Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the minimum income floor on levels of relative child poverty.

    Priti Patel

    The Government is committed to eliminating child poverty and improving life chances for children. The objective of the Minimum Income Floor is to incentivise work and thereby raise the incomes of families and reduce dependency on benefits. Work remains the best route out of poverty and Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives for parents to move into and progress in work. Evidence shows claimants move into work significantly faster and earn more than under the legacy system. In addition, from April 2016 Universal Credit provides for 85% of childcare costs meaning more support for hardworking families.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many infraction proceedings the EU has initiated against his Department in each of the last 10 years; what the reasons were for each such proceeding being undertaken; and what the outcome was of each such proceeding.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The information requested is available on the website of the European Commission where the infringement cases for each member state can be found. This includes the infringement and the decision. These records go back to 2002 and can be found here.

    http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringements-proceedings/infringement_decisions/?lang_code=en

  • Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the National Institute for Health Research expects project HTA-14/141/01 on screening strategies for atrial fibrillation to be published.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The final report from this project is expected to be published in spring 2017 at the earliest.

  • Baroness Jolly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Jolly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jolly on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much contingency funding has been allocated for (1) Project Mensa, and (2) Project Pegasus, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

    Earl Howe

    The anticipated outturn costs cannot be provided. The current approved costs and in-service dates for Project Mensa and Project Pegasus are shown below.

    In-service dates are shown in bandings to avoid prejudice to national security and defence.

    The Main Gate business cases for Projects Mensa and Pegasus include estimates for risk and uncertainty, which are contained within the approved costs.

    Project

    In-service period

    Approved cost (£million)

    Project Mensa (warhead assembly/disassembly)

    2016-20

    734

    Project Pegasus (uranium components)

    2016-20

    634

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons his Department deploys speed cameras that photograph vehicles from the (a) front and (b) rear on (i) trunk roads and (ii) motorways; and for what reasons his Department does not have a consistent policy on the deployment and use of such speed cameras.

    Andrew Jones

    It is for local authorities and police to decide how they wish to operate speed cameras. The Department issued guidance in 2007 entitled “Use of speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: guidance on deployment, visibility and signing”. I wrote to all local authorities in England and Wales on 20 October 2015 to remind them of the guidance which is available on gov.uk.

    Some cameras have the capability to photograph vehicles from the front and rear, whereas others do not. Where front and back photographing is possible, it will be for highway authorities and the Police to decide whether such cameras are most suitable.

  • Baroness Greengross – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Greengross – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Greengross on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what cost was incurred by the NHS due to days lost through the sickness of healthcare workers in each year between 2009 and 2014.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The number of days lost through the sickness of healthcare workers between 2009 and 2014 were:

    England

    Full Time Equivalent Days Lost to Sickness Absence (includes non-working days)

    Full Time Equivalent Days Available (includes non-working days)

    Sickness Absence Rate

    2009-10

    16,745,315

    380,199,666

    4.40%

    2010-11

    15,947,054

    383,278,845

    4.16%

    2011-12

    15,555,507

    377,908,880

    4.12%

    2012-13

    15,947,518

    376,187,354

    4.24%

    2013-14

    15,385,468

    378,691,376

    4.06%

    2014-15

    16,423,722

    386,388,483

    4.25%

    Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre

    The Government does not record the cost incurred by the National Health Service due to days lost through the sickness of healthcare workers.

    Employers are responsible for reducing the days lost through sickness of their staff. The Department supports the NHS by commissioning NHS Employers to provide trusts with advice, guidance and good practice on improving NHS staff health and wellbeing which is available on an online only resource at:

    www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/retain-and-improve/staff-experience/health-work-and-wellbeing/protecting-staff-and-preventing-ill-health/supporting-line-managers/managers-guide-on-supporting-workplace-mental-health/supporting-staff-who-are-experiencing-mental-health-problems

    NHS Employers is also working with NHS England and Public Health England on a £5 million initiative to improve NHS staff health announced in its Five Year Forward View. A copy of the ‘A healthy NHS workforce’ announcement is attached.

    “

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland in advance of the EU Fisheries Council in December 2015.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I had no direct discussions with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) in advance of the EU Fisheries Council in December as these matters fall within the remit of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

    Preparation of the UK negotiating position in the lead up to the December Fisheries Council included discussions at both Ministerial and official level across all UK fisheries administrations, including DARD. This process also included discussion with representatives of the Northern Ireland fishing industry.

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the Government’s tax reliefs on (a) the film and (b) other creative industries.

    Mr David Gauke

    Creative sector tax reliefs play an important role in stimulating investment in an industry that employs 1.8 million people and provides world-class cultural experiences to many more.

    HM Revenue and Customs published official statistics in December 2015 showing that a record 220 films claimed the film tax credit in 2014-15, with the relief supporting over £1bn worth of UK expenditure in the sector.

    Since the reliefs came into force in 2013-14, the high-end TV tax relief has supported almost £600m of expenditure in the industry and the animation tax relief has supported £68 million. Official statistics for the creative sector tax reliefs can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/creative-industries-statistics-december-2015

    “

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she plans to have with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on job losses at Bombardier.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I recently held discussions on Bombardier with the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise and the Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. I will continue to discuss this issue with Government and Executive Ministers.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to setting a limit to how long individuals can be held at immigration removal centres.

    Lord Bates

    The Government does not believe that a time limit on immigration detention would be appropriate. Home Office published policy is centred on a presumption in favour of liberty. Depriving someone of their liberty is subject to careful consideration and scrutiny, with appropriate account taken of individual circumstances. The introduction of an arbitrary time limit could lead to the release of foreign criminals and illegal immigrants even when their removal is imminent. Home Office guidance is clear that detention must be used sparingly and for the shortest period reasonably necessary to achieve its purpose. Published statistics show that, in the year to December 2015, over 90 per cent of individuals leaving detention had been detained for no longer than four months.