Tag: Steve McCabe

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44621, how investments made from the public purse for mental health services in the community are monitored for their effectiveness.

Nicola Blackwood

Information on investment in community mental health services is not held centrally. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning community mental health services for their local population. CCGs are required to increase their spending on mental health each year, at least in line with the growth in their overall funding allocations. From this year, NHS England’s financial reporting will be aligned to mental health priorities, increasing transparency and allowing resources to be tracked at CCG level.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what account his Department took of the case of Andargachew Tsege in its decision to fund the executive MSc programme in security sector management in Ethiopia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​In line with standard government policy, we conducted an Overseas Security and Justice Assessment before funding for the executive MSc programme in security sector management was approved. The consular case of Mr Andargachew Tsege was not a factor in the process. The programme focuses on building an understanding of the rule of law, human rights and international humanitarian law, and the assessment evaluated the programme to be supporting the reduction of human rights violations. The Government takes the detention and welfare of Mr Andargachew Tsege very seriously and continues to raise his case with the Ethiopian government at the highest levels.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to exempt sheltered housing tenants from the housing benefit cap.

Caroline Nokes

The Secretary of State announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 15 September 2016 that we would be deferring the application of Local Housing Allowance Rates in the social sector for supported housing which includes sheltered housing until 2019/20.

At this point we will bring in a new funding model which will ensure that the sector continues to be funded at current levels, taking into account the effect of Government policy on social sector rents.

The Secretary of State also announced that a formal consultation would be published shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the government of Sri Lanka on the persecution of Tamil people in that country; and if he will call for an international investigation into that persecution.

Alok Sharma

​The Sri Lankan government has taken a number of positive steps to improve the human rights situation in that country, but we recognise that there remains much to be done. In our statement to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in June we set out the areas we felt were important for Sri Lanka to focus on. These included further land returns in the north of the island, the repealing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the devolution of political authority through constitutional reform and the creation of credible justice mechanisms. I most recently raised Tamil issues with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister in September. We will continue to work with the UN, Sri Lanka and our other international partners to ensure full implementation of UNHRC resolution 30/1, co-sponsored by the UK in October 2015, while recognising the scale of the challenge this represents and allowing time for credible, well thought out transitional justice mechanisms to be developed and implemented.