Tag: Parliamentary Question

Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to address patient concerns regarding the use of transvaginal mesh implants.

Norman Lamb

Work to improve outcomes for women undergoing procedures involving urethral tape and vaginal mesh is currently under way and is being led by NHS England. The Department is involved in this work alongside the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the specialist societies (The British Society of Urogynaecology (BSUG) and The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS)) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In addition, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director, NHS England has written to the National Health Service to highlight the need to ensure that

– National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for these procedures is followed;

– consent procedures are standardised so that they comply with up to date evidence and follow BSUG and BAUS guidance;

– all pelvic organ prolapse procedures and all incontinence operations, but particularly those involving mesh, are recorded on a recognised database e.g. the BSUG or BAUS surgical databases;

– all adverse events are reported to MHRA; and

– surgery for removal of tapes or prolapse mesh or repeat surgery for incontinence or prolapse is performed in units which can demonstrate relevant specialist care.

November 1, 2022
Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department maintains a list of books which are not allowed to be kept in prison libraries.

Jeremy Wright

The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

November 1, 2022
Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2014, Official Report, column 817W, on railways: sanitation, if he will commission an investigation into sanitation of train toilets; and if he will include in that investigation a review of the adequacy of the accountability of train companies for sanitation of trains.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has no plans to commission such an investigation. Ensuring that appropriate standards of cleanliness are met is a matter for train operators.

November 1, 2022
Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alun Cairns on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to improve broadband coverage in rural areas.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Phase one of the superfast roll-out programme is making good progress with all 44 projects in delivery.

Two thirds of projects (29 out of 44) have live superfast cabinets making superfast broadband available to thousands of homes and businesses across the country.

We are now investing the additional £250 million to take coverage of superfast broadband to 95% of UK premises

November 1, 2022
Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2014, Official Report, column 291W, on Royal Mail, for what reasons the underwriters’ discretionary fee has not been paid.

Michael Fallon

No decision has been made on the payment of this discretionary payment.

November 1, 2022
Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate how much Government departments have spent on filtering tap water for drinking in each of the last four years.

Mr Nick Hurd

The information requested is not held centrally. However, as part of this Government’s commitment to reducing waste and driving down costs, we are challenging departments on the need to make savings from facilities management.

November 1, 2022
Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2014-04-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to improve support for small and medium-sized enterprises which are in need of short-term assistance and flexibility through improved partnership working between the HM Revenue and Custom’s (HMRC) simplified import VAT accounting duty deferment team and the HMRC debt management and time-to-pay teams; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

The Simplified Import VAT Accounting (SIVA) scheme is a trade facilitation measure that reduces compliance costs for legitimate traders through the removal of the requirement to provide a guarantee to secure import VAT paid through the duty deferment scheme.

The risk to the tax revenue by traders operating SIVA is potentially very large as the period between the tax due being deferred and being collected by HMRC may result in a failure to pay. The setting of the SIVA approval criteria has to strike a balance between ensuring the trade receive the maximum benefit from the scheme, while at the same time protecting the revenue.

Businesses have to demonstrate on-going compliance with the SIVA requirements. The SIVA team monitor this through internal systems, including any outstanding debts or Time-to Pay agreements requested. When they identify a business experiencing difficulties, they advise them of the potential impact on their SIVA approval. Warning letters are issued by the team to businesses who fail to comply and only if there is evidence of continued non-compliance is the approval removed.

The current procedures provide an appropriate balance between trade faciliation and protection of the revenue.

November 1, 2022
Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to give the Advertising Standards Agency the power to fine advertisers for serious breaches of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Ofcom already has the power to fine advertisers for serious breaches of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising. The ASA is responsible for administering the Code of Broadcast Advertising, but is able to refer broadcasters to Ofcom for further action, including imposing fines, if needed. There are no plans to change this system.

November 1, 2022
Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 191W, on special educational needs, when the pilots will launch and finish; and when the findings of such pilots will be published.

Mr Edward Timpson

The Department for Education, in consultation with the Ministry of Justice and others, will in the near future be developing proposals for the review of redress and complaint arrangements for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, of which these pilots will form a part. We estimate that the pilots will begin in the spring of 2015 as the first appeals about the new Education, Health and Care plans begin to be heard and that the pilots will last for two years as they build up the evidence on which to base any recommendations. The Secretary of State for Education and the Lord Chancellor must lay a report on the outcome of the review before Parliament within three years of the any of the provisions of Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 coming into force in September 2014. Interim findings from the pilots could be published before the final report on the review.

November 1, 2022

Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 533W, on wind power, what proportion of the anticipated generating capacity of onshore wind projects at appeal stage in the planning system on 1 October 2013 related to applications subsequently recovered by him.

Kris Hopkins

As I have said in my earlier answer, my Department does not centrally hold details of the generation capacity of wind turbine appeals.

As at the 1 October 2013, there were 255 onshore wind farm appeals, of which 32 were or have subsequently been recovered.

I can confirm that 17 onshore wind farm appeals were recovered in 2013. This amounts to 6% of the number of onshore wind farm appeals received (280) during that period.

2013	Appeals Received	Appeals Recovered
Jan	23	4
Feb	37	1
Mar	28	2
Apr	19	1
May	25	1
Jun	27	1
Jul	19	2
Aug	26
Sept	24	1
Oct	14	3
Nov	17	1
Dec	21
Total	280	17

I also refer the hon. Member to the written statement of 9 April 2014, Official Report, Column 12-13WS, which explains the background to the recovery of these planning appeals.

November 1, 2022