Written answers

Friday, 21 November 2014

  • Department for Transport

    • Transport: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the European Commission's draft Regulation supplementing Regulation (EC) No...

    • Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the savings to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency generated by the abolition of the tax disc will be returned to the Treasury.

      Transport Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many individual visits there were to the Transport Direct website in each of the last five years.

      Railways: Learning Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what provision is made for rail passengers under the Think Autism strategy; what steps he has taken to raise awareness of the needs of rail passengers...

      Invalid Vehicles: Excise Duties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a person using a mobility scooter without a number plate is required to pay vehicle excise duty.

  • Home Office

    • 101 Calls

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the cost of calling the 101 non-emergency number on use of the number.

    • UN High Commissioner for Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to attend the UNHCR Global Resettlement Pledging Conference on 9 December 2014.

      101 Calls

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many calls have been made to the 101 non-emergency number in each month since it began operating.

      Asylum: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugees from Syria have been settled in the UK in each of the last 24 months; and if she will make a statement.

      Asylum: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will represent the UK in the UN High Commissioner for Refugees meeting on resettling Syria's refugees in December 2014.

      Asylum: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Syrian nationals have been returned under the Dublin Regulation to (a) Bulgaria, (b) Italy and (c) Greece in each of the last five...

      Police: Resignations

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of police officers left the police service in each police force area in (a) Suffolk, (b) England and (c) Wales...

      Entry Clearances: Kuwait

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library a copy of the impact assessment for extending the electronic visa waiver scheme to Kuwait.

      Proceeds of Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the Metropolitan Police Service review on criminal finances that was produced in 2012.

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • British Indian Ocean Territory

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from hon. Members on the forthcoming KPMG study into resettlement of the Chagos Islands.

    • Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme.

      North Korea

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) his Department and (b) UK-contracted organisations have been able freely to choose the participants in UK-funded...

      North Korea

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will estimate the number of North Koreans who have taken part in UK-funded projects in North Korea in the last year for...

      Pakistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2014 to Question 211909, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Pakistani...

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage Iran to clarify issues relating to possible military dimensions of its nuclear...

      Zimbabwe

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Zimbabwe on the (a) democratic process and (b) seizure of land.

      Visits Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the...

      Colombia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on developments in the peace process in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

      Visits Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the...

  • Northern Ireland Office

    • Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice on the recent ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the...

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • New Businesses: Hackney

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new businesses were started in Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency in each of the last five years.

    • Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car...

      Open University

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much was paid in grants to the Open University to provide education to prisoners in each of the last 10 years.

      Copyright: Film

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that any proposals from the European Commission for reform of the European copyright framework...

  • Department for Education

    • Home Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children being homeschooled in England and Wales.

    • Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) median and (b) mean wage was for childcare workers in each of the last five years.

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the proportion of workers in the childcare sector who are employed on zero-hour contracts.

      Pre-school Education: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of nursery care for children with disabilities.

      Religion: GCSE

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations she has received on proposed content for the new religious studies GCSE.

      Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations she has received on the teaching of British values as they relate to same sex marriage and relationships; and if she will...

      University Technical Colleges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department uses to decide whether to approve an application to set up a university technical college; and whether such criteria...

      Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what resources her Department has provided to Academy chains for the development of teaching resources since May 2010.

      Teaching Methods

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what arrangements she has in place to reclaim funds paid from the public purse which have been used to help develop teaching resources subsequently...

      Pre-school Education: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many nursery places have been available in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, (b) Tower Hamlets, (c) London and (d) England in each year...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the highest number of offences taken into consideration for an offender has been (a) on one sentencing occasion and (b) over that offender's whole...

    • Domestic Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of cases in courts marked as domestic violence incidents related to (a) male perpetrators against female partners and (b)...

      Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of custodial sentences for a second or subsequent offence were handed down to run concurrently with another custodial...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated cost is of the programme to train Libyan soldiers in the UK.

    • Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) the Home Office on the decision to return 90 Libyan...

      Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii)...

      Army Reserve

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what change there has been in the latest projected cost of the Army Reserve reforms when compared to the initial cost estimates.

      Army: Sexual Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 33 of the Service Complaints Commissioner's Annual Report 2013, if he will place the results of the sexual harassment survey...

      Army Reserve

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average age is for (a) privates, (b) junior NCOs, (c) senior NCOs, (d) junior officers and (e) senior officers (i) in the Army Reserve and (ii)...

