The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with President Xi at the September 2016 G20 meeting on separating the building of the Hualong One reactor at Bradwell from the agreement on Hinkley Point C.
Jesse Norman
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy did not attend the September 2016 G20 meeting.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what account his Department took when preparing the Charter for Budget Responsibility, of the effect of (a) the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union and (b) future EU treaty change in respect of that Treaty.
Harriett Baldwin
The UK is not a signatory of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, which is also known as the ‘Fiscal Compact.’ The signatories of the Fiscal Compact have committed to incorporate it into the main EU treaties, within five years of it entering into force. However, it would be premature to speculate on the conclusions of future treaty change negotiations in respect of the Fiscal Compact, which will require unanimous agreement amongst all other Member States, including the UK.
However, the UK does participate in the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact, which sets rules on Member States’ debt and deficits, although, unlike other Member States the UK cannot face any sanction under this process.
The updated Charter for Budget Responsibility, which sets out the government’s fiscal and debt management objectives and the fiscal mandate, states the government must explain in each Budget Report how all significant fiscal policy measures introduced by the government since the last Budget maintain the path of the public finances in a position consistent with the government’s European commitments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Dundee on 2015-12-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of studies which show that children benefit most from home care provided by close family members rather than from that available in children’s day centres.
Lord Nash
Research suggests that children need secure attachments with adults in order to feel safe and happy[1]. Good home care can provide this support, which is a real benefit to children as they learn and develop.
There is also a wide body of evidence, including evidence from abroad, which demonstrates that early education delivered by childcare providers can play an important role in children’s early development and later attainment. For instance, the Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE 3-16) Project showed that children who had experienced a good home learning environment and attended a good quality childcare setting went on to obtain better grades in English and maths, and to earn more than those who received little or no pre-school experience.
Additionally, the ongoing Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) shows that the chances of disadvantaged children becoming high achievers by the end of primary school were doubled when they had attended any pre-school, compared to those of disadvantaged children who had not attended pre-school.
In recognition of the crucial role that parents and carers play in children’s development, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires childcare settings to form strong partnerships with parents. The EYFS also requires settings to allocate each child a key worker to help ensure that every child’s learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs.
[1] Early Years Learning and Development Literature Review 2009, and WAVE Trust report ‘Conception to age 2: the age of opportunity’ January 2013.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kramer on 2016-01-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total cost of the advertising campaign for the National Living Wage.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
The total budget allocated for the National Living Wage advertising campaign is £4.95 million. The campaign will run to the end of April and we expect to come in under budget.
The Government’s new National Living Wage is a step up for working people, so it is important workers know their rights and that employers pay the new £7.20 from April 1 this year. Britain deserves a pay rise and as a One Nation Government we are making sure it gets one. The campaign will tell people about their entitlements and is targeted at employers, and workers currently earning the National Minimum Wage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people under the age of 18 were dependants of adults who had been granted leave to remain in the UK and had also had a no recourse to public funds condition attached to their leave in the financial years (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.
James Brokenshire
Home Office Systems cannot be interrogated in a way that will provide any meaningful response to the question. A manual review of all applications submitted with dependants within the stipulated timeframe would be needed in order to provide an accurate response and this would incur a disproportionate cost to the public purse.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of other EU member states were (a) refused and (b) granted entry to the UK through Regulation 11(2) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 in each of the last 10 years.
James Brokenshire
The Government has prevented EEA/EU nationals entry into the UK on public protection grounds in each of the last five years. The Home Office is unable to provide figures for refusals within each refusal category. Total refusals for each of the last ten years are provided in the table below.
Numbers of EU nationals granted entry to the UK through Regulation 11 (2) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 are not recorded centrally.
|
EU Passengers initially refused entry each year since 2006 |
|
|
Year |
Total refusals |
|
2006 |
1663 |
|
2007 |
973 |
|
2008 |
753 |
|
2009 |
618 |
|
2010 |
594 |
|
2011 |
688 |
|
2012 |
787 |
|
2013 |
1078 |
|
2014 |
1755 |
|
2015 |
2165 |
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle loneliness among people with autism.
