The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of applicants who have faced delays to their personal independence payment claim because of partial PA4 IT failures in the past 12 months.
Mike Penning
The requested data is not held by the Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Weir on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will publish the (a) scope, (b) date and (c) cost of contracts for public relations services commissioned by the Devolution Team in his Department from (i) Engine Partners and (ii) other public affairs and public relations consultancies since May 2011.
Greg Clark
The UK Government regularly commissions independent research to inform and evaluate major policy programmes. Cabinet Office has contracted Ipsos MORI for the purposes of providing market research in relation to the Scotland Analysis Programme. Two formal tenders for this research were issued in March and August 2013 respectively and, as with other tenders for Government contracts, these processes were managed by the Government Procurement Service (now part of the Crown Commercial Service).
Cabinet Office has also contracted Engine Partners LLP for the purposes of providing communications support work in relation to the Scottish independence referendum. A formal tender for this work was issued in September 2013 and was managed by the Government Procurement Service.
As part of the Government’s commitment to transparency in expenditure information relating to the costs of both sets of work is publicly available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2014, Official Report, column 636W, on the Air Force, whether any such UK personnel are embedded or otherwise interact with the (a) 22nd, (b) 30th, (c) 867th and (d) 732nd Air Force Reconnaissance Squadrons.
Mr Mark Francois
732nd is an Operations Group which comprises four Reconnaissance Squadron’s – 17th, 22nd, 30th and 867th. No UK Remotely Piloted Air System personnel are embedded with, or interact with the 732nd Operations Group Squadrons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to help women suffering from endometriosis.
Dr Daniel Poulter
Information on endometriosis is readily available to healthcare professionals and the public. Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and NHS Choices have published information for the public on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Further information can be found on the RCOG website:
www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/endometriosis-what-you-need-know
and NHS Choices website:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/Endometriosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx
To support women with endometriosis all obstetricians and gynaecologists have been trained in the diagnosis, investigation and management of the condition, which is specifically listed as a topic in the core curriculum for obstetrics and gynaecology. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has published clinical guidelines on the management of women with endometriosis to assist clinicians.
In addition, NHS England has developed a service specification for severe endometriosis under the specialised commissioning area of complex gynaecology. NHS England expects all units providing a service to women with severe endometriosis to provide care which meets the standards laid out in a specification which can be found on their website:
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/e10-comp-gynae-endom-0414.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training is given to driving examiners who test students in laden lorries.
Stephen Hammond
Potential large goods vehicle (LGV) examiners are required to hold the relevant driving licence entitlement for the category of vehicle they will be testing. In the case of laden lorries that is either category C or category CE.
Initial training courses last five weeks with a ratio of two trainees to each trainer. Courses emphasise health and safety issues connected with working practices, test centres and vehicles. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducts regular progress checks which culminate in a final test and end-of-course evaluation.
Since early 2010 some of the vehicles used to train examiners to conduct category C and CE practical driving tests have been loaded with independent bulk containers to simulate a lorry carrying a commercial load. Consequently during training all potential LGV examinersare trained and examined using loaded vehicles. Before 2010, some category CE training made use of concrete blocks on the trailer to simulate a load.
DVSA also delivers refresher courses for examiners who have not conducted LGV testing for six months or more which readdress the most important elements of the initial training course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent progress her Department has made in promoting development relating to water sanitation and hygiene; and if she will make a statement.
Lynne Featherstone
DFID aims to meet our commitments to support 60 million people to gain access to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH), through a range of programmes delivered by our Country Offices and from central teams. Details of our current WASH programmes are available on the DFID website (http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk).
Progress made through our on-going WASH programmes is detailed in the ‘DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13. Results from the implementation of more recent commitments will be detailed in the next Annual Report.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Randall on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department has provided to (a) Serbia and (b) Bosnia-Herzegovina following recent flooding in those countries.
Mr David Lidington
I discussed the impact of the floods with Prime Minister Vucic of Serbia in Belgrade on 2 June and with Prime Minister Bevanda in Sarajevo on 3 June. During my visit to the region I also met the Serbian Red Cross and travelled to Maglaj in Bosnia-Herzegovina to meet the Mayor and representatives of World Vision.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), between 18 and 23 May a thirty-three person water rescue team from the British Fire Service was deployed to work alongside EUFOR Operation Althea and local rescue efforts. They rescued nearly 200 people, delivered large amounts of humanitarian aid, and helped restore power in villages North of Bijeljina.
In Serbia, the UK provided 64 radios for the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, to assist with the coordination of their response teams; and donated £280,000 worth of heavy lift and transport vehicles to the Serbian Red Cross to aid their relief distribution effort.
A team from the UK flew out to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the week commencing 20 May to assess likely humanitarian and recovery needs. During my visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina I was able to announce that the UK had approved £250,000 to support a World Vision flood response project in the region focussing on sanitation and health and providing support for 140,000 people made homeless by the floods.
In addition to this bilateral support, the UK provided support to BiH, Serbia and Croatia through the EU, UN and other international organisations. In BiH, EUFOR Operation Althea, to which the UK contributes troops in-theatre and in reserve, assisted the BiH Armed Forces in their response to the flooding. The First Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, who provide part of EUFOR’s intermediate reserve, and are in BiH for a routine operational rehearsal, will assist the BiH Armed Forces in this regard.
The UK has worked closely with the EU European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), and offered advice and assistance during all phases of the flood response effort. ECHO have released €3.2m in humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable population in BiH and in Serbia (to which the UK will have contributed 15%).
The government will work closely with the UNDP, the EU and other international organisations to assess what further help might be given to help both Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina recover from the impact of the floods.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2014-05-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of replacing live animals with simulators in armed forces trauma training; and if he will make a statement.
Anna Soubry
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jenkin of Roding on 2014-05-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish drafts of the several orders and regulations implementing the electricity market reforms under the Energy Act 2013; when they plan to table motions in both Houses of Parliament to enable the drafts to be debated; and when they expect that any orders and regulations that are approved will come into force.
Baroness Verma
The implementing secondary legislation for Electricity Market Reform (EMR) is currently being finalised. It is the Government’s intention that these regulations will be laid before the House at the beginning of June 2014 and published concurrently.
The regulations will then be scrutinised by both the JCSI (Joint Committee on Secondary Legislation) and the SLSC (Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee). Should the regulations be approved by the committees, then Business Managers in both Houses will be asked to schedule scrutiny debates. Once debated, approval motions will be tabled in both Houses.
Subject to the will of Parliament, it is intended that the Regulations will come into force around 1 August 2014.
Additionally at the beginning of June, the Government will publish the response to four consultations:
· Electricity Market Reform: Consultation on Proposals for Implementation (October 2013)
· EMR: Consultation on industry code and licence modifications (January 2014)
· EMR: Contracts for Difference Regulations – Consultation on Directions to Offer Contracts for Difference (March 2014)
· EMR: Consultation on Balancing and Settlement Code subsidiary documents (April 2014)
We will also publish an accompanying handbook setting out the final detailed policy of EMR, titled Implementing Electricity Market Reform.
The publication of this information alongside the laying of legislation provides certainty to industry on final EMR policy design and keeps EMR on track for delivery this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use in Northern Ireland of prize draws to increase voter registration.
Greg Clark
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.