Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has (a) discussed with and (b) received any representations from the Fire Brigades Union regarding the adoption of a firefighters’ pension scheme which would allow members to retire on the basis of length of service rather than age.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is reforming all public service pension schemes to ensure that they remain fair to workers and sustainable for taxpayers. The transitional protection arrangements for the firefighters’ pension schemes are set out in the Proposed Final Agreement which was published in May 2012. The transitional protections use age to calculate a member’s entitlement to protection. More firefighters are protected from changes than any other large public service workforce.

    There has been recent correspondence with the Fire Brigades Union on the scope and timing of discussions on this issue. Copies of this correspondence can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms.

    “

  • 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, how many people are enrolled in National Employment Savings Trust (NEST); how many such people enrolled in NEST are making additional payments by direct debit each month; and what the average additional contribution by direct debit each month is.

    Steve Webb

    The National Employment Savings Trust announced on 1 April 2014 that they have over a million members.

    The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold information about the number of scheme members making monthly additional payments by direct debit to NEST nor does it hold information on the average additional contribution by direct debit each month to NEST.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the proposal set out in Baroness Newlove’s report, Our Vision for Safe and Active Communities, for a Bling Back scheme where money made from selling local drug dealers’ assets is handed back to the neighbourhood.

    Karen Bradley

    There has been a scheme since 2004 whereby a proportion of the proceeds of
    crime recovered from drug dealers and other criminals are returned to law
    enforcement agencies. The money returned to law enforcement has been used to
    support a continued increase in the amounts recovered from criminals and can be
    invested in community projects.

  • Biography information for David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Biography information for David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for David Amess on International Development.

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    Lynne Featherstone

    The Department for International Development (DFID) will provide approximately £45.8m to Marie Stopes International (MSI) during the period 2014-15. DFID adheres to Development Co-Operation Directorate (OACD-DAC) expenditure coding requirements to allow comparison across donor spending towards attainment of the millennium development goal targets. This does not include the facility to calculate spend for individual components of sexual and reproductive health.

    DFID assesses the value for money (VfM) of all its expenditure through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on an annual basis. Every project is subject to an annual review and a judgement is made as to whether the funding is achieving good VfM. More generally, investing in reproductive, maternal and newborn health is excellent value for money due to its low cost and far reaching benefits.

  • 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 correspondence he has received relating to reductions in the number of podiatrists employed in each of the regions of England in each of the last three years.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified four items of correspondence about reductions in the number of podiatrists employed in England, three were received in 2012 and one was received in 2014. This is a minimum figure which represents correspondence received by the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit only.

    Following the Westminster Hall debate on 4 December 2013 about Podiatry services, secured by the hon. Member for Corby (Andy Sawford); the Chief Executive of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, wrote to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health (Jane Ellison) who responded to the debate, expressing concern about the reduction of podiatrists staffing levels in some areas.

    In that debate the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health explained that “in situations in which services need to be changed, the NHS commitment is to make sure decisions are made in a clear and transparent way, so that patients and the public can understand how services are planned and delivered. Through the mandate, NHS England is responsible for services and for working with local clinical commissioning groups to ensure that their services are based on the needs of the local population within the resources available and there has to be evidenced-based best practice”.

  • Biography information for Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Biography information for Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Toby Perkins on Home Office.

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    Karen Bradley

    We are currently considering how the information contained in the marriage
    entry can be updated to reflect changes since the coming into force of the
    Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986, as well as the most suitable
    opportunity for doing so.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of Scottish independence for the regions on either side of the English-Scottish border.

    Mr Alistair Carmichael

    I refer the Rt Hon Gentleman to the answer I gave to the Member for Penrith and The Border earlier today.

  • Biography information for Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Biography information for Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Tom Greatrex on Energy and Climate Change.

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    Michael Fallon

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 June 2014, Official Report, Column 235-6W.

  • 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 make it his policy to ensure that public sector, in-house, social enterprise and not-for-profit provision are given full consideration before public services are contracted out to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Government believes that public service commissioners should consider all options when tendering contracts, securingbest quality service for users at the best value for taxpayers. This includes social enterprises, not-for-profit organisations and public sector mutuals.

    We have provided support through the £10 million Mutuals Support Programme, another £10 million through the Investment and Contract Readiness Fund, and also established a programme of ‘commercial masterclasses’ on the skills needed to win public sector contracts.

  • Biography information for Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Andrew Smith on Health.

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    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The following table provides the annual population of student midwives from 2011-12 to 2013-14. The table includes students enrolled on the degree and 18 month diploma courses.

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Midwife population

    5,955

    6,315

    6,413

    Source: multi professional education and training budget monitoring returns