The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether guidance issued to local authorities on the Blue Badge scheme is mandatory; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Blue Badge Scheme Local Authority Guidance (England) is not mandatory as it is non-statutory guidance. It is guidance for local authorities on best practice in administering the Blue Badge Scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department plans next to update the RAB charge on student loans.
Greg Clark
The next update of the RAB charge will happen when the Student Loans Company provides the Department with updated loans data. This typically takes place in early autumn each year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate how much contract overruns in the Aircraft Carrier Alliance have cost the public purse to date.
Mr Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 November 2013, (Official Report, column 399W). The Major Project Report 2013 reported the cost of the Queen Elizabeth class carriers at £6.102 billion (£6.2 Billion less assessment phase costs that do not fall under the remit of the Major Projects Report).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 31 of the report by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee entitled The economics of HS2, published on 25 March 2015, what steps the Government has taken to estimate the overall reduction of cost to High Speed 2 of terminating the line at Old Oak Common, including any necessary redesign of the station at Old Oak Common to make this possible and calculate the effect on the project’s cost benefit analysis.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Terminating at Old Oak Common as an option was sifted out early in the decision making process for the London terminus given the weakness of the option, particularly in relation to its limited connectivity benefits. For this reason, the Government is not considering the option in any further detail and does not have cost estimates on a basis which would enable comparison with the preferred Euston terminus option. Euston is the best location for city centre connectivity and has the best onward transport connections to disperse passengers across London and it already has great London Underground connections on the Victoria and Northern lines and the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines from Euston Square. The only way for onward travel from an Old Oak Common terminus would be Crossrail – any service interruption to Crossrail would potentially result in having to close HS2 as passengers would have no adequate alternative onward connection option. A Euston terminus is also essential for releasing capacity on the West Coast Mainline which is effectively full in terms of train paths.
In addition to not meeting our programme objectives, a terminus at Old Oak Common would still incur a number of significant costs. These include:
Finally, it is worth noting that a very substantial part of the cost of the HS2 scheme at Euston is for Underground and other interchange facilities. These works will be necessary at some stage to serve the growing passenger demand at Euston that would occur irrespective of HS2.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with Jobcentre Plus regarding the need for additional (a) training and (b) guidance to support vulnerable parents to transition into work.
Priti Patel
The support available to vulnerable and disadvantaged claimants is tailored to meet their individual needs, helping to overcome barriers that might make finding a job more difficult.
Jobcentre Plus staff are provided with the skills and knowledge required to support a range of claimants with a diverse set of circumstances, and to respect each individual’s needs.
Each member of staff works with their line manager to assess their individual skills and ensure they deliver high levels of competence and professionalism, including identifying additional training needs.
This approach encourages continuous improvement and skills growth to meet the full range of customer needs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he has issued to the Child Support Agency on reporting allegations of fraudulent tax claims to HM Revenue and Customs.
Priti Patel
For any suspected issues of fraud, including those relating to HM Revenue and Customs, the Child Support Agency’s Online Business Procedures (OLBPs) advise caseworkers to complete a referral on the Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS), which is a single, nationally networked IT system.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work capability assessments in connection with claims for employment and support allowance have been carried out in (a) Glasgow and (b) Glasgow Central constituency since 1 September 2014.
Priti Patel
The total number of Work Capability Assessments completed from September 2014 to March 2015 in the Glasgow City Local Authority was 10,700 (rounded to the nearest 100). This figure includes Employment and Support Allowance initial assessments, repeat assessments and, Incapacity Benefit reassessments.
The information requested by parliamentary constituency is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Bristol on 2015-10-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the appointment of Saudi Arabia to head a panel at the UN Human Rights Council.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The appointment of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the UN Consultative Group as Chair was an internal decision of the Consultative Group, which is comprised of five Ambassadors, one from each of the five regional groups of the UN. The Saudi Arabian Ambassador is the Asian Group representative in the Consultative Group, to which appointment lasts for one year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-10-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how many junior doctors will apply for Certificates of Good Standing from the General Medical Council in each year up to 2020.
Lord Prior of Brampton
A Certificate of Good Standing is now called a Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS).
The Department does not hold information on the number of junior doctors that have applied for a CCPS and is unable to estimate how many junior doctors will apply for a CCPS.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2015-10-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance, if any, they give to hospitals about whether patients may wear military uniforms in waiting and emergency rooms; what assessment they have made of the recent removal of a uniformed Royal Air Force sergeant from the waiting room of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate reportedly so as not to upset other patients from different cultures; and whether they plan to issue further guidance to hospitals about whether, in the light of that incident, patients who are members of the armed forces have the right to wear military uniforms in waiting and emergency rooms.
Lord Prior of Brampton
NHS England has reviewed the action taken at East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Due to an altercation between a member of the public and a member of the armed forces in uniform that had taken place the previous day, the employee concerned was acting in good faith, but handled the situation wrongly.
The Trust is absolutely clear that members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, whether in uniform or not, should not be treated differently to others. They have reinforced this policy to all members of staff and offered an apology to the patient involved for any embarrassment caused.
Additionally, NHS England is currently reviewing the East Kent University Hospitals Trust’s Equality and Diversity and Access Policies and will agree amendments if necessary. There are no plans to issue further guidance.