Tag: Steve McCabe

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2016 to Question 31789, how many people were (a) newly diagnosed and (b) already diagnosed as suffering from inflammatory bowel disease in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison

The two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine whereas Crohn’s disease affects the whole of the digestive system. Data relating to the total number of people newly and already diagnosed with IBD in each year since 2010 is not collected.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance indicates that ulcerative colitis has an incidence in the United Kingdom of approximately 10 per 100,000 people annually, and a prevalence of approximately 240 per 100,000. This amounts to around 146,000 people in the UK with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. In addition to this, there are currently at least 115,000 people in the UK with Crohn’s disease.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33136, on how many occasions has a child’s admission been directed by (a) the Schools Adjudicator after it was sought by a local authority and (b) the Education Funding Agency in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) was established in April 2012. It does not have direction powers in its own right but instead issues directions on behalf of the Secretary of State. Since being established it has directed academies to admit pupils twelve times.

The Schools Adjudicator (OSA) does not issue directions in relation to maintained schools but will determine the case if a school which a local authority is seeking to direct refers the case on to the adjudicator. Data is not available for 2015-16 but between 2010 and 2015, it has upheld thirteen directions.

The table below sets out the directions issued or upheld in each of the past five years:

Year	LA directions upheld by OSA	Secretary of State directions issued by EFA
10-11	0	EFA did not exist
11-12	5	EFA did not exist.
12-13	0	1
13-14	6	2
14-15	2	7

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many closed Child Support Agency cases with child maintenance arrears have been referred for arrears (a) cleansing and (b) validation between January and March 2016.

Priti Patel

(a) The table below shows the number of cases referred for arrears cleansing in each month from January 2016 until March 2016.

Month	Jan-16	Feb-16	Mar-16
Number of cases referred for arrears cleansing	32,720	38,600	29,820

Notes

1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

(b) There is no set separate validation procedure; it forms part of the cleansing process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32505, where the updated guidance on dealing with family reunion applications referred to in that Answer can be found.

James Brokenshire

The updated guidance on dealing with Family Reunion applications is currently being finalised and will shortly be available on GOV.UK at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/asylum-decision-making-guidance-asylum-instructions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to review the list of medical conditions eligible for a medical exemption certificate.

Alistair Burt

We cannot be sure from our records how many times the list of medical conditions which provide eligibility for a medical exemption certificate has been reviewed since its introduction in 1968.

The most recent external review commenced in 2008 when the then Prime Minister announced the addition of cancer to the list of conditions which would be eligible for a medical exception certificate, and announced at the same time that there would be a review by Professor Sir Ian Gilmore on how to implement exemptions for all those with long term conditions. The report of the Gilmore review was published in May 2010, and it was announced in the 2010 spending review that the recommendations made in the report would not be implemented in light of the financial situation. There are no current plans to undertake a further review of the list.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-07-13.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has, other than devolution of business rates, to increase Birmingham’s ability to levy taxes.

Mr David Gauke

The Government will devolve business rates to local councils in England, giving local government control of around £12.5 billion of additional revenue from business rates. Combined Authority Mayors will be given the power to levy a supplement on business rates bills to fund new infrastructure projects, so long as this has support of local businesses.

In addition, the spending review announced that Local Authorities with responsibility for adult social care, such as Birmingham, would be given the power to introduce a social care precept to help support local adult social care services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to improve the affordability of existing pension schemes for companies.

Richard Harrington

The Government is aware of the fact that some parts of the Defined Benefit (DB) pension sector are concerned about the current economic climate, but the situation is very mixed, and the experiences of schemes differ. We do not believe there is a systemic problem but we continually look at ways to improve the affordability of schemes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to encourage more young people to take A-level language subjects.

Nick Gibb

Modern foreign languages are one of the Russell Group’s facilitating subjects – A levels which open doors to more degrees and professions than other subjects. We are incentivising the take-up of these A levels in the 16-19 performance tables through the facilitating subject measure, and are encouraging the best language graduates to enter the teaching profession, through financial incentives such as a bursary of £25,000 for trainees with a first class or 2:1 relevant degree.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met Simon Kirby, Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd; and when he was made aware of Mr Kirby’s decision to resign as Chief Executive of that company.

Andrew Jones

The Secretary of State last met with Simon Kirby on 20 July 2016. He was made aware of Simon Kirby’s resignation as CEO of HS2 Ltd on the afternoon of Friday 9 September 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage companies to use digital funds from the proposed Apprenticeship Levy to pay for apprentice training for (a) ex-offenders, (b) children leaving care and (c) other vulnerable groups.

Robert Halfon

Our proposed funding policy is designed to put employers of all sizes in more control, and support individuals from all backgrounds and regions.

We are giving employers more control of the funding for apprenticeships training in return for them investing more in apprenticeships; this includes simplifying the funding system to encourage employers to recruit more apprentices of all ages and from all backgrounds.

The Government provides additional support to employers for some groups. Under the funding proposals we sought feedback on by 5 September, the Government will provide extra support for 19-24 year old care leavers and 19-24 year olds with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC). Apprentices aged 19 to 24 without an EHC Plan, who have a learning difficulty and/or disability, can benefit from additional funding through Learning Support.

Apprentices can also apply for Access to Work funding for adjustments to the workplace and training providers can use funding to support the apprentice’s learning. Reasonable adjustments are available for any qualifications within apprenticeships to ensure the apprentice has the chance to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.