Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost was of his Department’s Maritime Growth Study, published in September 2015; how many hours staff in his Department worked on that study; and when he plans to respond to its recommendations.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Maritime Growth Study was commissioned by Government, but led on an entirely voluntary basis by an industry chair, Lord Mountevans, who was supported by a secretariat of five full-time officials from my Department. The Study was officially launched in November 2014 and published in September 2015. The total cost of the Study was approximately £390K, the majority of these costs being internal staffing costs for the secretariat. Other officials and analysts contributed their expertise as and when required on a business as usual basis.

    The Government will respond formally to the report by the end of 2015, but is taking immediate action in response to specific recommendations. This includes the establishment of a Ministerial Working Group for Maritime Growth and taking steps to support the improved operation of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) such as appointing a commercial director to lead the UK Ship Register separately from the Agency’s regulatory functions and a business case exploring the costs and benefits of options for more significant reform of the MCA.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect the introduction of universal credit will have on the income of those working in a job from which they derive net earnings of less than £110 per week and who are the principal carers for elderly relatives with a disability.

    Priti Patel

    Carer’s Allowance ceases when the claimant earns more than £110 a week. There is not a similar cliff-edge effect in Universal Credit. Carers who combine caring with paid work will continue to have the Carer Element included in the calculation of their overall award for as long as they provide care for at least 35 hours per week for a severely disabled person.

    In Universal Credit, earned income by members of the household is subjected to a work allowance. Different amounts are disregarded from earnings in order to reflect the needs of different types of household and to support the aim that work pays. Carers are entitled to one of these work allowances depending on their family type, although there is not a work allowance specifically for carers.

    Carers who combine work with caring will be able to earn up to their work allowance without their Universal Credit entitlement being affected. If earnings exceed that allowance then the Universal Credit award will reduce gradually as earnings increase.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the NHS Standard Contract for acute services.

    Ben Gummer

    The NHS Standard Contract provides a mechanism through which providers of NHS-funded services, including acute services, can be held to account. The Contract includes detailed requirements in relation to the provision of safe, high-quality services and compliance with national policies and NHS Constitution standards. It includes mechanisms which commissioners can use to ensure that services to patients are of a high standard and that providers take prompt action to remedy any failings.

    The Contract provides a national framework, but there is scope for commissioners to include local detail appropriate to the services being commissioned (service specifications, specific quality standards). Management of agreed contracts is undertaken not at a national level but by the local commissioner.

    Commissioners, providers and representative bodies from all service sectors, as well as national stakeholder bodies including the Department of Health, have been invited to contribute to NHS England’s review of the NHS Standard Contract for 2016/17.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2015-10-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications have been made from Orkney and Shetland for visas requiring the enrolment of biometric information in each year since its introduction.

    James Brokenshire

    The information requested is shown in the table attached.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s press release, New plans to get more people cycling, published on 16 October 2014, what the statistical basis is of the statement that around £5 was spent per head on cycling.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In the five years 2011/12 to 2015/16, the Department has increased its spend on cycling in England from £1 per head to £3 per head. Local authorities also spend significant amounts on cycling and over the same period, total spend on cycling in England has increased from £2 per head to £6 per head. Spend is over £10 per head in the eight Cycle Ambition Cities and London.

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    DfT spend per head

    £1

    £2

    £2

    £2

    £3

    Total spend per head

    £2

    £4

    £5

    £5

    £6

    In 2014-15, the Department’s dedicated cycling programmes were Bikeability, Cycle Ambition Cities, Cycling in National Parks and the Highways Agency’s cycling programme. The Department also funds cycling programmes through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF), with 28% of the LSTF being spent on cycling.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people applied for mandatory reconsideration following a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) in the last 12 months; and for how many such people the WCA points score was changed.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information as requested is not available.

    DWP statisticians are looking to include information on Mandatory Reconsiderations in existing regular statistical publications. However, before DWP is able to do this, statisticians need to make sure that the data is accurate and fit for purpose and develop a robust methodology. When a decision has been made, we will pre-announce this in accordance with the UKSA release protocols

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the sale of arms manufactured by UK companies to governments which have committed human rights abuses.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    This Government supports a responsible defence and security industry that helps meet the legitimate defence needs of other states, and contributes to their security and law and order. We take our arms export responsibilities very seriously and we operate one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. All defence and dual-use exports are required to meet the UK’s strict export control legislation and adhere to the UK international commitments including international treaties and obligations. Each application for an export licence is subject to rigorous case-by-case assessment against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what collaboration is taking place between universities, space companies and the European Space Agency on developing nuclear engine technology for future spacecraft.

    Joseph Johnson

    European Space Agency has no active nuclear engine programme and we are not aware of any activities taking place with regards to such technology in the UK.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with student body organisations on the effects of removing student maintenance grants.

    Joseph Johnson

    My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Ministers regularly meet stakeholders from across the Higher Education sector to inform policy development including on Higher Education student support.

  • David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths there have been as a result of faulty heart pacemakers in each year since 2010.

    George Freeman

    Clinicians are encouraged and manufacturers are mandated to report deaths and other incidents to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) if they suspect a device fault.

    The numbers of United Kingdom deaths reported annually since 2010 to the MHRA involving patients implanted with approved pacemakers, are as follows:

    Year

    Deaths reported involving pacemaker patients

    2015 – present

    1

    2014

    8

    2013

    3

    2012

    3

    2011

    1

    2010

    4

    According to registry data from 2014, over 35,000 pacemakers are implanted annually in the UK. Therefore the number of reported patient deaths listed above which could have potentially related to pacemaker failure represents no more than 0.01% of this population.

    Analysis of MHRA investigation conclusions revealed that none of the above deaths resulted from a faulty pacemaker.

    As the UK regulatory authority, the MHRA is responsible for monitoring the safety of medical devices once they have been approved for market. Although the majority of pacemakers are well functioning, the MHRA actively monitor the performance of implants using a variety of methods.

    One key element involves the investigation of device-related adverse incidents, where manufacturers’ mandatory reports are supplemented by voluntary reports from clinicians and members of the public using the yellow card system.

    The MHRA challenges manufacturers if it is believed that the proposed post-investigation action is inadequate to protect public health.

    Every new incident, including those involving pacemakers, is assessed and assigned to an appropriate type of investigation according to its severity and the likelihood of obtaining further information on the cause of the event. All reports, even those unsuitable for further investigation, are fully recorded and subject to periodic trend analysis by the MHRA to look for signals suggesting any possible device-related problems.

    In addition to scrutinizing manufacturers’ device data provided in incident investigations, and their published product performance reports, the MHRA also monitors relevant published research and articles on potential safety concerns as part of its surveillance of the medical device market. If evidence emerges that affects the safety of UK pacemaker patients, the Agency issues advice to the health service and takes any necessary regulatory action.

    Furthermore the Agency actively engages with the clinicians and professional bodies to gauge their opinion on early indications for failure and problems encountered with device usage.