Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what circumstances he uses a calculation of the (a) value of preventing a fatality, (b) willingness to pay and (c) cost-per-quality adjusted life year approach to quantify the value of a policy intervention; what other tools he uses to quantify the benefit of a policy intervention; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    These things are not easy to quantify. Approaches to quantifying benefits of a policy intervention are used in accordance with principles outlined in HM Treasury’s guidance on conducting appraisal and evaluation in central government (known as the “Green Book”). The Green Book recognises that using these approaches to quantify the benefits of an intervention is challenging, and that the approaches should be used appropriately.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Jenny Willott

    Ministers and officials in this Department attach the highest priority to answering written Parliamentary Questions (PQs) accurately and on time. All PQs tabled in the last session of Parliament received a substantive answer from the Department by the time of the 2014 Prorogation.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.

    Brandon Lewis

    My Department does not routinely record this information in the format requested. However, this Administration has cut spending significantly on office supplies, cutting expenditure from £480,180 (inc VAT) in 2009-10 to £73,738 in 2013-14.

    In 2010, we conducted an internal review of the Department’s spend on office supplies which highlighted several opportunities to achieve savings. A rationalised list of stationery items was created which:

    · reduced the available catalogue of items from around 3,500 to approximately 220;

    · replaced higher value branded items, with non-branded equivalents; and

    · adopted recycled printer toners and copier paper.

    Significant savings were also achieved by aggregating the spend of all Departments and awarding a single Cabinet Office contract for stationery items and one for electronic office supplies (printer toners and other consumables). These contracts were awarded in September 2011 and DCLG were among the first departments to adopt them in November 2011.

    As part of our planned move of office accommodation this summer (to share with the Home Office to save taxpayers’ money), stationery across the department will be surrendered and pooled, with the potential to save money by not ordering items locally and preventing a build-up of surplus stationery stock.

    I hope this illustrates how every bit of the public sector has the potential to deliver sensible savings on back office costs.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, how many parliamentary questions tabled to the Church Commissioners in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Sir Tony Baldry

    All written questions tabled to the Church Commissioners received a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ratify the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government, along with the British Red Cross, has pledged to facilitate the UK’s ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and believes ratification of the Convention and its two Protocols will strengthen our commitment to the protection of our own heritage, and highlight our respect for the cultural property of other nations. However, as yet it has not been possible to secure the parliamentary time needed to pass the relevant legislation.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    All parliamentary questions, tabled to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the last parliamentary session, received a substantive answer by the time the House prorogued on 14 May 2014.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the merits of requiring all schools in the UK to fly the Union flag.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education has made no such assessment.

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Army 2020, HC 263, published on 11 June 2014, page 12, what his Department’s response is to the recommendation that it should reassess its targets for recruiting reserves.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement and paper my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Philip Hammond) placed in the Library of the House on 19 December 2013 (Official report, column 124WS). The hon. Member will be aware that this is a five-year plan and I am confident that the Army will reach this target.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Sturdy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2014, from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1005, what assessment he has made of how the farming and forestry improvement scheme might help those affected by flooding.

    George Eustice

    The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme was reviewed at the end of February and revised to offer support to rural businesses affected by flooding.

    The scheme now funds additional items, such as pumps, that will help businesses to become more resilient to future flooding. It also offers an increase in grant rates.

    Applications from those affected by flooding are being prioritised and the deadline for applications has been extended.

  • Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Swales on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on redundancy payments for special advisers since May 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr Maude) on 19 June 2014 (Official Report, column 678W).