The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions conducted by local authorities resulted in convictions for benefit fraud between 2010 and 2014.
Dominic Raab
The information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget is for the Cyber Innovation Centre in Cheltenham.
Greg Hands
The Chancellor announced the Cyber Innovation Centre for Cheltenham in November 2015, helping to ensure Cheltenham remains a world leader in cyber excellence. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be running a competitive tender process to invite providers to run the centre to ensure that this initiative delivers the best possible value for money. We will disclose the budget when the tender exercise has completed, which we anticipate will be this autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average proportion of GP’s working time spent outside of the surgery is.
Alistair Burt
The information is not held centrally. As general practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors, it is for each practice to determine how they run their practice in order to meet the reasonable needs of their patients.
The Department commissions a GP Worklife Survey and this is carried out by the Manchester Centre for Health Economics at the University of Manchester on behalf of the Policy Research Unit in Commissioning and the Healthcare System (PRUComm).
In 2015, respondents were asked to indicate how much of their time was spent on external meetings, for example, meetings of the clinical commissioning group. Responses show that GPs spend 8.4% of their time on administration, 3.5% on external meetings and 6.3% on other activities.
The full report can be found at:
http://www.population-health.manchester.ac.uk/healtheconomics/research/Reports/EighthNationalGPWorklifeSurveyreport/EighthNationalGPWorklifeSurveyreport.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Robinson on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department plans to take steps to extend eligibility for the Blue Badge scheme to the parents of children with autism.
Andrew Jones
Local authorities do not have powers to independently extend eligibility. The criteria are set by statutory instrument. The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended) contain a number of criteria covering those who do not qualify automatically, including a provision for any permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking. It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess whether applicants meet any of the criteria.
People with autism are not excluded from being issued a badge. Any permanent and substantial disability that causes very considerable difficulty walking falls within the criteria. It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess the degree of difficulty and to issue badges accordingly. We have no plans to provide badges to carers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-10-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many staff of the Department for International Development stationed in the UK are in receipt of support for private school fees; and what was the cost in 2015–16.
Lord Bates
DFID spend on education allowance for staff in the UK in 2015/16 was £133,892.21. The number of staff in receipt of education allowance in the UK is withheld as the number is so low that it has the potential to identify individuals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will designate airfields as greenfield sites.
Brandon Lewis
National planning policy already requires local planning authorities to take account of airfields’ growth and role in serving business, leisure, training and emergency needs. In March we issued guidance emphasising the need for local planning authorities to have regard to the extent to which an aerodrome contributes to connectivity outside the authority’s own boundaries.
Currently, all airfields, as land that has been previously developed, are regarded as brownfield land.
We will work with the aviation sector to ensure the current policy relating to development on airfields is better understood.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Arab League on the situation in Syria before he published his response to the Second Report from the Foreign Affairs Committee, on the Extension of Offensive British Military Operations to Syria, HC 457.
Mr David Cameron
The Government are in regular contact with the Arab League who attended the International Syria Support Group in Vienna on 14 November. Nabil Al-Araby, Chair of the Arab League, participated in a discussion on Syria with UK representatives at the United Nations General Assembly on 30 September. We remain committed to engagement and coordination with regional partners in our efforts to degrade Daesh in Syria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-01-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on the outsourcing of its compliance review to Concentrix; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
The value of the contract was estimated at between £55m and £75m at contract award. Payments to Concentrix are based on the results they deliver, taking into account the quality and accuracy of their work.Concentrix are not paid for any cases where the decision they make is overturned.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help limit increases in costs for (i) airport parking and (ii) train travel.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department does not monitor costs for airport parking. Airports are private commercial enterprises operating in a competitive market. Any charges the airport wishes to pass on to passengers or visitors (including car parking) is solely a matter for the airport to manage and justify.
In terms of train travel, we recognise the pressure on hardworking families and have put a stop to above inflation (RPI) increases in regulated fares until 2020, extending the policy of a cap at RPI +0% for regulated rail fares we introduced in 2014. This will save the average season ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and means average earnings are outstripping rail fare increases for the first time in a decade.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.
Mike Penning
The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Library of the House and online at
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