Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require employers to undertake a systematic assessment of psychological risks in the workplace.

    Mike Penning

    The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 already require employers to undertake an assessment of risks to the health and safety of their employees. The Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards for work related stress provide further practical guidance to support this legislation, and help employers to assess the risk of work-related stress. The Government believes that this represents a proportionate and sensible approach to the assessment of work-related stress and psychological risks.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which jobcentres (a) do and (b) do not have wifi access for jobseekers to use.

    Esther McVey

    The Digital Jobcentres project will modernise the Jobcentre digital infrastructure by delivering WiFi and Web Access Devices (WADs) across the Jobcentre network. From now until the end of October, we will be installing WiFi and new Web Access Devices (WADs) across the Jobcentre network.

    The following 39 Jobcentres already have WiFi available for jobseekers to use:

    London Bridge

    Caerphilly

    Ashton under Lyme

    Sutton

    Newport

    Ebbw Vale

    Hammersmith

    Altrincham

    Rusholme

    Merthyr Tydfil

    Rugby

    Hyde

    Poole

    Tredegar

    Inverness

    Stalybridge

    Newton Abbott

    Wolverhampton

    Wigan

    Stretford

    Chester

    Scarborough

    Warrington

    Airdrie

    Swansea

    Coventry

    Oldham

    Erdington

    Motherwell

    Rotherham

    Harrogate

    Sheffield, Cavendish Court

    Abertillery

    Wakefield

    Bath

    Shotton

    Bargoed

    Blackwood

    Derby

    By the end of October 2014, the remaining offices in the Jobcentre network will have WiFi installed and available for jobseekers to use.

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to his oral contribution of 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 908, on energy price freeze, if he will place in the Library a copy of Bloomberg’s analysis of investment in renewables.

    Michael Fallon

    This shows that average annual investment in renewables has more than doubled in the current Parliament, compared with the previous one.

    New Investment in UK Renewable Electricity

    $m

    2005

    2006

    2007

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    Total

    3,292

    2,974

    4,454

    4,511

    11,337

    9,651

    10,996

    10,339

    11,981

    Source: Bloomberg Energy Finance

    There are a number of sources analysing and interpreting new investment in UK renewable electricity, including DECC’s own analysis. However, data are not always readily comparable owing to differences in methodology, data collection points, timings and market coverage.

  • Biography information for Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Biography information for Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Ben Bradshaw on Justice.

    1

    Simon Hughes

    There has been a significant decrease in referrals to publicly funded family mediation since April 2013 when the legal aid reforms were implemented. This is in part due to fewer people visiting solicitors who previously would have directed clients to mediation.

    Before April 2013, attendance at a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM) was a pre-requisite for legal representation for people eligible to obtain public funding. We introduced a statutory MIAM in April 2014 as part of the Children and Families Act. This placed a legal obligation on an applicant to attend a MIAM for the purpose of considering mediation, before being permitted to issue court proceedings in certain private family law matters (children and financial disputes).

    Legal aid remains available for mediation (and for legal help with mediation) for those who meet the eligibility criteria. We are keen to encourage mediation as an alternative to court both for those eligible for public funding and for privately funded cases.

    We are aware that a small number of mediation services have closed or are in difficulty. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is constantly monitoring the situation to make sure there is sufficient provision for client access to mediation services. While a decline in demand is a contributory factor in mediation service closures, another significant factor is poor and unsustainable business models. There is some evidence that a number of the mediation services which have closed following legal aid reforms were vulnerable to closure before the reforms took effect.

    I have convened a Family Mediation Task Force, chaired by David Norgrove, which has considered many of the issues raised by the Member of Parliament for Exeter, including how to reverse the fall in referrals and engage the second party in the mediation process, and incentivising mediators and lawyers to work in partnership to support clients through the resolution of their dispute in compliance with the new legislation. A number of short-term financial options have been considered as well as the long term view for the future of dispute resolution services.

    The Taskforce report will be published imminently. The Government will respond to the report in due course.

  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the relationship between the availability of podiatry services and the rate of lower limb amputations.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not personally received representations on the relationship between the availability of podiatry services and rate of lower limb amputations.

    I regularly meet with the Allied Health Professions Federation. At the last meeting held in February 2014, representatives from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists attended and a wide range of issues were discussed, including prevention of lower limb amputations.

    We are not currently able to correlate the relationship between the availability of podiatry services and rate of lower limb amputation in those with diabetes. However, on 14 July 2014, NHS England will be launching the National Diabetes Footcare Audit (a new module to be incorporated into the National Diabetes Audit) which will allow this relationship to be explored.

  • Biography information for Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Biography information for Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Helen Jones on Treasury.

    1

    Mr David Gauke

    The latest information on the number of families receiving Child Benefit, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication “Child Benefit Statistics Geographical Analysis. August 2013”. This can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286668/Child_Benefit_statistics_geographical_analysis_August_2013.pdf

    Table 6 has this information by Parliamentary Constituency.

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what criteria were used for targeting the Skills Funding Agency’s reduction in funding for adult qualifications; and what account the decisions to reduce that funding took of each such course’s effect on (a) skills development and (b) employability of participants.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Skills Funding Agency’s review of vocational qualifications is not about a reduction in funding. Within agreed budgets, the review has sought to ensure funding is redirected in support of qualifications which are high quality, demanded by learners and valued by employers. The Agency has removed these low quality qualifications from the scope of public funding to ensure we only fund those vocational qualifications which are recognised by employers and enable someone to be employable in a particular occupation or sector. The goal is to promote both the skills development and employability of participants.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to require companies running public services to become more transparent about their performance and financial data and be subject to Freedom of Information legislation; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Public Accounts Committee report “Contracting out public services to the private sector”, published on 14 March 2014, covered both of these issues.

    The Government is currently preparing its response, which will be published in due course.

    The report can be found at:

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmpubacc/777/77702.htm

    “

  • Biography information for Jonathan Djanogly – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Biography information for Jonathan Djanogly – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Jonathan Djanogly on Transport.

    1

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s estimates of vehicle flows give the average number of vehicles per mile of the A14 on an average day of the year. Figures for the last three years are in the table below.

    Year

    Average daily number of vehicles per mile

    2011

    46,073

    2012

    46,013

    2013

    46,709

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-04-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in HM Revenue and Customs’ National Minimum Wage team were monitoring Scotland in each year from 2010 to 2014.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition, by collating and analysing data received from various sources, HMRC ensure targeted enforcement through robust risk assessment processes to identify employers across the United Kingdom who are more likely to be not paying NMW.

    HMRC deploys resources to risk, so work relating to a specific geographical area is not always undertaken by the NMW team based in that area. In addition, the NMW Dynamic Response Team (DRT) provides a multi-agency response to emerging risks, high profile casework and compliance initiatives across the UK.

    Staff across HMRC contribute to enforcing the NMW, including people who work in legal advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation, but HMRC does not record the specific numbers of those staff involved, beyond those identified above.