Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 11 February (HL5795), what is the value of payments made to Operational Delivery Networks (ODN) via the Commissioning and Quality Innovation payment network in (1) total, and (2) by ODN, for each of the last three financial years.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) provide expert specialist oversight of prescribing decisions on hepatitis C. They were established in August 2015, therefore funding information is only available for 2015/16.

    In 2015/16, funding has been approximately £2.5 million. The majority of this amount has been via a central allocation.

    It is not possible to confirm the payments made to each ODN for commercial reasons.

    NHS England is funding ODNs via Commissioning Quality and Innovation in 2016/17 and 2017/18.

  • Lord Steel of Aikwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Steel of Aikwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Steel of Aikwood on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to address the delays in dealing with applications for clearance under section 1044 of the Company Tax Act 2010 by HMRC in Newcastle due to a shortage of resources, in the light of the urgency of some of the outstanding cases.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HMRC must notify its decision on an application under section 1044 Corporation Tax Act 2010 within 30 days of its receipt.

    During the six months from October 2015 to March 2016, HMRC received 1105 clearance applications under section 1044. The average time taken to reply to these applications was 15 days. Decisions on over 95% of the applications were notified within the statutory time limit.

    HMRC monitors the number of clearance applications it receives in this area and the time taken to reply to them to ensure a consistent service.

  • Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of violations of freedom of religion or belief on women; and what his Department is doing to tackle such violations.

    Mr David Lidington

    There are clear examples where the impact of violations of freedom of religion or belief falls particularly heavily on women – such as treatment of women by Daesh. Under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, FCO funds projects to defend freedom of religion or belief, including the protection of the rights of women. For example, the FCO recently agreed to fund a project this financial year that tackles gender- based violence and discrimination in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-07-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure that UK researchers have the same level of funding as before the EU referendum.

    Joseph Johnson

    The UK economy is fundamentally strong and our research and innovation are world leading. We have a long established system that supports, and therefore attracts, the brightest minds, at all stages of their careers. We fund excellent science wherever it is found, and ensure there is the freedom to tackle important scientific questions. While the UK remains a member of the EU, current EU arrangements continue unchanged, including those that apply to students, researchers, and businesses. We remain fully open to scientists and researchers from across the EU. We hugely value the contribution of EU and international staff and there are no immediate changes to their rights to live and work in the UK. The Government intends to maintain and enhance the strength of our research base, which is why we have protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the parliament.

  • Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Altmann on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government  how many non-associated multi-employer defined benefit pension schemes in the UK are covered by the Pension Protection Fund, and what estimate they have made of the total number of employers in those schemes.

    Lord Freud

    As at 31 March 2016, there were 26 non-associated multi-employer schemes, with a total of 5,060 participating employers between them which are covered by the Pension Protection Fund.

  • Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the level of resources necessary for trading standards to fulfil the additional duties set out under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2015 and (b) alternative arrangements for enforcing those regulations; and what discussions his Department has had with local authority trading standards and professional groups representing trading standards on the effect that those duties will have on their resourcing.

    James Wharton

    These Regulations do not change the nature of the existing enforcement responsibility for local authorities or set central targets for enforcement activity. Any additional burden is therefore assessed to be minimal.Discussions with local enforcement officers indicated that the additional burdens imposed by the annual reporting of existing duties would be minimal as enforcement activity should already be appropriately recorded locally.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to limit the damage to local communities and economies from flooding.

    Rory Stewart

    We are investing an unprecedented £2.3 billion in 1,500 flood defence improvement schemes over the next six years. This will provide better protection to at least 300,000 households, up to 420,000 acres of agricultural land, over 200 miles of railway and 340 miles of roads.

    In addition, flood maintenance spending will be protected in real terms over this Parliament.

    Over the five years of the last Parliament, our flood defences schemes have better protected over 255,000 households.

    This is on top of the £1.7 billion invested in the last Parliament and the £1.5 billion spent between 2006 and 2010.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the implications for her policies are of the decision by other countries to confiscate the belongings of Syrian refugees over a certain value to meet the costs of their stay.

    James Brokenshire

    Any decision by other countries to confiscate the belongings of Syrian refugees over a certain value to meet the cost of their stay in those countries will not impact the way the UK deals with Syrian refugees. The Government will continue to target the most vulnerable Syrians, who cannot be supported effectively in the region, for resettlement under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. The first 12 month’s resettlement costs are funded through Official Development Assistance and at the Spending Review the Government committed £129 million to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 of the scheme.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with people who run airports on excessive VAT charging in retail outlets based in airports.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport meets regularly with airport operators and the issue of the treatment of VAT in airside retail shops has been reviewed. The Chancellor announced on the 31 December 2015 a review into airport sales to make sure VAT savings are being passed on to shoppers. It would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage whilst HM Treasury is undertaking this review.

  • Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Save the Children about identifying whether any of the unaccompanied children found at the Jungle” camp in Calais were potential child victims of trafficking.”

    Lord Bates

    The Home Secretary and French Interior Minister agreed in the UK-France Joint Declaration in August 2015 to set up a project to identify potential victims of trafficking (including children) in the Calais migrant camp and directs them to existing protection, support and advice within France. The project is being delivered by the French non-governmental organisation, France Terre D’Asile.

    The UK has contributed €750,000 (£530,000) to fund the project which formally launched in December 2015.