The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications there were for a declaration of parentage under section 55A of the Family Law Act 1986 to the (a) high, (b) magistrates and (c) county courts in each of the last five years.
Caroline Dinenage
This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been allocated to the community pharmacy contractual framework in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.
Alistair Burt
Since the community pharmacy contractual framework was introduced in 2005, the usual practice has been to set one year funding settlements for community pharmacy. As previously announced, the funding for community pharmacy for 2016/17 is £2.63 billion. Discussions are being held with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, which represents pharmacy owners.
We cannot comment further on future funding at this time.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his Department’s policy to provide additional funding to local authorities for providing public services for nationals of other EU member states who remain in the UK for less than one year; and if he will make a statement.
Harriett Baldwin
‘Additional funding’ has been interpreted to mean welfare expenditure. There is no policy of additional welfare expenditure for nationals of other EU member states who remain in the UK for less than one year.
If the UK votes to remain in the EU, the Prime Minister’s February deal will take effect. Included in the deal is the ‘Emergency Brake’, a mechanism to exclude recently-arrived EEA workers from access to full UK in-work benefits for 4 years. Initially the Brake will involve complete exclusion for in work benefits. The deal also confirmed that in future the UK will not have to pay any means-tested unemployment benefits to EU nationals who come to the UK as job seekers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Public Health England plans to spend on HIV prevention in 2016-17; and what interventions will be provided with that budget.
Nicola Blackwood
In 2016/17, Public Health England’s (PHE) allocation for the national HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme is £2.5 million and these monies will be invested in five different workstreams.
A total of £1.2 million has been allocated to the national HIV prevention programme for most at-risk populations (MARPs) which will deliver, on behalf of PHE, a range of activities in system leadership, social marketing, amplification of local HIV prevention and monitoring and evaluation that aim to reduce HIV incidence in MARPs. This contract has been re-tendered and retained by HIV Prevention England, a consortium led by Terrence Higgins Trust.
A total of £0.6 million has been allocated for the 2016/17 HIV Prevention Innovation fund which will support voluntary sector organisations, supported by their local authority, to deliver local projects that offer new and innovative ways of delivering HIV prevention in groups at high risk of HIV.
A total of £0.2 million has been allocated as PHE’s contribution to the national HIV self-sampling service jointly commissioned with over 80 local authorities.
A total of £0.25 million for the Sexual Health and Reproductive Health Information contract was re-tendered and successfully retained by FPA (formerly Family Planning Association) who will deliver, on behalf of PHE, a range of information products to enable people to make healthy, safe and sustainable sexual and reproductive health choices.
A total of £0.25 million has been allocated for monitoring and evaluation of the HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme.
PHE staff are also involved in supporting HIV prevention in England through data analysis and reporting, public health system leadership and management of programme activities at both national and local levels.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken on the effects on road safety of adopting harsher sentencing for those who break the law by dangerous driving, speeding or driving whilst under the influence of alcohol.
Andrew Jones
I published the Road Safety Statement in December 2015 which sets out the measures Government is taking to improve road safety including the reduction of road traffic offences. Our award-winning THINK! campaigns have also been running throughout the year to educate drivers on the risk and consequences of a number of different type of offences. The Department is in regular contact with a range of organisations and their reports, such as the ‘RAC Report on Motoring 2016’, are provided to the Department. The Department often includes research evidence in its impact assessments, for example the Elvik ‘dose response’ model, which shows that rigorous enforcement increases the deterrent effect on offending. The Government continues to keep road safety and road traffic offences under review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the tri-partite agreement between the UK, the Republic of Ireland and France on the importation and exportation of horses is achieving its aims; and if she will establish a comprehensive audit trail of movements to protect (a) consumers from exposure to illegal horse meat and (b) animals from cruelty.
George Eustice
The Tri-Partite Agreement (TPA) implements a derogation from the animal health conditions that normally apply when horses are moved between EU member states. In recognition of an increased, but still low risk of disease being spread through such movements, a new TPA with France and Ireland came into effect on 18 May 2014. The TPA does not apply to horses moving directly for slaughter, these are subject to harmonised EU certification. It also does not affect the requirement to comply with welfare legislation.
For movements between the United Kingdom and France, only horses with a higher health status can benefit from the derogation. All such movements must be pre-notified on the European Commission’s TRACES system and be accompanied by a commercial document (DOCOM) produced by an approved TPA body as well as an official identification document. The TPA is generally restricted to thoroughbreds and non-thoroughbreds involved in racing, training and breeding plus horses participating in events regulated by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI).
As part of the conditions of their approval, TPA bodies have had to demonstrate to Defra that they can deliver good traceability and that they comply with the relevant welfare legislation as part of their normal governance arrangements.
The Chief Veterinary Officer has met several times with his French and Irish counterparts and with representatives of the equine sector to review the operation of the new TPA. This has included discussions on the arrangements for auditing the agreement to ensure that there is a consistent approach between the three countries. The TPA will be audited by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain.
Local authorities are designated as enforcement bodies under the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011, the Horse Passport Regulations 2009 and the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 and corresponding legislation in Wales and Scotland.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2015-12-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 23 November (HL3565), what advice they will give to local authorities affected by significant withdrawal of residential care providers in particular areas from publicly-funded adult social care in the event that this prevents those authorities from stepping in to ensure people’s needs.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government has worked with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and the Local Government Information Unit to publish guidance to support local authorities to develop effective contingency plans for provider failure- Care and Continuity: Contingency planning for provider failure. The guidance is attached.
It is expected that local authorities will keep these plans under review and update them as necessary to reflect current market conditions and risks.
Should there be a significant withdrawal of residential care providers from the publically funded adult social care market putting pressure on local authorities’ capacity to discharge their statutory functions in the short-term, the Government will work with the sector to develop bespoke contingency plans to support local government to manage the situation. This could include supporting work with neighbouring local authorities and ADASS regional networks.
More widely, the Government will continue to support local authorities to discharge their functions under the Care Act 2014 which require them to shape a sustainable market that meets the needs of their local population.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Willia on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the Government’s objectives are for the Syria Donors Conference on 4 February 2016.
Justine Greening
We want the Conference to raise significant new funding to help those affected by the crisis, both to support immediate and longer term humanitarian needs but also jobs and getting Syrian refugee children into school. The Conference also aims to reaffirm the international community’s commitment to protect civilians from harm and the need for unfettered, impartial humanitarian access inside Syria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on measures to improve air quality; and what discussions he has had with Highways England on the level of priority it accords to issues of air quality.
Andrew Jones
Ministers and officials in the Department for Transport regularly meet with both Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Highways England on measures to improve air quality, public health and achieve compliance with EU air quality standards. On 17 December 2015 Government published the Air Quality Action Plan which sets out a comprehensive approach for meeting these goals. Air Quality is a clear priority for Highways England, backed up by a dedicated £100 million fund as part of the Road Investment Strategy published in December 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Civil Aviation Authority has taken in response to the findings of the Air Accident Investigation Branch report into the Shoreham Airshow disaster of August 2015.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has not yet published its final report. The majority of recommendations in the AAIB’s latest bulletin cover areas where the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has already taken action as part of its ongoing review of air display safety, which it established immediately after the Shoreham accident.
The CAA is now reviewing the AAIB’s bulletin in detail and will consider all of its recommendations carefully, alongside its ongoing air show review which is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.