Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23012, which options the Government is discussing with the Mayor; and what information his Department holds on the potential effect of other ways of influencing the private hire vehicle market that do not require new legislation.

    Andrew Jones

    On 20 January 2016 the Mayor of London announced his plans for modernising and enhancing London’s private hire vehicle industry. In these plans the Mayor recognised the need to investigate ways to address the congestion and air quality impacts of the increasing number of private hire vehicles in London without capping numbers. The Government will discuss with the Mayor any options that are proposed.

    The Government supports competition and growth in the taxi and private hire sector although we are aware of a range of factors that could affect the private hire market in London, including raising standards and removing exemptions from the Congestion Charge. The Department’s Best Practice Guidance for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing advises licensing authorities that licensing requirements which are unduly stringent will tend unreasonably to restrict the supply of taxi and private hire vehicle services.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the merits of staffing (a) railway stations and (b) trains.

    Claire Perry

    The safety of passengers and rail users is paramount on the railway and the Department for Transport would never do anything to put passengers at risk.

    We do regulate Ticket Office opening times through the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, but staffing levels beyond this are a matter for the operators as we believe that they are best placed to determine how to meet the needs of their passengers.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will establish an awards scheme for schools that have excelled in supporting children with special educational needs and disability similar to the scheme for pupil premium awards.

    Edward Timpson

    It is crucial that schools are effective in identifying their pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and providing the right support to help these pupils fulfil their potential. We have recently made major reforms to the SEND system through the Children and Families Act 2014, so as to improve the support for children and young people with SEND. In the White Paper that we published on 17 March, Educational Excellence Everywhere, we have set out plans to embed those reforms and review our strategy to improve SEND provision. As part of this we will wish to look at options for how to identify and promote excellent SEND practice in schools. If My Honourable Friend has any specific proposals then I would be happy to receive them.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what requirements NHS England has placed on Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust to provide alternative services to replace services which are to be closed.

    Alistair Burt

    We are advised that NHS England has placed no such requirements. These are matters for the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust and its commissioners.

    We expect all National Health Service trusts to use their resources wisely and within their statutory responsibilities, while delivering high quality, sustainable services to patients. It is for the local NHS to determine the provision of local health services.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK military personnel are currently deployed to NATO force integration units in (a) Bulgaria, (b) Estonia, (c) Latvia, (d) Lithuania, (e) Poland and (f) Romania.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The UK has one officer in each of the six NATO Force Integration Units.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received on the potential merits of establishing a materials catapult for manufacturing.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department refers proposals for new Catapults to Innovate UK, who have an established process for considering the case for new Catapult Centres. This includes proposals for Materials Centres. Innovate UK currently consider the broad materials needs of the manufacturing sector are well served by existing Catapults and Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs).

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding has been provided to the (a) Kurdistan Regional Government Peshmerga, (b) Kurdish government in Northern Syria and (c) Yazidi community to (i) gather evidence of alleged acts of genocide and (ii) support displaced persons in refugee camps.

    James Wharton

    Since June 2014, DFID has committed £129.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable internally displaced people in Iraq, including Yezidis and those living in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. To date, the UK has pledged over £2.3 billion in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region. Our support is reaching vulnerable and displaced Syrians, including those living in areas controlled by Kurdish groups.

    On 21 July the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK will lead a global campaign to hold Daesh to account for its crimes. In Iraq, the Foreign Office has funded projects to support the documentation of Daesh crimes and preservation of evidence. In Syria, UK funding supports a range of NGO partners to compile case files of evidence of atrocities approximating to International Criminal Court (ICC) standards.

    DFID has not provided funding to the Peshmerga, or to the governing authorities in Kurdish-dominated parts of Syria.

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children have been placed in residential children’s homes outside their home local authority area in each of the last five years.

    Edward Timpson

    Information on the number of children accommodated in children’s homes inside and outside the Council boundary is published in table A2 of the statistical first release “Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers), year ending 31 March 2015” at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2014-to-2015

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  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their definition of poverty.

    Lord Freud

    Poverty is complex and affects different people in different ways throughout their lives. As such, the Government does not have one recognised definition, or measure, of poverty which applies to everyone’s stage of someone’s life. Our focus is on ensuring we have measures which drive the right approaches to tackling the root causes of poverty.

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

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all people in vulnerable categories receive the flu vaccination.

    Jane Ellison

    This flu season eligible groups, such as those with a long term health condition, are encouraged to take up the flu vaccine through a single winter health campaign, ‘Stay Well this Winter’[1]. The campaign launched in October and advises the public on how to avoid common winter illnesses.

    The National Health Service and local authority partners have been encouraged to implement the campaign at local level and make use of available campaign resources, including patient letters, information leaflets and posters. Voluntary organisations, health charities and schools have received tailored resources to assist them in communicating the risks of flu and benefits of vaccination to their members and parents/pupils. General practitioners are urged to invite all eligible patients for vaccination. For the first time this flu season, many community pharmacies are also offering free NHS flu vaccinations to eligible adults, extending patient choice and opportunities for patients to take-up the vaccine.

    [1] News release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/winter-campaign-starts-with-largest-flu-vaccination-programme

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