Written answers

Monday, 14 March 2016

  • Department for Transport

    • Road Traffic Offences: Mobile Phones

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to conclude its consultation on changes to the fixed penalty notice and penalty points for the use of a hand-held mobile...

    • Trans-European Networks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on infrastructure projects currently in receipt of TEN-T funding of the UK leaving the EU.

      M6: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to assist the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner to establish which lessons Highways England, West Midlands...

      M6: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure participation of representatives from Highways England with any public scrutiny held into the incident on the M6...

      Aviation: Egypt

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what advice his Department has issued to travel companies in relation to the provision of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh; and when he expects those...

      Department for Transport: Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what...

      M62

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) start date and (b) cost is of the road schemes at M62 junctions 20 to 25 announced in the Autumn Statement 2014.

      Roads: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the start date is of road schemes for the Trans-Pennine area as part of the Road Investment Strategy set out in the Autumn Statement 2014.

      Railways: Floods

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he took and when to address the flooding that disrupted rail services between Rugby and Milton Keynes on Wednesday 9 March 2016.

      Railways: Floods

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times there has been disruption to rail services arising from flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

      Cycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when Highways England plans to publish its cycling design standards.

      Roads: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent cost estimate is for each of the road projects listed in the Government's announcement, Major roads investment in the North East...

  • Home Office

    • Immigration Controls: Ports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions a UK port was not manned by Border Force officials in 2015; and if she will make a statement.

    • Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) age and (b) gender was of each potential victim recorded on the NSPCC-run modern slavery helpline between July 2014 and July...

      Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on UK membership of the UN 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol; and if she will make...

      Asylum: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library copies of any letters her Department has sent since 1 June 2015 to chief executives or leaders of local...

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average frequency of mandatory reporting is for people on temporary admission who travel from Oxfordshire to London to report at...

      Visas: Ministers of Religion

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visas have been granted by each licensed sponsor in each of the last five years.

      Asylum: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for refugee family reunion from each country of nationality of such applicants were (a) submitted, (b) decided and (c)...

      Home Office: Atos Origin

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the remit and nature is of the contracts Atos holds with the Home Office.

      Visas: Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of visa arrangements for international students on the number of those students coming to...

      Asylum: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been transferred from the UK to other EU countries under Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the Dublin III Regulation (a) in...

      Refugee Camps: France

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support the Government is making available to the French authorities to ensure that people living in refugee camps in Northern France...

      Naturalisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current average waiting time is for a decision on a naturalisation application in (a) the UK and (b) Leeds.

      Passports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which local authority areas applications can be made for naturalisation and a British passport at the same time.

      Asylum: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Dublin III Regulation asylum process; what her proposals are for its reform and...

      Crimes of Violence: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances of violence against women were recorded in (a) Cardiff and (b) Vale of Glamorgan in each of the last 24 months.

      Refugees: Visas

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugees have (a) applied for and (b) been successful in obtaining a visa to enter the UK from the Republic of Ireland in the last...

      Passports: Republic of Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passport applications from residents of the Republic of Ireland were processed through the Belfast Passport Office between 31 March...

      Deportation: Vietnam

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many removals of former, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to Vietnam in the last three years were for offences relating to (a)...

      Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on reducing the number of genetically modified animals bred for experiments but killed as surplus to requirements.

      Asylum: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to improve the speed and effectiveness of asylum processes for reuniting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • China: Political Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2015 to Question 6494, whether he has made any representations to the government of China on...

    • Syria: Peace Negotiations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterparts in the International Syria Support Group on reported Russian violations of...

      Hungary: Immigration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Hungarian counterpart on the sale of Hungarian residency bonds through off-shore companies.

      Syria: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Iran on the blocking by Hezbollah of humanitarian access to civilian...

      Colombia: Peace Negotiations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of progress made in the Colombian peace process.

      Honduras: Homicide

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Honduras on the death of Berta Cáceras.

  • Attorney General

    • Attorney General: Legal Costs

      To ask the Attorney General, what the cost to the public purse of legal proceedings involving actions taken by the Government against (a) devolved administrations, (b) local government in England...

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of employers withholding wages from employees; and what steps he is taking to...

