Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to raise awareness of tax-free childcare with parents before that scheme is launched in early 2017.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government will publicise the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme in good time ahead of its introduction through a range of digital and print channels. HMRC will also work with the childcare industry and representative groups who interact regularly with parents to raise awareness of the scheme.

    HM Revenue and Customs is developing an online childcare calculator to help parents understand their eligibility for government childcare support. From early 2017, parents of the youngest children will be able to enter the scheme first, with all eligible parents brought in by the end of 2017. Parents will not be able to open childcare accounts prior to the launch of the scheme.

    TFC will be straightforward and quick to apply online for the vast majority of parents. We estimate that up to 9% of the families eligible for the scheme of that population may have issues with either accessing or using the internet. HM Revenue and Customs will ensure that assistance is provided, usually by telephone, so these families do not miss out on the support available.

    Tax-Free Childcare is part of the wider government childcare offer which will be worth over £6Bn per annum and together provide generous support to families on all levels of income.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Russian Ambassador on the health of Vladimir Bukovsky; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    There have been no discussions between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Russian Ambassador about Mr Bukovsky’s health.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons are for his policy on women requiring different advice to men on levels of calorie intake yet being given the same advice on their levels of alcohol intake.

    Jane Ellison

    Before the publication of the new Chief Medical Officer’s alcohol guidelines, the guidelines had not been revised for over 20 years; the up to date evidence used to update the low risk guidelines does not support a gender difference.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on the self-esteem of female hospital staff of having to wear a uniform.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department has not assessed the effect on the self-esteem of female hospital staff having to wear uniform.

    There is advice available to hospitals on the NHS Employers website via the following links:

    http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/plan/building-a-diverse-workforce/need-to-know/dress-codes-and-discrimination

    http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/plan/building-a-diverse-workforce/need-to-know/wearing-face-veils-in-the-workplace

    “

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to address variations in stroke care and treatment across England.

    David Mowat

    The Sentinel Stroke National Audit programme (SSNAP) continuously monitors the quality of stroke care across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Audit results are returned to providers so that they can identify areas for improvement.

    There is good evidence that providing detailed information in a timely way has enabled the quality of stoke care to steadily improve. Since the introduction of SSNAP nearly four years ago when no teams scored an ‘A’, there are now units achieving this level, indicating excellent care. The National Clinical Director for Stroke, in association with the clinical networks, continues to work with hospitals to support those in need of improvement.

    NHS England is aware that the provision of stroke care in the community remains an area that has not progressed as quickly as hospital care. However, providing data to teams and working with the clinical commissioning groups to ensure that appropriate services are commissioned should help to improve care.

    In August this year, NHS England’s Medical Director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, and Professor Anthony Rudd, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for stroke, met with Juliet Bouverie, the Chief Executive of the Stroke Association to discuss issues of common interest. Additionally, Professor Rudd meets regularly with various members of staff of the Stroke Association to ensure that the views of the charity are heard and understood. Departmental officials have also met with the Stroke Association.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the potential sale of information stolen during the cyber-security breach of the Government Gateway system.

    Matthew Hancock

    To date the security reports on the Government Gateway system do not show a cyber-security breach.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training her Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps she has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The Family Test has been integrated into the Department’s impact assessment process. Workshops are being scheduled to further assist staff in understanding how to apply the guidance introduced for the Family Test issued by the Department for Work and Pensions.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the Government plans to adapt implementation of the apprenticeships levy for different sectors.

    Nick Boles

    The apprenticeship levy will apply to both the private and public sectors. We understand that employers in sectors where a levy is already in place will want clarity on what the introduction of an apprenticeships levy means for them. We will publish further details in due course.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what further steps she is taking to ensure that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Syria can be resettled in the UK through (a) the Gateway Protection Programme, (b) the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, (c) the Mandate Refugee Scheme and (d) other schemes or programmes.

    James Brokenshire

    Since the launch of the expanded Syrian Resettlement Scheme last September, we have resettled more than 1000 vulnerable Syrians, around half of whom are children.

    On 28th January the Government announced further initiatives to assist unaccompanied children in the region. The initiatives will complement the very significant existing aid and assistance the UK has given in response to the Syrian conflict and migration crisis; including our existing resettlement programmes.

    As announced last week, the Government will work with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to lead a new initiative to identify and resettle unaccompanied children in the exceptional cases where it is in the child’s best interests to do so. The UK Government is working with UNHCR to establish the numbers and specific needs of these unaccompanied children in order to establish a resettlement process which best addresses the requirements of these vulnerable children.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of donations to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations she expects the UK’s share to be at the end of the 2016 to 2020 funding period.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Based on pledges made at Gavi’s replenishment conference in January 2015, the UK share of the total budget for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, from 2016 to 2020 will be 26%. However, I expect that this level may vary according to other donor pledges.

    Since 2000, Gavi has vaccinated half a billion children and saved 7 million lives. The UK pledge of £1 billion for the 2016 to 2020 period, by itself, is likely to vaccinate an additional 76 million children and save 1.4 million lives.