Tag: Roger Godsiff

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she plans to take to improve home energy efficiency.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government is committed to meeting its legally binding target to help as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030, with interim targets on Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025.

This Government has also set a specific goal of insulating 1 million homes by the end of this Parliament, in line with our commitments on fuel poverty.

A reformed domestic supplier obligation (ECO) from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year. This will help to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty and continue to deliver on our commitment to help 1 million more homes this Parliament. We are providing support for households to improve their energy efficiency through the new supplier obligation, which will run for 5 years.

Our extension of the Warm Home Discount to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m pa will alsohelp households who are at most risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing penalties levied on employers who do not pay staff at least the national minimum wage.

Nick Boles

From April 2016, we are increasing the calculation of penalties from 100% to 200% of the arrears owed. The penalty is reduced by half if employers pay within 14 days.

By increasing the penalties for underpayment of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) we intend to deter employers from breaking the law so that working people receive the money they are legally due.

This new calculation ensures a tougher penalty for employers found to have underpaid the NMW.

The fast track Impact Assessment for increasing the penalties has been validated by the Regulatory Policy Committee and published here – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/324

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many completed repeat assessments there have been of people with Parkinson’s disease by year of repeat assessment, since the introduction of employment and support allowance in 2008.

Priti Patel

The information available is shown in the table below. Repeat assessments are conducted to ensure that individuals receive the right level of support.

Calendar years:	Cystic Fibrosis	Spinal Muscular Atrophy	Parkinson’s Disease	Multiple Sclerosis	Other Rheumatoid Arthritis
Oct-08 to Dec-08	–	–	–	–	–
Jan-09 to Dec-09	–	–	–	–	–
Jan-10 to Dec-10	–	–	100	700	600
Jan-11 to Dec-11	100	100	300	1,500	1,500
Jan-12 to Dec-12	200	100	500	2,900	2,500
Jan-13 to Dec-13	100	100	400	2,400	2,500
Jan-14 to Dec-14	100	–	300	1,900	2,100
Jan-15 to June-15	–	–	–	300	300

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many venues where assessments for personal independence payments or employment and support allowance are carried out do not have (a) disabled parking facilities, (b) disabled access toilets, (c) a distance between the car park and the venue of 50 metres or less, (d) a ramp in addition to stairs to the entrance, where there are stairs; and for what reason it is not his Department’s policy that such facilities must be provided at assessment centres.

Justin Tomlinson

The information you have requested is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. All our sites fully comply with current legislation: Building Regulations, the Disability Discrimination Act and the Equalities Act 2010.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the benefits to passengers with sight problems of requiring all new buses to have audio-visual next stop and final destination announcements.

Andrew Jones

Accessible on-board information has the potential to give a range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired, greater confidence in using bus services. Traditionally audio/visual systems have been expensive to fit and maintain, however innovative and low cost solutions are making the technology more affordable. I encourage bus operators to consider the benefits to all of their customers of providing it on their vehicles and progress continues to be made. For example recently several operators across the country have invested in new buses with audio-visual announcements on their major bus routes. The Department is also aware that at least five local authorities are increasing the number of buses with audio-visual announcements funded through the Department’s £70 million ‘Better Bus Area’ fund.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26859, if she will update her Department’s response to e-petition 104867, on legalisation of medicinal cannabis, in respect of the information on availability of the drug Sativex.

Karen Bradley

The Government’s position is unchanged. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has issued a marketing authorisation and the Home Office has amended the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 to enable Sativex to be available to patients via health care practitioners.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department plans to accept the recommendations of the Commission on Freedom of Information that the Freedom of Information Act should be extended to private companies which hold public contracts.

Matthew Hancock

I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the proposed 3,000 new junior doctors to be recruited to the NHS will be trained in the UK.

Ben Gummer

The Department does not recognise the figure cited by the hon. Member.

Health Education England is responsible for providing leadership for the education and training system. It ensures that the shape and skills of the future health and public health workforce evolve to sustain high quality outcomes for patients in the face of demographic and technological change. Its remit is to ensure that the workforce has the right skills, behaviours and training, and is available in the right numbers to support the delivery of excellent healthcare and drive improvements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether Parliamentary authority is required for UK ratification of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

Anna Soubry

We expect the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will be a mixed agreement covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In that case, it will be subject to agreement by each EU Member State, the EU Council and the European Parliament. As part of this process the agreement will be laid before Parliament for scrutiny before it is ratified by the UK. We will confirm the procedures for Parliamentary approval when it is presented for signature.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask NHS England to collect data on autism diagnosis waiting times.

Alistair Burt

NHS England and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, supported by the Department, undertook a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups and local authorities recently. These visits aimed to develop a better strategic oversight of the challenges in securing timely diagnosis across all ages and to share good practice. NHS England will report to the Cross Government Autism Programme Board in June on its findings and that report and discussion will be made public.

As recommended by the independent Mental Health Taskforce, the Department is undertaking a five year plan for the development of mental health data to be published by the end of this year. The plan will set out future data requirements and timings for developing data to inform pathways of care which will include data requirements for autism.