    • Adult Education: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his letter of 15 December 2015 setting out Skills Funding Agency priorities and funding for 2016-17, whether...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Publications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars his Department has issued since August 2012; and what...

      Apprentices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that a greater proportion of people who start apprenticeships see them through to completion.

      UK Membership of EU

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the number of students applying to study at...

      Trade Agreements: North America

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2016 to Question 26772, whether (a) legal costs and (b) compensatory payments resulting...

      Overseas Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of his Department's 2015-16 budget is allocated to (a) creating and (b) accessing new markets for trade and growth.

      Business: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of EU regulation on businesses.

      Apprentices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of recent trends in apprenticeship start-ups.

      Labour Market: Information

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the data collected by the Government for use in the LMI for All programme includes the (a) school attended, (b) A-levels...

      Labour Market: Information

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the collection and use of LMI for All data.

      Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Government has spent on overnight accommodation for (a) ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials relating...

  • Department for International Development

    • Islamic State: Yazidis

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government is providing for Yazidi women who have been enslaved by Daesh; and if she will make a statement.

    • Department for International Development: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's (a) Senior Civil Servants and (b) core policy civil servants are based in London.

      Developing Countries: HIV Infection

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what account her Department's bilateral and multilateral aid budgets take of the guidance from the UNAIDS-Lancet Commission on...

      Developing Countries: HIV Infection

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on bilateral HIV programmes and activities in financial years 2010-11 and 2014-15; what the estimated...

  • Department for Education

    • Education: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of using adjustable furniture in schools to improve the classroom learning environment.

    • Schools: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the findings in the Chief Schools Adjudicator for England's Annual Report, published in December 2015, that there is a lack of...

      Faith Schools: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will hold a consultation on changing the School Admissions Code to require religiously selective schools to prioritise all...

      Faith Schools: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the findings in the Chief Schools Adjudicator for England's 2015 Annual Report, published in December 2015, what assessment she has...

      Teachers: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review eligibility arrangements for the teacher's Pension Scheme to enable supply teachers to participate in that scheme.

      Teachers: Veterans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28795, on the troops to teachers scheme, what plans she has to expand the cohort beginning that...

      Primary Education: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will issue guidance to schools and teachers on not using terminology that describes as failures children who do not reach the...

      Secondary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of cases in which year 10 pupils have enrolled on courses not yet accredited as...

      ICT: Primary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that all primary school children are IT literate by the end of Key Stage 2.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she intends to answer the letter dated 18 January 2016 from the Right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs M. Duran.

      Arts: Secondary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) promote the study of creative subjects in secondary schools and (b) address the skills shortage in the UK...

      Teachers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has made available for training teachers to undertake the new key stage 1 and key stage 2 tests.

      Teachers: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to increase teacher recruitment in schools.

      Teachers: Re-employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many qualified teachers returned to the teaching profession in each year since 2010.

      Teachers: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average non-management teacher salary was in (a) North East England, (b) North West England, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) the East...

      Schools: Greater Manchester

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to tackle underperformance in schools in Greater Manchester.

      Teachers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2016 to Question 903912, what estimate her Department has made of number of postgraduate trainee teachers recruited...

      Languages: Primary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to increase participation in modern foreign languages in primary schools.

      Schools: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of (a) divergences between schools' admission arrangements and (b) the effect of such divergence on parents' ability to...

      Schools: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27310, if she will extend the remit of regional school commissioners to include an active role...

      Faith schools: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27309, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring religiously...

      Teachers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is giving to teachers to assist them with the new Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 tests.

      Business: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many enterprise advisers her Department has appointed to work with (a) schools and (b) further edcuation colleges in England.

      Armed Forces: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of identified violations of the Schools Admissions Code since 2011 related to schools not properly prioritising the children of armed...

      Schools: Musical Instruments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2016 to Question 28761, what assessment she has made of whether musical education hubs are playing their core role...

      Department for Education: Security Guards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much security guards in her Department are paid.

      Social Workers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2016 to Question 29760, how many students from which universities were represented in the Frontline programme's 2014...

      Mathematics: Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers from China who will teach in Maths Hubs in England will be selected; and if she will make a statement.

      Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for which subjects there is the greatest need for additional teachers; and what steps she is taking to recruit such teachers.

      Department for Education: Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what...

      Social Workers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many universities were represented in each cohort of Set Up participants in each year since its establishment.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Secure Training Centres: Advocacy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the annual cost was of the advocacy contract at each secure training centre in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    • Road Traffic Offences: Mobile Phones

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were prosecuted for using a mobile telephone while driving in each year since 2010; and how many such people were subject to the maximum...

      Terrorism: Hyde Park

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will conduct an urgent review of the Legal Aid Agency's decision to refuse a request to fund a civil case into the Hyde Park bombing.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing prefabricated new accommodation for service personnel.

    • Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel in each location are accommodated in twin rooms.

      Military Intervention: Casualties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian casualties have resulted from direct UK military action in each theatre of operation in each of the last 12 months.

      Rescue Services: Mediterranean Sea

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilians rescued from the Mediterranean Sea by the Royal Navy in the last two years requested medical evacuation; and to what locations such...

      Hebrides Range: Spaceflight

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of adding a vertical take-off facility at the Hebrides Range to permit diversification into space ports.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Local Housing Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2016 to Question 26467, what his policy is on the process by which local authorities should calculate...

    • Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to answer the letter dated 22 December 2015 from the Right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs J. Brown.

      Attendance Allowance: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of abolition of attendance allowance on people living in rural communities.

      Universal Credit: Transitional Arrangements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there will be transitional protection for current claimants of the work-related activity component of employment and support allowance...

      Universal Credit: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of children in each age group that will be in households in receipt...

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of current claimants of the work-related activity component of employment and support...

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure that pension obligations on local authority funded personal budget or direct payment users are met.

      Employment and Support Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants of employment and support allowance in the work related activity group moved off benefits in each...

      Industrial Health and Safety: Death

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of deaths at work.

      Industrial Health and Safety: Inspections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many health and safety inspections of workplaces in the UK took place in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.

      Industrial Health and Safety: Death

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of deaths at work related to (a) respiratory diseases and (b) mesothelioma.

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of universal credit will see a reduction in their universal credit award as a result of changes to the work allowance due...

      Universal Credit: Flexible Support Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to use the flexible support fund to ensure that no current claimants of universal credit are made worse off as a...

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to housing benefit eligibility in respect of under-occupancy in the social rented sector...

      Unemployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on reducing the number of workless households.

      Children: Poverty

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

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Electricity Generation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that environmental permitting rules for back-up electricity generating plants are up to...

    • Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's Single Department Plan: 2015 to 2020, published on 19 February 2016, what discussions she...

      Groceries Code Adjudicator

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's Single departmental plan: 2015 to 2020, published on 19 February 2016, what steps she is...

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's Single Departmental Plan: 2015 to 2020, published on 19 February 2016, what her climate...

      Business: Environmental Impact Assessment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's Single Departmental Plan: 2015 to 2020, published on 19 February 2016, whether the report...

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • European Regional Development Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of exit from the EU on his Department's work on the...

    • Communities and Local Government: UK Membership of EU

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council,...

      Housing: Morecambe and Lunesdale

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has been notified of any funding applications from Lancaster City Council for the West End of Morecambe; and what...

      Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the additional revenue councils will receive from local business rates as a result of...

      Small Businesses: Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of small business rate relief in each of the last three years.

      Small Businesses: Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much small businesses with a rateable value of less than £30,000 paid in business rates in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c)...

      Floods: Property Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that there are safeguards against flooding for the construction of new houses in potential...

      Floods

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to provide more information to people potentially affected by floods to enable them to access grant...

      Regional Planning and Development: Greater Manchester

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 25439, on regional planning and development in Greater Manchester, when...

      Combined Authorities: Accountability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish from the Minister for Local Growth and the Northern...

      Communities and Local Government: Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which charities have received grant funding from his Department since the introduction of the anti-lobbying clause.

      Mayors: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the likely salary of the elected mayor for the West Midlands Combined Authority; and...

      Non-domestic Rates: Redcar and Cleveland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many businesses in Redcar and Cleveland have taken part in the retail relief scheme in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date.

      Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to speed up planning enforcement to reduce damage in heritage centres.

