Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 15 December 2015 to Questions 18901 and 18902, what the source is of the statement that 71 of the 131 neonatal critical care services now meet required staffing ratios; and if he will place a copy of the source document in the Library.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS England has used the Women and Children’s Derogation report to describe compliance against staffing ratios.

    The source document is attached.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the third progress report on the promotion and use of energy from renewable sources for the UK, when his Department plans to consult on the future shape of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation scheme.

    Andrew Jones

    We expect to consult later this year on amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation scheme.

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many businesses have signed agreements with the Business Growth Service in each local authority area in the UK.

    Anna Soubry

    The attached table shows the number of businesses that have signed agreements with the Business Growth Service in each local authority area in the UK since the service launched in December 2014.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, how much it costs to post a franked envelope from the House of Commons.

    Tom Brake

    The cost of postage for a bespoke DL sized pre-paid envelope, supplied to Members through the House provided stationery budget, is as follows:

    1st class – £0.64
    2nd class – £0.55

    The cost of postage on a pre-paid envelope is the same as a stamp. Franked mail, used by departments of the House, is cheaper than pre-paid envelopes as franking is paid for in bulk and in advance which generates a slight discount to the price; costs are:

    1st Class small envelope under 100g – £0.52
    2nd Class small envelope under 100g – £0.39

    1st Class large envelope under 100g – £0.81
    2nd Class large envelope under 100g – £0.65

    However, there are restrictions on where this can be sent from. 30 items or less can be sent from a standard post box but must be bundled and separated from standard mail; in excess of 30 items must be sent via a Post Office, Royal Mail Centre or Delivery Office or Business Post Box.

    The list below details the different postage costs for envelopes which are available to Members through the bespoke stationery catalogue.

    HC23-244S

    £0.55

    HC23-245

    £0.55

    HC23-146S

    £0.64

    HC23-246S

    £0.55

    HC23-147S

    £0.64

    HC23-247S

    £0.55

    HC23-149WS

    £0.64

    HC23-249WS

    £0.55

    HC23-150

    £5.50

    HC23-151

    £2.85

    HC228

    £0.55

    HC129

    £1.27

    HC229

    £1.20

    HC130

    £1.27

    HC230

    £1.20

    HC3-16

    £0.64

    HC85

    £0.55

    HC86A

    £0.55

    HC23-146EU

    £1.05

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of what constitutes a safe level of exposure of electromagnetic fields from mobile telephone use for (a) the population as a whole and (b) young people.

    Jane Ellison

    Government policy is that exposures to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones should comply with the guidelines on limiting exposures from the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Public Health England keeps the evidence relevant to this policy under review and published a comprehensive review of the evidence prepared by its independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation in 2012. Acute and long-term effects of high frequency exposure from the use of mobile phones have been studied extensively without showing any conclusive evidence of adverse health effects. The ICNIRP website can be found at:

    http://www.icnirp.org

    “

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 34094, if he will provide examples of what his Department might consider an adequate justification for clinical commissioning groups not investing in mental health services as planned.

    Alistair Burt

    The Mental Health Taskforce report was published on 15 February 2016. The taskforce marks a big step towards our ambition of parity of esteem for mental and physical health. The spending of clinical commissioning group (CCG) resources on mental health as indicated in proportionate increases to general CCG spending is a priority for the Department.

    Mental Health Parity of Esteem is a key plan metric for NHS England and any commissioners not planning to achieve this are being scrutinised locally at regional level and centrally at director level. NHS England’s central and regional teams are working with local commissioners to assure that spend on mental health services increases in line with the growth in each organisations programme allocation other than in exceptional circumstances.

    In assessing whether a case is exceptional, consideration is made of the level of medium term investment in mental health services by individual commissioners and instances where individual commissioners are working with other commissioners to increase spend for the wider health economy. But any such instances will require clear evidence that will be scrutinised as part of the assurance process.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with local authorities on the definition of higher value for the purposes of sales of higher value council homes under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

    Brandon Lewis

    There has been extensive engagement with local authorities about the policy on higher value vacant local authority housing, which has included discussion about the definition of higher value. All local authorities that hold a Housing Revenue Account have been invited to at least one of the following events:

    – a ministerial meeting with local authority members and officers;
    – a local authority Chief Executive discussion with the Permanent Secretary;
    – a round table discussion between officials of local authorities and DCLG.

    Additionally, a working group comprising local authorities and other stakeholders has provided technical advice on the policy.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the change in the time taken to process minor planning applications between 2010 and 2015; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the change.

    Gavin Barwell

    The Technical consultation on the implementation of planning changes, published in February 2016, set out our proposals for expanding the approach to improving planning performance in the processing of planning applications. We are considering responses received.

    We want to raise performance, so we are extending the designation regime – which has improved processing time on major planning applications – to minor planning applications.

    The attached table shows the performance in time taken to process major and minor planning applications.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the availability of staff and resources in prisons to enable (a) Christian, (b) Muslim and (c) Jewish religious services to take place.

    Andrew Selous

    Prisons are required to facilitate and enable religious services for all faiths. The availability of staff and resources to do this is kept under review locally. In addition, chaplaincy Headquarters advisers conduct annual assurance and compliance visits to monitor compliance. Advisers will make recommendations as appropriate and work with prisons to resolve any outstanding issues.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what consultation his Department carried out with (a) students and their representative bodies and (b) other people and bodies before announcing that university maintenance grants would be abolished.

    Joseph Johnson

    I refer the Hon Member to my reply to the hon Member for Newport West to question UIN 11271.

    “