Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the recommendations made by the UK Statistics Agency in August 2015, what plans his Department has to extend the range of benefit sanction data available by addressing gaps in information on repeat sanctions and hardship payments alongside the development of sanction data from the universal credit system.

    Damian Hinds

    The sanctions publication strategy which details the approach being taken by DWP statisticians to improve the sanctions statistics being developed, which include the addition of Universal Credit sanction statistics, can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-sanction-statistics-publication-strategy

    The latest release of sanction statistics within the Quarterly Statistical Summary: August 2016 includes an experimental monthly rate of claimants sanctioned and can be found (on page12) at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dwp-statistical-summaries-2016

    The related background information to support this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monthly-rate-of-claimants-sanctioned-background-information-and-methodology

    Management Information data on the number of applications and awards for hardship payments were published on 18th November 2015 and can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015

    We will consider the regularity of future publications of hardship statistics alongside our routine prioritisation of our statistical work programme.

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many complaints have been received by each regional office of the Crown Prosecution Service regarding each of those regional offices in each of the last three years.

    Robert Buckland

    The following table shows the number of complaints received by the 13 CPS Areas in the past three years:

    Area

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    Cymru/Wales

    Not available*

    90

    121

    East Midlands

    Not available*

    168

    163

    East of England

    Not available*

    167

    152

    London

    Not available*

    219

    245

    Merseyside & Cheshire

    Not available*

    56

    39

    North East

    Not available*

    97

    69

    North West

    Not available*

    120

    140

    South East

    Not available*

    147

    118

    South West

    Not available*

    86

    84

    Thames & Chiltern

    Not available*

    189

    166

    Wessex

    Not available*

    80

    47

    West Midlands

    Not available*

    228

    293

    Yorkshire & Humberside

    Not available*

    149

    146

    CPS Direct

    Not available*

    118

    66

    * Due to a technical issue which the CPS is currently resolving, the Area breakdown of complaints received in 2013/14 is not available at this time. The CPS will write to the Honourable Member to provide these figures once the issue has been corrected.

  • Joanna Cherry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Joanna Cherry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joanna Cherry on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time taken for HM Revenue and Customs to respond to a request for a paper tax form was in the last 12 months.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not hold this information.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Police and Crime Commissioners about the funding of the National Wildlife Crime Unit.

    Mike Penning

    Home Office Ministers have a range of discussions on a wide variety of subjects. Police and Crime Commissioners are helping to ensure that police forces’ priorities reflect those of the communities they serve, with individual police forces enjoying the flexibility to deploy their resources without unnecessary interference from central government.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-12-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the situation in (1) Sudan, and (2) South Sudan.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The situation in Sudan remains of concern, especially in the conflict areas of Darfur and the Two Areas. In this light, it was disappointing that African Union-mediated peace talks in Addis Ababa were suspended on 23 November without the parties reaching an agreement. We continue to urge both the Government of Sudan and opposition to return to discussions on a ceasefire, allow full humanitarian access and engage in inclusive, comprehensive and transparent political dialogue. In South Sudan, progress has been mixed on implementation of the compromise peace agreement signed in August. We welcome recent steps including the agreement of the transitional security arrangements and preparations for the return of the first group of the opposition to Juba. However, we remain concerned by delays to the formation of the transitional government of national unity, breaches of the ceasefire in Unity and Upper Nile states, and the continued lack of humanitarian access in many areas. We regularly lobby both sides on all these issues.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about the importance of Experts by Experience in the NHS.

    Ben Gummer

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has advised that it has taken into account the application of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 in the new contracts with Choice Support and Remploy Ltd.

    The CQC issued a press release on 28 January 2016 on this matter. It advised that the CQC’s contractual discussions with Remploy Ltd and Choice Support are still ongoing. The CQC understand that Remploy has now written to Experts by Experience confirming they will pay an hourly rate of £15 for the first six months of the contract – commencing 1 February 2016.

    Departmental Ministers have not received any representations about the importance of Experts by Experience in the National Health Service or the level of payments by Remploy to Experts by Experience.

    The Department has not received any direct correspondence about the importance of Experts by Experience in the NHS or the level of payments by Remploy to Experts by Experience. We are, however, aware of one email on this subject that the Department has been copied into that was sent to the CQC.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Swedish government over their decision to end the production of coins containing nickel; whether he plans to further investigate the health risks posed to those who suffer from nickel allergy of the decision to switch to steel nickel-plated 5p and 10p coins in 2012; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Nickel has been used in UK coinage for over 60 years and nickel-plated coins introduced in the UK in 2012 were already in use in Canada, New Zealand and other countries around the world.

    Independent tests have concluded that there is no increased risk to people from handling the nickel-plated steel five pence and ten pence coins compared to coins made of cupronickel alloy.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) causes of the disparity in cancer survival rates between England and Wales and (b) extent to which such disparities are due to access and availability of medicines.

    Jane Ellison

    No such assessments have been made.

    We are advised by the Office for National Statistics that, although a Welsh government report published positive cancer survival data on 3 February 2016, this did not compare survival rates with the other UK countries. Such data is not readily comparable due to differences in methods and time periods.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the outcome, and (2) the cost effectiveness, of the use of faecal microbiota transplants in the treatment of recurrent clostridium difficile.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on faecal microbiota transplant for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. NICE has recommended that the procedure is safe and effective for use in the National Health Service, but no assessment of its cost effectiveness has been made by NICE.

    Data on the uptake of faecal microbiota transplants in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile by the NHS is not collected centrally.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 on levels of homelessness in England in each of the next five years.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We are committed to supporting the most vulnerable in our society. Since 2010 our investment has helped local authorities prevent over 935,800 households from becoming homeless.

    The Housing and Planning Act will increase the range of affordable homes available, including homes to rent, homes for shared ownership and discounted Starter Homes to buy outright, so that social housing is prioritised for those that need it most.