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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Tim Farron – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tim Farron – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will assess the viability of using Kielder Water as a water source and linking it to the national water grid.

    Dan Rogerson

    We have been working closely with Ofwat and the Environment Agency to consider how we can promote connectivity in our water supply system of which the establishment of a national water grid is only one option. The infrastructure investment needed for a grid is considerable. Water is also heavy, difficult and costly to move. Relatively local connections are likely to be the best options, incrementally building a wider and more integrated network.

    Water companies are already joining up sources of supply to build resilience and are strongly encouraged to consider options for interconnections in their Water Resources Management Plans (WRMP), alongside other options, such as demand management. All water companies have statutory WRMPs, which look ahead at least 25 years. The Water Act 2014 includes provisions that will make it easier for water companies to make bulk supply arrangements between their networks.

    Kielder Water has a very large capacity and offers security of supply to customers in the Northumbrian Water Limited operating area. Other water companies outside the area have investigated ways of using Kielder as part of their 2014 WRMPs. The water companies found that local solutions offered better value for both customers and the environment.

  • Robert Flello – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Robert Flello – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart supporting the requests for an investigation into the murders of four FENSUAGRO trades union members shot dead on 17 May 2014 in Alto Amarradero.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I met representatives from six human rights organisations, including Oxfam and Christian Aid as well as Colombian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during my visit to Bogotá last week. I also met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs, heads of the Colombian Government’s major human rights agencies and representatives of the Attorney-General’s office. I set out HM Government concern about the reported rise in attacks against human rights defenders and a lack of sentences for those responsible.

  • Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2014-06-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with representatives from charitable and youth organisations on the effect of the new flat-rate housing cost contribution on unemployed young people.

    Steve Webb

    None.

  • Charles Kennedy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Charles Kennedy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Kennedy on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward plans to enable the Green Investment Bank to purchase equity in existing offshore projects to enable similar investment in onshore wind turbine construction; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    The role of the Green Investment Bank (GIB) is to help finance green infrastructure projects. The terms of its state aid approval do not allow it to invest in specific supply chain companies or activities such as turbine manufacturing. GIB has already taken equity stakes in a number of operating offshore wind farms.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what value of land has been transferred from local authorities into the leasehold or freehold ownership of academy trusts since 2010.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    I refer the Rt hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stockton North on 23 June 2014, Official Report c75W.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the performance of Pearson VUE in delivering skills tests for prospective teachers on behalf of his Department.

    Mr David Laws

    As the current contractor delivering the skills test for prospective teachers, Pearson VUE reports weekly to officials on day-to-day delivery against agreed service levels. Pearson VUE is also appropriately engaged in handover of the service to the new contractor.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the starting salary of a full-time equivalent NHS nurse in York was in (a) cash and (b) real terms in 1996-97 and in each year since.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Since the introduction of Agenda for Change in October 2004, nurses who are newly qualified start at Agenda for Change Band 5. Prior to Agenda for Change they started at Whitley Grade D. National salary scales apply for NHS nurses in York. The starting salary for a full-time equivalent NHS nurse in cash and real terms is shown in the following table.

    Year

    Cash Terms Starting Salary (£)

    (Full Time)

    (National Scale)

    Real Terms Starting Salary (£)

    (Full Time)

    (National Scale)

    1996-97

    11,895

    17,254

    1997-98

    12,385

    17,646

    1998-99

    12,855

    17,972

    1999-00

    14,400

    19,744

    2000-01

    14,890

    20,271

    2001-02

    15,445

    20,470

    2002-03

    16,005

    20,730

    2003-04

    16,525

    20,997

    2004-05

    18,114

    22,397

    2005-06

    18,698

    22,705

    2006-07

    19,166

    22,623

    2007-08

    19,683

    22,663

    2008-09

    20,225

    22,648

    2009-10

    20,710

    22,572

    2010-11

    21,176

    22,492

    2011-12

    21,176

    21,981

    2012-13

    21,176

    21,600

    2013-14

    21,388

    21,388

    2014-15

    21,478

    Notes:

    1. Starting pay for a newly qualified nurse is normally the minimum of the scale applicable to basic grade qualified nurses as follows:

    1996-97 to 2003-04: Whitley D Grade

    2004-05 o 2013-14: Agenda for Change Band 5

    2. Starting pay is taken from national pay scales.

    3. Figures given include any staged increases in the year in question.

    4. The starting pay given for 2004-05 is the minimum of the Agenda for Change Band 5 scale at the effective date of implementation of Agenda for Change on 1 October 2004.

