Tag: Parliamentary Question

Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Altmann on 2016-10-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that workers who are contributing to a workplace pension, and who earn less than £11,000 a year, are able to receive the government contribution to their pension for which they are eligible; and what action they are taking to ensure that such earners are not disadvantaged by losing out on the 25 per cent top-up to which they are entitled.

Lord Young of Cookham

The Pensions Regulator provides guidance to employers on choosing a pension scheme for their staff in order to discharge their statutory obligations under automatic enrolment. This guidance covers the choice between net pay and relief at source schemes, and the implications of net pay schemes for employees who do not pay tax.

The Government’s latest analysis of the eligibility of workers for automatic enrolment was published on 13 October 2016 in ‘Workplace Pensions: Update of analysis on Automatic Enrolment’. Information on age and earnings breakdowns for all workers can be found in table 3a on page 6, and is available in the report titled: Workplace pensions: Update of Analysis on Automatic Enrolment 2016, which is available on the gov.uk website.

The Government does not collect data on the number of workers earning less than the personal allowance who are also members of pension schemes that operate a net pay system. The Government does not hold employee level data on employees enrolled in net pay pension schemes, as such schemes are not obliged to report pension contributions to HM Revenue and Customs. The Government does not therefore hold information on the value of tax reliefs paid out to employees in net pay schemes.

01/01/2023
Biography information for Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Baroness Afshar on 2015-11-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the claim by the Secretary of State for Education that those studying solely arts and humanities subjects will be held back” on students who are

Lord Nash

The government wants all young people to benefit from a broad and balanced education that equips them with the knowledge, skills and character they need to thrive in modern Britain and realise their full potential. Arts and humanities subjects form part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Our expectation is that every child should experience a high quality arts and humanities education. That is why the national curriculum sets the expectation that pupils study these subjects in key stages 1 to 3.

At key stage 4, the government wants to increase the number of pupils who take GCSEs in the EBacc subjects of English, maths, science, history or geography and a language. These are the subjects that give young people the most options in their futures and will help to secure a place at university or in employment.

As the EBacc is a specific, limited measure consisting of five subject pillars and up to eight GCSEs, there is time in the curriculum for most pupils to study other valuable subjects. The proportion of pupils in state-funded schools taking at least one GCSE in an arts subject has increased since the EBacc was first introduced, rising from 46% in 2011 to 50% in 2015.

01/01/2023
Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what binding measures have been agreed at COP21 which commit China and the US to reducing their carbon emissions.

Andrea Leadsom

The 21^st Conference of Parties (CoP) in Paris delivered an historic and unprecedented legally binding agreement that takes a significant step forward towards reducing, on a global scale, the emissions that cause climate change.

For the first time, all countries, including China and the US, are legally bound to: set out their plans to reduce emissions; take domestic mitigation measures towards implementing those plans; revisit those plans every five years in light if a global stocktake of progress towards the long term goal in the Agreement; and report on progress made to implement and achieve these plans and subject their report to independent review and multilateral consideration.

01/01/2023
Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are in place to ensure that illegal migrants to the UK are returned to their country of origin; and whether people deemed by her Department to be illegal migrants are only able to appeal that decision from their country of origin.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office continues to take action at every opportunity to prevent immigration abuse, pursue immigration offenders and increase compliance with immigration law including arresting and returning illegal migrants to their country of origin. The Immigration Act 2014 simplified the appeals system so that an appeal right only arises where a claim raising fundamental rights is refused, namely asylum, humanitarian protection and human rights claims. The Home Office has the power to require an appeal to be brought only once an individual has left the UK where the claim is clearly unfounded and where a person liable to deportation makes a human rights claim and it would not cause serious irreversible harm or otherwise breach human rights to require them to appeal from overseas.

The Immigration Bill seeks to extend the power to require an appeal to be brought from overseas to all human rights claims where an appeal from overseas would not cause serious irreversible harm or otherwise breach human rights. Similar provisions are set out in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 which apply to EEA nationals and their family members.

01/01/2023
Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress NHS England has made on improving cancer survival rates.

Jane Ellison

Cancer survival rates are at a record high and continue to improve. However, we know that we have to strive to be better. The Independent Cancer Taskforce’s report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes (July 2015), recommends improvements across the cancer pathway, and set a clear ambition for further improvement of survival rates.

NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the Taskforce’s recommendations and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE as National Cancer Director to lead on implementation, as well as new cancer vanguards to redesign care and patient experience. A new cross-system Cancer Transformation Board has been established to oversee the implementation of the strategy, and this met for the first time on Monday 25 January. There will also be a Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, to oversee and scrutinise the work of the Transformation Board.

01/01/2023
Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that the six item cognitive impairment test is properly used to diagnose dementia.

Jane Ellison

The diagnosis of dementia is a clinical decision and one which needs to be made by suitably trained clinicians. The six item cognitive impairment test is one of a number of tools used to help and support clinicians when assessing individuals who are considered to have the early signs of dementia. Different tests and diagnosis tools are used by clinicians, dependent on the circumstances which are presented to them.

01/01/2023
Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports that on 11 March 2016 on Palestinian television President Abbas described all of Israel as being an occupation of Palestinian territory.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

While we have not made an assessment of these specific reports, we have urged the leadership of both the Palestinian and Israeli authorities to avoid engaging in, or encouraging, the type of action and language which will make it more difficult to achieve a peaceful negotiated solution to the conflict. Our Consul General in Jerusalem met with President Abbas on 17 March where he raised our concerns on incitement.

01/01/2023

Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current average waiting time is for the completion of pre-employment checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service in (a) England and Wales and (b) London.

Karen Bradley

Performance data relating to April 2016 for the average time taken by the Disclosure and Barring Service to complete Standard and Enhanced applications is listed in the following table.

(a) Based upon applicants living in England or Wales:
Month	Average Turnaround Time in Days
Apr-16	16
(b) Based upon applicants living in London:
Month	Average Turnaround Time in Days
Apr-16	28

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01/01/2023

Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of the outcome of the EU referendum on the eligibility of UK cities applying for the title of 2023 European Capital of Culture.

Matt Hancock

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force.

01/01/2023
Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-10-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of the school curriculum in educating children and young people about health promotion and preventing avoidable chronic disease in later life.

Lord Nash

All schools are required to teach a broadly balanced curriculum that promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and prepares them for adult life.

The national curriculum focuses on the essential knowledge children need so that teachers can design a wider school curriculum that is responsive to the needs of their pupils. This teaching can include a range of topics, including lessons about health and chronic disease. These topics can fall under Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. We have made it clear in the introduction to the national curriculum that all schools should make provision for high quality; age appropriate PSHE.

To help schools plan their provision, the PSHE Association has produced a suggested programme of study for schools to follow, which includes content about ‘Health and Wellbeing’.

01/01/2023