The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Attorney General, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.
Jeremy Wright
The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and whenever appropriate the Law Officers’ Departments would follow that guidance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many sexual assault referral centres offer therapeutic services for (a) adults and (b) children under 18.
Jane Ellison
The independent review of pathways for victims of sexual assault was commissioned by NHS England. Work on next steps, including production of a summary report, is ongoing.
Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) service models vary from area to area, dependant on the commissioning decisions taken by police and Police and Crime Commissioners in partnership with their NHS England commissioners. Data on the numbers of SARCs offering therapeutic services is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries offer extended opening hours.
Alistair Burt
We are committed to transforming general practice, and ensuring general practitioner (GP) services are available seven days a week by 2020. Of the total 7,875 GP surgeries in England, over 2,500 practices are involved in the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund and are currently offering improved access, including extended hours, to around 17 million patients according to the latest figures.
Additionally, the Extended Hours Directed Enhanced Service (DES), in place since 2008/09, is a way that GP practices are incentivised to offer extended access through the contract. 5,875 practices received a payment for 2014/15, totalling £83.984 million. Practices providing this DES could also be taking part in the GP Access Fund. Key requirements include the provision of additional clinical sessions (routine appointments including emergency appointments), provided outside of core contracted hours, in keeping with patient preference.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-02-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take to engage with (a) industry bodies and (b) trades unions on the sourcing of steel for equipment procured by his Department from UK suppliers.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Government is committed to implementing measures to address any barriers that prevent UK steel suppliers from competing effectively for public sector contracts. To that end, new guidelines for departments on sourcing and buying steel for major projects were published in October 2015. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has written to its largest defence contractors to highlight these guidelines, which emphasise the importance of pre-market engagement, including through industry days and signalling future pipelines for steel.
The MOD would not routinely meet with trades unions on this type of issue and has not received any representations. It has met with the UK steel industry through its membership of the Cabinet Office Steel Procurement Working Group. This group is looking to ensure that UK steel suppliers can compete on a level playing field with international suppliers on major projects.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he plans to take to ensure that people who lost money to Ecohouse Development Ltd will receive compensation.
Anna Soubry
The activities of the company are subject to an ongoing investigation by the Insolvency Service. The outcome of that investigation may influence the likelihood of a civil recovery using existing provisions in insolvency legislation.
Where, on the application of the liquidator, the court is satisfied that the business of a company has been carried on fraudulently or recklessly, the court can declare that persons such as directors of the company are liable to contribute to the company’s assets.
In addition, for future cases a new measure in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 enables the Secretary of State to seek a compensation order from a disqualified director (this measure does not apply in this case as the legislation only came into force after the company went into liquidation).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-04-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why NHS England does not intend to reimburse some sexual health clinics for the provision of post-exposure prophylaxis.
Lord Prior of Brampton
NHS England has advised that it is not changing its commissioning policy in relation to post exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE). However, NHS England is aiming to produce guidance to clarify how contractual arrangement for PEPSE can work in sexual health services that are no longer provided by the National Health Service and or have no experience of prescribing of antiretroviral drugs to enable appropriate levels of monitoring for quality and safety. NHS England remains committed to reimbursement for the appropriate use of PEPSE.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to encourage the promotion of LGBT rights through its work with recipients of UK aid.
Mr Desmond Swayne
‘DFID’s approach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights’ was published in February 2016 on the UK Government website. It outlines how DFID will focus on building clarity and narrative around non-discrimination in development and identifying and engaging with the Southern voices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-07-07.
To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what facilities are available for (a) lactating mothers and (b) the changing of babies within churches in the Diocese of Blackburn (i) during church services and (ii) at other times.
Mrs Caroline Spelman
The Child Friendly Church Award, now achieved by well over 100 churches in the Diocese of Blackburn, places children at the centre of the worship & ministry of our parish churches. This ensures that mothers who wish to breastfeed will find a warm welcome and adequate provision in these churches. We are grateful to the honourable member for the interest he continues to take in the detailed domestic affairs of the parishes of the diocese. I would encourage him to take this up with the Bishop in his own diocese with regard to making progress at a local level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-10-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the budget of the UK Trade Office in Raleigh, North Carolina for (1) 2016–17, and (2) 2017–18.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government Office in Raleigh will be run by the member of staff hired locally in the US. Costs are expected to be low and limited to salary, office space rental and discretionary budget for travel and representational activities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the Resource Account and Budgeting charge of outstanding debt which will be written off for 24+ Advanced Learner Loans in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.
Nick Boles
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) models the proportion of loans which we expect will not be repaid – the resource accounting and budgeting charge (RAB charge). The RAB charge is estimated to be 50% in 2013-14 and 55% in 2014-15. BIS is collecting data on learners as it emerges and based on this data we regularly review and update the RAB charge estimate.
We publish the RAB charge once a year in BIS’ accounts.