The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding has been allocated to the Illegal Money Lending Units over the next three years.
Nick Boles
A decision on funding allocations for the Illegal Money Lending teams will be taken shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much UK aid will be spent on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative by 2020.
Mr Nick Hurd
The UK is fully committed to polio eradication and is the third largest donor to global polio eradication. By 2019, the UK will have invested more than £900 million on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative since its creation in 1988. Of this £900 million, £85 million is still to be disbursed by 2019.
Polio eradication is poised to be one of the greatest public health success stories of all time and UK support has been critical in bringing us one step closer to the finish line, something people across the country can be immensely proud of.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish details of the Global Challenges research fund announced in the Government strategy paper, UK aid: tackling global challenges in the national interest, published on 23 November 2015.
Joseph Johnson
I will publish further details of the Global Challenges Research Fund alongside allocation of the Science Budget shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-03-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that they have sufficient measures in place to meet any humanitarian need arising from military efforts to liberate Mosul from Daesh.
Baroness Verma
Since June 2014, the UK has committed £79.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Iraq. We are the largest contributor to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund, which can provide rapid disbursements in the event of crises, such as sudden population displacements resulting from military operations. We have funded a contingency planning specialist to work with the Government of Iraq (GOI), Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the UN to support the humanitarian system in responding to needs arising from military efforts to liberate Mosul. This forms part of wider support by the UK to the GOI and KRG’s crisis response centres which have been developing humanitarian contingency plans ahead of any operations in Mosul.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will expand the scope of the Learning Disability Mortality Review to include people with autism and a learning disability.
Alistair Burt
The National Health Service is taking action to reduce premature death by increasing annual health checks for people with learning disabilities, including for those who also have autism. The NHS is working to reduce variation and improve care for physical health conditions that disproportionately impact on people with learning disabilities who also may have autism, including epilepsy and cancer. NHS England has commissioned the world’s first Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to support local areas to review deaths of people with learning disabilities and to use the information to improve service provision. This review programme for people with learning disabilities includes those who also have autism.
Think Autism set out a clear, cross Government programme of action, developed alongside people with autism, their families and carers to improve their lives and reduce premature mortality through better access to healthcare by making adjustments to services. This includes supporting the Royal College of General Practitioners Autism Initiative to improve understanding of autism amongst general practitioners (GPs).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to reach an agreement with political parties in Northern Ireland on how to deal with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
This Government has made more progress on this issue than any of our predecessors and we remain committed to establishing the legacy bodies contained in the Stormont House Agreement.
I have continued to meet representatives from Northern Ireland political parties and victims’ groups to try to build the consensus needed to allow legislation to be brought forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the ease with which people can view algorithms which use their data in the public sector.
Matt Hancock
The Government Office for Science published an evaluation report on Distributed Ledger Technology: beyond block chain on 19 January 2016, which provides an assessment. In addition, the report recommends 8 actions for government to maximise the opportunities and reduce the risks of this new technology. A copy of the report is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492972/gs-16-1-distributed-ledger-technology.pdf
Consumers’ rights with regard to the collection, processing and disclosure of their personal data are governed by the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). The DPA provides rights for individuals in respect of their personal data, including rights in relation to automated decision-making, the right of subject access, the right to prevent processing likely to cause damage or distress compensation for failure to comply with certain of the Act’s requirements, and the right to have data rectified, blocked, erased or otherwise destroyed in certain circumstances.
There have been significant advances in digital technology since the DPA came into force nearly 20 years ago. The Government is reviewing the current regulatory framework to ensure it is fit for purpose for the digital age.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on maintaining the ring-fence on devolved funding for supported housing; and what steps he plans to take to ensure such funding changes in line with future demand for such services.
Gavin Barwell
We announced on 15 September that from 2019/20 there will be a new funding model for supported housing where core rent and services charges will be funded through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit up to the level of the applicable Local Housing Allowance rate.
In acknowledgement of the higher than average costs of offering supported housing accommodation we will devolve an amount of funding for disbursement locally. As we also recognise the need to manage the transition to a new funding regime carefully, this top-up funding will be ring fenced to ensure it continues to support vulnerable people and the amount of top-up funding will be set on the basis of current projections of future need.
We will continue to work with the sector to develop the detail that underpins the new funding model.
Budgets for future years will be determined in the usual way at future Spending Reviews.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.
Greg Clark
Information on the number of full time equivalent firefighter posts for each fire and rescue service and for each year, together with greater detail, is available in the Department’s Fire and Rescue Operational Statistics publication (Table 2 for full time equivalent posts) at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-and-rescue-authorities-operational-statistics
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent comparative assessment he has made of the cost to the public purse of expanding (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick airports.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.
The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.