Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take in response to increases in the cost to the NHS of Liothyronine; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    The Government’s policy on generic medicines is to allow manufacturers freedom of pricing for their products, relying on competition to deliver value for money. Any potential pricing abuses are a matter for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The Department is in regular contact with the CMA.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effects of the establishment of the College of Teaching on (a) continuing professional development of teachers and (b) teaching standards.

    Nick Gibb

    The Government supports the establishment of a new College of Teaching, a new independent professional body for teachers. The College of Teaching has great potential to raise the status of the profession and improve standards through: supporting teachers to access accredited, high quality professional development; setting standards to determine effective professional practice; and helping teachers to use evidence on ‘what works’ to inform their own practice.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions UK Government officials have prepared briefings or provided information to representatives of British overseas territories and Crown dependencies to assist in their dealings with the European Commission in the most recent period for which information is available.

    James Duddridge

    The UK is responsible for the international relations of the Overseas Territories, which have a specific status within the European Union Treaties. The Overseas Association Decision is the instrument which sets out the relationship between the European Union and the Overseas Territories of the Member States. In 2015 I attended the annual Forum bringing together Territory leaders, senior representatives from the European Commission and the Member States. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials meet approximately six times a year with the Territories and the Commission to take forward cooperation under the Overseas Association Decision. Other government departments provide officials when required if the subject matter falls within their area of competence.

    The United Kingdom is also responsible for the international relations of the Crown Dependencies which have a special relationship with the European Union under Protocol 3 to the United Kingdom’s Treaty of Accession to the European Community.

    United Kingdom Government officials meet regularly with Crown Dependency and Overseas Territory representatives to discuss forthcoming business; information sharing is a matter of routine. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories make their own preparations for meetings with the European Commission but Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials assist when asked to do so. Support is also available from other government departments and the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union should it be required.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the UK’s future position in the league table of broadband targets in the EU and OECD countries if a target of 10 megabits per second were achieved by 2020.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    It is too early to assess what the impact of the proposed 10 megabit Universal Service Obligation (USO) will have on the UK’s future position in EU and OECD broadband league tables. The contracts we have put in place with Openreach mean that the more homes and businesses that sign up for superfast broadband, the more money Openreach has to return to local authorities to extend the roll out of superfast broadband further. So far, Openreach has confirmed more than £200 million of savings that can be reinvested, over and above the £1.7bn of public funding already allocated. We expect more funding to be confirmed in due course. We will be reinvesting that funding in order to extend superfast broadband to as many additional homes and businesses as possible.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 27 June (HL Deb, col 1352), what assessment they have made of whether, when referring to cases such as the Rotherham sexual abuse case, it is more accurate and appropriate to refer to the perpetrators as Muslim” or “Islamist”

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Tackling cases of child sexual exploitation, including those that have occurred in Rotherham, is a top priority for this Government. People who abuse children must be stopped – their race, age or gender is irrelevant.

    Child sexual exploitation is not exclusive to any single culture, community, race or religion.

    The previous Home Secretary launched the report ‘Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation’ in March 2015. This report sets out a national response to the failures we have seen in Rotherham and elsewhere, where children were let down by the very people who were responsible for protecting them.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in a case where an applicant has been refused employment and support allowance (ESA), the disallowance has been confirmed following mandatory reconsideration and an appeal against the refusal has been submitted, in what circumstances ESA is payable pending the outcome of the appeal.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Employment and Support Allowance can be paid at the assessment phase rate pending the appeal hearing as long as the conditions of entitlement are satisfied. Employment and Support Allowance is not payable pending an appeal where a claimant has previously been found fit for work following a Work Capability Assessment and makes a repeat claim for benefit and is found to be fit for work again.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they take any steps to monitor whether lavatories on franchised train operator services are in working order throughout train journeys; whether any sanctions have been imposed on any franchisee as a result of that monitoring in the last two years; and if so, what those sanctions were.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    We are investing record amounts in the railways in order to give passengers better journeys. We expect the industry to deliver the best possible customer experience every day, including the provision of appropriate toilet facilities.

    Whilst there are no regimes that separately monitor lavatory quality provided on trains by franchised train operators, the Invitation To Tender for the new Greater Anglia franchise is piloting three challenging customer service targets to be monitored through mystery shopper exercises and passenger surveys. One of these Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets is “presentation of facilities”, which includes questions about “the cleanliness of the toilet facilities” and “the condition of on board toilets” amongst other aspects. Financial penalties will apply if the KPI targets are not met. Various quality of service regimes exist in other Franchise Agreements for monitoring and managing overall train interior quality, some of which carry financial penalties. The National Rail Passenger Survey also reports specifically on “On Train Toilet Facilities” for every operator in its twice yearly survey.

    No sanctions have been imposed specifically in regard to train toilets.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the publication, Towards a one nation economy: A 10-point plan for boosting rural productivity, published in August 2015, when he plans that the fast-track planning certificate process will be available.

    Brandon Lewis

    Our intention is to deliver an application route for permission in principle as soon as possible after receiving Royal Assent to the enabling powers in the Housing and Planning Bill and laying the associated secondary legislation on the detailed procedures.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many civil servants attended his speeches at (a) St David’s Hotel and (b) Salt Bar on 7 January 2016.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Consistent with all official events, the Chancellor was supported by a small number of officials from his private office and the Treasury press office when speaking at the St David’s hotel and at the two associated visits.

    Costs associated with the major economy speech at the St David’s hotel in Cardiff were met within the existing events budget at HM Treasury. Invitations were not issued by the department.

    The event at the Salt Bar was not a Government event and so no costs were met by the Treasury and no civil servants attended.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 24232, how much has been allocated for overall expenditure in the 2016-17 budget for the British Transport Police.

    Claire Perry

    The British Transport Police Authority has set an expected budget of £295.1 million for the British Transport Police in 2016/17.