      Communities and Local Government: Security Guards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much security guards in his Department are paid.

  • HM Treasury

    • Child Benefit: Fraud

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many foreign nationals living in the UK have been prosecuted for a fraudulent child benefit claim for a child living in the EU.

    • European Union: Fines

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government has paid in fines to the EU since 2010.

      Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the amount currently owed to HM Revenue and Customs in tax credit overpayments and (b) the potential effect of...

      Financial Services: Advisory Services

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Financial Conduct Authority plans to report the findings of its consultation on the Financial Advice Market Review.

      Tax Avoidance: Self-employed

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to announce the next step in the process to reform the IR35 investigations.

      Treasury: Staff

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of his Department's (a) Senior Civil Servants and (b) core policy civil servants are based in London.

      Mutuals' Deferred Shares Act 2015

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to consult on the draft Regulations to implement the Mutuals' Deferred Shares Act 2015; and if he will make a statement.

      Vat

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value of VAT arrears that had been owed for more than 12 months was recovered by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) Cardiff South and Penarth...

      Public Sector: Guaranteed Minimum Pensions

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HM Treasury's press release of 1 March 2016, on Government one step closer to introducing new State Pension this year, whether an equality...

      State Retirement Pensions

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HM Treasury's press release of 1 March 2016, on Government one step closer to introducing new State Pension this year, if he will hold a...

      Council Tax: Valuation

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time taken is by the Valuation Office Agency to assess new properties to give them a council tax band; and how many such cases have taken...

      Employee Ownership

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have taken up employee shareholder status tax relief in the most recent financial year for which figures are available; and what the effect...

      Treasury: Security Guards

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much security guards in his Department are paid.

      Betting: Taxation

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what revenue accrued to the Exchequer from the financial spread betting gross profits tax in the most recent financial year for which figures are available.

      Libya: Freezing of Assets

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of the assets of the Muammar Gaddafi administration frozen in the UK.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he intends to answer the letter dated 12 January 2016 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms Sara Lyons, transferred from...

  • Department for Energy and Climate Change

    • Electricity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect on costs to the electricity system of limitations of the number of operating hours...

    • Nuclear Reactors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Annex on a Comprehensive Franco-British Partnership on Civil Nuclear Energy, Franco-British Summit, on 3 March...

      Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to increase the UK's energy storage capacity for excess energy from renewables; and what financial support...

      Heating: Older People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the availability of grants which are accessible to elderly people for the replacement of storage heaters.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Civil Service

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve (a) productivity across the Civil Service and (b) efficient use of office space.

    • Migration: Eastern Europe

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate the number of people from Eastern Europe who have returned to their country of birth from the UK in 2015-16.

      Ministerial Policy Advisers: Working Hours

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the standard office hours are of special advisers.

      UK Membership of EU: Referendums

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of how many citizens of (a) Ireland, (b) Malta, and (c) Cyprus will be eligible to vote in the EU referendum.

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Tourism: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support tourism in the North of England.

    • Pornography: Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to (a) protect children from accessing harmful pornographic material online and (b) ensure age verification is...

      BBC: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds on how the BBC defines talent for the purposes of non-disclosure of salaries and contractual payments.

      Arts: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase participation in the arts by people from low income backgrounds.

      Sports: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to increase access to sporting activities for children in low income households.

      Olympic Games 2012

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who is responsible for the future of the London 2012 athletics warm-up track.

      Broadband: Northampton South

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of the rollout of super-fast broadband in the Northampton South constituency.

      BBC: Royal Charters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2016 to Question 29543, which areas of the BBC are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

      BBC: Royal Charters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2016 to Question 29543, what steps he plans to take to reform the BBC's exposure to the Freedom of...

      Children: Musical Instruments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2016 to Question 28838, if he will make a comparative assessment of the proportion of children by (a)...

      Public Libraries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with local authorities on changes in the level of availability of library services providing access to...

  • Department of Health

    • Stem Cells

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of stem cell donors received a transplant within (a) seven and (b) 15 days of request in each year since 2003-04.

    • Abortion: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland who have accessed abortion services commissioned by...

      Asthma: South West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to create a specialist centre for severe asthma in the South West of England.

