Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will make representations to the government of Sudan on the arrests and daily reporting conditions imposed on at least six clergymen and two lay members from three church denominations in Khartoum since December 2015.

    James Duddridge

    Freedom of religion or belief in Sudan continues to be an area of concern for the UK. We have consistently called on the Government of Sudan to ensure all legislation is in line with the commitment to their citizens in the Interim Constitution of 2005; within which religious freedom is enshrined. Our Embassy in Khartoum raised the detention and requirement to report on a daily basis to the National Intelligence and Security Service, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 10 May.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions his Department has had with members of the National Assembly for Wales on the proposed Blue Route M4 relief road.

    Guto Bebb

    The M4 is one of Wales’ vital arteries and an important strategic route across Britain. It has been clear for some time that congestion on the M4 corridor around Newport is damaging the Welsh economy, and that an upgrade is urgently required. The Secretary of State for Wales met with the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure following his appointment to discuss options for upgrading the M4.

    The Welsh Government has announced that an independent public inquiry to examine its preferred route for the M4 relief road will commence in the Autumn. I look forward to seeing the inquiry’s findings and to a positive outcome to the benefit of both businesses and commuters.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with HM Revenue and Customs and Ministers of the Scottish Government on changes to the rates and bands of income tax in Scotland.

    Jane Ellison

    The UK Government has regular conversations with the Scottish Government about a wide range of economic policies, both at a ministerial and official level.

    The Chief Secretary to the Treasury met with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution, Derek Mackay MSP, on 19 September and will continue to work with the Scottish Government to implement the Scotland Act and the Scottish Government’s fiscal framework.

    From April 2017, it will be for the Scottish Parliament to set the income tax rates and thresholds that will apply to Scottish taxpayers’ non-savings, non-dividend income, such as that from employment and pensions.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will meet providers of (a) supported housing and (b) specified housing to discuss the effect of the proposed change to social rents on the viability of those types of housing.

    Brandon Lewis

    We welcome the opportunity to engage with the supported housing sector to understand how the sector’s views can best be accommodated as we implement our policy. Ministers and officials have been discussing this issue with the National Housing Federation and a number of providers.

    We plan to except specialised supported housing, residential care homes, nursing homes and PFI-funded Extra Care housing from the rent reductions. We are continuing to work with the sector on this issue to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a) the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington and (b) the Labour Party on reform of the EU budget; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Chancellor has not received any representations from the Member for Hayes and Harlington on this matter in this Parliament. The Chancellor receives a large number of representations on a wide range of issues including the EU Budget from MPs, including Labour MPs. As has been the case with previous administrations, it is not normal practice to release details of such representations.

    This Government has secured substantial reform to the EU budget, with the Prime Minister’s deal in 2013 cutting spending for the first time. This deal continues to deliver on prioritising EU spending towards UK priorities.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effects of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 on the (a) Animal and Plant Health Agency, (b) Drinking Water Inspectorate, (c) Fish Health Inspectorate, Cefas, (d) Rural Payments Agency and (e) Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

    George Eustice

    The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 creates a legal obligation on the Government of the day to publish a business impact target, covering the economic impact of new regulation on business and civil society organisations.

    The Business Impact Target currently applies to legislation and regulatory activity undertaken by UK Ministers, including the activities of non-statutory regulators who exercise regulatory functions for or on behalf of UK Ministers. The Act also sets out reporting requirements to Parliament in relation to any qualifying regulatory provisions introduced by these bodies.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many calls the Pay and Work Rights helpline received in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16; and how much funding that helpline received in each year between 2010-11 and 2013-14.

    Nick Boles

    Table 1: Total enquiries to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline, 2009/10 to 2014/15.

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Total

    66,300

    50,500

    47,500

    41,300

    42,900

    41,500

    Source: Pay and Workers Rights Helpline

    Notes: 1. Reporting years are based on April to March, with the exception of 2009/10 as the Helpline opened in May 2009.

    Since 1 April 2015, the Acas Helpline has, in addition to its usual services, been answering queries previously handled by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH). Between April 2015 and January 2016, the latest period for which data is available, Acas have handled 768,849 calls on workplace relations and employment law. This figure is not directly comparable to the number of calls received by the PWRH in previous years as Acas handle a much wider range of enquiries on employment matters. It is not possible to specifically identify the number of calls received by Acas that would previously have been handled by the PWRH.

    The allocated funding for the PWRH was as follows:

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    Total

    £588,185

    £588,185

    £655,760

    £802,500.

    Notes: 2. Reporting years are based on April to March with the exception of 2010/11 and 2011/12 which are based on 11 May to 10 May.

    All figures are ex-VAT.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage more people to train as adults’ social workers.

    Alistair Burt

    The Chief Social Worker for Adults is actively working with the profession to create a highly skilled, flexible workforce which is able to contribute to improved outcomes for people in all settings.

    She is developing a comprehensive framework for continuous professional development for adult social work, which will include development of specialisms in key areas of practice, such as dementia, end of life care and learning disabilities. This will provide a clear progression route for both newly qualified and experienced social workers to deepen their knowledge, skills and practice.

    The Government has funded four teaching partnerships which build on and enhance the existing arrangements between Higher Education Institutions and employers. The key aims are to improve the quality of education received by social work students, mainly through a greater experience of quality statutory placements and employer involvement in the selection of students and provision of placements.

    The Department has also developed Think Ahead, a new fast-track scheme for exceptional graduates and career-changers to become mental health social workers. The programme has been in development since 2014 and will take its first graduates in July 2016.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the legal status is of Sustainability and Transformation Plan (a) footprints and (b) leadership teams.

    George Freeman

    Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprints and leadership teams do not have legal status or legal duties. The local, statutory architecture for health and care remains, as do the existing accountabilities for provider and local authority chief executives and clinical commissioning group accountable officers. Health and care organisations remain accountable for their individual organisational plans, which should form part of their footprint’s STP.

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

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients currently in Assessment and Treatment Units have been diagnosed with autism.

    Alistair Burt

    At the end of April 2016 for inpatients with a learning disability and/or autism, the average length of stay was 1,095 days. The total number of inpatients was 2,565. 415 were diagnosed with autism only and 555 patients had a learning disability and autism (Learning Disability Services Monthly Statistics, April 2016).

    The average weekly cost for inpatient care was £3,563 per week in September 2015 (Learning Disability Census: England 2015)

    Both the Learning Disability Services Monthly Statistics and the Learning Disability Census provide data on people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder receiving inpatient care commissioned in England.