Tag: Peter Kyle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will provide compensation to non-season ticket holders on Southern Rail for the result of strike action in 2016 and for the effect on such ticket holders of the reduced timetable in operation since 11 July 2016.

Paul Maynard

Govia Thameslink Railway already offers passengers Delay Repay, one of the most generous compensation schemes in Europe. Non-season ticket holders can claim as usual for disruption on strike days. In addition, season ticket holders are eligible for strike compensation on the days when the RMT’s industrial action makes travel challenging. Details of how to apply are available on Southern’s website.

Looking forward, we have just confirmed that the provisions of the Consumer Rights Act will apply to the rail industry in full from October 2016.

We will set out further plans shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to ensure that people in Hove have access to GP surgeries offering seven-day primary care.

Alistair Burt

We are committed to ensuring that everyone will be able to access a general practitioner (GP) appointment in the evenings and on weekends as part of our plan for a 7 day NHS by 2020.

Through the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund, 125,000 patients in Brighton and Hove have had access to seven-day primary care through four ‘primary care clusters.’ The local clinical commissioning group are now evaluating this scheme and discussing plans for what to take forward.

There is also a walk-in centre in central Brighton which is open from 8am to 8pm daily to serve the needs of Brighton and Hove residents. There is no need to be a registered patient with the health centre to use the walk-in service; it is available to everyone in Brighton and Hove. The service offers treatment, information and advice for a range of minor illnesses and injuries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has for the future of the Student Opportunity Fund.

Joseph Johnson

We are examining all elements of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spend as part of the Spending Review, which will be published on the 25^th November.

The Department will set out its priorities for higher education in the subsequent Grant Letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Final decisions will be for HEFCE, taking account of the Grant Letter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the 26 new Enterprise Zones are which were announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Greg Hands

The full list of successful Enterprise Zones, which is available to view online at the link below, was published by DCLG following the Spending Review announcement:

www.gov.uk/government/news/the-new-enterprise-zones

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make representations to the Office for National Statistics to include earnings from self-employment in its weekly earnings series.

Matthew Hancock

The Cabinet Office will be working with the Office for National Statistics to consider ways to improve data collection capability, including potential legislative options.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what criteria were used in the selection process for members of the Apprenticeship Delivery Board announced by the Prime Minister on 18 January 2016.

Nick Boles

Members invited to join the Apprenticeship Delivery Board will be high profile representatives of business sectors with a high potential for growth and representatives of organisations with a key role to play in supporting an expansion in apprenticeship starts.

The membership will rotate with members being asked to join the Board for time limited period, before relinquishing their seat to a new member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect on organisations commissioning academic research of his Department’s proposed regulations that would prevent recipients of government grant funding for research in using that work to call for government policy changes.

Matthew Hancock

The new clause is about ensuring taxpayers money is only used for the intended purposes. The use or otherwise of research findings is already set out in grant agreements. There should, therefore, be no effect on organisations, which are free to use other funding to lobby, but not to spend taxpayers’ hard-earned cash on lobbying.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of the flushability tests used by manufacturers of disposable wipes.

Rory Stewart

Sewer blockages can be a serious problem, and sewer flooding can cause great distress to householders.

We support the work that the industry is taking forward to reduce the number of blockages. Water UK, the representative body for the UK water and sewerage industry, has led on development of a voluntary test that sanitary manufacturers can use to establish whether or not their product is truly flushable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what metrics he plans to use to measure the contribution which the apprenticeship levy will make to economic productivity.

Nick Boles

We will evaluate the apprenticeship levy contribution to productivity as part of our wider programme of apprenticeships evaluation. This includes assessing what impact on apprenticeship starts and quality the levy has had, as well as evaluating wage returns of those who have completed apprenticeships. The research paper cited below outlines current evidence on, and the associated methodology used to measure, the economic value of apprenticeships.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-measuring-the-net-present-value-in-england

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff at what civil service grades his Department employs.

Greg Hands

Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF), Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as some new hires.

Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes the Secretary of State as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes.

As DIT is currently being formed, the number staff the Department employs is being finalised while employee transfers and recruitment are taking place.