Tag: Parliamentary Question

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-10-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their forecast timetable for negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU as regards food and farming.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Prime Minister has made clear we will trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017. It is in everyone’s interests that we take time to establish a UK approach and clear objectives for negotiations. We have been clear that we will not provide a running commentary that might undermine our negotiating position.

We continue to receive views across the range of the Department’s responsibilities following the outcome of the EU Referendum. Defra will be working on our future policies in this area, liaising closely with other key departments on future support for agriculture, animal welfare, and the food and drink industry. The Government will work with industry and the public to develop these new arrangements.

01/01/2023
Philip Hollobone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2015-10-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which three EU countries have the largest number of foreign nationals in UK prisons; and how many such prisoners there are from each of those countries.

Andrew Selous

The three EU countries with the largest number of foreign national offenders in prison are; Poland 951, Ireland 783 and Romania 629 as of 30th September 2015 last published figures.

The EU Prisoner Transfer Agreement is beginning to take effect. Poland has a derogation until the end of December 2016 from the agreement to allow time to improve their prisons.

01/01/2023
Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by when he plans for his Department to achieve its target strength for the Royal Air Force Reserve.

Mr Julian Brazier

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by my right hon. Friend the previous Secretary of State for Defence (Philip Hammond) on 19 December 2013, (Official Report, column 124WS) on Future Reserves 2020, and the accompanying document that was placed in the Library of the House which sets out the planned growth of the trained strength of the Reserve Forces, together with the enlistment targets for the next five years.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2015 to the hon. Member for Strangford (Mr Shannon) to Question 11812 which explained the improvements we have made to ensure we reach our target strength of 35,000 trained volunteer Reservists by 31 March 2019.

01/01/2023
Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report entitled, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that the rise in homeless households from 40,000 to 53,000 between 2009-10 and 2014-15 was primarily due to families reaching the end of their private rented tenancies.

Brandon Lewis

One person without a home is one too many. The Government has invested over £500 million since 2010, enabling local authorities to help 935,800 households from becoming homeless.

But there is more to do to prevent homelessness and we are working with homelessness organisations and across departments to consider options, including legislation, to prevent more people from becoming homeless in the first place including as a result of the ending of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy

01/01/2023

Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many appeals were heard by the Education Funding Agency and Local Government Ombudsman in relation to admissions decisions made by (a) academies, (b) academies which were previously maintained schools and (c) free schools in each year since 2009-10; how many such appeals were upheld; which schools were subject to those appeals; and what proportion of academies and free schools those schools represent.

Edward Timpson

Parents have the right to complain to an admission authority regarding its decision to refuse admission of a child. The admission authority must establish an independent appeals panel to hear the complaint. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) will investigate complaints about the appeals process operated by independent appeal panels for academies and free schools.

The table below provides information on admission appeals complaints assessed as being in scope for investigation by EFA since April 2012, when it was established. EFA has no record of admission appeal complaints in the last four financial years from any Civil Society Organisations.

The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) handles the appeals process operated in respect of maintained schools. The Department does not hold information on the number of admission appeals complaints heard by the LGO. The LGO should hold this information.

	Financial year 2012-13	Financial year 2013-14	Financial year 2014-15	2015-16 Current financial year to date
PQ25402 (A) Total number of admission appeal complaints about academies investigated by EFA	127	163	144	203
PQ25402 (B) Total number of admission appeal complaints about academies which were previously maintained schools investigated by EFA	115	150	130	193
PQ25402 (C) Total number of admission appeal complaints about free schools investigated by EFA	Not recorded centrally for this financial year	4	8	4
Total number of admission appeal complaints fully upheld by EFA	15	13	26	15
Name of schools where EFA has investigated an admission appeal complaint subject to appeals	See attachment	See attachment	See attachment	See attachment
Total appeals complaints investigated, as a proportion of open academies and free schools	5% (of 2,796)	4% (of 3,874)	3% (of 4,881)	4% (of 5,447)

01/01/2023

Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2015 to Question 1205, how many UK nationals are currently employed by the European Commission; and what proportion of the total number of Commission employees they represent.

Mr Philip Hammond

The latest figures from October 2015 state that there are 1000 British citizens working in the European Commission as Permanent Officials and Temporary Agents, which represents 4.3% of the total. In addition there are 142 employed as Contract Agents.

UK representation was at its peak in the late 70s but since then, it has been falling steadily across all EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture but recognises this will require sustained efforts over the long-term. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, works to promote EU careers across the UK and support candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched.

01/01/2023
Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effects on general practices of increases in the number of patients presenting at GP surgeries in the last 12 months; and what steps he is taking to ensure that GP surgeries can cope with the number of patients presenting.

Alistair Burt

We recognise the vital job that general practitioners (GPs) do. We know how hard GPs and their practice teams work and the challenges that they are facing in providing care for growing numbers of older people and patients with more complex needs.

Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that the number of patients registered with a GP has increased from 28,595,310 in 2015 to 28,893,403 in 2016, an increase of 1.0%. The GP Patient Survey, published in January 2016 shows a slight decline in the number of patients reporting that they are able to get a convenient GP appointment. Taken together, this suggests that GP workload may be increasing.

The Government is committed to providing the support GPs need so they can spend more time with patients. The new contract will see an investment of £220 million for 2016 to 2017, and we are keen to reduce administrative demands on those delivering care where practicable.

We are also investing in the primary and community care workforce and are committed to increasing the workforce by 10,000 by 2020, including an extra 5,000 doctors working in general practice.

GPs are changing the way patients can access GP appointments, not just 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. The Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund is a £175 million investment to test improved and innovative methods of accessing general practice, including opening from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and weekends; better use of telecare and apps; more innovative ways to access services by video call, telephone and email; and more integrated services.

01/01/2023
Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to his oral contribution of 18 April 2016, Official Report, column 712, on the national minimum wage, how many of the employers who approached his Department and requested not to be named and shamed for breaking national minimum legislation were named and shamed.

Nick Boles

Since the naming scheme began we have named 490 employers and received 107 representations from employers asking not to be named. Of these 107 employers 85 were ultimately named.

01/01/2023
Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department are paid through limited companies.

George Eustice

Core Defra publishes Workforce Management Information on a monthly basis. This sets out the number of staff who are a) on payroll and b) off payroll and the published data covers financial years 2010-11 to 2015-16. It can be found at the following link: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/workforce-management-information-defra.

No civil servants within Core Defra are paid through limited companies.

The figure for spend on non-payroll staff in 2015-16 will be published in the 2015-16 Annual Report and Accounts.

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01/01/2023
Mary Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Robinson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what provisions are available to local authorities for extending the eligibility criteria for the Blue Badge scheme to people with severe physical disabilities who are not automatically eligible.

Andrew Jones

Local authorities do not have powers to independently extend eligibility. The criteria are set by statutory instrument. The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended) contain a number of criteria covering those who do not qualify automatically, including a provision for any permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking. It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess whether applicants meet any of the criteria.

People with autism are not excluded from being issued a badge. Any permanent and substantial disability that causes very considerable difficulty walking falls within the criteria. It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess the degree of difficulty and to issue badges accordingly. We have no plans to provide badges to carers.

01/01/2023