The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in her Department.
Karen Bradley
Cleaning services across the Department are outsourced and suppliers currently pay as a minimum the National Minimum Wage. From the 1 April 2016 suppliers will pay as a minimum the National Living Wage for over 25 year olds.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to promote awareness among cyclists of the importance of wearing helmets and visible clothing.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The safety of vulnerable road users is a priority and we recommend that all cyclists wear clothing that makes them sufficiently visible to other road users.
Rule 59 of the Highway Code states, “You should wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see you in daylight and poor light; reflective clothing and/or accessories (belt, arm or ankle bands) in the dark”.
Government policy is that cycle helmets offer a degree of protection for cyclists in the event of a fall from a bicycle and some types of collisions. In line with the Highway Code rule 59 which states “you should wear a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations, is the correct size and securely fastened” we encourage their use by all cyclists and in particular by children.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-06-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that the renegotiation of the UK-Malawi tax treaty supports development and helps tackle poverty in that country.
Mr David Gauke
The UK regularly reviews its treaty network and actively engages with developing countries. Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. It is hoped that the treaty will be signed shortly. Although the UK’s starting point in negotiations is based closely on the OECD model double taxation convention, the Government recognises that developing countries will sometimes have different preferences, and treaties the UK has recently signed demonstrate that we are willing to accommodate at least some of those preferences as part of a balanced agreement. But the nature of the negotiating process is that it remains confidential to the two sides until the treaty is signed.
By governing the taxation of cross-border income flows in a predictable manner and eliminating double taxation and excessive taxation, tax treaties promote international trade and investment, leading to sustainable tax revenues, which are vital in financing for development.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the penalties for mobile phone use while driving.
Andrew Jones
Evidence shows that hand-held mobile phone use whilst driving decreased after the legislation was introduced in 2003, and after the first increase in the penalty in 2007. I know that dangerous mobile phone use remains a key concern amongst motorists. The previous Government increased the level of fine in 2013 and this Government has consulted on increasing penalties. The consultation closed on 15 March and we plan to issue our response soon.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2016-10-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Since the election of President Sirisena in January 2015 the Sri Lankan Government has taken a number of positive steps to improve the human rights situation in the country. Although much remains to be done, it is clear that Sri Lanka is moving in the right direction.
We welcomed the historic co-sponsorship by Sri Lanka of Resolution 30/1 at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 1 October 2015 committing it to reconciliation, accountability and the protection of human rights. Since then, the Sri Lankan Government has made encouraging progress against its commitments including the return of some military-held civilian land, the passing of legislation to establish an Office of Missing Persons and the ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances.
We will continue to work with the UN, Sri Lanka and our other international partners to ensure full implementation of the UNHRC resolution, while recognising the scale of the challenge this represents and allowing time for credible, well thought out transitional justice mechanisms to be developed and implemented.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each age group were diagnosed with hepatitis C in each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison
Public Health England receives laboratory reports of hepatitis C cases from England and Wales and data is presented by age group in the table below.
Laboratory reports of hepatitis C by age group, England and Wales, 2010 to 2014
|
Year |
2010 (i) |
2011 (ii) |
2012 (iii) |
2013 (iv) |
2014 (v) |
|
Age group (years) |
|||||
|
26 |
41 |
21 |
27 |
17 |
|
|
1-4 |
10 |
21 |
23 |
15 |
13 |
|
5-9 |
6 |
9 |
7 |
7 |
10 |
|
10-14 |
5 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
20 |
|
15-24 |
463 |
581 |
567 |
559 |
550 |
|
25-34 |
2,166 |
2,640 |
2,957 |
3,037 |
2,849 |
|
35-44 |
2,510 |
3,123 |
3,340 |
3,407 |
3,310 |
|
45-54 |
1,791 |
2,329 |
2,627 |
2,721 |
2,918 |
|
55-64 |
778 |
1,123 |
1,203 |
1,293 |
1,559 |
|
>=65 |
316 |
423 |
503 |
514 |
657 |
|
NK |
76 |
79 |
93 |
99 |
94 |
|
Total |
8,147 |
10,382 |
11,353 |
11,692 |
11,997 |
Across the UK, more individuals are being tested for hepatitis C and over the last 5 years particular improvements have been seen in primary care where surveillance indicates that testing has risen by 21% in England (vi).
Citations
(i) Health Protection Report Vol 5. No. 29 22 July 2011
(ii) Health Protection Report Vol 6. No. 30 27 July 2012
(iii) Health Protection Report Vol.7 No. 30 26 July 2013
(iv) Health Protection Report Vol 98 No. 29 25 July 2014
(v) Health Protection Report Vol 9 No. 26 24 July 2015
(vi) Hepatitis C in the UK; 2015 report. Public Health England
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of new claims for (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) employment and support allowance made in the most recent month for which figures are available were made by a person who had been in receipt of the same benefit at any point during the proceeding 12 months.
Priti Patel
The information as requested is not readily available, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people of each gender work in his Department.
David Mundell
As at 31 December 2015, there were 32 men and 27 women working in the Scotland Office.
Information on staff gender breakdown by grade in the Scotland Office for previous years is published in the Office’s annual reports. The latest annual report for 2014-15 is available in the House of Commons Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his Department’s policy to (a) increase economic support to Tunisia and (b) urge the EU to consider fast-tracking its negotiations for a free trade partnership with that country.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
UK support for Tunisia has doubled in the last year to nearly £6 million for programmes to support economic reform, governance and security sector capacity building. We will continue this high level of co-operation in the next Financial Year, including £3 million from the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund. We also anticipate significant new programmes to provide economic reform in Tunisia over the next four years, with international partners and are ready to help Tunisia access, and make more use of, existing funds from multilateral organisations. However, it is important that Tunisia sets out its plans for economic development and reform.
We will continue to urge the EU to take forward negotiations on a deep and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with Tunisia.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in her Department.
Mr Desmond Swayne
DFID has 2 headquarters in the UK, one in Whitehall and one in East Kilbride. The cleaning of both headquarter buildings is contracted out to MITIE Facilities Management. MITIE pay the cleaning staff the National Living wage in East Kilbride and the London Living wage in Whitehall.