The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of benefit sanctions on mental health.
Priti Patel
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 November 2015 to Questions 901923, 901929 and 901937.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Andrea Leadsom
The cost of SCS recruitment from 2010 to 2015 can be found in the table below. Data is taken from central finance records. Every effort has been made to exclude non SCS recruitment costs from the figures but where the grade recruited cannot be identified these figures have been included. Costs include charges provided by recruitment agencies and executive search agencies.
As part of its long-term economic plan, this Government has reduced the size of the Civil Service by 22%, adjusting for Machinery of Government changes that moved staff into and out of the Civil Service since the 2010 General Election, representing a significant increase in efficiency and productivity that helped save taxpayers £2.8 billion last year alone.
|
Year |
Cost £ |
|
2010-11 |
84,338.00 |
|
2011-12 |
267,268.90 |
|
2012-13 |
306,901.53 |
|
2013-14 |
365,847.87 |
|
2014-15 |
176,080.25 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when work first began in his Department on consideration of the proposal to include Dupuytren’s contracture in the list of industrial injuries recognised for disablement benefits.
Justin Tomlinson
Work began in May 2014 following publication of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee’s report on Dupuytren’s Contracture. It is expected that a decision whether or not to add it to the list of prescribed diseases will be made early this year and will take account of the potential costs involved and other relevant factors.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department and the Rural Payments Agency will issue partial payments to farmers that have not been paid by early February 2016.
George Eustice
In the past part payments has led to years of confusion for farmers and additional costs in processing and disallowance for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The RPA, therefore, will not be making partial payments but is instead focusing on paying all farmers as promptly as possible.
As of 25 January the RPA had paid around 61,100 farmers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.47 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence Review 2015, Cm 9161, which of the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers will be adapted to support amphibious capability.
Mr Philip Dunne
The two new Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers, currently under construction in Rosyth have a planned service life of 50 years each. They will be capable of a spectrum of roles including battlefield helicopter support to littoral operations. The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 made provision to enhance this capability in the QEC aircraft carriers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority regarding reported Palestinian General Intelligence Service raids on female students’ houses in Hebron at night.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Officials from our Consulate-General raised this issue with the Palestinian Authority on 23 March.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 18 April 2016, on immigration detention, HCWS679, whether there will be independent oversight of decisions to detain pregnant women.
James Brokenshire
At present, detention is authorised by an officer of at least the rank of Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO). As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 14 January, the Government is developing a new approach to the case management of those detained. This is intended to replace the existing detention review process with a clear removal plan for all those in detention.
It will ensure that all detainees, including pregnant women, spend the minimum possible time in detention. Under the new policy in order for detention to be extended beyond 72 hours ministerial authorisation will be required and the maximum detention period will be one week.
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards already provide independent oversight of detention facilities and conditions of detention. Individuals, including pregnant women, are given prior notification of their liability to removal from the UK by the Home Office and they would be detained only for the purposes of identification or removal.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-05-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect on relations between the UK and Turkey of the decision in the Turkish Parliament to strip parliamentary immunity from 124 deputies.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The lifting of parliamentary immunity is a matter for the Turkish parliament. As a modern democracy and candidate for EU accession, we would expect Turkey to undertake any subsequent legal processes transparently and fully respect the rule of law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from the higher education sector on the future of the Erasmus programme.
Joseph Johnson
The referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad under the Erasmus scheme or applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access to the programme after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations, and the potential effects could vary considerably. Since the referendum, I have met with stakeholders including representatives from:
Officials have additionally met with or spoken to:
They have also received various representations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have received access to superfast broadband through government programmes since May 2010.
Matt Hancock
Approximately 2,487 premises in the Woking constituency and 77,141 premises in Surrey have received access to superfast broadband through the Superfast Broadband Programme. Over 4 million premises across the UK have received access through the programme. BDUK does not measure coverage at regional level.