Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government plans to take in response to the Sixth Report of the Public Accounts Committee, HM Revenue and Customs performance in 2014-15, HC 393.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) recognise that their customer service has not been good enough, and have taken major steps to improve. This includes recruiting 3,000 new staff into customer service roles, available outside normal office hours when many of their customers choose to call.

    These steps have started to make a difference. This month, HMRC have answered more than 80% of calls, and average queue times are now around 10 minutes.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with (a) Talk Talk and (b) other internet service providers on measures that can be taken to prevent breaches of security relating to customer data.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    My Departmenthas been in contact with TalkTalk from the early stages of this incident, but this remains primarily a matter for the company itself and for law enforcement

    This Governmenttakes issues of customer data protection very seriously, andhas regular discussions with internet service providers and telecommunications companies on the resilience and security of services. I recently wrote to FTSE 350 companies to remind them of the steps the Government expects them to take and the robust procedures businesses need to have in place. I also invited them to take part in the Government’s annual Cyber Governance Health Check to help companies understand and improve their level of cyber security.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current status of the Big Society programme; which department and Minister is responsible for it; what projects are currently active; what is the budget for each of those projects; what changes have taken place to the programme since the general election; and what procedures are in place to report to Parliament on the programme.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Big Society programme remains a key manifesto commitment for the Government. The 2015 Spending Review saw this commitment reaffirmed with, for example, funding for the National Citizen Service increased to over a £1 billion creating the next generation of community minded volunteers. An additional £100 million in funding for Social Impact Bonds has also been pledged to reduce demand on public services. These programmes are helping to create a stronger, more engaged nation where people and neighbourhoods are able to take greater responsibility with improving the country.

    These programmes are regularly reviewed and reports are publicly available.

  • Graham Brady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Graham Brady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Brady on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria he plans that local authorities will be expected to meet in order to justify bus franchising in their areas; and whether he plans that assessment will be subject to independent assessment.

    Andrew Jones

    The Buses Bill will introduce new powers for local authorities to franchise their local bus services. The Bill is still being drafted and it is therefore too early to confirm the detail of the process that may be proposed through the Bill.

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the average increase in rail fares over the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    All fares increased on average by 5% in real terms between 2010 and 2015, compared to 11.3% between 2005 to 2010.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the measures in place in each EU member state to tackle nationality-based pay discrimination against seafarers.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In 2015 my officials contacted all of the EU member states with a maritime sector to determine how they approached this issue. The responses we received suggested that the general approach harmonised closely with our own.

    To seek information from a broader base, as part of the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (currently being undertaken by my department) social partners have been surveyed about any evidence they may have which would indicate that nationality-based pay discrimination is prohibited in other member states. This review is due for publication in summer 2016.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which coal-fired power stations are either currently producing electricity or are on standby to do so if the need arises; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The following coal fired power stations currently retain Transmission Entry Capacity and are therefore capable of supplying electricity into the wholesale market when it is economic for them to do so: Aberthaw B, Cottam, Drax (units 1,4,5 & 6), Fiddler’s Ferry (units 1,2 & 3) Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Uskmouth, West Burton and Rugeley. The owner of Rugeley has announced its intention to close the station by the end of June 2016.

    Eggborough and Fiddler’s Ferry (unit 1) are currently part of National Grid’s Supplementary Balancing Reserve, and are capable of supplying electricity if the need arises.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of the report entitled Quality, safety and management assurance review at Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust, published by Capsticks Solicitors LLP on 22 March 2016; and what discussions her Department has had with the National Offender Management Service on the findings of that report on prisoner health services.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    NHS Improvement is establishing an independent investigation into the failings reported by Capsticks at Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust. We await the investigation report and will consider its findings carefully. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is committed to learning from these investigations alongside NHS England. When it became evident that prison healthcare services at HMP Liverpool needed improvement, NOMS officials worked closely in risk summits with NHS England, and from January 2015 Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust with Lancashire Foundation NHS Trust replaced Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust as the health service provider at HMP Liverpool.

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

    James Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Davies on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on increasing the ability of GP practices in North Wales to attract locums since the Government responded to the Third Report of the Welsh Affairs Committee of Session 2014-15, HC 404, on Cross-border health arrangements between England and Wales.

    David Mowat

    The ability of general practitioner practices in North Wales to attract locums is a matter for the Welsh Government, since health and health services are devolved subjects.

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria were attached to the granting of a grant to the Wave Trust to fund the Pioneer Communities Project.

    Greg Hands

    The Government announced at Autumn Statement 2014 funding for the Department for Education for an “Early intervention pilot for 0-2 year olds – to pilot a new approach to ensure that the most effective early intervention actions are taken during a child’s earliest years, to prevent avoidable problems later.”

    This measure was to be delivered by the Department for Education, who worked with a number of stakeholders including Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Wave Trust and the Early Intervention Foundation to identify options to deliver the project.

    As no contract has been signed for this measure, in June 2015 the Department for Education undertook not to proceed with the measure in this financial year.