Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the implications for his policies are of the finding of the National Audit Office in its recent report, Contracted-out health and disability assessments, HC 609, of 5 January 2016, that his Department is spending more on fit-for-work assessments than it is saving since reforming health and disability assessments.

    Priti Patel

    The purpose of the Work Capability Assessment is to assess fairly and accurately entitlement to benefit, not to generate savings.

    We have commissioned independent reviews which have all concluded that the assessment regimes for health related benefits remain fit for purpose.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they did not respond to correspondence sent by the UN Panel of Experts, as listed in UN Security Council Report S/2015/131; and whether they have investigated the actions of Princess Yachts International in the light of the sighting of the Princess 95MY yacht in North Korea in 2013.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government fully cooperated with the Panel of Experts on this matter. Following a request to the Government for assistance, the Panel were put in direct contact with Princess Yachts International to follow up on their investigations.

  • Alison McGovern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison McGovern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of recent changes to benefits on levels of child poverty.

    Priti Patel

    The intended impact of the tax and benefit reforms introduced in the Summer Budget and Autumn Statement is to incentivise work, ensure work always pays, and to allow people to keep more of what they earn.

    The Government is committed to working to eliminate child poverty and improving life chances for children.

    Our new Life Chances measures will drive continued action on work and education, which will make the biggest difference to disadvantaged children, now and in the future.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to respond to the recommendations in Implementing the Family Test, a review of progress one year on by Relate, the Relationships Foundation and the Family and Childcare Trust.

    Baroness Altmann

    DWP welcome the Family Test, a review of progress one year on by Relate, the Relationships Foundation and the Family and Childcare Trust. We will consider the findings of the report in the next phase of our Government wide strategy to improve the embedding and implementation of the family test.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been referred to the NHS for remedial treatments for scarring and pain after laser hair treatment in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-07-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, what measures they plan to take to ensure continued UK access to grants from Horizon 2020.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The UK economy is fundamentally strong and our research and innovation are world-leading. The UK’s decision to leave the EU has no immediate effect on the right of researchers to apply or to participate in Horizon 2020 as the UK is still an EU member state. UK participants can continue to apply to the programme in the usual way. The Commission has made a public statement on its website to this effect. The future of UK access to European research and innovation funding will be determined as part of wider discussions with the EU.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will take steps to ensure that storage or disposal of nuclear waste is compliant with the obligations outlined in Article 29 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    Jesse Norman

    The storage and disposal of radioactive waste in the UK is, and will continue to be, carried out in accordance with the requirements of national and international law.

  • Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect of the National Grid’s assumption of electricity supply from interconnectors increasing from 0GW to 1GW of electricity at the same time as electricity margins on the continent shrink on the UK being able to import electricity at times of peak demand.

    Andrea Leadsom

    National Grid makes an assessment of the extent to which all GB interconnectors can be relied upon to provide electricity to GB when needed. The assumptions around electricity imports are informed by an assessment of connected markets, including consideration of their electricity margins, the wider network to which they are connected and the chance of coincident scarcity with the connected markets.

    Beyond these market arrangements, should GB need additional support, it is also possible for National Grid as the System Operator to call upon interconnectors at a time of system stress.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether part-time students applying for maintenance support from 2018-19 will continue to be eligible for benefits.

    Joseph Johnson

    Eligibility criteria and specific rules of the scheme will be set out as part of the consultation.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will amend guidance to planning authorities in order to strengthen their advice on (1) measures for the prevention and alleviation of flooding when determining planning applications, including off-site improvement works funded by section 106 obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy; (2) effective sustainable drainage systems; and (3) restrictions on building on flood plains and other sites with a high liability to flooding.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We already have clear, robust planning policy and guidance on flood risk in place. There are strict tests in the National Planning Policy Framework to protect people and property from flooding which all local planning authorities are expected to follow, underpinned by our on-line planning practice guidance.

    The Framework is clear that through their Local Plans and planning decisions, local planning authorities should avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. They should develop policies to manage flood risk from all sources and look to safeguard land from development that is required for flood management. They should also use opportunities offered by new development to reduce the causes and impacts of flooding. The Framework makes clear that new development should not increase flood risk elsewhere. In areas at risk of flooding, the Framework states the development should only be considered appropriate where it gives priority to the use of sustainable drainage systems.

    Planning law requires that planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Framework is a material consideration in planning decisions.

    Updated planning guidance is designed to support local planning authorities in the effective implementation of these policies. This includes guidance on sustainable drainage systems which was strengthened last year and the use of mitigation measures to make development safe. Where appropriate, local planning authorities can secure off-site works through planning obligations or the Community Infrastructure Levy. We have made very clear in the guidance that where the Framework’s tests to protect people and property from flooding are not met new development should not be allowed.