The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-28.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many registered financial advisers are sole traders.
Harriett Baldwin
This is an operational matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply to you directly by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the additional £1.25 billion allocated in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 for funding for child and adolescent mental health services over five years will be allocated in each financial year to 2020.
Alistair Burt
In total £1.4 billion will be made available over the course of this Parliament to improve children and young people’s mental health. In addition to the £1.25 billion made available in the March 2015 budget, which includes £75 million for perinatal mental health services, an additional £150 million was also allocated in the 2014 Autumn Statement to improve community-based eating disorder services.
The Government is firmly committed to delivering the major changes needed to improve services for children and young people with mental health problems, including investment in early intervention and prevention.
The Government is taking a targeted and phased approach to the additional investment to enable local areas to develop additional capacity and a collaborative approach across health, education and children’s services. This is what is needed to make a real difference. We are spending £143 million this year, much of which is going to local area, underpinned by a national programme of work.
Exact allocations for each financial year will be confirmed as part of the annual planning process, but the government remains committed to delivering the full amount over the five year period to 2019/20.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2015-12-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 December (HL4000), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the tender specification for the research by Savills on estate regeneration in London commissioned by the Number 10 Policy Unit.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
The tender specification for the research by Savills on estate regeneration in London commissioned by the Number 10 Policy Unit will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alasdair McDonnell on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
Jane Ellison
Public Health England’s Be Clear on Cancer campaigns aim to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of specific cancers, and to encourage those with symptoms to see their doctor promptly. A number of factors are taken into account when deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with one of the main criteria being the scope to save lives through earlier diagnosis and whether the cancer has a clear early sign or symptom that the general public can act upon should it arise. Pancreatic cancer is generally asymptomatic at an early stage and it is for this reason that there has not been a campaign focussing on this cancer type to date.
Public Health England is also looking to develop an approach to raise awareness of generic symptoms that can indicate a wider number of cancers and the need to visit the doctor promptly with these symptoms. This work is currently in development, with the help of a number of experts, including clinicians and charities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s plans are for the delivery of IT and digital services after the end dates of current contracts.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department anticipates a shift in the way in which citizens will engage with the Department – with greater digital interaction in the future. Digital Technology, Data and Security capabilities are a key enabler of this shift. The Department is progressing its strategy to deliver the underpinning technology requirements, and this includes both in-house services and externally provided services through procurement exercises using open competitions under the EU Procurement Directives and call-off competitions under Government Frameworks, such as GCloud and Crown Hosting.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued on the length of time a patient should expect to wait between a telephone consultation taking place and being given an appointment to see their GP.
Alistair Burt
There is no central guidance to general practitioner (GP) practices on waiting times for telephone consultations.
GPs can conduct telephone consultations with patients if they feel it is appropriate to do so. This could remove the need for the patient to go on to have a face to face consultation, however, it is for the GP to use his or her clinical judgement to decide if and when a face to face consultation should take place, and for the patient to decide if they wish to attend.
This Government is committed to improving access to GP consultations and the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund encourages practices in the schemes to use innovative methods to provide appointments to patients.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-04-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the circumstances in which it is appropriate for the court to appoint an intermediary for communication support for a vulnerable defendant.
Lord Faulks
A judge can grant the use of an intermediary to meet the needs of a vulnerable defendant to ensure a fair trial. The Criminal Procedure Rules and Practice Directions require the court to take every reasonable step to facilitate the participation of any person, including the defendant. This includes ensuring that a defendant is able to give their best evidence, and enabling a defendant to comprehend the proceedings and engage fully with their defence.
We are currently considering the provision of intermediaries for vulnerable defendants as part of our on-going work around the communication needs of all vulnerable court users.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to support people who have had adverse reactions to vaccines administered by the NHS.
Jane Ellison
The Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS) was set up under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 to provide a measure of financial help in those very rare circumstances where it is established that severe disability was caused by vaccination administered by the National Health Service.
It is only one part of the wide range of support and help available to severely disabled people in the United Kingdom. The VDPS does not prejudice the right of the injured person to pursue a claim for compensation against the manufacturer of the vaccine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage tree planting; and what grants are available for that purpose.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
The Government is committed to planting 11 million trees in England during this Parliament, and is also supporting the planting of a million trees by schoolchildren, in partnership with the Woodland Trust. Individual administrations within the UK determine their own ambitions for tree planting.
In England, we encourage tree planting by championing sector-led initiatives, such as Grown in Britain and the Roots to Prosperity strategy, in their work to grow demand for wood from ground level up, developing the woodland economy. We also support the Woodland Carbon Code to help to attract private investment in woodland creation.
Grants are available from the Forestry Commission under the EU funded Woodland Creation Grant in the Rural Development Programme for England. Until negotiations conclude and the UK leaves the EU, all existing arrangements remain in place, including the rural development programme. We are working with the Treasury to ensure continuity, particularly for agri-environment schemes, but without prejudice to future decisions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent representations he has received on reform of the Local Government Pensions Scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
We have received a large number of recent representations about the power of intervention in the investment regulations currently before the House. Under the new regulations, administering authorities are significantly more responsible and accountable for their investment decisions. They will no longer be constrained by central prescription on how their assets are invested, provided they act reasonably within the framework provided by the regulations and guidance.
The power of intervention has been included in the regulations as a backstop in order to protect around £200 billion of funds in the local government pension scheme, in the rare circumstances where it might be necessary to do so. As set out in the Government response to consultation the regulations include a number of safeguards, including full consultation with the relevant authority, to ensure that the power is used appropriately and proportionately. We have made clear that the intervention power will be used sparingly and only where fully justified.