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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to investigate whistleblowers’ allegations of impropriety relating to employment support contracts.

    Esther McVey

    The Department treats any allegation of fraud by contractors very seriously, regardless of where these emanate from. Any fraud is completely unacceptable. Where we identify, or are notified of, allegations of contractor fraud, these cases are investigated thoroughly by the Department’s professionally trained and experienced investigators to a standard required to support reference to the Police whenever evidence of criminal offences is discovered.

    All contracted employment providers are required to have whistleblowing procedures that support their employees in reporting suspected wrongdoing at work and ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’. If they consider that they cannot raise suspicions of abuse of government funds with their employer, they should contact the Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office (NAO). This route is used to escalate whistleblower concerns and DWP Internal Investigations work with the NAO to investigate these matters and take appropriate action where issues are identified. This is an important channel in ensuring that employees can raise concerns and that they can be protected legally when doing so.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of adverse sanction decisions taken against jobseeker’s allowance claimants in 2013 were repeat decisions.

    Esther McVey

    We have interpreted the question to be for the number of sanction decision reconsiderations and appeals upheld therefore resulting in a sanction still being applied following a request for a review or a formal appeal from the JSA claimant.

    This information is published and can be found at:

    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

    Guidance for users is available at:

    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

    The proportion of adverse sanction decisions can be calculated using these figures.

    “

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Written Statement of 11 June 2014, Official Report, column 47WS, on UK Green Investment Bank, what estimate he has made of the staff resource the additional responsibilities on the Green Investment Bank will require.

    Michael Fallon

    The Green Investment Bank (GIB) expects that the business planning work will require two people and has taken on two individuals with experience in investment in developing economies to complement GIB’s in-house expertise in green investment. The costs of these extra staff will be met by the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

  • Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish details of alternative proposals for fire fighter pensions which have been considered by his Department.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 June, Official Report, Column 152W.

  • David Burrowes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Burrowes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) pharmacological treatments and (b) associated indications the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended for (i) prostate cancer, (ii) lung cancer, (iii) bowel cancer, (iv) breast cancer and (v) kidney cancer through either single or multiple technology appraisals and under the end of life criteria in each year since NICE was established.

    Norman Lamb

    The consideration of end of life criteria was introduced into the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal process in January 2009. NICE has advised that it has recommended the following treatments for prostate, lung, bowel and kidney cancer under its technology appraisal programme where the end of life criteria were applied. No treatments for breast cancer have been recommended under the end of life criteria.

    Cancer

    Appraisal

    Technolo-gy appraisal

    Prostate

    abiraterone in combination with prednisone or prednisolone for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with one docetaxel-containing regimen

    TA259

    Lung

    oral topotecan for small cell lung cancer

    TA184

    pemetrexed (maintenance treatment) for non-small cell lung cancer

    TA190

    Bowel

    sunitinib for gastrointestinal stromal tumours

    TA179

    Kidney

    sunitinib (first-line) for renal cell carcinoma

    TA169

    pazopanib for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

    TA215

    Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

    “

  • David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Ward on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 364W, on entry clearances, what options the policy and operational teams in her Department are considering to best accommodate a clearance programme once the appeal against the judgment of Mr Justice Blake on 5 July 2013 on the Government’s visa income threshold is published.

    Karen Bradley

    We will study the Court of Appeal judgment in MM and Others closely when this is handed down. We will then decide and announce how we will deal with those applications placed on hold pending the conclusion of the litigation.

  • 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 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the National Clinical Director for Cancer on the performance of the NHS against the waiting time targets for cancer treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, has had a number of discussions with senior members of NHS England’s executive team on the performance of the National Health Service against the waiting time targets for cancer treatment, but not with the National Clinical Director for Cancer.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the extent to which there is a gender imbalance in the composition of Local Enterprise Partnership boards.

    Michael Fallon

    Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) board membership is a matter for LEPs themselves and they are best placed to ensure it meets the needs of their businesses and local people.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the externally audited copies of the last three years’ accounts supplied by alternative learning providers who sought specific course designation under his Department’s financial sustainability, management and governance checks.

    Mr David Willetts

    The audited accounts of alternative providers submitted to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as part of the specific designation application process are commercially confidential information. They are only shared with parties involved in the assessment of that application. BIS will not be publishing this information.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what details parents will be required to provide for the quarterly reconfirmation process for tax-free childcare; what measures will be in place to ensure that parents are reminded about the deadline for quarterly reconfirmation; and what provisions he will put in place in the event that parents fail to provide the necessary details for (a) one quarter and (b) more than one quarter.

    Nicky Morgan

    Details on the Tax-Free Childcare reconfirmation process were included in the Government’s Consultation Response published on 18th March 2014, which set out how reconfirmation will enable a smooth customer journey whilst protecting the scheme from error and fraud.