Tag: Parliamentary Question

Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they or the EU plan to produce a simple guide to the Dublin III Regulations for potential applicants for asylum and their advisers; and if so, whether that guide will be made available, at least in English and French, at refugee camps in Calais and Dunkirk, and at other points of entry into the EU.

Lord Bates

In line with the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August 2015, the UK and France have increased the frequency of joint communications campaigns which involve speaking to migrants in Calais and Dunkirk to inform them of their options and providing advice on their rights to claim asylum in France. This includes speaking to vulnerable people and those who claim a link to family members in the UK. But we are very clear that the primary responsibility for the welfare and treatment of migrants in Calais lies with the French authorities.

A leaflet detailing the Dublin III Regulations is provided to applicants who have claimed asylum in France and indicate that they have family members in the UK.

The UK is also funding a project to identify those in the camps who are especially vulnerable and at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and to provide them with appropriate support within the French system.

January 1, 2023
Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull on 2016-03-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will consult on maintenance loans for part-time undergraduate students.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

The Government announced in the Spending Review that, for the first time, student finance would be available to part-time students to help meet both tuition and living costs. Discussions are ongoing with stakeholders regarding the new maintenance loan product for part-time higher education students and our current plan is to consult later in the year.

January 1, 2023
Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-04-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the trade and other economic links between the UK and Djibouti.

Lord Price

HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics report the value of UK trade in goods with Djibouti. In 2015 the UK exported £11.9 million of goods to Djibouti, in the same year the UK imported £1.4 million of goods from Djibouti.

Data on the value of trade in services and other types of economic transaction between the UK and Djibouti is not available.

January 1, 2023
Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support innovation in assistive technology for use by people with dementia.

Jane Ellison

Dementia is a key priority for the Government. That is why in February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia 2020. The Government will implement the Prime Minister’s Challenge in full to make sure that dementia care, support, awareness and research are transformed by 2020.

As part of the 2020 Challenge, we want to see greater provision of innovative and high quality dementia care, delivered in a way that is personalised and appropriate to the specific needs of the person with dementia, their family and carers. This includes providers incorporating new ideas including technology solutions into everyday practice. We also want to see research on assistive technologies and assisted living, including research on how information and communication technologies can best help people with dementia and carers.

The Department and NHS England recently launched seven ‘Test Bed Sites’ in England. These sites will evaluate the real world impact of technologies, testing them together with innovations in how the NHS services are delivered, to improve health and care outcomes. Three of the Test Beds will have a focus on dementia.

A number of programmes have been launched to support usage of technology for the benefit of people including those with dementia and their carers. These include:

– The Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) Programme;

– A TECS resource for Commissioners; and

– The Small Business Research Initiative Healthcare and Regional Innovation Fund initiative.

January 1, 2023
David Nuttall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2016-07-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that all outstanding complaints relating to class 2 national insurance contributions are resolved before those contributions are abolished.

Mr David Gauke

Each year HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) receives and responds to 50 million phone calls and 15 million letters from Self Assessment and PAYE customers. HMRC commits to responding to complaints within 15 days of receipt and therefore expects that, excluding any that may be received in the last few weeks before abolition, outstanding complaints will have been cleared.

The number of complaints relating to Class 2 contributions received in the last three years is set out in the table below:

Year

No. of complaints

2013/14

1122

2014/15

1210

2015/16

831

January 1, 2023

Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of the budget for the National Measurement System was spent through (a) NEL Ltd, (b) the National Physical Laboratory and (c) LGC over the last five years.

Margot James

The National Measurement System (NMS) is funded by BEIS, on behalf of Government as a whole, through a portfolio of programmes encompassing a wide range of scientific disciplines.

The budget distribution across the NMS programmes was informed by the NMS Strategy 2009-2016.

	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15	2015/16	2016/17
NPL*	£39.2M	£39.4M	£39.3M	£39.3M	£40.3M
LGC	£6.7M	£6.8M	£6.9M	£7M	£7.1M
NEL	£3.6M	£3.5M	£3.5M	£3.4M	£3.5M
NMO	£1M	£1M	£1M	£1M	£1M**
NGML	£75k	£75k	£75k	£75k	£75k
Int. Subs	£900k	£900k	£900k	£900k	£900k

* Figure quoted for NPL is adjusted to reflect the rent returned to the department by NPL.

**Now included within BEIS operating costs.

January 1, 2023

David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce in the rest of the UK the General Licence Restriction Order for the protection of birds in use in Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

Rory Stewart

The introduction of a new regulatory measure requires evidence that it will be effective.

We will monitor the situation in Scotland to consider whether this measure is necessary and proportionate to assist in tackling wildlife crime in England.

January 1, 2023

Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2015 to Question 702, how much has been paid to political candidates (a) in each region, (b) of each political party, (c) of each gender and (d) of each ethnic group from the Access to Elected Office Fund to date.

Caroline Dinenage

The number of people who have applied to the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund is in the table below:

Financial Year	Number of applicants (some applicants made more than one application)
2012/13	27
2013/14	34
2014/15	48

The total amount claimed by successful applicants was £271,260 (out of awards totalling £418,733)

An evaluation of the pilot fund is currently being undertaken and will be published in due course. An announcement regarding the future of the fund is anticipated early in 2016.

The information on regional breakdown of expenditure and the diversity of candidates can be found in the tables below:

Region (location of election seat)	Amount claimed and paid (£)
East Midlands	1,099
East of England	480
Greater London	89,399
North East England	4,382
North West England	20,567
South East England	69,474
South West England	21,260
West Midlands	20,281
Yorkshire and Humberside	17,882
Total (rounded)	271,260

Political Party	Amount claimed and paid (£)
Conservative	32,361
Democracy 2015	350
Green	5,791
Labour	120,846
Liberal Democrat	32,601
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	276
UKIP	53,236
Independent	25,798
Total (rounded)	271,260

Gender	Amount claimed and paid (£)
Male	139,524
Female	131,736
Total	271,260

Ethnic Group	Amount claimed and paid (£)
White; all backgrounds	218,117
Mixed ethnic origin	1,348
Asian; all backgrounds	26,680
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British	22,977
Other ethnic group	350
Prefer not to say	1,788
Total	271,260

January 1, 2023

Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 December 2015 (HL4002), whether they will instruct the Social Housing Regulator to require a report from Circle Housing Group on the performance of Old Ford Housing Association’s gas safety and repairs and maintenance contractor since the governance rating downgrade in February 2015.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Social Housing Regulator is statutorily independent. The Department for Communities and Local Government cannot therefore direct the Regulator on this matter.

The Social Housing Regulator has a clear regulatory framework which it applied in this case. As is normal practice the Social Housing Regulator is working closely with Circle as it recovers the urgent and emergency repairs service provided to Old Ford’s tenants and improves its governance. The Regulator currently has sufficient assurance of Circle’s plans to address the issues and its progress in doing so, such that the Regulator considers it does not need to use its enforcement powers at this point. The Regulator will of course continue to examine new information that comes to light.

January 1, 2023
Lord Rowlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rowlands on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have on how many European Arrest Warrants were sought by individual member states in 2015, and how many were executed.

Lord Bates

Figures for 2015 calendar year are not yet available. They will be released by the National Crime Agency when they have been verified later in the year. Figures for previous years are publically available at the National Crime Agency’s website at: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/european-arrest-warrant-statistics

January 1, 2023

Year	No. of complaints
2013/14	1122
2014/15	1210
2015/16	831