The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children in each parliamentary constituency and in receipt of disability living allowance are diagnosed with hyperkinetic syndrome.
Justin Tomlinson
The information requested will be placed in the library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Local Transformation Plan local areas’ plans in improving support for young carers and young adult carers.
Alistair Burt
The number of young carers accessing Children and Adolescence Mental health Services (CAMHS) and the number of children provided with young carers assessments following contact with CAMHS will not be published as this data is not collected centrally.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), working with local partners, have submitted Local Transformation Plans (LTPs) to transform their local offer for children and young people’s mental health. These plans must cover the whole spectrum of services from prevention to intervention for emerging or existing mental health problems and address the full spectrum of need, including the most vulnerable, such as young carers.
NHS England have received and successfully assured LTPs that cover every clinical CCG in England. This assurance process requires local areas to evidence how they are meeting the needs of vulnerable groups which may include young carers. Young adult carers are unlikely to be covered by these LTPs as these are generally the responsibility of adult mental health services. All CCGs will have received the funding allocation agreed through the assurance process by the end of December (published in January).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23014, what assessment he has made of the disbenefits to drivers resident in Northern Ireland of not being able to use the online facility to change the address on their driving licence; and if he will take steps to extend this facility to Northern Ireland.
Andrew Jones
No assessment has been made. Driver licensing in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. The provision of online driver licensing systems for motorists in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many meetings her Department has had with representatives of Tidal Power Ltd on the proposed Solway Firth Tidal Lagoon project.
Andrea Leadsom
The Government is currently in a bilateral negotiation with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd regarding a possible Contract for Difference for their proposed project in Swansea Bay and there have been numerous meetings with the developer to discuss this project.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities are required to consider environmental factors when awarding contracts.
Mr Marcus Jones
The over-riding procurement policy requirement is that all public procurement must be based on value for money, defined as the best mix of quality and effectiveness for the least outlay over the period of use of the goods or services bought. This includes taking environmental issues into consideration.
The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires all public authorities, to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts; and for connected purposes. In addition under the Duty of Best Value, local authorities should consider overall value, including environmental value when reviewing service provision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kramer on 2016-04-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 7 April (HL7283), how many people have taken up the Married Couple’s Allowance in each (1) Parliamentary constituency, and (2) local authority area.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
HM Revenue and Customs’ plans for advertising Marriage Allowance evolved over time.
HMRC does not hold data on the number of customers that have applied for Marriage Allowance by Local Authority or Parliamentary Constituency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS bodies will authorise Sustainability and Transformation Plan footprints; what role NHS Improvement will play; and if he will make a statement.
George Freeman
The NHS Shared Planning Guidance asked the National Health Service to develop proposed footprints for Sustainability and Transformation Plans by 29 January 2016, engaging with local authorities and other partners. The footprints were then reviewed by the national arm’s length bodies, including NHS Improvement, with regard to geography (including patient flow), scale, fit with footprints of existing change programmes, financial sustainability, and leadership capacity. There were one or two areas where further clarification was sought and, following further conversations locally, changes were agreed.
The process for Sustainability and Transformation Plans is designed to bring together health and care leaders to support improvements in health and care based on the needs of local populations. It does not alter the existing accountabilities of clinical commissioning groups, local authorities and NHS provider organisations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help prevent the hunting to extinction of endangered species.
Rory Stewart
The UK has been working through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to tighten controls ensuring that trophies of endangered species are only exported if the animals were hunted sustainably.
CITES import controls are currently implemented at an EU-wide level. In light of growing concerns about the sustainability of the hunting of some species, stricter controls on the import of hunting trophies of six species, including lions and African elephants, have been introduced. On the advice of EU CITES scientific experts, Member States also prohibit the importation of a number of species from certain countries where there is uncertainty about sustainability, such as elephant hunting trophies from Mozambique and Tanzania.
We continue to monitor the impact of trophy hunting and will work to put in place greater protection, including prohibiting imports, if this is shown to be needed. For example, I announced on 24 November 2015 that the Government will ban lion trophy imports by the end of 2017 unless there are improvements in the way hunting takes place in certain countries, judged against strict criteria.
The UK is also pushing for tougher hunting trophy controls to be agreed at the 17th Conference of Parties to CITES in the autumn. A UK-led EU proposal aims to agree global guidelines to ensure that hunting trophy exports are sustainable, and agree clear criteria on when lion trophy hunting can be considered acceptable.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to his Oral Statement of 5 September 2016, Official Report, columns 38 to 41, how many of his Department’s 300 officials were recruited for their ability to speak a second language.
Mr Robin Walker
The Department for Exiting the EU now has over 200 staff, and is growing fast. The overall size and scope of the new Department, including staffing and budget, are regularly reviewed. We will ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with all aspects of the forthcoming negotiation. There are currently 43 (French) speaker slots in UKRep, for which the staff require operational language skills to undertake the post. For the wider Department there are a number of staff with language skills, however these are not currently a requirement of the posts and were not the determining factor in recruitment. We are undertaking work to identify the skills required for the future so this position may change in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2015-11-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have issued any guidance on the circumstances in which an individual should be imprisoned for defaulting on their council tax.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
In June 2013, DCLG issued ‘Guidance to Local Councils on Good Practice in the Collection of Council Tax Arrears’. The document (attached) provides guidance to local authorities on enforcement and clearly sets out the Government’s position. It is available at:
Collection and enforcement of unpaid council tax is a matter for local authorities. They are best placed to consider the circumstances of the taxpayer who has fallen into arrears and to decide what action to take.
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