Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Education, Health and Care plans are now in place.

    Lord Nash

    Information on statements of special educational needs and statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans maintained by local authorities is collected in the annual SEN2 data return from local authorities in January each year. The latest available data shows there were 4,205 statutory EHC plans maintained by local authorities, as of January 2015.

    The Department does not collect information on which local authority has taken the longest amount of time to assess and decide on an EHC plan. Data is collected in the annual SEN2 return on the number of EHC plans which were issued within the 20 weeks set out in regulations.

    Of the new EHC plans issued in 2014, 64.3% were within the 20 weeks when excluding exception cases. Including exception cases; 61.5% were issued within the 20 weeks. However, these figures cover EHC plans issued in the first four months of the transitional period where local authorities are beginning to implement the new reforms within 20 weeks.

    This information was published in the statistical first release ‘Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England 2015’, in May 2015. Data for January 2016 is expected to be published in May 2016.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25988, on Palestinian radicalism, what recent reports he has received on incitement to commit violence by the Palestinian Authority.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We condemn the glorification of terrorism and all incitement to commit violence, whichever side it comes from. Our posts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem supply regular updates on the current situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Included in these updates are reports on incidents of incitement from both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli authorities.

    We have also received representations from members of the public regarding reports of incitement by the Palestinian Authority.

    We continue to support Palestinian calls to reinstate the Tripartite Committee as the appropriate channel to deal with allegations of Palestinian or Israeli incitement.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the proportion of people affected by contaminated blood likely to (a) be financially advantaged, (b) have their income unchanged and (c) be financially disadvantaged by the Government’s compensation proposals.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government has committed £100 million in additional funding for a reformed payment support scheme for those affected by this tragedy. This is in addition to the current spend and the £25 million already announced in March 2015. This is significantly more than any previous government has been able to provide for those affected by this tragedy.

    Around 2,400 people in England would be financially advantaged by the Government’s proposals to provide new annual payments for those who have received a stage 1 payment from the Skipton Fund, but who have not received a stage 2 payment.

    The consultation proposes that those receiving annual payments from the Skipton Fund and MFET Ltd (879 people in England) would have their annual payment increased from £14,749 to £15,000 per year.

    Discretionary payments (currently made by the charities) vary from year to year. Currently, all infected individuals can apply for discretionary support from the three charities. The consultation proposes that going forward, discretionary support for the infected could cover travel and accommodation costs related to ill-health. However, we are seeking views on this in the consultation and are keen to hear people’s views on this and all other proposals being made.

    Bereaved spouses and partners who currently receive support from the charities are being asked whether they would prefer a lump sum amount or continued access to discretionary help or a choice of either, whatever benefits them most financially.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people in the UK who are affected by post-polio syndrome; what steps are being taken to fund (a) treatment of and (b) research into that condition; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    It is estimated that there are around 120,000 people living in the United Kingdom who survived polio when they were younger. Although some of these have or will develop post-polio syndrome (PPS), it is not known exactly how many polio survivors are affected and estimates vary.

    Commissioning of services for PPS is a local matter. People with PPS can usually be managed through routine access to primary or second care provided via a general practitioner (GP) or consultant. Treatment will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but care may involve: pain relieving medication; physiotherapy; dietary and exercise advice; and counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy.

    Although not currently funding any research into PPS, the National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including PPS. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of all advertising of the Government’s position on the EU referendum on social media to date.

    John Penrose

    The Government published details of the cost of the producing, distributing and publicising its EU Referendum leaflet and associated website on 6th April 2016

    The total cost was £9.3 million, with the breakdown of these costs as follows:
    • production – £458,500
    • print and delivery to over 27 million homes across the UK in 2 waves – £5,947,436
    • digital promotion and website – £2,894,064

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people over the age of 65 are using medication for depression; and if he will estimate how many such people cite loneliness as a contributory factor to their depression.

    Nicola Blackwood

    Information about the number of people over the age of 65 using medication for depression is not collected. Conditions for which medicines are prescribed are not recorded.

    Loneliness is a complex problem and affects people in different ways. It is not possible to estimate how many people cite loneliness as a contributory factor to their depression.

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the operator of last report provisions are for each franchise agreement for passenger rail services currently in operation.

    Paul Maynard

    There are a number of provisions throughout each franchise agreement that relate to the continuity and preservation of rail services by a Successor Operator which could include the Operator of Last Resort under the provisions of Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993. Schedules 1.6, 10, 14 and 15 of the National Rail Franchise Terms and Conditions are of particular relevance in this regard.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Prime Minister, whether he raised the issue of persecution and human rights abuse of Christians living in China during the recent state visit by President Xi Jinping.

    Mr David Cameron

    I was clear during my wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. The joint statement reconfirmed our commitment to the Human Rights Dialogue, an important part of our engagement.

    We raise the range of our human rights concerns directly with China, including during the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, most recently in April 2015. We also highlight them publicly in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights. We will continue to pursue our concerns both privately and in public fora.

    We believe that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right. I remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity in China. We are aware of reports of the closure or demolition of churches, the removal of crosses from buildings, and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require enforcers of the Pet Travel Scheme to carry out visual checks on dogs entering the UK.

    George Eustice

    The UK carries out more checks on pets at the border than most other EU Member States. It is a condition of their approval that the transport companies check 100% of pets declared by their owners for compliance with the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The only way that we are practically able to have a system of checking every declared pet dog entering Great Britain, on an approved route, is by working in partnership with the transport companies.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was paid for the inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly in 2003 to (1) the government legal team and (2) the chairman.

    Lord Faulks

    The report of Lord Hutton’s Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly was published on 28 January 2004. The inquiry website indicates that staff costs for the inquiry secretariat were £145,975 and that the cost of external advice, including lawyers’ fees, was £990,303. No fees are shown as having been paid to Lord Hutton. No further breakdown of costs is available.