Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason there was a shortage of the BCG vaccine in 2015; and what steps his Department is taking so that such shortages do not occur in the future.

Jane Ellison

The supply of United Kingdom licensed Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine continues to be subject to intermittent manufacturing problems, which have impacted deliveries of vaccine into the UK. This delay has resulted in the depletion of the UK buffer stock and impacted onward supply to the National Health Service in 2015. The NHS remains subject to periods of intermittent supply.

This is in the context of a global shortage of BCG vaccine where Public Health England (PHE) and the Department are actively engaging alternative manufacturers of BCG vaccine to secure supply during this period of disruption as quickly as possible. PHE continues to provide prioritisation advice to healthcare professionals during the period of constrained supply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2016 to Question 33687, what investment there has been related to the Collaborative TB Strategy for England 2015 to 2020 for (a) tuberculosis (TB) awareness raising, (b) TB case finding (screening) and (c) treatment for under-served populations such as the homeless; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England has resourced a National Tuberculosis (TB) Office to support implementation of the Collaborative TB Strategy for England, including working with stakeholders on awareness raising and case finding and treatment. The National TB Office is also overseeing the work of a Task and Finish group, which is looking at how to tackle the needs of those with TB in under-served populations, including homeless people. The group will present their findings to the National TB Programme in the autumn.

NHS England has provided new investment, £10 million in 2015/16 and a further £10 million for 2016/17, to support latent TB infection (LTBI) testing and treatment which includes funding for TB awareness raising and TB case finding and treatment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-05.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice his Department provides to employers on how to respond when advised by an employee that the Department for Work and Pensions has determined that their universal credit award has been affected by that employer’s incorrect PAYE real time information submission.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work and Pensions continually monitor the quality of Real Time Information. Where a claimant disputes the earnings details used in the Universal Credit calculation, in the first instance the employer will work with the employee to understand the cause of the discrepancy and put it right. If HMRC need to be involved then they will contact the employer to identify the cause of the error and, if appropriate, arrange for the returns to be corrected, as well as working with the employer to ensure errors do not re-occur.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals have been on the staff of the European Commission in each year since 2010.

Mr David Lidington

Whilst the European Commission provides staffing numbers by nationality they do not break them down between permanent and temporary agents. In total the numbers of UK nationals employed by the European Commission in each year since 2010 is:

April 2010: 1284
April 2011: 1162
April 2012: 1134
April 2013: 1079
April 2014: 1053
April 2015: 1008

The latest figure available is for Feb 2016 and is 982.

UK representation has been falling across EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture, recognising that this will require a sustained effort. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, promotes EU careers across the UK and supports candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38408, what the budget of the European Fast Stream was in each year since 2010.

Matthew Hancock

The European Fast Stream was re-established in 2010 with the dual aim of increasing UK representation in the EU institutions, as well as building EU capability. It has been managed centrally by Civil Service Resourcing since 2014. The budget for the European Fast Stream for each year since 2010 is set out below:

This is the specific EFS budget, it does not include the employment costs for individuals which are met by central charging to departments who are hosting fast streamers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the maximum duration should be for a degree apprenticeship.

Nick Boles

There is no maximum duration for Degree Apprenticeships. The pattern of delivery of the degree will be a key component in the length of a Degree Apprenticeship, both employers and Higher Education providers will want to ensure the apprenticeship standard is achieved in full.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academies applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian daily act of collective worship in each year since 2010; and how many of those schools were defined as non-faith.

Edward Timpson

13 open academies have applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian act of collective worship since April 2012 when the Education Funding Agency was established. All of the applicants were non-faith schools as only non-faith schools can apply for an exemption.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the low level of representation of ethnic minorities among people starting an apprenticeship.

Robert Halfon

We are committed to increasing the proportion of apprenticeship starts taken up by people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds by 20%.

We have begun detailed analysis of the apprenticeship data to gain a full picture of the representation of ethnic minorities in apprenticeships, any barriers to participation, and areas of potential for growth.

In 2014/15, 10.6% of those starting an apprenticeship had a BAME background.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that every apprenticeship includes formal training.

Robert Halfon

Apprenticeships are paid jobs which should always involve substantial and sustained training including off-the-job training inspected by Ofsted, have a minimum 12 months’ duration and develop transferable skills including in English and maths. As an employee, apprentices earn as they learn and gain practical skills in the workplace leading to full competency in an occupation to enable them to progress their career. Our reforms are improving the quality of all apprenticeships.

The programme is underpinned by statutory standards to ensure that all apprenticeships offer substantial on- and off-the-job guided learning leading to the achievement of recognised qualifications where appropriate to the apprenticeship undertaken.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to answer Question 43738, tabled on 20 July 2016 by the right hon. Member for East Ham.

Edward Timpson

Parliamentary questions 43736, 43737, 43738 were answered on 01 November 2016.