Tag: Parliamentary Question

Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Earl Howe on 18 January concerning a gifting package to Ukraine (HLWS463), whether this gift will be financed from the overseas aid budget, the defence budget, or another source.

Earl Howe

The gift of 3,500 first aid kits will be purchased using funds from Her Majesty’s Government’s Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF). The CSSF is a cross-Whitehall fund. As well as defence reform, the CSSF Ukraine programme supports a number of interventions including strategic communications, peace-building activities and support to international organisations.

January 1, 2023
Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the estimated difference between the current and original cost estimates of (a) locating the Sheffield High Speed 2 station in the city centre and (b) locating it in Meadowhall.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Analysis of the Sheffield City Region station options was published in the ‘Engineering options report; West Midlands to Leeds’ dated March 2012. This included analysis of several station sites around the city centre.

The current estimated difference in cost between locating a High Speed station at Victoria and Meadowhall is £680m. Previous work on the cost of options at Victoria and other city centre sites are not comparable to the current estimate given above. With regards to the Meadowhall station, following the 2013 public consultation, no significant changes have been made to the original station design therefore there have not been any changes in cost.

When recommending a station location HS2 Ltd. uses a number of criteria, including;
1. engineering and construction feasibility;
2. sustainability;
3. demand considerations, including journey times;
4. cost; and
5. wider impacts
Potential options were sifted by HS2 Ltd. according to these criteria. To support and challenge this approach, external stakeholders and advisors from the Department’s Project Representative Team were involved in reviewing the process and outcomes where appropriate. Further information about the appraisal process can be found in the 2012 ‘Options for phase two of the high speed rail network’ report and 2013 ‘Appraisal of Sustainability’ report. Both of these documents are available on the government website.

Analysis undertaken by HS2 shows that the introduction of the Sheffield Meadowhall HS2 station could support up to 5,400 jobs and up to 300 residential units, while a HS2 station at Victoria could support an estimated 9,000 jobs and 900 housing units.

Finally, I can confirm that Department for Transport officials have received a copy of Sheffield City Region’s study into connectivity for a city centre High Speed 2 station at Victoria which Network Rail was involved in.
January 1, 2023
Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what amounts have been paid to passengers under the Passenger’s Charter and Delay/Repay schemes in 2015-16 to date by each train operating company.

Claire Perry

We do not have confirmed figures for the train operating companies for the year to date. This information is confirmed to the Department at the end of the financial year and will then be published by the Department.

January 1, 2023
Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what links his Department has with the Responsible Gambling Trust.

David Evennett

The Responsible Gambling Trust is an independent charity that raises funds from industry to spend on research, education and treatment for problem gambling. In developing its programme of activities, it takes into account priorities set by the Gambling Commission’s advisory body, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board. The Department considers the findings of the Responsible Gambling Trust’s research alongside other evidence on gambling related harm. Officials from the Department and from the Gambling Commission have attended meetings of the Responsible Gambling Trust’s research committee, and Trustees board meetings, as observers.

January 1, 2023
Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the proposals in his Department’s White Paper, A BBC for the future, published in May 2016, what discussions he has had with the BBC on reducing the level of salary arrangements for managerial and celebrity appointments.

Mr Edward Vaizey

I have had discussions with the BBC throughout the Charter Review process. Although the level at which the BBC pays its managerial and talent appointments is a matter for the BBC, the Government’s White Paper, A BBC for the future: a Broadcaster of Distinction, sets out that the BBC will maintain the current cap on talent spend of a maximum of 16 per cent of internal content costs. As part of their duty to ensure the BBC delivers value for money, the new BBC board will also have a duty to manage talent costs and conduct and report on a rolling programme of talent pay reviews, with independent, expert advice. The new Board’s remuneration committee will have to approve salaries above £250K and publish the names of those paid over £450K.

January 1, 2023
Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraphs 5.36 to 5.38 of the Cabinet Manual, whether the convention that a debate in Parliament should be held before troops are committed in military action applies to (a) the lethal use of armed drones, (b) military training and advisory missions (i) related to force-protection and (ii) where there is a risk of UK personnel engaging in combat in self-defence, (c) the use of special forces in long-term combat missions and (d) the embedding of UK military personnel in foreign militaries; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon

This Government is committed to the convention that before troops are committed to combat the House of Commons should have an opportunity to debate the matter, except where there was an emergency and such action would not be appropriate. The convention does not apply to British military personnel embedded in the armed forces of other nations.

January 1, 2023
Yasmin Qureshi – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to written statement WS154 of 15 September 2016, how he plans that the localised pots will meet demand on supported housing.

Caroline Nokes

The Secretary of State confirmed in his Written Statement to Parliament on 15^th September that the Government will shortly be publishing a consultation document on supported housing.

The Government values the important role that supported accommodation plays in helping vulnerable people to live as independently as possible. This announcement demonstrates the commitment of this Government to safeguarding vulnerable groups, and encouraging further development to meet future demand.

January 1, 2023
Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2015-11-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the debate in the House of Lords on 5 November (HL Deb, cols 1811–40) on the regeneration legacy of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, what assessment they have made of Lord Moynihan’s remarks that the UK should have a sports policy.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

I am grateful for Lord Moynihan’s valuable contributions to that debate in the House.

The Minister for Sport has made it clear that a new approach to sport is needed. The Government published a consultation paper on a new sport strategy in early August and the responses received are being considered. The Government will publish its new strategy for sport in due course, the first such strategy for 13 years.

January 1, 2023
Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the extent of electoral fraud in Ghana; and whether her Department has participated in election observation in Ghana in the past and what plans it has to do so in future.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID supported the conclusion of the UNDP Needs Assessment Mission conducted 3-11 November 2014, that the Ghana Electoral Commission, despite its good reputation, continues to suffer from many challenges, primarily poor performance in managing the voters register; inadequate coordination among other institutions involved in the electoral process; and lack of communication and consultations with key stakeholders, including political parties. This increases the potential for electoral fraud. DFID staff have participated in previous election observation and plan to do so again, as part of the overall UK effort to support Ghana in achieving peaceful and credible elections in 2016.

January 1, 2023
Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research has been commissioned or published showing the correlation between nursing numbers and (1) patient outcomes, and (2) patient mortality, in England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.

Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff.

The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards.

Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached.

In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes:

– a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and

– a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes.

As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.

The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency.

January 1, 2023