The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-06-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the profitability and financial position of Mapeley Steps Contractor Limited in its role of managing the HM Revenue and Customs’ estate.
Mr David Gauke
HMRC monitors the financial position of its key suppliers under agreed transparency arrangements. HMRC is unable to provide confidential financial information relating to its suppliers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the forthcoming National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quality standard on fertility will be considered for a CCG Outcome Indicator.
Jane Ellison
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not yet published its final quality standard on fertility. NICE’s Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set (CCGOIS) Advisory Committee makes recommendations on potential indicators derived from its published guidance and quality standards for inclusion in the CCGOIS which are then considered by NHS England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his Written Statement of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 1WS on higher education, what public consultation he has undertaken on the proposed changes to disabled students’ allowance.
Mr David Willetts
We are currently consulting with a wide range of stakeholders to help inform both the Equality Analysis and Disabled Students’ Allowances Guidance for 2015/16.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent estimate his Department has made of the RAB charge for student loans issued after 2012.
Mr David Willetts
We estimate the RAB charge on these loans to be around 45%.
The actual cost of issuing student loans will be dependent on future macro-economic circumstances, in particular earnings and we will continue to update our forecasts on a regular basis to take account of changes to short term and long term macro-economic assumptions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in Peterborough constituency achieved (a) Level 1 and (b) Level 2 skills in English in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Laws
A table showing the number of pupils in Peterborough constituency that achieved a Level 1 or a Level 2 in English (key stage 4) since 2005/06 has been placed in the House Library.
Information on pupils for 2004/05 is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Ministers or officials of his Department have (a) met the Attorney General of Nigeria since January 2012 and (b) had any conversations about the sale of the OPL 245 oil concession in Nigeria involving Shell and ENI with (i) the Attorney General of Nigeria and (ii) any other senior official of the Nigerian government.
Mr Francis Maude
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information on meetings by other officials is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on which occasions Ministers in his Department have taken decisions on (a) moving prisoners into open conditions and (b) releasing prisoners on temporary licence since May 2010.
Jeremy Wright
An indeterminate sentence prisoner is transferred to open conditions only after a robust risk assessment and, in most cases, upon the recommendation of the independent Parole Board. In making its risk assessment, the Parole Board is provided with reports from a range of professional staff from within the National Offender Management Service, all of whom can be required to attend the Parole Board hearing and give evidence directly to the Board if required to do so. In making its recommendation, the Board’s overriding priority at all times is the safety of the public.
Decisions as to whether to accept a Parole Board recommendation to transfer an indeterminate sentence prisoner to open conditions or to direct the transfer of such a prisoner without a Parole Board recommendation are taken by officials within the National Offender Management Service on behalf of Ministers, in accordance with the Carltona principle. Such decisions are not referred to Ministers.
Decisions to transfer determinate sentence prisoners to open conditions are taken by population managers within the National Offender Management Service. Only prisoners who have been thoroughly risk assessed and categorised as suitable for open conditions will be considered for transfer to open prisons. Decisions on re-categorising prisoners as suitable for open conditions are taken by experienced prison staff with input from offender managers, healthcare and other professional staff using recent information about the prisoner including behaviour whilst in closed conditions, security and intelligence information and any other risk information that might demonstrate the prisoner’s proven trustworthiness. Decisions are not taken by ministers.
Decisions to release prisoners on temporary licence (ROTL) are taken by prison governors and directors, or their delegates, on behalf of the Secretary of State and in line with national guidance issued by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). Decisions are taken on the basis of recommendations from a risk assessment board that has taken account of the nature of the offence and any indentified risk factors, the position of known victims, the offender’s record on previous ROTL; their behaviour in prison and progress in tackling their offending behaviour, and any other specific areas of concern relevant to that case. Decisions are not taken by Ministers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2014-06-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their stated intention of building more houses, what is their assessment of the ability of the United Kingdom building supplies industry to provide bricks, timber and other materials; and what measures they are taking to encourage growth in the building supplies industry to provide sufficient materials to ensure the success of the house building programme.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The Government has noted advice from the Construction Products Association that there is no general lack of capacity in UK products manufacturers. The Association advises that only 19 per cent of companies producing heavy building materials are currently operating at near capacity. As the products sector adjusts to the return to growth it expects that capacity will increase further in response to demand.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2014-06-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical steps are being taken to ensure that the experiences and interests of children with fetal valproate syndrome and their families are represented as an integral part of patient involvement at every level of the reformed National Health Service.
Earl Howe
NHS England has developed a delivery model which sets out a systematic approach to the way that it works. Each aspect of its work is underpinned by a commitment to increase patient experience, engagement and participation. This is reflected in their business plan 2014-15 to 2016-17.
In September 2013, it launched a package of measures designed to ensure that the voices of patients, their carers and the public are at the centre of healthcare services.
‘Transforming Participation in Health and Care – The NHS belongs to us all’ has been developed by NHS England with a wide range of stakeholders and partners. Its purpose is to support commissioners to improve individual and public participation and to better understand and respond to the needs of the communities they serve.
It supports two legal duties requiring clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and commissioners in NHS England to enable:
– patients and carers to participate in planning, managing and making decisions about their care and treatment, through the services they commission; and
– the effective participation of the public in the commissioning process itself, so that services provided reflect the needs of local people.
The guidance highlights a range of ways in which National Health Service commissioners can fulfil their statutory responsibilities and seize the opportunity to deliver personalised and responsive care to all. It includes a wide range of tools, resources and case studies that commissioners will find useful when developing their own responses.
The guidance is a starting point and NHS England will be working with partners to develop further resources to support commissioners to develop their approaches to both individual and public participation.
The reforms to the health and social care system set out in the Health and Social Care Act have also emphasised the need for integration. Central to these reforms is the establishment of statutory health and wellbeing boards to encourage local authorities to take a more strategic approach to providing integrated health and local government services. The boards are intended to bring together bodies from the NHS, public and local government, including Healthwatch as the patient’s voice, jointly to plan how best to meet local health and care needs, and to commission services accordingly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place for a person who was granted a royal pardon between 1987 and 1997 to resist a subsequent prosecution for the crime for which that person has been pardoned in the event of new evidence emerging and the lack of knowledge by the prosecuting authorities of the existence of such a pardon given the absence of records of such pardons having been granted.
Baroness Randerson
Following a search of the records held by the Northern Ireland Office, no evidence has been found to indicate that between 1987 and 1997, the RPM was used to do anything other than to remit (i.e. shorten) the sentences of individuals who had already been convicted of offences. It is therefore the release from custody that demonstrates the exercise of the RPM.