Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2016 to 21399, what steps she has taken related to migrants in France who wish to seek international protection in the UK and not in France.

    James Brokenshire

    As informed in the response to 21399 the Government continues to work closely with France on a range of migration and security issues and we have no plans to change this constructive approach. The French Government remains committed to meeting its EU and international obligations and the opening of new places in its asylum system for those that claim asylum in Calais demonstrates this. The UK and French Governments are unified in their response to the migratory phenomenon and both governments recognise the importance of close partnership and collaboration to reach a long-term solution.

    A person requiring international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country that they reach, a principle which is reflected in the Dublin Regulation. Any migrant currently in France who wishes to seek international protection should do so in France. The UK will consider a request from France to take responsibility of an asylum applicant on the basis of the family unity provisions contained in the Dublin Regulation if there are grounds to do so. A person must claim asylum in France before a responsibility request can be made and considered.

  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current average length of a local authority secure tenancy.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Information is not held centrally on the length of life time local authority tenancies. The English Housing Survey showed that in 2013/14 the average time that local authority tenants had lived in their current home was just over 12 and a half years.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he made before his announcement in the Autumn Statement 2015 of the potential effect on revenues to the public purse of changes to personal injury law and procedure; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    It is too early to say what the impact will be since this is still work in progress. The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are required to take action on education and early years settings that intentionally exclude disabled children and do not meet their legal duties to such children under the Equality Act 2010.

    Edward Timpson

    Promoting equality in education settings is a priority for this Government. In combination with our guidance to schools on managing medical conditions, the Equality Act 2010 provides a broad basis for ensuring that disabled pupils are included and supported to achieve their full potential.

    The Equality Act requires all schools (whether maintained or academy) to produce an accessibility plan. These plans ensure that all aspects of school life are accessible to disabled pupils. The Act also requires Local Authorities to produce accessibility strategies with the same aims as the school-level plan, but with different coverage. There is no evidence of schools or early years settings systematically refusing to accept disabled children. However, we do take action where individual cases are brought to our attention.

    Our Early Implementer Package for the new extended childcare offer will include testing how we can improve access for children with SEN and disabilities. This will provide critical information before the national rollout.

    Any exclusions from school must be lawful, reasonable and fair. Schools have a legal duty not to discriminate against a pupil because of a protected characteristic. The statutory guidance on exclusion emphasises the importance of early intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour, including an assessment of whether suitable provision is in place to support any SEN or disability a pupil may have. It also states that headteachers should, as far as possible, avoid excluding permanently any pupil with a statement of SEN.

    In certain circumstances, governing bodies must review head teachers’ decisions to exclude and have the power to reinstate a pupil. Where a governing body upholds a permanent exclusion, parents can request that the decision is reviewed by an independent review panel. However, the governing body has the final say on whether the pupil can return to the school. Parents can request that a SEN expert provides impartial advice to the panel.

    Parents can also make a claim to the First-tier Tribunal (SEN and Disabilities) when it is alleged that an exclusion relates to disability discrimination. The Tribunal has the power to order the pupil’s reinstatement.

    When Ofsted inspect a school and look at the behaviour management policies they can also consider whether the school is disproportionately excluding pupils with disabilities and can use this to inform their assessment.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans his Department has to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Alexander Thomson in 2017.

    David Mundell

    Alexander “Greek” Thomson is one of the most important and original architects of the nineteenth century. Many of his exceptional neo-classical buildings still grace the city of Glasgow, which was Thomson’s home from boyhood. One such is ‘Holmwood,’ in the hon Member’s constituency, which is described by the Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture as ‘a sumptuous villa at once Classical and Picturesque.’ While I am not aware of any formal plans to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Thomson’s birth, my officials have been in touch with various organisations to discuss the bicentenary, and I would be happy to meet the hon Member to discuss any suggestions he has.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the mechanisms in place for patients to pursue complaints against dentists who leave the country before the General Dental Council can investigate.

    Ben Gummer

    The General Dental Council (GDC) is an independent statutory body. As the regulator of all registered dentists it has the power to take fitness to practise action, and investigate any complaints made against a dentist who is currently registered with the GDC. The Professional Standards Authority conducts annual reviews of the GDC’s fitness to practise process, to ensure it meets the set professional standards. The Dental Complaints Service, run by the GDC, can assist in resolving complaints raised about private dental treatment provided by all GDC registered dentists in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, if a dentist is registered with the GDC, the GDC has the power to investigate that dentist, whether they are in the UK or not. Therefore, if a dentist is registered with the GDC and was working in the UK but returned to their home country, the GDC would be able to take action. If the dentist does not hold a current registration with the GDC, the GDC cannot investigate further, but an unregistered dentist, whether they have a complaint against them or not, cannot practise in the UK, which ensures UK patient safety, and maintains professional standards.

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many supported housing providers in (a) Birmingham, Erdington constituency and (b) the West Midlands will be affected by the local housing allowance cap on supported housing.

    Caroline Nokes

    The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.

    Full impact and equality impact assessments will be undertaken in due course.

  • Gill Furniss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gill Furniss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gill Furniss on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the number of job offers made to people with 3C Leave and subsequently withdrawn by employers (a) unwilling to use and (b) unaware of the Employer Checking Service in the last 12 months.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We do not hold this information.

  • Jessica Morden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jessica Morden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jessica Morden on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of standard passport applications made in the last six months were processed within three weeks.

    James Brokenshire

    Between 1 May 2015 and 31 October 2015, 96% of UK standard applications processed by Her Majesty’s Passport Office were done so within 3 weeks.

  • Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether hospitals will incur financial penalties if they breach performance standards as a result of the suspended industrial action on 1 December 2015.

    Ben Gummer

    In the normal course of events, a hospital which misses a key national standard (such as the 18-week referral to treatment waiting time standard or the six-week diagnostic wait standard) will incur a mandatory financial sanction applied by its commissioners, as set out in the NHS Standard Contract.

    However, the Contract also includes a ‘Force Majeure’ clause (General Condition 28) which would, in principle, apply to planned industrial action. Under this clause, a provider is able to claim relief from its liabilities under the Contract, to the extent that an event outside of its reasonable control has directly caused it to fail to meet its contractual obligations.

    Therefore, if a hospital were to breach an operational standard for the month, but could demonstrate to the commissioner that:

    * this was solely and directly due to the action it had reasonably taken in anticipation of the industrial action proceeding; and

    * it had done everything reasonable to mitigate the impact of its actions on achievement of the standard in that month

    then the commissioner could set aside the sanction for that month.

    If the breach of the standard was only partly due to the impact of the planned industrial action, only the relevant proportion of the sanction would be set aside.