Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what mechanisms the Department for International Development has in place to monitor the quality and real developmental impact of their aid programmes.

    Baroness Verma

    DFID has rigorous programme and financial management procedures and systems in place. This government has significantly strengthened these procedures and systems, placing a strong emphasis on ensuring programmes are high quality and deliver value for money and real development impact. Each DFID project is rigorously appraised before approval to establish value for money. During implementation, projects are measured against a robust monitoring framework through mandatory annual reviews to ensure they remain cost effective and are delivering expected outputs, outcomes and development impact. The results of these annual reviews are scored by the managing team and are then monitored through regular management information reports to management and Ministers. We take decisions to exit underperforming programmes and redirect resources into those that deliver poverty reduction and value for money for taxpayers.

    DFID is also committed to generating high quality evidence through independent evaluations which look in detail at the impact that our interventions are having and what lessons can be learnt for the future. In addition the Independent Commission for Aid Impact assesses the effectiveness of DFID’s programming.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much was spent on non-payroll staff in her Department in 2015-16.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department is in the process of finalising its Annual Report and Accounts – the information will be available in public domain in due course.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had on maintaining the level of funding for disabled people in Northern Ireland when support for such people from the European Social Fund ceases.

    Kris Hopkins

    My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has regular discussions with colleagues on a range of issues regarding the UK’s exit from the European Union.

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed on 13 August that European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) projects signed before the Autumn Statement will be fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

    For projects signed after the Autumn Statement, the Government will work with the devolved administrations on funding arrangements to allow them to prioritise projects within their devolved responsibilities. As we transition to longer-term arrangements, we will ensure the devolved administrations are treated fairly and that their circumstances are taken into account.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen on 16 September (HL1556), how many young people participated in the National Citizen Service programmes during (1) 2014, and (2) 2015; how those participants were recruited; and how much expenditure was incurred in each year.

    Lord Ashton of Hyde

    In 2014, 57,789 young people took part in NCS throughout England. The number of young people who took part in the programme in 2015 will be released as part of the independent evaluation of the 2015 programme in due course.

    Information on annual NCS expenditure can be found in the published NCS Trust accounts, which are available online through Companies House.

    All recruitment is the responsibility of the NCS Trust, the independent organisation which delivers NCS. Recruitment is carried out through the NCS supply chain which includes more than 200 delivery organisations. NCS recruitment primarily takes place in schools, but young people can also sign up through the NCS website.

    A range of other local channels support NCS recruitment, including partnerships with local authorities, youth groups, community and voluntary organisations, as well as NCS graduates.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy that no Department be permitted to (a) employ staff at wages below the living wage and (b) sign a contract with contractors who pay their staff less than the living wage.

    Matthew Hancock

    We are the first Government ever to deliver a National Living Wage. Every employer in the country will pay the National Living Wage, including all Government contractors, from April 2016.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK sought permission from the government of Syria to deploy manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft over Syria before he made his Statement to the House on 21 October 2014.

    Penny Mordaunt

    No. This activity is conducted as part of the international counter-ISIL/Da’esh Coalition in the self-defence of the UK and the collective self-defence of Iraq, under article 51 of the UN Charter, against the direct threat from ISIL’s heartland in Syria.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the end of year budget surplus or deficit was for each further education college in London in each financial year since 2010-11.

    Nick Boles

    We will collate this information and deposit it in the Libraries of the House shortly.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on assistance to elderly people to help them with increases in energy prices.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Providing direct help to vulnerable consumers, including the elderly to keep their energy bills down is a priority for the Department. For example, direct help is given to vulnerable consumers through energy efficiency schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation and through the Warm Home Discount scheme, where 2 million low income and vulnerable households per year receive rebates off their electricity bills. DECC officials regularly meet with other government departments to discuss helping vulnerable consumers.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effect on national security of members of al-Qaeda (a) in Saudi Arabia, (b) in refugee camps near the Syrian border and (c) among migrants traveling to Europe.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Al Qaeda, and groups affiliated to it, continue to pose a threat to our national security, including British interests abroad, and remain a priority for the cross-government counter terrorism effort. We are aware of media reporting that terrorist groups have an ambition to infiltrate migration and refugee routes. We work closely with our partners abroad to counter terrorism, including to strengthen border security against identified terrorists and terrorist suspects. Access to the European border watchlist (Schengen Information System II) contributes to the UK’s ability to safeguard its national security, and we use this to make checks on individuals wishing to enter the UK from the Schengen zone.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve the care offered to people with autism in order to reduce the difference in life expectancy between people with and people without autism.

    Alistair Burt

    Think Autism the updated strategy for adults with autism in England set out a clear cross Government programme of action, developed by people with autism, their families and carers, to support local authorities, the National Health Service, and other public services to improve the lives of people with autism. In addition, last year, NHS England commissioned the world’s first Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to support local areas to review deaths of people with learning disabilities, including those with autism, and to use the information to improve service provision so that physical and mental health problems can be identified and addressed. This programme is currently being piloted and will be rolled out more widely in due course.