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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Clive Betts – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Clive Betts – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to enable hydrogen fuel to compete equally as a viable part of the transport mix.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As set out in Driving the Future Today our strategy document published last year, the Government is committed to the move to ultra-low emission vehicles. We recognise the economic opportunities for the UK that this transition provides as well its potential contribution to cutting the emissions from road transport.

    The Government’s approach to this agenda has been consistently technology neutral and we have been active participants in UKH2Mobility. This is a joint industry-Government project evaluating the potential for hydrogen as a transport fuel and the scope to make the UK an early market for the commercial deployment of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) from 2015 onwards. The UKH2Mobility project is ongoing and both Government and industry participants are working together to consider the steps needed to secure the benefits of moving to hydrogen as a transport fuel for the UK. This includes the clear contribution that studies have shown FCEVs can make to improving air quality in the UK. We have undertaken no specific research on the impact of FCEVs on air quality in London.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of take-home naloxone in reducing the number of opiate-related deaths across the UK in conjunction with the training and educational programmes within the prison services.

    Jane Ellison

    From July 2009 to February 2010, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (now part of Public Health England (PHE)) ran a trial at 16 pilot sites around England in which carers and relations of opiate misusers were trained to respond to overdoses and use the antidote naloxone and basic life support techniques.

    A report[1] on the trial was published in 2011, and it was clear that naloxone appeared to help save lives. The report said that there were 18 overdoses where carers used naloxone and two where they applied basic life support. All the drug users survived the overdose. The trial included people who were about to leave prisons, and the report covers some of the issues around this.

    There is currently a trial running on the effectiveness of giving prisoners naloxone when they leave prison, which has yet to report.

    Some prisons currently supply prisons with take-home naloxone as part of their post-release support. PHE does not hold the data centrally.

    The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has recommended that naloxone be made more widely available, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has undertaken a consultation with the field on implementing this recommendation. There will be no further policy announcements on naloxone until the report on this consultation is published.

    [1] Full report available at http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/naloxonereport2011.pdf

  • Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of British pensioners resident abroad whose pensions have been frozen.

    Steve Webb

    The information as requested by nationality of State Pension recipient is not available.

    However statistics on State Pensioners residing abroad by frozen and non frozen rate countries are available on the Department’s website at:-

    http://83.244.183.180/100pc/sp/tabtool_sp.html

    “

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of passports that were issued for residents of (a) Airdrie and Shotts constituency, (b) Lanarkshire, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in each year since 2009.

    James Brokenshire

    Her Majesty’s Passport Office does not store information at constituency level
    and the cost of extracting the information requested would be disproportionate.
    Information on passport processing performance can be found in HMPO’s annual
    report and accounts, which can be accessed via the links below.

    2009-2010:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118758
    /annual-report-accounts-200910.pdf

    2010-2011:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identity-and-passport-service-annual-
    report-and-accounts-2010-to-2011

    2011-2012:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118751
    /ips-annual-report-2012.pdf

    2012-2013:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210619
    /IPS_annual_report_and_accounts_2012-13.pdf

  • Neil Carmichael – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Neil Carmichael – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Carmichael on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to promote digital government.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Online services tend to be faster, cheaper and more convenient, so we want all major Government transactions to be digital by default.

    This is not just about the opportunity to save the taxpayer over £ 1 billion by the end of this parliament, it is about transforming the experience that citizens have of dealing with Government.

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether staff working for community rehabilitation companies will be able to (a) recall offenders and (b) write parole reports without consulting National Probation Service staff.

    Jeremy Wright

    The decision whether to recall an offender to custody continues to rest with the Secretary of State. Where a warning does not appear sufficient or appropriate, CRCs will be required to refer potential breaches to the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) with a breach report and a recommendation on the action to be taken. NOMS will take the final decision on behalf of the Secretary of State. The enforcement process for CRCs and the National Probation Service was described in detail in our published Target Operating Model.

    Offenders serving indeterminate sentences for public protection will be managed by the National Probation Service: the arrangements for Parole Board hearings during their recall period will remain unchanged. If recalled to custody, offenders allocated to the CRCs who are serving determinate sentences will continue to be managed by the CRC, unless their risk of serious harm increases to “high”. CRCs will need to provide information, as appropriate, to support the recall process and consideration of re-release.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the government of Sudan following reports of population displacement by violence in Darfur since the beginning of 2014 and that UNAMID and humanitarian agencies have been prevented from entering the affected areas; and if so, at what level of government, and whether any other countries have been involved in those representations.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    We continue to raise the issues around Darfur with the Government of Sudan consistently and frequently, and at all levels. Most recently, the Minister for Africa, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), issued two statements on 6 March and 7 April condemning the escalating violence in Darfur, calling for humanitarian access and for all sides to immediately cease the violence. Our Ambassador in Khartoum raised Darfur with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (State Minister level) in late March, and with the Chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority on 1 April. The Head of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Sudan met the Commissioner of the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) to raise access for humanitarian agencies in Darfur in April. The UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office also led a high level mission of UN and EU/US ambassadors and heads of agency to Darfur, during which UK representatives raised this issue with the Governor of North Darfur. Officials have also raised Darfur with the acting Ambassador of the Sudanese Embassy in London.

    UN Resolution 2148 which focuses on UNAMID was adopted on 3 April. It expresses particular concern at reports of an escalation of violence in Darfur since February 2014, resulting in the displacement of a large number of civilians, and at the denial of access for UNAMID and humanitarian actors to the affected areas by the Sudanese authorities and calls on the Government of Sudan to comply with the Status of Forces Agreement fully and without delay, and to enhance its cooperation with UNAMID on the implementation of the peacekeeping mission’s mandate.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 her Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each such number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at BT local rates are available in each such case.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    My Department operates one telephone line with the prefix 0844 for the purpose of updating staff in the event of an emergency situation. Details of the number of calls to this line are not recorded and no alternative number is available at the BT local rate. My Department does not operate or sponsor any telephone lines with the prefix 0845 or 0843.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Action for Children’s proposed Cinderella neglect law.

    Lord Faulks

    The Government believes protecting children from harm is fundamental and that child cruelty is an abhorrent crime which should be punished. All children should be able to grow up in a safe, happy environment.

    Officials at the Ministry of Justice have been exploring the views of relevant experts in England and Wales to ascertain whether there are any gaps in the criminal law on child cruelty.

    We are currently considering the outcome of this work with a view to determining next steps.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each such number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at BT local rates are available in each such case.

    Stephen Hammond

    The department has three numbers in use detailed in the chart below.