Tag: Rosie Cooper

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, by what process interested parties in Skelmersdale may express an interest in obtaining the 3G floodlit 11-a-side football pitch at the former Glenburn Sports College site to ensure continued community access to the facility.

Edward Timpson

Ownership of the site of the former Glenburn Sports College is currently under review in the Department. The site was originally owned by Lancashire County Council, and was then transferred to the Glenburn Education Trust when the school became a foundation school.

However, when the school closed earlier this year, the governing body was required under the law to apply for a Secretary of State determination as to the future of the site. No application was made, and in the absence of a determination, the Department is considering a representation from the local authority that the land should revert to them.

Any parties wishing to express an interest in facilities on the site should approach Lancashire County Council in the first instance, though any plans for future use will be for the eventual agreed holder of the site to take forward. The land will continue to be protected under legislation against disposal without the consent of the Secretary of State. As part of considering whether to grant consent, the Secretary of State will consider if the land can be redeployed for education.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will take steps to introduce a single point of emergency contact during incidents of flooding to improve the co-ordinated response to flooding incidents where residents are currently required to contact the responsible agency based on the source of the flood waters; and if he will make a statement.

James Wharton

The Environment Agency’s Floodline number (0345 988 1188) already provides a single source of information and advice during flooding incidents and is available 24 hours a day. If there is a danger to life or a risk of injury, then residents should call 999 as they would with other emergencies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities have recovered their costs for (a) flood prevention measures and (b) sandbags under the Bellwin Scheme to date.

James Wharton

To date, 35 local authorities have registered an intention to claim under the activated Bellwin scheme but no final claims have yet been received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has decided which magistrates’ courts are to be closed; and when he expects to announce that decision.

Mr Shailesh Vara

I announced the outcome of the consultation on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales on 11 February 2016.

Copies of consultation documents are available online at www.gov.uk/moj.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued on the length of time a patient should expect to wait between a telephone consultation taking place and being given an appointment to see their GP.

Alistair Burt

There is no central guidance to general practitioner (GP) practices on waiting times for telephone consultations.

GPs can conduct telephone consultations with patients if they feel it is appropriate to do so. This could remove the need for the patient to go on to have a face to face consultation, however, it is for the GP to use his or her clinical judgement to decide if and when a face to face consultation should take place, and for the patient to decide if they wish to attend.

This Government is committed to improving access to GP consultations and the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund encourages practices in the schemes to use innovative methods to provide appointments to patients.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will assess the potential merits of a cost cap applying to welfare claimants requiring a medical certificate as part of a work capability assessment.

Penny Mordaunt

Prior to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) claimants are advised that they should only submit information that they already hold with their claim. During the WCA additional evidence may be requested from doctors on behalf of the Department, at no charge to the claimant.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with Sport England on the future of the 3G floodlit 11-a-side football pitch on the former Glenburn Sports College site in Skelmersdale.

Edward Timpson

Ownership of the site of the former Glenburn Sports College is currently under review in the Department. The site was originally owned by Lancashire County Council, and was then transferred to the Glenburn Education Trust when the school became a foundation school.

However, when the school closed earlier this year, the governing body was required under the law to apply for a Secretary of State determination as to the future of the site. No application was made, and in the absence of a determination, the Department is considering a representation from the local authority that the land should revert to them.

Any parties wishing to express an interest in facilities on the site should approach Lancashire County Council in the first instance, though any plans for future use will be for the eventual agreed holder of the site to take forward. The land will continue to be protected under legislation against disposal without the consent of the Secretary of State. As part of considering whether to grant consent, the Secretary of State will consider if the land can be redeployed for education.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will reconsider the decision that West Lancashire Borough Council be allowed the special levy contribution towards the operation of an Internal Drainage Board to take account of the recent flooding in West Lancashire.

James Wharton

The decision on whether to support the creation of an Internal Drainage Board is a local matter. We welcome the establishment of new Internal Drainage Boards where these are proposed and supported by the local community.

These are funded through drainage rates paid directly by agricultural landowners and special levies issued on district and unitary authorities. Local authorities take account of the need to pay levies as part of their annual budget setting process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether borough councils which provide sandbags to all residents to protect their properties during incidents of flooding are able to recover the costs of those sandbags under the Bellwin Scheme.

James Wharton

To date, 35 local authorities have registered an intention to claim under the activated Bellwin scheme but no final claims have yet been received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changing eligibility criteria for personal independence payment on people with long-term medical conditions; what estimate he has made of how many people will be affected by those changes; what type of work he expects people with long-term medical conditions to undertake; and what steps he has taken to (a) ensure that employers employ people with such conditions and (b) tackle any discriminatory practices against people with such conditions.

Justin Tomlinson

DWP has conducted a consultation to seek views on how support can best be provided, through Personal Independence Payment (PIP), to help meet the costs of disability faced by people who are currently awarded points due to aids and appliances. No decision has yet been made as to whether any change should be made to the current system and the department does not have any preference between the five options presented in the consultation. We have also invited additional suggestions for change.

If the Department decides that change is required, a full equality analysis will be conducted and considered prior to a final decision being made, in line with the Department’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010. This will include an estimate of the number who would be affected.

PIP is payable both in and out of work. The Government is committed to giving all disabled people the opportunity to fulfil their potential and achieve their ambitions. Work is an important part of this, which is why the Government has committed to halving the disability employment gap, requiring us to transform policy, practice and public attitudes. The government’s award winning Disability Confident was launched by the Prime Minister in 2013 and works to improve employer awareness and confidence in employing, retaining and unlocking disabled people’s talents.

Employment programmes like Work Choice continue to help thousands of disabled people find, start and remain in work. Since 2010, Work Choice has achieved over 39,490 job outcomes for disabled people. The Equality Act 2010 also provides statutory protection against discrimination and applies to every stage of the recruitment process. Access to Work offers additional support beyond an employer’s statutory duty to provide reasonable adjustments and last year the scheme supported 36,800 disabled people in work.