The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Prime Minister, how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in the last five years.
Mr David Cameron
Refurbishment and maintenance at 10 Downing Street is part of a continuing programme of work. The Downing Street complex is maintained to standards appropriate to its Grade 1/2 listed status in consultation with English Heritage.
The building also fulfils an important representational role.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by how.” on 2016-03-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the phrase mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs” in their Counter-Extremism Strategy differs in meaning from the phrase “mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs” referred to in their departmental advice for schools
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government definition of the phrase “mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs”, as set out in the Counter–Extremism Strategy refers to a mutual respect of the individual regardless of their faith and therefore carries the same meaning and definition as set out in the departmental advice for schools entitled ‘Improving the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils’. Individuals in the UK should be treated with mutual respect and tolerance irrespective of their faith and belief based on fundamental values that have evolved over centuries. These are shared values which are rooted in democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and freedom of religion and belief.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why NHS England has refused to pay the costs of making available pre-exposure prophylaxis in order to protect men from HIV.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a new use of HIV drugs which has shown clinical effectiveness in research trials at preventing HIV in people at high risk of getting HIV such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and people with HIV-positive partners. The drug used in the trials, Truvada, is not yet licenced for use as PrEP. Public Health England (PHE) has undertaken modelling work looking at cost-effectiveness of PrEP. Much depends on the price of the drugs and HIV prevalence in the target group. However, as with any new intervention, PrEP now needs to be properly assessed in relation to cost effectiveness to see how it could be commissioned in the most sustainable and integrated way and how it compares with other cost-effective approaches. The Department is considering this with PHE, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
NHS England has agreed to carefully consider their position on commissioning pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Planning continues on the early implementer tests sites in the meantime. Irrespective of the commissioning arrangements for PrEP, decisions to fund will depend on full assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness and how it can be integrated with other HIV prevention efforts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department is offering to small and medium-sized enterprises to assist with the cost of setting up an apprenticeship programme.
Nick Boles
The government provides £1,500 per apprentice to smaller employers taking on new apprentices aged 16-24 through the Apprenticeships Grant for Employers. Additional support provided for employers includes funding training for 16-18 year old apprentices, those young people who are aged 19-24 who have been in the care of the Local Authority, apprentices with additional learning needs, and apprentices who don’t have the level of English and maths that is required to meet the minimum standard. Further funding detail and provisional funding rates are due to be published in June.
Since April, employers have not been required to pay employer National Insurance contributions for almost all apprentices aged under 25 up to the Upper Secondary Threshold (£827 per week in 2016-17).
This change makes the business case for apprenticeships even stronger, reducing the cost of employing a young apprentice by over £500 a year on a salary of £12,000, and over £1,000 a year on a salary of £16,000.
Employers can access information about employing an apprentice on the gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/take-on-an-apprentice
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential benefit to (a) consumers, (b) the economy and (c) the environment of tidal stream technologies.
Jesse Norman
In the development of all its policies, including tidal stream, Government routinely considers the potential benefits and costs to the consumer, the economy and the environment as part of the overall energy mix.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the BBC Trust and Ofcom on the implications for users of the BBC requiring registration and identification to use iPlayer.
Matt Hancock
The case for requiring user verification for the iPlayer was discussed during the Charter Review process and the White Paper, published in May, made clear that the Government thinks there is a case for iPlayer to require verification both to improve enforcement and allow BBC content to be ‘portable’ for UK licence fee payers. However, it will ultimately be up to the BBC to decide if and how they wish to implement this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Lithuanian government against plans for a convention centre to be built in the Jewish Cemetery in Piramont, Vilnius; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Lidington
The Government is aware of plans announced by the Lithuanian Government to renovate the Soviet-era Vilnius Palace of Concerts and Sports, located in the Šnipiškės Jewish cemetery. The existing building on the site has been left derelict for some time. The Chairperson of the Jewish Community in Lithuania has been clear in her public support for the renovation, stressing that the current site is run-down and at risk otherwise of further deterioration. It is our understanding that there will be no significant structural changes and that only the interior will be renovated for use as a centre for conferences and cultural events. The surrounding area will be maintained as a memorial park. The Lithuanian Prime Minister has said that all Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania would be memorialised and marked by the end of 2017. We welcome his commitment to working alongside the Jewish Community of Lithuania and the international Jewish community on this renovation. The Lithuanian government has also said it will discuss the renovation with the Israeli government.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin Vickers on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that all young people who wish to participate in the National Citizen Service are able to do so.
Mr Rob Wilson
We are committed to expanding NCS, which is why the Chancellor announced our ambition that 300,000 young people participate in NCS every year by 2019/20 so that they can learn new skills and give back to their communities.
We take great care to ensure that all young people, regardless of background, can take part, providing bursaries and additional support where necessary.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date the decision was made not to proceed with developing a future theatre nuclear weapon (FTNW); and how much had been spent on (a) the vehicle element and (b) the warhead element of the FTNW programme up to that point.
Mr Philip Dunne
On 18 October 1993, the then Secretary of State for Defence informed Parliament (Official Report, column 32): "we have concluded that our previous requirement for a new stand-off nuclear weapon capability is not a sufficiently high priority to justify the procurement of a new nuclear system in the current circumstances. Instead, we will plan, after the WE177 eventually leaves service in the long term, on exploiting the flexibility and capability of the Trident system to provide the vehicle for the delivery of our sub-strategic deterrent."
Also on 19 July 1993 (HC Deb vol 229 cc83-4W), the then Minister for Defence Procurement provided the following information about expenditure to evaluate options for the Future Theatre Nuclear Weapon:
Expenditure to the end of March 1993 on studies of possible vehicles:
|
Year |
£ |
|
1989-90 |
928,518 |
|
1990-91 |
1,372,329 |
|
1991-92 |
1,870,285 |
|
1992-93 |
2,658,471 |
Information on costs incurred on the Future Theatre Nuclear Weapon warhead programme was withheld for reasons of national security. Those reasons no longer apply but this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the average benefit to local economies of devolution deals.
James Wharton
The seven devolution deals that the Government has agreed will give local leaders direct control over the levers of growth in their economies, including new powers and substantial budgets ranging from transport, to adult skills, to long term investment funds. The size of these funds is substantial, for example the West Midlands will receive over £1 billion of additional investment. It will be for mayors and local leaders to set ambitions for growth and job creation as a result of these deals. By giving local areas control over key policies and resources, and making sure that local government more efficient, effective and as possible, devolution deals will give these places the tools that they need to drive forward growth for the benefit of the whole local economy.