another Article on the European Convention on Human Rights. Individually this information is not held centrally and can only be collated at disproportionate cost.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions the Government has held with the Pensions Regulator on section 75 employer debt in pension funds.

    Richard Harrington

    The regulation of work-based pension schemes, including the funding regime is a matter for the independent Pensions Regulator. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with the Regulator about a variety of matters, including section 75.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of women with perinatal mental health problems had access to specialist counselling in the last year for which figures are available.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not currently collected.

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is working on the implementation of a new Mental Health Services Dataset which will seek to increase the amount of data available about mental health. The exact reporting which will result from this is still being determined, but perinatal mental health has been identified as a key policy area where more data is required in order to understand the current issues with the services being provided to women in the perinatal period.

    In terms of reporting that will come out of the dataset, this is likely to include reports on:

    – how many referrals to mental health services identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral;

    – how many women are identified as being on a perinatal pathway when they come into contact with mental health services;

    – whether women who are admitted with mental health problems are admitted to an appropriate unit; and

    – the kind of care which is provided to women in the perinatal period by community mental health services.

    We expect that some initial data on perinatal mental health will be available between June and September next year. This will be basic information, such as the number of referrals to mental health services that identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral, and we expect data volumes to be low in the first instance. We will use this initial information to refine how data on perinatal mental health is collected going forward.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs offices in Dundee are closing before those in the rest of the UK.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.‎

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage the training of new behind the scenes production staff and (b) promote Britain’s position in the global film industry.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government announced up to £16 million in match funding in 2013 and a further £4m in 2015 to support skills in the Creative Industries, including training for behind the scenes production staff. The UK has one of the most generous film tax reliefs in the world. In 2014-15, the Government paid out £251 million in film tax relief, which attracted over £1 billion in investment to the UK last year. In 2015-16, the Government is also providing over £23 million in grant in aid alongside a projected £49 million in Lottery funding to support Britain’s position in the global film industry.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any acknowledgement of the achievement by Network Rail in completing successfully over 99 per cent of its Christmas and New Year programme of 500 projects without impact on passengers.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, has indeed acknowledged the achievements of Network Rail over the Christmas period on no less than three separate occasions.

    Network Rail issued a press release on 4 January in which my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Transport stated: "Network Rail and the operators have delivered essential improvements to the rail network over the Christmas period. These are crucial for providing better journeys for passengers, progressing key projects such as Crossrail and the Thameslink Programme and nearly £100m of improvements in Lincolnshire, as part of our record investment in the railways.

    I welcome the news that this has been completed on time. I would like to thank passengers for their patience, and pay tribute to the men and women who have been working in challenging weather conditions for much of the time."

    On 19 January my Rt Hon Friend informed the other place: “Over the Christmas period, Network Rail also successfully carried out its biggest ever works as part of the railway upgrade plan that is so essential to the future of the British rail industry. I pay tribute to the thousands of staff who gave up their Christmas to improve our railways.”

    And on 28 January my Rt Hon Friend remarked in the other place: “I pay tribute to Network Rail and its hard-working orange army of more than 20,000 staff who successfully delivered £150 million of essential improvements to the network over the holiday period, as part of our record programme of investment in the railways. Planning for Easter is well advanced, and the good practice demonstrated over Christmas is being embedded in the planning process for Easter and beyond.”