The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Reaper drones have been used in operations in Syria.
Penny Mordaunt
I am withholding operational information on the number of RAF Reaper aircraft deployed as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission an independent assessment of the cumulative effect of all tobacco control measures on small businesses introduced since 1 January 2006.
Jane Ellison
The Department assesses the impact of all proposed measures before laying legislation using standard government methodology. These assessments are set out in Impact Assessments which are scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee before publication alongside the Statutory Instrument. Impact Assessments specifically look at the impacts on small and micro businesses. A number of the tobacco measures contain commitments to further review the impact of the legislation within five years of them coming into force.
The Department assesses the impact of tobacco control measures on an ongoing basis as it develops policy and considers new measures. In September 2013, the Department published An Audit of the impact of the Department of Health’s Regulations upon business. A copy of the report is attached. The Audit report covered all regulations for which the Department has responsibility believed to have a potential cost to business, including those relating to tobacco control. As advised in the report, there is a robust cost-benefit case for the tobacco control regulations considered and experience shows that initiatives to reduce smoking prevalence work best in combination, with cumulative effects over time.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the value of (a) UK and (b) foreign munitions and sonobuoys purchased for the UK’s P-8A aircraft over the life of that aircraft by (i) year, (ii) country of manufacture and (iii) name.
Mr Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 December 2015 to Question 19776 to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle).
The Ministry of Defence has not yet made a final decision on the method for contracting for delivery of the P8-A Poseiden aircraft to the UK. Therefore the information requested is yet to be determined.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-05-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise on 9 May 2016, Official Report, column 442, what the addresses are of the 14 locations across which his Department’s policy teams are spread.
Joseph Johnson
The addresses of the 14 locations where the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills policy teams are based are:
Birmingham
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BU
Bristol
2 Rivergate
Bristol BS1 6EH
Cambridge
Eastbrook House
Shaftsbury Road
Cambridge CB2 8DU
Cardiff
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff CF14 3UZ
Coventry
Cheylesmore House
Quinton Road
Coventry CV1 2WT
Darlington
Queensway House
West Precinct
Darlington TS23 2NF
Gateshead
St George’s House
Kingsway
Gateshead NE11 0NA
Leeds
Alexandra House
Redvers Close
Leeds LS16 6QY
London
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET
Manchester
3 Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester M1 2WD
Newport
Concept House
Cardiff Road
Newport NP10 8QQ
Nottingham
Apex Court
City Link
Nottingham NG2 4LA
Sheffield
2 St Paul’s Place
125 Norfolk Street
Sheffield S1 2FJ
Warrington/Daresbury
Daresbury Laboratory
Keckwick Lane
Warrington WA4 4AD
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mandatory reconsiderations were submitted in relation to entitlement to disability living allowance for children in each of the last three years.
Justin Tomlinson
The table below shows the number of Mandatory Reconsiderations received for the last three years.
|
Disability Living Allowance |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
2015/16 |
|
Child Mandatory Reconsiderations received |
18,543 |
21,647 |
27,015 |
The information for the second question could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.
Notes: Mandatory Reconsiderations were introduced from October 2013 as part of Appeals Reform. The figures shown in the table above for 2013/14 include reconsideration clearances (pre-reform) to enable the full year to be provided.
Source: Department of Work and Pensions, Disability Living Allowance Computer System
This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice and should be used with caution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people affected by the closure of SSI Redcar have been supported back into employment through the Rapid Response Service.
Damian Hinds
Around 9 in 10 (1,990) of the 2,150 SSI and other workers who made an initial claim for benefits have since ended that claim.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2015-11-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to make it cheaper and easier for food businesses to donate surplus food to charities rather than dispose of it via anaerobic digestion.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We have taken action to ensure that more surplus food is redistributed to people before being put to any other use through our voluntary agreements with the grocery and hospitality sectors. If surplus food cannot be prevented, the next best option is to ensure it is redistributed for human consumption. Signatories to the Courtauld Commitment, which includes UK retailers and food manufacturers, have reported a 74% increase in food redistribution between 2012 and the end of 2014 and we expect it to increase further.
In January this year the Secretary of State for Defra and the Minister for Civil Society brought together key players from retail, food manufacturing and redistribution organisations to agree new actions to further increase levels of food redistributed. A working group is driving this forward to waste less and redistribute more. The Group is developing a partnership model to provide a consistent framework for providers and recipients of surplus food to reach agreement on working together. Research has also been commissioned from the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which will identify where and why waste and surpluses occur in the food chain to identify what action can be taken to increase waste prevention and redistribution.
There will always be some unavoidable food waste. The Government’s Anaerobic Digestion Strategy is in place to reduce the amount of organic material going to landfill and drive the waste that is produced into energy recovery or recycling.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Cheryl Gillan on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to improve access for patients with muscular dystrophy to hydrotherapy services.
George Freeman
NHS England is responsible for commissioning specialised neurological services, which includes services for patients with neuromuscular disorders. NHS England has published a service specification for neurological care, which sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. The specification can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/d04-neurosci-spec-neuro.pdf
Specialised neuromuscular care may include referral to local physiotherapy, hydrotherapy or rehabilitation if appropriate, however the commissioning of hydrotherapy services is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups. There are no plans to conduct a national review of hydrotherapy provision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Jones on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Attorney General, what discussions he has had with the CPS about the findings of the Flynn Report on the neglect of older people living in care homes in Wales.
Robert Buckland
The evidence in relation to Operation Jasmine has been carefully considered by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and they have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect in accordance with the Code for Prosecutors.
The Director of Public Prosecutions noted the findings of the Flynn report. She has previously considered and responded to the specific recommendation that the CPS refer the case to the Special Crime Division but considered that to be neither necessary or appropriate given that the Special Crime Division was involved in the original decision making.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish in full the responses to Question 3 of the Government’s consultation, Devolving Sunday trading rules, published on 5 August 2015, before Report Stage of the Enterprise Bill [Lords].
Anna Soubry
The Government published its response to the consultation on 9 February, in which it sets out its proposals to devolve Sunday trading rules to a local level. The Government has no plans to publish in full the responses at this time.