Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Harris of Haringey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Harris of Haringey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to opt in to the new Europol regulation; and if so, when.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The UK remains a full member of Europol, and because of our Justice and Home Affairs opt-in, we have the option to seek to opt-in to Europol’s new legislative framework that comes into force on 1st May 2017. This option remains open to us while we are a member of the EU. The Government is actively considering whether to opt-in to the new Europol Regulation. We will inform Parliament of our decision in due course in the usual way.

  • Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 10 November (HL3150) about littering, when they expect to (1) start, and (2) complete, the process of seeking the views of local authorities about the size of the fine, the form and content of the penalty notice and exemptions to the keeper’s liability, and other details that need to be finalised before they implement section 54 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    As set out in our manifesto, we will review the case for increasing the fines for littering, and will begin a consultation on this later this year. The outcome of this work will inform the potential level of any civil penalty for littering from a vehicle.

    We plan to begin working with councils early next year to understand better their current enforcement practices and resources, and the barriers to effective enforcement. This will help us to consider the practicalities of implementation of any new regulatory approach (including any necessary exemptions to keepers’ liability). It will also help us to assess the new burdens on councils that would be associated with establishing a new civil penalties regime. Appropriate funding to cover any new burdens would have to be agreed before any regulations can be made.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of the shipping industry on the proposed referendum on membership of the EU.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation of the UK’s EU membership. We have been keeping Parliament informed of our progress and engaging with a range of stakeholders, including business. We are not aware of any approaches made directly from shipping industry representatives.

  • Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Burnham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people had their passports checked on exiting the UK at (a) Dover and (b) all UK airports, seaports and ferry ports in (i) 2013, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015.

    Mrs Theresa May

    Embarkation controls were abolished in two phases in 1994 and 1998, as the paper-based checks were deemed outdated and checks were not carried out on all modes of transport. Consequently the Home Office does not hold the data requested.

    Since April 2015 exit data has been collected by carriers from all scheduled international commercial services departing the UK from air and sea ports and from international rail stations, except those services not within the scope. Departure data is collected by carriers and port operators and transmitted to Home Office systems, where work takes place to match it to arrival data, visa conditions and other information as appropriate.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what financial assistance the Government has granted to medical companies for medical research.

    Joseph Johnson

    In the last five years, Innovate UK has committed over £212 million in support of companies commercialising medical research. This includes helping companies to deliver products and services to support people living independently, funding cost-effective treatments, the development of long-term relief and cures for diseases, and commercialising new medical devices, diagnostics and solutions.

    Additionally, Innovate UK, through its Catapult network, provides business access to leading-edge technology and expertise in Cell and Gene Therapy, Precision Medicine and Medicines Technologies.

    Companies investing in medical research may also be eligible for the Research and Development Tax Credit, which provided £1.75bn of support in 2013/14.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement the six priorities of the Roadmap for Mental Health Research in Europe.

    Ben Gummer

    In their report, published on 15 February, the Mental Health Taskforce recommended that the United Kingdom should aspire to be a world leader in the development and application of new mental health research. The Taskforce also recommended that mental health research should follow the Roadmap for Mental Health Research in Europe, published in September 2015.

    The Taskforce asked specifically that the Department, working with relevant partners, should publish a report by February 2017 setting out a 10 year strategy for mental health research. Departmental officials have already met with the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, the mental health research charity MQ, and other charities to re-establish arrangements for a more determined approach to co-ordination of mental health research. The next meeting is planned to take place in early April, and developing the 10-year strategy will be a key item on the agenda.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who had their entitlement to the personal independent payment enhanced mobility rate removed and then reinstated on appeal were required to return a mobility vehicle or aid before that reinstatement in 2014-15.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. Motability is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme, including collating its own management information. Whilst the Department meets regularly with Motability to discuss scheme performance, questions relating to the details of the scheme’s operation should be directed to Motability itself.

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of consultation processes on the conversion of all schools to academies in the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    Pre-opening support grants are available to schools when they convert. These grants contribute towards the costs of establishing the academy, including legal fees, costs associated with transfer of land, transfer of software licences, the consultation process, Human Resource and Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations advice and setting up the Academy Trust.

    The precise costs will depend on how schools individually and collectively come forward with academy proposals. There will, however, be a range of help available to support schools to become academies and secure the associated benefits.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment she has made of the effect on the UK offshore oil and gas industry workforce of the withdrawal of the Super Puma airframes from commercial operation.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The withdrawal from service of most of the Super Puma helicopter models followed the tragic crash in Norway with the loss of 13 lives on 29 April this year. We are confident that the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board will determine the cause of the crash and that the UK regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, will then decide on the appropriate longer term action to take. It was entirely appropriate for the relevant Super Puma models to be immediately withdrawn from service by the CAA in the light of the circumstances of the accident, and this should have given assurance to the UK offshore oil and gas industry workforce about the regulatory controls in place. Oil and Gas UK, the main trade association for the industry, has formed a Helicopter Resilience Group with members from industry to discuss how logistics can be managed more effectively.

  • Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Will Quince on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the NHS of dispensed but unused prescription drugs.

    David Mowat

    Information is not held centrally on the annual cost or amount of dispensed but unused prescription drugs in the National Health Service.

    The Department commissioned the York Health Economics Consortium and the School of Pharmacy at the University of London to carry out research to determine the scale, causes and costs of waste medicines in England. The report, Evaluation of the Scale, Causes and Costs of Waste Medicines, was published on 23 November 2010. This found that the gross cost of unused prescription medicines in primary and community care in the NHS in England in 2009 was £300 million a year and that up to £150 million of this was avoidable.

    NHS England is currently working with the Department and the NHS Business Services Authority to consider how value can best be obtained from the use of medicines, both in terms of patient outcomes and financial implications. This work, along with the medicines optimisation programme, will help ensure best value for both taxpayers and patients.