The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the proposed extension of Sunday trading hours on the pay and conditions of retail workers.
Anna Soubry
In view of the will of the House, we are no longer proposing to give local authorities the ability to extend the Sunday trading hours of large shops.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Johnson on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police custody suites in the UK have technology to allow live-link interpretation; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of such interpretation.
Mike Penning
The Home Office does not collect this data. However, we support the use of video to minimise time spent in court and streamlined procedures that save time and money. The police and the wider Criminal Justice System need to meet the needs of a public who increasingly use technology in their day-to-day lives. They must have the tools and the skills to deal with digital information, to tackle crime, support victims and ensure swift justice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsty Blackman on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will make information on the House of Commons annunciator available online in real time.
Tom Brake
The House is currently completing a procurement process to replace the software system which enables publication of information on the annunciator service. The solution has been specified in such a way that the data will be available in an open format. The information will be published in real time and made available to connected devices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2016 to Question 35139, how many people need to be successfully treated for latent TB infection under the Collaborative TB Strategy’s entrant screening programme to prevent one case of active TB.
Jane Ellison
Evidence shows that latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) treatment has a protective efficacy of between 60-90% in preventing progressions to active TB[1]. Without treatment 5-10% of patients with LTBI would progress to active TB.
Using these figures, between 11 and 33 persons with LTBI would need to be treated to prevent one case of active TB.
[1]
Sharma SK, Sharma A, Kadhiravan T, Tharyan P. Rifamycins (rifampicin, rifabutin and rifapentine) compared to isoniazid for preventing tuberculosis in HIV-negative people at risk of active TB. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD007545. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007545.pub2
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many country specialists for (a) Russia, (b) China, (c) North Korea, (d) the US, (e) Syria and (f) India are employed by his Department.
Sir Alan Duncan
It is not possible to identify the exact number of country specialists working on these countries within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Career Diplomats develop longer-term expertise on countries, linked to their language skills and pattern of relevant work in London or in post. We also have expertise within our local staff colleagues across the network. In London, we have at any one time approximately 10 specialist Research Analysts focussed on these countries and additional Research Analysts working on relevant regional issues and countries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) officials of his Department, (b) representatives of NHS bodies or (c) researchers funded by his Department will be attending the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in November 2015.
George Freeman
No officials from the Department plan to attend San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December 2015. The Department does not hold information centrally on planned attendance at this event by NHS representatives or researchers supported fully or in part by funding from the Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayman on 2015-12-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 26 November (HL3704), whether they have completed their review of the possibility of resuming direct flights to Sierra Leone, and if so, whether they are currently processing any permissions for flights to begin.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government has now lifted the restriction on direct, scheduled, commercial air services between Sierra Leone and the UK. The Department is aware of one company that has applied for, and been issued, a Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit by the Civil Aviation Authority to operate services between Sierra Leone and the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2015 to Question 11881, if he will discuss with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency the reasons for that agency not approving the pilot scheme for bike racks on the front of buses in Bath in 2015.
Andrew Jones
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) rejected the pilot scheme because the design created significant additional hazards from the original bus design. These included both the structure of the bicycle rack when folded and deployed, projections of any bicycle on the rack, and a significant reduction of vision for the driver to the nearside front with a bicycle on the rack. These features were considered to increase significantly the likelihood of accidents and potential severity of pedestrian injury.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 22400, if he will meet the hon. Member for Torfaen to discuss the case of Norman James.
Robert Buckland
I am happy to meet any Honourable Member where appropriate to discuss any issues for which I am accountable to this House. However, in this case I do not believe that a meeting would serve a particular purpose as I am accountable only for the decisions of the Crown Prosecution Service, and the specific allegations raised by Mr James are ones that would be more appropriate for the police to investigate. As I pointed out in my previous answer the CPS has no investigatory powers in this regard.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials of his Department have specific policy responsibility for freedom of information.
Matthew Hancock
I refer the hon Member to the Cabinet Office organogram: https://data.gov.uk/organogram/cabinet-office.