Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.

    Matthew Hancock

    Officials in my Department have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, in which countries her Department plans to spend the additional £1 billion of Government funding for humanitarian efforts in and around Syria; and how much of that spending has been allocated for each country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has always punched above its weight in helping deal with the effects of the Syria crisis. We will continue to do so for the reconstruction of Syria. On 26 November, the Prime Minister announced at least £1 billion for Syria’s reconstruction. This signalled the UK’s enduring commitment to Syria and focused international attention on the need to plan now for reconstruction inside Syria. This funding will be used to support activities inside Syria and is additional to the existing £1.1 billion the UK has already pledged to respond to the ongoing crisis inside Syria and the region.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to implement the Low Commission’s recommendation that legislative proposals should be brought forward to (a) make the Access to Justice Foundation the recipient of unclaimed damages in collective actions and (b) introduce a compulsory Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts scheme for firms with profits above an agreed threshold with the proceeds of that scheme being paid to the Access to Justice Foundation.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government commends those providers of legal services who already use the monies generated from their client accounts to help fund pro bono and charitable work. We would encourage other providers to follow that example. We want to create a one nation justice system to work better for victims and to deliver a faster and fairer justice for all citizens. We are considering how this can be taken forward.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the ownership of (a) Richmond House and (b) Wellington House under an Islamic bond has affected any activity of his Department.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department’s activity has not been affected by the establishment of an Islamic bond on its premises in Richmond House and Wellington House.

  • Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Madeleine Moon on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the current contract to run the facilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston was awarded as a result of open competition or an invitation for alternative bids.

    Michael Fallon

    The current contract for the management and operation of the Atomic Weapons Establishment, including the Aldermaston site, was awarded in 2000 following an open competition and will expire in 2025. No decision has been made on how any succeeding contract might be awarded.

  • Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what his engagements were for (a) 28, (b) 29 and (c) 30 March 2016.

    Alun Cairns

    During the week commencing 28 March 2016, I spoke to and met with a number of Ministerial colleagues, and stakeholders within the steel industry, in relation to the ongoing crisis at Port Talbot.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average hourly earnings were of her Department’s (a) BME and (b) non-BME employees in (i) 2015 and (ii) 2016.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The tables below are the average hourly rates for all employees (Senior Civil Service and below within DFID). The not declared BAME figure includes: those declared as white; those who selected “prefer not to say”; and those who have not declared. However, I would note to the Hon. Member that such simple averages do not paint an accurate figure of our workforce and recruitment practices.

    DFID HCS Staff

    March 2015 Average Hourly Earnings

    March 2016 Average Hourly Earnings

    Declared BAME

    £25.05

    £25.23

    Not Declared BAME

    £25.99

    £26.01

    The Civil Service is changing, and our recruitment seeks to reflect the make-up and composition of our nation as a whole. Historically, BME staff were under-represented: both in terms of previous recruitment patterns and the number and proportion in higher grades, both of these factors have contributed to the differences in average salaries.

    We are making progress the proportion of BME staff in the Civil Service has risen from 9.2% in 2010 to 10.6% in 2015, but we recognise that there is still more to do.

    In March, the Government published its 2016 Talent Action Plan for the Civil Service. It provides a progress update on initiatives to increase diversity in the Civil Service, including cross-Government talent programmes aimed at under-represented groups.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/talent-action-plan-2016-removing-the-barriers-to-success

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  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what savings his Department expects to accrue to the public purse as a result of transferring attendance allowance funding to councils; and whether those savings will be retained centrally or used for other benefits expenditure.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government announced in December that it would consider giving more responsibility to councils in England to support older people with care needs – including people who, under the current system, would be supported through Attendance Allowance.

    Any new responsibilities would be matched by the transfer of the equivalent spending power – this is a reform policy, not a savings measure. We are not considering any changes for existing Attendance Allowance claimants and, should devolution proceed, everyone already claiming Attendance Allowance at the point of devolution will continue to receive it.

    The Government is currently consulting on the implementation of commitments on 100% business rates retention for councils in England. The consultation seeks views on options for devolving new responsibilities to local government as part of those reforms, and this is one of the options about which we are consulting. The consultation document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/self-sufficient-local-government-100-business-rates-retention

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  • Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government has taken as a result of the conclusions and recommendations in the Hutton review of forensic pathology in England and Wales, submitted to the Minister of State for Crime and Prevention in March 2015.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Pathology Delivery Board, chaired by the Director of Home Office Science, assessed all the recommendations in the Hutton review and established a programme of work to address them individually. This programme has progressed to completion and is set to be formally signed-off at the next meeting in November 2016.

    In particular the Hutton review identified a lack of training for first attendees at the scenes of sudden and unexpected death therefore a new policy for police investigation of such cases has been developed. Also autopsy data is now included within the homicide index enabling consistency between police forces in England & Wales regarding the use of forensic pathology services. This helps to address Hutton’s concern over inconsistent approaches between forces. Furthermore, a national register of sub-speciality pathologists has been established to meet the shortfall in such capability identified by Hutton. It was also recommended by Hutton that there should be a review of the code of practice for forensic pathologists to address a number of concerns. This is being progressed by the Forensic Science Regulator.

    Options for implementing the main recommendation in Professor Hutton’s review, namely for the establishment of a ‘National Death Investigation Service’; has been the subject of consultation with stakeholders since the review’s completion. Recommendations on the preferred option will be presented to Home Office Ministers in October 2016.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of tax credit claimants who will be eligible for the Government’s planned 30 hours of free childcare per week; and what the average reduction in childcare cost will be for each such claimant.

    Damian Hinds

    This Government is committed to moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society. As the Chancellor made clear, the Government will set out at Autumn Statement how we plan to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits, saving the money we need to save to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

    As announced at Summer Budget, the Chancellor announced that free entitlement childcare would be doubled from 15 hours to 30 for working parents. This will not be rolled out until September 2017, with early implementation in some areas in September 2016.

    Information about the age, gender and number of children in receipt of tax credits can be found in HMRC’s Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics, April 2015. Available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-tax-credits-provisional-statistics-2013-to-2009

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