The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been spent on mindfulness in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 2010.
Edward Timpson
The Department for Education does not hold information about the amount of money spent on mindfulness in primary or secondary schools.
Schools are free to provide the support they feel is most appropriate for their pupils, based on their pupils’ needs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of barriers to humanitarian agencies reaching people in need in Yemen.
Mr Desmond Swayne
Conflict is making humanitarian access within Yemen extremely difficult. Humanitarian agencies report that they are constrained in reaching areas of greatest humanitarian need and delivering assistance for a number of reasons including bureaucratic requirements imposed by the authorities, access challenges for international staff, insecurity in a number of districts, and a proliferation of checkpoints across the country.
We continue to urge all parties to the conflict to take all reasonable steps to facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. We work with trusted and impartial partners such as UN agencies and NGOs who have good access and a strong track record of delivering and monitoring assistance in difficult and dangerous places.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which immigration removal centres were inspected by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners related to the use of property interference by immigration officers in each of the last five years.
James Brokenshire
There has been no change in Immigration Rules in relation to the use of property interference by immigration officers. Part III Sections 55(1) and (2) of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 amended the Police Act 1997 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) in 2013 to empower officials within the Home Office exercising immigration functions to seek authority for property interference solely for the purpose of preventing and detecting serious crime. Immigration removal centres themselves cannot seek property interference authorisations.
The Office of Surveillance Commissioners (OSC) scrutinise every application for property interference made by immigration officers upon authorisation and also retrospectively oversee any use of the power to ensure compliance. The OSC publish an annual report, which refers to the overall use of these powers by public authorities including the Home Office.
The Home Office does not provide information on individual Immigration Removal Centres visited by the OSC, or investigations carried out within them.
The Investigatory Powers Bill will replace the current oversight regime with a powerful In-vestigatory Powers Commissioner who will have the support, powers, resources and tech-nical expertise to continue to ensure that these powers are being used fully in accordance with the law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will develop plans to include TV Licensing in the Tell Us Once service.
Priti Patel
We are currently reviewing the strategic approach, to support citizens in the wider bereavement journey to support the Government’s 2020 vision and the better use of data across government. This review will include the Tell Us Once Service and the Department for Culture Media and Sport.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chadlington on 2016-09-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to provide sanitary products to women sleeping rough.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
One person without a home is one too many, and nobody should ever have to sleep rough. That is why we have increased central investment to tackle homelessness over the next four years to £139 million, including a new £10 million fund to support innovative ways to prevent and reduce rough sleeping, and a new £10 million Social Impact Bond to support rough sleepers with the most complex needs.
We recognise that the needs of female rough sleepers can be different from male rough sleepers, and we expect local authorities to commission services to meet the needs of all those in their local areas. Many commission female-only homelessness projects, which offer women the essential facilities and support they need.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Porter of Spalding on 2016-10-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in creating parity of esteem between mental and physical health and how they are currently measuring this.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government is committed to achieving parity of esteem for mental and physical health. The Government welcomed the publication of The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and Future in Mind: Promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing to transform mental health services by 2020, which is a significant step forward in achieving parity of esteem between mental and physical health. We continue to work with NHS England and other arm’s length bodies to embed the recommendations set out in these reports into our national policies and we are committed to reporting regularly and transparently on our progress. Copies of both reports are attached.
We will be holding NHS England to account through the NHS Mandate to ensure that we deliver the commitments set out in these reports.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadhim Zahawi on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local planning authorities can limit community housing developments proposed in the dispersal policies of a local plan due to the lack of sufficient infrastructure, shops, services or employment to support such a development.
Brandon Lewis
The National Planning Policy Framework expects local planning authorities to meet the objectively-assessed needs for market and affordable housing in their area, insofar as it is consistent with other policies in the Framework. As part of the plan-making process we expect authorities to consider what infrastructure is needed to support development, and work with neighbouring authorities and transport providers, to develop plans for how it can be provided. The cumulative impact of development, and the need for infrastructure to support development, are material considerations in decisions on individual proposals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last met the Financial Conduct Authority to discuss how its uses its powers under section 382 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to compel a registered firm to compensate investors for losses incurred as a result of that firm’s breaches of its statutory obligations; and what the outcome of that meeting was.
Harriett Baldwin
Treasury Ministers and officials meet regularly with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the new migrant camp being built in Dunkirk does not have a negative effect on UK-bound lorries.
James Brokenshire
Any proposals for accommodation for migrants in Dunkirk, or elsewhere in Northern France, are a matter for the French authorities.
The haulage industry is hugely important to UK trade and prosperity and the Government takes the security of UK-bound traffic, as well as the safety of hauliers and tourists using the ports in Northern France, very seriously.
The Government has listened to industry concerns and continues to work closely with the French authorities at both political and operational levels on a package of measures to bolster the security of the ports. Action has been taken to improve the flow of traffic at the Juxtaposed Controls; and a new secure waiting area at Calais for UK-bound lorries with capacity for 230 vehicles will be completed by spring 2016. In the interim, Border Force has worked with the Calais port operator and introduced a secure freight circulation and waiting area for around 200 vehicles.
Border Force advice for drivers – published on gov.uk – is to alert the authorities of the country they are in as soon as they suspect persons may be seeking to enter their vehicle. The website also provides hauliers and drivers with emergency contact details for the relevant French authorities and is applicable at all the ports in Northern France.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-02-05.
To ask the Prime Minister, which hon. and Right hon. Members have been appointed by him to which countries as a trade envoy.
Mr David Cameron
Information regarding trade envoys can be found on the gov.uk website.