Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the costs to local authorities of proposals to extend fines on letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

    Kris Hopkins

    Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

    We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new houses have been built in Bassetlaw district in each of the last five years.

    Kris Hopkins

    Statistics on house building completions in Bassetlaw District are published in the Department’s live table 253, which is available at the following link:

    http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

    “

  • Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of EUCAP Nestor in tackling insecurity in the Horn of Africa.

    Hugh Robertson

    EUCAP Nestor can play an important role in building stability in Somalia and the region but further work needs to be done to enhance delivery and realise its potential.

    The UK has focused on addressing issues to ensure that Nestor increases operations inside Somalia, and delivers against measurable and meaningful objectives.

    These measures should increase the prospects of Nestor performing more effectively in the future. Good progress has been made in recent months towards establishing a presence in Somalia, which will increase the efficacy of the mission by providing a base for capacity building activities and by enhancing access to local actors. Nestor now has an office in Hargeisa (Somaliland), and also operates in Bosaso on the northern coast of Somalia. We will continue to track progress closely.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on patient safety of prescription drug dispensing regulations.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    There are robust arrangements in place to maintain patient safety in the dispensing of prescription medicines through medicines legislation, National Health Service pharmaceutical services regulations and professional regulation. These arrangements are kept under review and changes made as necessary.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what meetings he has had with (a) the First Minister of Northern Ireland, (b) the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and (c) both the First and Deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

    Mr Nick Clegg

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 443W, on the electoral register, what the results were of his Department’s cooperation with private sector credit reference agencies on datasets that can be used to ensure completeness and accuracy of the electoral register.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 12 May 2014, Official Report, column 401W, on mental health services, whether the Mental Health Intelligence Network has been established.

    Norman Lamb

    The Mental Health Intelligence Network has been established and is due to launch its web resource and a supporting suite of indicator tools and supporting resources on 18 June 2014.

    The key aim is to provide intelligence to enable better service commissioning and to support service improvement to facilitate the delivery of consistent country-wide best practice care.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities in the UK maintain a register of accessible or adapted homes; and what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on registers of accessible housing.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Department does not hold this information.

    The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities are able to access suitable accommodation which meets their needs.

    Accessible housing registers can be useful and we are aware that some councils and social landlords have incorporated such an approach within their lettings scheme.

    The Government believes it is more important that people who require accessible housing are given the right level of priority under a council’s housing allocation scheme, and that councils and social landlords are able to make the best use of affordable housing in their area, including accommodation which is accessible or has been adapted.

    That is why, through the Localism Act, we have retained the statutory reasonable preference requirements which ensure that priority for social housing is given to those who need to move on medical and welfare grounds (including grounds relating to a disability). We have also made sure that council and housing association landlords have the flexibility to use their social housing stock in a way which best meets the needs of individual households and their local area.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of patients with cancer of the unknown primary first presenting at accident and emergency.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England expects that the treatment and care for patients with Cancer of Unknown Primary reflects patients’ needs and preferences and that services are provided taking into account National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

    Public Health England leads on developing a public health strategy for England which aims to tackle ‘upstream’ factors to reduce risks from cancer caused by tobacco, alcohol and obesity and to promote health through improved diets and exercise promotion. The National Health Service has a key role to play in supporting local authorities by commissioning smoking cessation services, specialist alcohol services, as well as through raising awareness of lifestyle risks with people who are in contact with NHS services and providing intensive support where needed.

    Alongside supporting Public Health England to increase symptom awareness amongst the general population, NHS England is also working to increase cancer symptom awareness amongst healthcare professionals, and to provide support to general practitioners in early diagnosis.

    In 2013-14 NHS England made £2.3 million available to support improved symptom awareness and early diagnosis. The majority of this funding was provided to strategic clinical networks which have the function of coordinating a more strategic approach to the development of cancer commissioning and provision in England. They also support early diagnosis through delivery of transparent data about performance in outcomes. For example, new indicators on stage of diagnosis of cancer and diagnosis through emergency routes are being introduced as part of the clinical commissioning group (CCG) outcomes indicator set in 2014-15. This will support CCGs to understand how their local communities are performing in relation to cancer outcomes.

  • Mike Freer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mike Freer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Freer on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to European governments to secure as quickly as possible restitution for British citizens who had assets seized by the Nazis.

    Mr David Lidington

    I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 689W. Since January, the British Government has engaged at Ministerial or official level with the Germans, Poles and Russians on restitution and looted art.