Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the potential effect of proposed changes to pharmacy funding on the ability of local authorities to deliver local public health improvement.

    David Mowat

    Local commissioning and the funding of public health services by local authorities from community pharmacies will be unaffected by these proposals.

    We want to see a high quality community pharmacy service that is properly integrated into primary care and public health in line with the Five Year Forward View.

    Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. We believe these efficiencies can be made within community pharmacy without compromising the quality of services or public access to them.

    Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive. We are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more National Health Service funds to certain pharmacies compared with others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.

    In addition we are providing funding to recruit a further 1,500 pharmacists to general practices by 2020.

  • Lord Harris of Haringey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Harris of Haringey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have issued any guidance on the circumstances in which an individual should be imprisoned for defaulting on their council tax.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    In June 2013, DCLG issued ‘Guidance to Local Councils on Good Practice in the Collection of Council Tax Arrears’. The document (attached) provides guidance to local authorities on enforcement and clearly sets out the Government’s position. It is available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210478/Guidance_on_enforcement_of_CT_arrears.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210478/Guidance_on_enforcement_of_CT_arrears.pdf

    Collection and enforcement of unpaid council tax is a matter for local authorities. They are best placed to consider the circumstances of the taxpayer who has fallen into arrears and to decide what action to take.

  • Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NHS England will publish the findings of the Mazars review into the deaths of people with mental health problems and learning disabilities at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.

    Alistair Burt

    I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2015, HCWS421. NHS England published the Mazars report on Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust on 17 December 2015. The report is available on the NHS England website.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 22 January (HL4827), what assessment they have made of the capacity of the United Nations Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and on the Responsibility to Protect, to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for genocide against Yazidis and Christians.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The role of the UN Office of the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide is to raise awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide, to alert relevant actors where there is a risk of genocide, and to advocate and mobilise for appropriate action. The role of the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect is to lead the conceptual, political, institutional and operational development of the Responsibility to Protect. They are not mandated to carry out criminal/judicial investigations, and therefore the British Government has made no assessment of their capacity to do so.

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to reform legal aid provision for victims of domestic abuse in the light of the Court of Appeal judgment The Queen (On The Application Of Rights Of Women) v The Lord Chancellor And Secretary Of State For Justice [2016] EWCA Civ 91 on 18 February.

    Lord Faulks

    We are pleased the court confirmed that the Lord Chancellor did have the power to set domestic violence evidence requirements. We are now carefully considering the judgment as we decide how best to respond to the court’s concerns. We are determined to make sure victims of domestic violence can get legal aid whenever they need it.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2016 to Question 28603, how many cleaners working in her Department are paid at the rate of (a) £7.85 and (b) £9.15.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The number of cleaners in the Department paid at an hourly rate of a) £7.85 is five and b) £9.15 is fourteen.

    From 1 April 2016, the rate of pay will be increased to the 2016 Living Wage Foundation rates.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Oman following the arrest and detention on 15 April of Mr Abdullah Habib.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of Abdullah Habib’s case and have raised concerns about freedom of expression, assembly and association with the Omani government, including at Oman’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November last year. As a result of its previous UPR, Oman welcomed the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association to visit Oman, the first Middle Eastern country to do so.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the number of customer complaints regarding insurance companies in the current financial year is above or below average.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are operationally independent from Government.

    The questions have been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Noble lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average loss incurred by people in receipt of universal credit in regular employment and paid monthly whose pay date fluctuates with their universal credit assessment period resulting in two sets of earnings in one assessment period and no earnings in the following assessment period, compared with claimants whose pay date does not fluctuate with their assessment period resulting in one set of earnings in each assessment period since the roll-out of the digital service.

    Damian Hinds

    The specific information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

    Unlike tax credits which meant that claimants received demands for repayments and could never be sure they were receiving the correct entitlement, Universal Credit assesses monthly earnings and income in that month. That lessens the burden on claimants who have fluctuating incomes or irregular payments so they can budget with greater confidence and without the anxiety they will be hit with a demand for repayment.

    We are currently implementing a test and learn approach to understand the interaction of Universal Credit and employer pay cycles and its effect on awards. This work will include discussions with employers.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

    David Mowat

    Until exit negotiations are concluded, the United Kingdom remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

    The Department is currently working to transpose five directives.