Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have a list of invasive non-native species arriving on UK shores that they wish to eradicate, and if so, whether Japanese knotweed is on that list.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Biodiversity is a devolved matter. In England, there are currently five species subject to national eradication programmes. These are Ruddy duck, Monk parakeet, Topmouth gudgeon, American bullfrog and Water primrose.

    Nevertheless, in England, the work of Local Action Groups, established with Government support, has reduced or eradicated Japanese knotweed in several places. For example, in Bristol, 95% of the Japanese knotweed surveyed by the Avon Invasive Weed Forum is now under management.

    The Government also continues to explore biocontrol options through the controlled release of a psyllid insect.

  • Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of whether local provision through clinical commissioning groups and local authorities is ensuring that high-quality, personalised services are being delivered for young people with dementia and their carers.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government is clear that all types of dementia remain a priority and will implement the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 in full to make sure that dementia care, support, awareness and research are transformed by 2020. Under the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020, we want to see:

    – Every person diagnosed with dementia having meaningful care following their diagnosis, which supports them and those around them, with meaningful care being in accordance with published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standards.

    – Information on what post-diagnosis services are available locally and how these can be accessed, through for example an annual ‘information prescription’.

    – Access to relevant advice and support to help and advice on what happens after a diagnosis and the support available through the journey.

    – Carers of people with dementia being made aware of and offered the opportunity for respite, education, training, emotional and psychological support so that they feel able to cope with their caring responsibilities and to have a life alongside caring.

    Under the 2020 Challenge, we wish to encourage greater personalisation in the provision of post-diagnosis services – this means building support around the individual with dementia, their carer and their family.

    It is for clinical commissioning groups and local authorities, working together, to ensure that high quality, personalised services are delivered for people with dementia including younger people and their carers.

  • Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that insurers cannot under-settle claims made in person following an increase in the small claims limit.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course, including any necessary safeguards. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support the provision of rural bus services in West Yorkshire.

    Andrew Jones

    Decisions about the provision of bus services requiring local government subsidy are a matter for individual English local authorities, in the light of their other spending priorities.

    The majority of public funding for local bus services is via block grant provided to local authorities in England from the Department for Communities and Local Government. However, my Department also provides around £40m of Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) funding directly to English local authorities to help deliver bus services, of which over £2 million goes to West Yorkshire.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26719, what change programmes are underway which are expected to reduce the number of his Department’s civilian employees.

    Mark Lancaster

    The main change programmes which are in progress and expected to deliver significant civilian workforce reductions are Army re-basing, the US Visiting Forces restructuring, and transformation of Information Systems and Services.

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is also considering further programmes which are intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of defence outputs and the support provided to the Armed Forces. These include plans to reduce the overall Defence Estate; provision of Defence Fire and Emergency services; transforming the provision of hard and soft facility management, arrangements for infrastructure policing, options for the delivery of the MOD Guard Service and for the provision of shared corporate services. Each of these further programmes may impact on civilian staff. As I stated in my previous answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26719, the timing and reductions associated with individual programmes are still to be determined.

  • Meg Hillier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Meg Hillier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Hillier on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether VAT was charged on the purchase of Kingsland Fire Station from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

    Edward Timpson

    VAT was not charged on the purchase of Kingsland Fire Station, 333 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DR when it was purchased in October 2015. The site was not VAT elected.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the £1.7 billion funding for the Superfast Broadband Programme is from (a) central government (b) local government and (c) the EU.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    From the £1.7 billion funding for the Superfast Broadband programme around £780 million is from central government, £740 million is from local government and £200 million is from the EU.

  • Kirsty Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kirsty Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsty Blackman on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on implementation of the Apprenticeship Levy.

    Nick Boles

    We are working closely with the Devolved Administrations and Territorial Offices, regularly meeting with officials and Ministers on levy implementation. The last Skills Ministers meeting was in February.

    We want to ensure the levy works for employers wherever they are in the UK and will be publishing further information later this month.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which reports commissioned by his Department from external bodies between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2016 have not yet been published; when each report was commissioned for research; what the nature of the research commissioned was; from which external body or individual person the research was commissioned; what the value was of each such piece of research commissioned; on what date each report was received by his Department; for what reasons the research has not yet been published; and when he plans to publish each report.

    Joseph Johnson

    The requested information is not held centrally by BEIS and its Partner Organisations.

    For research reports, BEIS has committed to both GSS and GSR publication rules – this means GSS publications are pre-announced and GSR publications should normally be published within 12 weeks of completion.

    The Contracts Finder government portal provides information about contracts worth over £10,000 with the Government and its agencies, including details of previous tenders and contracts, and future opportunities.

  • Baroness Uddin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Uddin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current levels of speech therapists recruited from diverse minority communities.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Data from the NHS Hospital and Community Health Services shows that of the 7,836 speech and language therapists (headcount) employed in England as at 30 September 2014, 5.4% are from an ethnic minority background.

    We are aware that we need to do more to encourage individuals from a black and minority ethnic background into this rewarding profession. Health Education England (HEE) is committed to meeting its duties under the Equality Act 2010 and is working with external partners to continuously develop their education and training commission’s activities to ensure they are inclusive to all of the whole population.

    NHS England is working with partners on the Equality and Diversity Council, NHS Employers, the Leadership Academy and HEE to co-ordinate work in the areas of values based recruitment and talent management to ensure that we can aspire to having a representative workforce at all levels.

    We welcome the work that the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists are currently conducting with schools and career fairs in promoting speech and language therapists as a rewarding profession for all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability and age.