Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he plans for the £300 million allocated for cycling in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 to be the sole source of funding for the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy; and how much of that allocation he plans to spend on cycling.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy will be published by summer 2016, with a statement of funds available beforehand.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many press and public relations staff are employed by his Department; how many of those employees paid more than (a) £50,000 and (b) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and public relations by his Department in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    David Mundell

    The Scotland Office currently employs five press and public relations staff. Three members of staff are paid more than £50,000 and no staff were paid more than £100,000.

    The total cost of permanent Press and Public Relations staff in 2014/15 was £348,895.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many qualified counsellors worked in child and adult mental health services in each of the last three years.

    Alistair Burt

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Government has published three papers which explain why the UK, including Northern Ireland, would be stronger, safer and better off remaining as a member of a reformed EU. The papers are available at www.gov.uk/publications.

    “

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions Public Health England has had with NHS England on the commissioning of school nurses offering level one paediatric continence services since the transfer of school nurse commissioning responsibilities to local authorities.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England is a member of NHS England’s Complex Health Needs Board, which discusses matters such as continence support through school nurses.

    As continence services fall outside of the public health grant, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have responsibility for commissioning continence services and will have discussions with local partners regarding commissioning within the school nursing service. Public Health England’s communication with NHS England has been to stress the importance of promoting this partnership approach by CCGs to ensure that local school nursing services are able to incorporate appropriate levels of continence support.

  • Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 11 May (HL8207), what representations they have made about the conditions under which political prisoners are held in Azerbaijan, particularly in the light of the reported assault of Ilgar Mammadov by prison guards in October 2015, and the June 2016 judgment by the European Court of Human Rights that the Azerbaijani authorities failed to provide adequate medical care to Leila and Arif Yunus during their imprisonment on political grounds.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK raises concerns about the conditions under which political prisoners are held in Azerbaijan at every appropriate opportunity. Our Embassy in Baku has requested to visit a number of prisoners, but the authorities have not yet granted permission. In the Council of Europe, we regularly call for more information on Ilgar Mammadov’s condition.

  • Lord Snape – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Snape – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Snape on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many motorists have been prosecuted for the inconsiderate use of the middle lane on the motorway network since the announcement that the police would take appropriate action to discourage such behaviour.

    Earl of Courtown

    This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Children’s Society, The cost of being care free, published in June 2016, if he will take steps to provide additional protection for care leavers to reduce the number of benefits sanctions being applied to such people.

    Damian Hinds

    Our primary goal is to help care leavers get into work wherever possible and our interventions are tailored to achieve this. Care leavers aged between 18 and 21 have the opportunity to join the Work Programme from day one of their benefit claim, so that they receive tailored, locally-appropriate employment support at the earliest opportunity. We also provide additional support, over and above the standard Jobcentre Plus offer, to young claimants, including care leavers, aged 18-24. Work Coaches tailor interventions to the needs of the individual to address a variety of barriers to work, including improving job search skills, referral to skills and other work-related training such as Traineeships, Apprenticeships and work experience.

    We have safeguards in place for care leavers along with other claimants who may be considered vulnerable. Work Coaches support all claimants with complex needs, or who require additional support, to ensure that they fully understand what they have been asked to do to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services.

    Care leavers, like all claimants, take ownership of planning how they will meet their requirements and ultimately secure employment. They will be supported by their Work Coach who will assist them in meeting their requirements through providing encouragement and direction, using a range of communication methods.

  • Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will designate Egypt as a country of concern in the next FCO annual report on human rights and democracy.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Foreign and Commonwealth reviewed the use of the designation “countries of concern” earlier this year. We now highlight “human rights priority countries” that we wish to work positively with wherever possible to improve their human rights trajectory.

    Our criteria in designating a human rights priority country is an evidence-based assessment. We utilise internationally respected indicators and indices, such as the UN Gender Inequality Index and the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, to form our assessments. Once we have the relevant data, we will take informed decisions as to which countries will be human rights priority countries in 2016.

  • Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the rationale is for setting the interest rate on the repayment of student loans under the new system at three per cent.

    Joseph Johnson

    Interest rates on student loans vary according to a number of factors, including a borrower’s level of earnings, and whether they remain in contact with the Student Loans Company to ensure they are repaying when they are eligible to do so.

    The maximum interest rate for the post-2012 system is the Retail Price Index (RPI) figure plus 3%. The maximum rate applies whilst the borrower is studying; is the maximum interest rate for those borrowers earning £41,000 and over; and is the default interest rate for those borrowers who fail to keep in touch with the Student Loans Company.

    Once a borrower is due to repay, a variable rate of interest will be charged, which is dependent upon income. Borrowers with an income of £21,000 or less will accrue interest at RPI. For a borrower with income greater than £21,000, a real rate of interest will be tapered in, reaching a maximum of RPI plus 3% at an income of £41,000 or more.