The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of young people who are cared for in (a) local authority-run and (b) private or voluntary sector children’s homes in each local authority area.
Edward Timpson
The information requested is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of whether the Walshaw Moor Estate’s management of its blanket bog habitats is in compliance with the Habitats Directive; and when she intends to answer the letter of 29 April 2016 from the European Commission giving formal notice on that matter.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
We do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications for retrospective reviews for continuing healthcare have been refused in each of the last five years; and what the reasons were for each such refusal.
David Mowat
NHS England does not collect this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he plans to take to use the UK’s position on the UN Security Council to help facilitate diplomatic negotiations on protecting civilians in Syria.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Protection of civilians in Syria, as well as those who have been forced to flee the country, is a priority for the UK. In the Security Council we have co-sponsored a number of humanitarian resolutions that call for an end to indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including the use of barrel bombs, starvation as a method of warfare and obstructing the flow of humanitarian aid. Specifically, the UK played a key role in negotiating Resolution 2191, which has allowed the UN and its partners to deliver aid across Syria’s borders to people who were previously denied access, including food for 2.1 million people and medical supplies for 2.5 million people. The UK is the second largest bilateral contributor of humanitarian funding, providing over £1.1 billion to those most in need in Syria and neighbouring countries – our largest ever response to a crisis. The long term protection of civilians requires an end to the conflict in Syria and a political settlement based upon the principles of the Geneva Communiqué. We will continue to pursue this objective with vigour, including through the new political process which began in Vienna on 30 October.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 1.17 of the UK National Strategy for Maritime Security, published in May 2014, how many policy decisions in relation to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary have been taken to date by the ministerial working group on maritime security.
Penny Mordaunt
The Ministerial Working Group has not made any policy decisions on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The role of the RFA in providing logistic support to the Royal Navy (RN) is implicit within the support that the RN provides in delivering the National Strategy for Maritime Security.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will take steps to expand the number of places in medicine courses in universities.
Ben Gummer
The Department of Health and Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have periodically reviewed the total number and distribution of undergraduate medical students, basing targets for these students on information provided by the Centre for Workforce Intelligence and local workforce plans that estimate how many doctors we need to work in the National Health Service.
Since the establishment of Health Education England (HEE) in April 2013, responsibility for reviewing the target intake for medical students has sat with them.
HEE is currently reviewing the target intake for medical students and will submit recommendations to the Department in the spring. Any changes to medical student numbers will need to be agreed with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and HEFCE who also contribute to the funding of undergraduate medical education.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lansley on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many local authorities with a social care responsibility have made local authority-funded care available for those with less than substantial care needs, in each of the last five years.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The following table shows where local authorities set their local eligibility criteria within the eligibility framework set out in the statutory guidance Prioritising Need in the Context of Putting People First: A whole system approach to eligibility for social care.
|
|
Critical |
Substantial |
Moderate |
Low |
|
2010/11* |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
2011/12 |
3 |
121 |
25 |
3 |
|
2012/13 |
3 |
127 |
19 |
3 |
|
2013/14 |
3 |
130 |
16 |
3 |
|
2014/15** |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Source: ADASS Budget Survey
* Data not collected
** Data not published
The Care Act 2014 provides the power for Secretary of State to set national eligibility criteria. The national criteria are set out in the Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2015, which were implemented in April 2015. The national eligibility threshold is set at a level where an adult’s needs have a significant impact on their wellbeing. Local authorities cannot tighten eligibility above this threshold, but they can choose to meet needs below this threshold.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that a greater proportion of people who start apprenticeships see them through to completion.
Nick Boles
Provider payments are made on completion of an apprenticeship framework. The final 20% of the rate will be paid when the apprentice achieves their learning aim.
We emphasise the benefits of completing an apprenticeship. At Level 2 and 3 these are very significant, standing at between £48,000 and £74,000 for Level 2 and between £77,000 and £117,000 for Level 3 Apprenticeships[1]. Higher apprentices could earn £150,000 more on average over their lifetime compared to those with L3 vocational qualifications[2].
We are committed to improving the quality of apprenticeships to ensure that they deliver the training employers and apprentices expect, making them more likely to complete.
Apprentices develop transferable skills and English and maths to enable them to progress in their careers. Employer-led Trailblazers are designing apprenticeship standards at a range of levels to provide the skills that employers need.
Ofsted is responsible for the overall process of inspecting and quality assuring training providers. The Institute for Apprenticeships will work closely with Ofsted, Ofqual and the Skills Funding Agency who have responsibility for quality assuring the delivery of many aspects of apprenticeships.
[1] London Economics (2011) – ‘BIS Research Paper Number 53, Returns to Intermediate and Low Level Vocational Qualifications, September 2011’
[2] Apprenticeships in England Oct 2013
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cumulative loss in revenue to HM Treasury has been as a result of the effect of tobacco control measures over the last 10 years.
Jane Ellison
The Department assesses the impact of all proposed measures before laying legislation using standard government methodology. These assessments are set out in Impact Assessments which are scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee before publication alongside the Statutory Instrument. Impact Assessments include a thorough analysis of the costs, benefits and risks associated with policy options.
A number of the tobacco measures contain commitments to further review the impact of the legislation within five years of them coming into force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Indonesia on the case of a Christian woman sentenced to caning in Aceh following her being charged with selling alcohol.
Mr Hugo Swire
We condemn the use of corporal punishment. We welcome public comments made by the head of the EU delegation in Jakarta in November 2015 that the Government of the special territory of Aceh must safeguard human rights and protect the rights of minorities, regardless of religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.