    5. The 2014-15 starting salary change is due to an adjustment to ensure all staff on Spine Point 15 eligible for incremental progression received at least 1% when progressing to Spine Point 16, which is also the current starting Spine Point for a newly qualified nurse.

    6. The cash terms data has been converted into real terms using the latest official Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflator series taken from the HM Treasury website on 30 June 2014 and last updated on 20 December 2013.

    7. It is not possible to convert the 2014-15 cash starting salary to real terms because of the way the GDP deflator series operates.

    8. To be as up to date as possible, the real terms data is presented in 2013-14 prices. This involves using the HM Treasury forecast GDP deflator value for 2013-14.

  • John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what services currently commissioned by NHS England will be commissioned by clinical commissioning groups following the implementation of the recommendations in Prescribed Specialised Services Commissioning Intentions 2014-15 and 2015-16.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has advised that there have been no changes to the scope of specialised services directly commissioned by NHS England in 2014/15, in order to provide a period of stability following the major changes in 2013/14. There has therefore, been no transfer of resources to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in 2014/15, for any changes in commissioning responsibility.

    The Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services 2013/14 describes the prescribed specialised services and sets out which elements of services are commissioned directly by NHS England, and which elements are commissioned by CCGs.

    The Prescribed Specialised Services Commissioning Intentions 2014-15 and 2015-16 document sets out the firm plans for 2014/15 and the direction for 2015/16. There will be a new set of commissioning intentions for 2015/16 to take account of the new environment and to firm up the plans for next year.

    The development of the commissioning intentions for 2015/16 is included in the work of the specialised commissioning taskforce and will be progressed over the next few months ready for publication in the autumn. The taskforce work streams also include actions relating to the future portfolio of services to be commissioned by NHS England and CCGs, and possible future commissioning models. This work will be further progressed over the summer and will inform the 2015/16 commissioning intentions.

    NHS England advise that it is yet to be determined whether or not there will be changes to the scope of specialised services directly commissioned by NHS England in 2015/16 or whether any additional resources will be transferred between NHS England and CCGs.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on concessionary travel spending in York Unitary Authority in each year since 2008-09.

    Stephen Hammond

    The total amount spent by York City Council on concessionary travel, including the statutory concession and any relevant discretionary enhancements, is detailed in the table below:

    2008 – 09

    2009 – 10

    1010 – 11

    2011 – 12

    2012 – 13

    York City Council spend on concessionary travel (£000s)

    5,013

    5,307

    4,902

    4,633

    4,826

    Figures for 2013/14 are still being collated.

    Local authority formula grant has been the main vehicle for providing concessionary travel funding to local authorities since the current statutory concession’s introduction in 2008. Since this grant is unhypothecated it is not possible to provide a breakdown by authority.

    In 2008 the Department for Transport provided English authorities with a total of £31 million to assist in the reissuing of concessionary passes, £130,972 of which was allocated to York City Council.

    Between April 2008 and April 2011 the Department made Special Grant payments to authorities, in addition to the formula grant they were already receiving, recognising the additional cost of the extension to pre-2008 concessionary travel arrangements. The following table indicates the amount of funding available to York in each of the three years during which special grant was paid.

    2008 / 09

    2009 / 10

    2010 / 11

    Special grant funding available to York City Council:

    1,112

    1,138

    1,170

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2014, Official Report, columns 171-2W, on children: maintenance, how much of the amount is written off in child maintenance arrears since November 2012; how much is attributable to (a) a request from the parent with care to write off the arrears, (b) the death of a non-resident parent, (c) the death of a parent with care, (d) an interim maintenance assessment between 1993 and 1995 and (e) a debt where the non-resident parent had been told that no further action would ever be taken.

    Steve Webb

    The amounts written off since November 2012 in the circumstances requested are as follows.

    Reason

    Year to March 13

    Year to March 14

    Parent with care request

    £365,269

    £9,922,726

    Non-resident parent death

    £683,378

    £4,617,325

    Parent with care death

    £8,121

    £24,240

    Interim maintenance assessments 1993 – 1995

    £35,796

    £126,340

    NRP advised debt will not be pursued

    £11,648

    £355,956

    Total

    £1,104,212

    £15,046,587

    Note:

    The total does not equal that quoted in response to PQ/14/201287 because there are amounts recorded under categories which are not included in this response.