      Army Reserve

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average age is of all ranks in the (a) Army Reserve and (b) Army Reserve infantry.

      West Africa: Ebola

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce a medal for service personnel and medical staff deployed to West Africa as part of the fight against Ebola.

      Film

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is on providing support or assistance for film or television projects.

      Film

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support and assistance his Department has offered to the makers of the film Kajaki.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Poverty: Bradford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce child poverty in Bradford.

    • Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether claimants are able to telephone Access to Work programme offices (a) in general and (b) to discuss late payment of monthly wages for...

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what communication options are offered for claimants to contact Access to Work programme offices.

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken by a local Access to Work office to process monthly claims from registered disabled persons for wages for their...

      Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which Work Programme providers have achieved an excellent accreditation through the Merlin Standards since 2012.

      Jobcentre Plus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Jobcentre Plus key performance indicators in ensuring jobseekers secure...

      New Enterprise Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on the weekly allowance element of the new enterprise allowance in each month since that scheme's inception.

      Employment: Older People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU countries on the role of people aged over 50 in the EU labour market.

      Children: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of housing costs on levels of child poverty.

      Housing Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether responsibility for designating a bedroom for housing benefit purpose lies with his Department or with the social landlord.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what international swaps were conducted by the Marine Management Organisation on behalf of the UK for (a) rays and skate and...

    • Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the early year closure of skate, rays and plaice on the (a) economic position of and (b)...

      Marine Management Organisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to publish the Triennial Review of the Marine Management Organisation.

      Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she was first made aware of the intention of the Marine Management Organisation to close the fisheries of (a) rays and...

      Coastal Erosion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to reduce the effects of coastal erosion; and if she will make a statement.

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking in response to bird flu.

      Fisheries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Marine Maritime Organisation has sufficient resources accurately to measure...

      Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the disposal of commercial dog waste from breeding establishments and other...

      Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made since 11 November 2014 in sourcing additional ray and skate quotas through...

      Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department issues to commercial dog breeding establishments on the disposal of faeces, bedding, dog...

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions his Department has made appointments by exception since 2010; and who was appointed for each such post.

    • Disabled Facilities Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will improve and update best practice guidance on providing disabled facilities grants.

      Fire Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent visits he and other Ministers in his Department have made to fire service bases in England.

      Fire Services: Industrial Disputes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with the devolved administrations on the firefighters' pension dispute; and if...

      Fire Services: Cheshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when a Minister in his Department last visited Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service; and who was met on that visit.

      Fire Services: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with the Fire Brigades Union on firefighters' pensions.

  • Scotland Office

    • Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the relative pay of men and women among staff of his Department.

    • Unemployment: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many 18 to 24 year olds in Scotland had been unemployed for 12 months or more in each year since 2007.

  • HM Treasury

    • Human Trafficking

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2014 to Questions 212651 and 212652, how many cases of trafficking have been identified during targeted enforcement...

    • Travel

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii)...

      Network Rail

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what impact the reclassification of Network Rail as a government body has had on (a) the financial position of the Government and (b) the financial position...

      Buildings

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

      Local Government Finance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect of reductions in local government departmental expenditure limits on the block grants for Wales, Scotland and...

      Local Government Finance: Wales

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from the Welsh Assembly Government on local government departmental expenditure limits and their effects on the Welsh...

      Taxation: Developing Countries

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research he has commissioned into the implications for developing countries of the OECD Automatic Exchange of Tax Information.

      Corporation Tax: Northern Ireland

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the devolution of corporation tax in 2014.

      Children: Bury

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of families in Bury North constituency who will be eligible for support under the Childcare Payments Bill.

      Public Expenditure

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) preparing, (b) printing and (c) posting the personalised annual tax statements in 2014.

      Connaught Asset Management

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on the Financial Conduct Authority's decision to extend the settlement negotiation period to January 2015; and if he...

      Infrastructure

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the reason is for the difference in the number of projects and programmes listed in the infrastructure pipeline data published by his Department in...

      NHS: Finance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received which make a case for more funding to be allocated to the NHS in the autumn statement.

  • Department for Energy and Climate Change

    • Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Annual Energy Statement of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 984, what the evidential basis was for the...

    • Fuel Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 959, on energy bills, what the evidential basis was for the...

      Private Rented Housing: Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to set out the detail of the minimum energy efficiency standards in the...

