The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.
David Mundell
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon Members for North Ayrshire and Arran, Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Ochil and South Perthshire, Motherwell and Wishaw, Angus and East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the decision to introduce a 30-day deadline to travel once a family reunion visa has been issued; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
The visas issued to non-EEA nationals who are coming from overseas to stay in the UK for more than six-months are limited to 30 days duration because they are intended to act as a means of enabling the person to travel to the UK and to collect their biometric residence permit (BRP) following their arrival in the country. When a family reunion application is made individuals can specify the date they would like the visa to start to enable them to make any necessary travel arrangements, including obtaining exit visas.
The start date of the visa can be deferred for up to three months from the date of application. If there is any delay expected in the processing time of the application, the individual will be contacted by UKVI and informed about the delay. Where someone is unable to make arrangements to travel to the UK within the 30 day period, they can apply for a replacement visa.
We are aware that a small number of families have experienced difficulties with the visa procedures to enable them to join their family members in the UK, and have sought to address these issues by updating the guidance we issue to Entry Clearance Officers on family reunion applications.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Scott Mann on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Chinese government on the treatment of dogs during that country’s Yulin Dog Meat Festival.
Alok Sharma
The United Kingdom Government takes seriously all reports of animal cruelty. We are committed to raising standards of animal welfare and to phasing out cruel and inhumane practices both in the UK and overseas. However, there are limits to what the UK can do. Consumption of dog meat is legal in the People’s Republic of China and the UK has no legal grounds to intervene or take trade measures to prevent this.
We have instead focused our efforts on co-operation with China to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. We also work through the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), to promote the welfare of a range of species internationally, such as stray dogs and farmed animals. We encourage China, as a member of OIE, to meet the required standards.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that providers of his Department’s services (a) better understand the demands of the local labour market and (b) reach out to employers to encourage them to consider disabled applicants.
Damian Hinds
The Department has teams of performance managers who work with providers to ensure they keep to their contracted obligations, which include an understanding of the demands of their local labour market and consideration of disabled applicants.
There are specific programmes which support disabled people with entering or retaining work, and through which providers can work with local employers. These include Work Programme, Work Choice, and Specialist Employability Support.
Additionally, Disability Confident was launched in July 2013. Disability Confident supports this Government’s commitment to halve the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people by focusing on the role of employers, who have a crucial role to play in ensuring disabled people are recruited, retained and developed in their careers. When employers sign up as Disability Confident, they are asked to make specific meaningful offers of opportunities for disabled people such as jobs, apprenticeships, internships, and work experience opportunities. So far, over 1900 businesses have signed up to the new Disability Confident scheme, with this number growing daily.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new homes for social rent were completed in Bristol South constituency in each year from 2010 to 2014.
Brandon Lewis
Statistics on additional housing for affordable rent provided in each local authority area in England are published in the Department’s live table 1006a which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply
These figures include both newly built housing and acquisitions.
Figures are not collected on the basis of Parliamentary constituencies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will include take-home naloxone in the harm reduction strategy for the penal service; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
The substance misuse element of the harm reduction strategy will align with national clinical guidance with regard to how naloxone and other medicines in the care pathway are considered for use, although specific medicines are unlikely to be named in the strategy.
The commissioning of substance misuse treatment for prisoners is the responsibility of health and justice commissioning teams in ten of NHS England’s area teams, supported by a central health and justice team. The Government expects commissioners and providers of substance misuse services in prisons and in the community to work together closely in respect to prisoners being released from custody to ensure seamless transfers of care.
Public Health England, the Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have jointly published a factsheet[1] to explain October’s regulatory change with regard to naloxone and how the wider availability of naloxone affects relevant services. NHS England Area Teams will encourage providers to take account of this guidance.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/widening-the-availability-of-naloxone/widening-the-availability-of-naloxone
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-12-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value was of Government subsidies and financial incentives to retail companies to encourage the creation of apprenticeships in the retail sector since 2010.
Nick Boles
Information on the value of apprenticeships funding allocation is not broken down by business type. Since May 2010, there have been 504,900 apprenticeship starts in the retail sector subject area.
In England, the Government provides funding for training where employers hire an apprentice and currently fully funds apprenticeship training for 16 -18 year olds and up to 50% of apprenticeship training for over 19s.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many full-time police officers worked in the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The current (2015-16) established strength for the unit is;
0.5 x Detective Chief Inspector
1 x Detective Inspector
2 x Detective Sergeant
2 x Police Staff Investigator
2 x Analyst
2 x Researcher
1 x Communications officer
We do not have historical figures for staff numbers available, but the team has been of the same approximate size since inception.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the effect on survival rates in kidney patients and on the Domain 1 outcomes of the NHS Outcomes Framework of transplants unsuccessful because of the lack of availability of immunosuppression treatments that the patient can tolerate, following the recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (review of TA 85) [ID456] to restrict access to such agents.
George Freeman
We have made no such assessment.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not yet published its final updated guidance on the use of immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplant in adults (review of TA85) or on the use of immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplant in children and young people (review of TA99). NICE is developing resource impact reports to support implementation of its guidance which will be published alongside its final technology appraisal guidance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence her Department holds on the effect of schools having no sixth form provision on (a) their ability to attract high-quality teaching staff, (b) their ability to attract pupils to fill available places and (c) the likelihood of them being good or outstanding schools.
Nick Boles
There is no available evidence on the effect of schools having no sixth form provision on the likelihood of them being good or outstanding schools, attracting staff or pupils..