Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the consultation on payment of compensation out of the his Department’s contingency fund for those who have suffered from the contaminated bloods issue will report.

    Jane Ellison

    Liability has not been established in the majority of cases of individuals infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through NHS-supplied blood or blood products, so it would not be appropriate to talk about support payments in terms of compensation.

    I announced in the House of Commons on 16 December 2015, in response to an Urgent Question, Official Report, columns 1555-1565, that the consultation on reforming the current payment schemes for those infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through NHS-supplied blood or blood products will be announced later this month.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the rate of compliance on routes from (a) Hull and (b) in the North Sea with lower sulphur dioxide emission limit for merchant vessels which came into force on 1 January 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    There are no figures for 2015.

    However, since 1 January 2016 the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has inspected 34 ships within the North Sea Sulphur Emission Control for compliance with the lower 0.1 per cent sulphur limit. Eleven of these ships had fuel samples taken and analysed, and one ship was found to be marginally non-compliant.

    The one ship that was inspected and had its fuel sampled at the port of Hull was found to be within the limit.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what powers she intends to extend to farmers in relation to the dredging of watercourses on their land.

    Rory Stewart

    The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 were laid before Parliament on 2 February. Subject to parliamentary approval, from April the Regulations will remove a number of low risk activities from the need for a flood defence consent permit from the Environment Agency, enabling it to focus on the highest risk activities. This includes allowing farmers to maintain ditches up to 1.5km long subject to a number of conditions.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of officials of his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of total sick leave that leave was in each such year.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The average days’ sickness absence per full time equivalent employed by DCMS during the last financial year was 2.0 days.

    The Civil Service takes a holistic approach to managing sick absence and improving wellbeing and we have focussed on specific actions to reduce the incidence of mental disorders, including stress related absence. This includes

    • early referral to occupational health experts, particularly for mental health, stress or musculoskeletal conditions,

    • early referral to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) for CBT based counselling support for mental health issues,

    • workplace adjustments that help to prevent conditions from developing or worsening, whilst reducing the barriers to work for those affected by mental or physical impairments,

    • extensive training for managers and employees including on disability and mental health awareness, well-being, resilience and stress.

    Financial Year

    Number of officials who took sick leave for reasons relating to stress

    Proportion of officials who took sick leave for reasons relating to stress

    Proportion of total sick such sick leave was in the department

    Apr 14 – Mar 15

    1

    0.2%

    0.5%

    Apr 13 – Mar 14

    2

    0.5%

    0.9%

    Apr 12 – Mar 13

    3

    0.8%

    1.2%

    Apr 11 – Mar 12

    5

    1.1%

    2.1%

    Apr 10 – Mar 11

    6

    1.4%

    2.5%

    Background

    We have reported on the average sickness absence in the annual report (link) and do not specifically report on sickness absence due to stress.

    The DCMS sick absence data is low in comparison with the Civil Service average of 7.4 Average Working Days Lost. We do not have any evidence to know why this is. HR continues to remind all staff and managers of the importance of accurate and prompt recording on the HR system.

    Financial Year

    Number of officials who took sick leave for reasons relating to stress

    Proportion of officials who took sick leave for reasons relating to stress

    Department FTE

    Total sickness in department

    Percentage of staff who took Stress Related Absence against total staff who recorded a sick absence

    Apr 14 – Mar 15

    1

    0.2%

    461

    203

    0.5%

    Apr 13 – Mar 14

    2

    0.5%

    381

    234

    0.9%

    Apr 12 – Mar 13

    3

    0.8%

    376

    259

    1.2%

    Apr 11 – Mar 12

    5

    1.1%

    457

    243

    2.1%

    Apr 10 – Mar 11

    6

    1.4%

    443

    242

    2.5%

    ¹Department FTE from DCMS Annual Report & Accounts 2010-11 and 2014-15

    “

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many payments under the Basic Payments Scheme 2015 had not been made to farmers in Stafford constituency by the Rural Payments Agency by 31 March 2016.

    George Eustice

    As of 31 March 2016, the Rural Payments Agency had paid 168 (80%) of the 211 eligible Basic Payment Scheme 2015 claims received in Stafford constituency. To date 191 had been paid and the agency has announced that those customers who do not receive a claim payment in April will be provided a bridging payment. Bridging payments will be around half of their claim value.

  • Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Price on 10 May (HL8062), whether that answer assumes that the United States Congress will accept a fast-track” procedure for ratifying the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and what assessment they have made of the likelihood of such a procedure being either endorsed or withdrawn by the new Congress in 2017.”

    Lord Price

    Legislation to re-authorise Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) – sometimes called “fast track” – the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, was signed into law by President Obama on 29 June 2015. It will apply to certain international trade agreements – including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – if agreement is reached before 1 July 2018.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority are employed on temporary contracts.

    Ben Gummer

    The infrastructure and Projects Authority currently has 37 people within the business on Fixed Term Appointments.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent events in Sudan on the success of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK remains supportive of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). Through our membership of the Implementation Follow-Up Commission (IFC), we consider regularly what progress has been made on implementation of the DDPD and what further steps need to be taken. The former UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan attended the last meeting of the IFC in May.

    In parallel with this, we continue to urge all parties to the conflict to engage with the African Union-led peace process and reach agreement on the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access, building on the decisions of both the Government of Sudan and the Opposition to sign the Roadmap peace agreement.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the Euro-Atlantic integration process for Bosnia-Herzegovina, set out in the 2014 UN Security Council Resolution No. 2183.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government is a firm advocate of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) Euro-Atlantic integration. The UK-Germany initiative, launched a year ago (and adopted by the EU), was designed to stimulate reform and energise BiH’s EU perspective. The entry into force of the EU-BiH Stabilisation and Association Agreement on 1 June 2015 marks an important initial step. On the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the Government continues to encourage BiH to enhance its efforts to meet the requirements to proceed with its Membership Action Plan.

  • Paul Scully – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Scully – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Scully on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on implementing the plan for community pharmacists to access Summary Care Records; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    NHS England is now working with stakeholders to develop guidance and the arrangements for deployment so that all community pharmacists in England have access to the Summary Care Record. As this continues to be rolled out, it will enable more pharmacies to provide increased clinical services, helping to reduce the burden on other health and social care providers.