      Energy Companies Obligation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) providers are taking to work with (a) Age UK and (b) similar organisations to make the...

      Fuel Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what forecast his Department has made of future levels of fuel poverty.

      Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in the low carbon and environmental goods and services sector in each year...

      Energy Companies Obligation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of funding from the Energy Companies Obligation directed to non-fuel-poor...

      Biofuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which official in his Department has lead responsibility for solid biomass fuel classifications.

      Biofuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether (a) straw, (b) grass pellets and (c) other non-wood biomass fuels are included in the biomass suppliers list as approved fuels.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Death

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from the effects of (a) tobacco, (b) alcohol and (c) cannabis in the last year for which figures are available.

  • Department for Culture Media and Sport

    • World War I: Anniversaries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War.

    • Broadband: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with his Scottish counterpart the roll-out of superfast broadband for the West Coast of Scotland and those parts of...

      Mobile Phones

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what impact assessment his Department conducted on the duration of its consultation on tackling partial not-spots in mobile phone coverage.

      Aerials

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on constructing mobile masts under the Mobile Infrastructure Project.

  • Department of Health

    • Pregnancy Tests

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to ensure the impartiality and neutrality of members of the panel on hormone pregnancy tests.

    • Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will produce a new national cancer plan for the next Parliament which prioritises the importance of early diagnosis.

      World AIDS Day

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what events he and his ministerial team are supporting on World AIDS Day.

      Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the benefits to the gathering of data on local cancer service standards of the National Cancer Peer Review programme.

      Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that GPs have improved and timely access to a range of diagnostic tests where cancer is suspected in presenting patients.

      Primary Health Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support and promote Self Care Week which runs from 17 to 23 November 2014; and what promotional materials he is...

      Drugs: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinicians he consulted when developing his policy in relation to the Off-patent Drugs Bill.

      Genito-urinary Medicine

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who in his Department is responsible for implementation of the Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England.

      Genito-urinary Medicine

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the consequences for public health of prostitution and sex trafficking; and what steps he is taking to minimise those...

      HIV Infection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to tackle the stigma around HIV and AIDS.

      HIV Infection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects home testing HIV kits to become available for use throughout the UK.

      Genito-urinary Medicine

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the Public Health England review of sexual health services.

      Dietary Supplements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research he has commissioned into the health benefits of fish oils.

      Opiates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were given an opiate-based treatment (a) within a hospital, (b) on prescription and (c) otherwise in the last 12 months.

      Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals have been rated poor for infection control and cleanliness in each month since May 2010.

      Nurses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals have not met their staffing requirements for registered nurse day hours in each month since May 2010.

      Health Services: Veterans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many veterans have been referred for priority NHS treatment since May 2010.

      NHS Foundation Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will collect information on the number and occupations of agency and contract workers employed by NHS foundation trusts.

      Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the ability of people to access Sativex in the NHS.

      Health Services: Arts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS trusts possess (a) an arts for health and (b) a music for health team.

      NHS

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2013 to Question 158873, which 28 NHS front-line services, and which seven accident and emergency departments, he has...

      Radiotherapy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 41 of section 1.5.1 of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy Services Needs Assessment and Service Review, published by...

  • House of Lords

    • Armed Forces: Meat

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 28 October (HL2119), what information they provide to members of the armed forces to enable them to...

    • Copyright

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their reasons for proposing an extended three-year transition period from April 2015 for the implementation of section 74 of the Enterprise and...

      In Vitro Fertilisation

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2643), what was the proportion of stillbirths and linked infant deaths as described in the...

      Iraq

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contacts they have had with the government of Iran in relation to the ongoing military campaign in Iraq against ISIL.

      Israel

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the alleged hanging of a Palestinian bus driver by settlers in Jerusalem on 17...

      Middle East

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning reports of its firing on agricultural land and fishing boats during October.

      Prisoners: Suicide

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many self-inflicted deaths of prisoners occurred in (1) 2003, and (2) 2013.

      RAF Woodvale

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Royal Air Force Woodvale, Southport is still designated as a flying field for the Ministry of Defence.

      Select Committee Reports

      To ask the Leader of the House how many times in the last 10 years no Government response to a Lords Select Committee report was forthcoming eight months or longer after the report’s...

      West Africa

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any members of the armed forces who contract ebola whilst serving in Africa will be immediately returned to the United Kingdom to receive medical...

What is this?

The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

We let you vote on whether or not the answer given is adequate.

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