Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to secure the adequate supply of accessible homes suitable for disabled people.

    James Wharton

    In 2015 the Government updated planning policy and Building Regulations to support local authorities in meeting the housing needs of disabled and older people in their communities. This included the introduction of two optional levels of accessibility in the Building Regulations, Category 2 – Accessible and adaptable dwellings, and Category 3 – Wheelchair user dwellings which local authorities can apply to new development in their local area subject to needs and viability assessments.

    These new options work as planning conditions to planning applications. Accessibility needs are met by each project’s own finance, be it for public, social or private homes. Some adaptations by individuals are eligible for funding through disabled facilities grants.

    Accessibility to buildings has always been central to Approved Document M and greater concern and detail has been worked in since Disability Discrimination Act regulations 1995, 2005 and with the Equality Act 2010. Each update of Approved Document M further embeds government commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in guidance.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why figures for the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS University Hospitals Trust were not included in the official figures of the number of patients waiting for treatment for more than a year.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Consultant-led referral to treatment waiting time statistics are designated as National Statistics. This means that the statistics are produced according to sound methods, and are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.

    From time to time, for example when there are serious problems with patient administration systems, National Health Service trusts do need to temporarily suspend submissions of data for inclusion in the publication of National Statistics for reasons of data quality and completeness. Nine acute trusts did not submit data on referral to treatment waiting times for January 2016. For this reason, the published data on the number of patients waiting more than a year to start consultant-led treatment for non-urgent conditions may be understated. NHS Improvement is working intensively with these trusts so that they can begin submitting data again as quickly as possible.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to measure and improve the rate of premature mortality of people with autism who have no co-occurring learning disability.

    Alistair Burt

    The National Health Service is taking action to reduce premature death by increasing annual health checks for people with learning disabilities, including for those who also have autism. The NHS is working to reduce variation and improve care for physical health conditions that disproportionately impact on people with learning disabilities who also may have autism, including epilepsy and cancer. NHS England has commissioned the world’s first Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to support local areas to review deaths of people with learning disabilities and to use the information to improve service provision. This review programme for people with learning disabilities includes those who also have autism.

    Think Autism set out a clear, cross Government programme of action, developed alongside people with autism, their families and carers to improve their lives and reduce premature mortality through better access to healthcare by making adjustments to services. This includes supporting the Royal College of General Practitioners Autism Initiative to improve understanding of autism amongst general practitioners (GPs).

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-05-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to improve tax transparency.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the Hon Member to the my earlier response to question 14 during Oral Questions.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of young people taking part in the National Citizen Service since its inception have had a registered disability.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    In 2011, 16% of NCS participants declared a disability or health problem expected to last more than a year, compared to 12% in the comparable population as recorded by the National Pupil Database. In 2012, 15% of NCS participants declared a disability, compared to 12% in the comparable population as recorded by the National Pupil Database.

    The NCS Trust, the independent organisation which has delivered NCS since 2013, does not mandate the recording of information about registered disability or health problems by providers.

    However, the NCS Trust does capture self-declared Special Educational Needs information. In 2013, 4.5% of NCS participants had Special Educational Needs; in 2014, 3.6%. Data for 2015 will become available in due course. For comparison, in both the January 2013 School Census and January 2014 School Census, 2.8% of schoolchildren had a Special Educational Needs statement or Educational, Health and Care (EHC) plan.

  • Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s policy is on the requirements for property owners to check for asbestos before selling their property.

    Gavin Barwell

    The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, which are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, require the owner, or person responsible for maintenance, of a non-domestic building to record the location and condition of any asbestos-containing materials and to put in place a plan to manage the risk they present. This information should therefore be available should the owner decide to sell the building.

    There is no requirement for homeowners to check for asbestos before selling their property. However the indoor air concentrations of asbestos in most dwellings, including those where asbestos is present but in good condition, present minimal risk to health. Where a building is surveyed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, this would include an assessment of the risk of asbestos to occupants of dwellings but there is no requirement for the rating system to be used when selling a dwelling. Tradespeople, such as plumbers and electricians, are aware of the risks of asbestos and take care in handling it to minimise risks.

  • Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what requests were made in his letter of 17 August 2015 to his Ethiopian counterpart on the detention of Andargachew Tsege.

    James Duddridge

    The Government remains deeply concerned by the continued detention of Mr Andargachew Tsege. Extensive Ministerial lobbying resulted in Mr Tsege’s transfer to a normal federal prison in July. The Prime Minister wrote to the Ethiopian Prime Minister on 17 August welcoming this move, emphasising that this should allow regular consular access, and visits by Mr Tsege’s family. The release of video footage of Mr Tsege in July 2014 and January 2015 was not raised in the letter. We continue to press the Ethiopian government for regular consular access, for improvements to Mr Tsege’s welfare and to provide a legal process through which Mr Tsege can challenge his detention, including its consistency with domestic and international law. My Rt Hon Friend, the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond MP), Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, has raised this case on 17 separate occasions with the Ethiopians.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.66 of the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, what criteria he has for determining the minimum amount of destructive power needed to deter any aggressor.

    Michael Fallon

    The Government continually conducts assessments to ensure that the UK maintains a minimum, credible nuclear deterrent capability.

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the public are made fully aware beforehand of planned road works to be carried out by contractors on trunk roads and motorways which involve either lane or whole carriageway closures.

    Andrew Jones

    A range of communications activities are used to inform members of the public about road works taking place on major A roads and motorways, including information issued to the media and updates to pages on the Highways England and Traffic England web pages.

    In addition to this, letters are issued to organisations, businesses and communities affected directly by the works. Highways England will also undertake specific community and business-to-business meetings for larger scale closures within the local area of each project if required.

    As a standard, information and updates are issued a minimum of seven days in advance wherever possible.

  • David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East to Question 222431, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Reaper User Group terms of reference.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Discussions with partner nations are continuing about the release of the Terms of Reference of the Reaper User Group.