Alistair Burt
Loneliness is a complex problem and affects people in many different ways. There is no single solution that can tackle loneliness and many of the solutions to combatting it lie within local communities. Examples of emerging practice are provided on the Social Care Institute for Excellence Prevention Library.
The Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 set out a vision for a society where the public thinks and feels differently about dementia. It raises the importance of social action solutions such as peer support and befriending services which can also provide practical and emotional support to people with dementia and carers to reduce isolation and prevent crisis.
The Prime Minister’s 2020 Challenge, promotes dementia friendly communities, which are helping to support people with dementia to live more independent and fulfilling lives in their own communities, for longer. Currently, there are around 140 communities across England. Towns, cities and villages have signed up to Alzheimer’s Society’s foundation-stage recognition process for dementia friendly communities and there are over 1.5 million Dementia Friends.
The Cross Government Autism Strategy originally published as Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives in 2010 and updated as Think Autism in 2014 has done much to encourage innovation to break down social isolation by helping autistic people, their families and carers access health, social care, other public services, and peer support. Recently the Department has been working with the Autism Alliance UK, the largest network of autism charities, on the Connect to Autism project. It encourages local organisations, services and companies to become Autism Champions through training staff in autism awareness with a view to helping people who have autism overcome the anxiety and loneliness they can suffer in many everyday environments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 36373, which overseas territories and Crown dependencies declined the invitation to attend the Anti-Corruption Summit on 12 May 2016.
Matthew Hancock
None.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) hon. Members, (b) members of the local authority and (c) the public are consulted about the sustainability and transformation plans being developed for Warrington and its surrounding area.
Mr Jeremy Hunt
We acknowledge that local government are vital in helping to set the strategic direction of health and care service development locally.
The March guidance to Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) leads clarified that submissions should state how:
– partnership arrangements should include local government and explain fit with existing plans, including Health and Wellbeing Strategies and Joint Strategic Needs Assessments;
– systems will work with local government to deliver prevention and public health improvements; and
– the footprint will engage other employers, working with local government, to improve health and wellbeing of local people.
At a regional level, National Health Service arm’s length bodies (ALBs) have:
– worked initially with local authority colleagues to agree footprints and STP leadership;
– offered membership of the four new regional STP boards to Local Government Association representatives (including the potential for involvement in the assessment of initial returns); and
– asked their regional colleagues to continue to work with the STP footprints in their area to encourage them to reflect the knowledge, expertise and experience of local government colleagues where appropriate, e.g. Health and Wellbeing Board leads’ insight into the plans for, and effects on, the local system.
As set out in the NHS Shared Planning Guidance, published in December 2015, the success of STPs will depend on having an open, engaging, and iterative process that involves patients, carers, citizens, clinicians, local community partners, parliamentarians, the independent and voluntary sectors, and local government through health and wellbeing boards. The arm’s length bodies responsible for the NHS Five Year Forward View – NHS England, NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission, Public Health England, Health Education England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – have asked for local engagement plans as part of the STP process, building where appropriate on existing engagement through health and wellbeing boards and other local arrangements. Where plans propose service changes, formal consultation will follow in due course in line with good practice and legislative requirements. The arm’s length bodies will be holding conversations with each area to assess their plans for local engagement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for road investment in the north of England.
Mr John Hayes
This Government is committing a total of £15.2 billion in the enhancement and long-term maintenance of the Strategic Road Network between 2015/16 and 2020/21 including 127 major schemes. Of these there are 42 schemes for the North of England with a value of £2.9 billion investment.
On the local road network, we have been providing significant investment for roads in the North. This includes eight schemes completed including the Crewe Green Link Road, five under construction including the Heysham-M6 Link Road and the Mersey Gateway Bridge, as well as a further five which are under development. In addition we are currently considering further bids for development funding for large schemes on the local network, including the A6 to M60 Relief Road Scheme. These bids are currently being assessed and the successful schemes will be announced in the autumn.