      Mental Health Services: Advocacy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to increase the number of advocacy services available to mentally ill people before they are sectioned.

      Diabetes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of Type 2 diabetics manage their condition with (a) insulin injections and (b) insulin tablets.

      Primary Health Care: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the £1 billion primary care infrastructure fund has been (a) committed to future projects and (b) spent by GP practices.

      Primary Health Care: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to announce the net allocations from the primary care transformation fund.

      Cancer: Nurses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cancer clinical nurse specialists were working in the NHS in the latest period for which figures are available.

      Department of Health: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of his Department's (a) Senior Civil Servants and (b) core policy civil servants are based in London.

      NHS: Working Hours

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that seven day NHS provision will be accessible in all parts of the country.

      Junior Doctors: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 27828, what the average change in the level of pay will be for those junior doctors not expected...

      Care Homes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to make funding available to councils for care homes in addition to the two per cent council tax precept to cover costs...

      Prescription Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the difference is between NICE's clinical guidelines and its positive guidance; and what steps his Department is taking to make healthcare...

      Maternity Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what comparative information his Department holds on the length of time women stay in health facilities after giving birth in the UK and other developed...

      Nabiximols

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2016 to Question 29649, how patients whose clinical commissioning group has decided not to fund the provision of...

      Care Quality Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the resources allocated by the Government to the Care Quality Commission to carry out its inspection role;...

      Department of Health: Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • EU Countries: British Nationals Abroad

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK nationals are resident in the other EU member states.

    • UK Membership of EU

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, concerning a new settlement for the UK within the EU returns...

      North Korea: Russia

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom regarding the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry's 2014 report on...

      North Korea: Sanctions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made at the UN Security Council in drafting a new Resolution on sanctions against North Korea, in particular to require that (1) in...

      Thailand: Refugees

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to discuss with the UNHCR the number of refugees now in detention in Thailand in unhealthy conditions and what can be done to speed up...

      Islamic State: Yazidis

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they recognise Islamic State's treatment of the Yazidi people as an act of genocide.

      Australia: Climate Change

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Australia about the proposed changes at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research station at...

      China: Religious Freedom

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made on behalf of the 12 Christian leaders tried in Zhejiang Province of China in February and what assessment they have made...

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Insolvency

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the European Commission's Recommendation in 2014 on a new approach to business failure and insolvency on the...

    • UK Trade with EU

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the EU's main exports to the UK, including both goods and services.

  • Department for International Development

    • Immigration: Greece

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what aid has been given to Greece to assist that country in supporting migrants and refugees.

    • Humanitarian Aid: Females

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that women from affected communities are in positions of leadership and involved in planning and decision-making during...

      Humanitarian Aid: Females

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their work supporting humanitarian emergency responses delivers long-term change that empowers women from affected...

      Humanitarian Aid: Females

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of humanitarian funding goes to women’s rights organisations and local organisations with expertise in gender during emergencies.

      Humanitarian Aid: Females

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to support proposals at the World Humanitarian Summit in May to ensure that women are involved in planning and decision-making during a...

      Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their assessment that 82 per cent of the population of Yemen have humanitarian needs; and what action they are taking to prevent deaths from...

  • Department for Education

    • Schools: Admissions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, of the schools that had their admission arrangements objected to in (1) 2014, and (2) 2015, what was the average number of School Admissions Code breaches...

    • GCE A-level

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of pupils in each socio-economic group achieved three grade A* to B at A Level in each year for the past 10 years.

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is a statutory duty on local authorities when turning down an education or health or care plan to advise parents of their right of appeal.

      Schools: Admissions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current availability of school places.

      Home Education

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whose responsibility it is to collect data on the number of home-educated pupils.

  • The Lord Chairman of Committees

    • Acts: Publishing

      To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to his Written Answer on 25 February (HL6181), whether he plans to reconsider the decision to cease using vellum for Public Acts.

    • Peers

      To ask the Chairman of Committees what is the current number of Members of the House (1) not on leave of absence, and (2) on leave of absence.

      Peers: Attendance

      To ask the Chairman of Committees which Members of the House have so far attended no sittings of the House this Session.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

  • Home Office

    • Refugees: France

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the age range and gender of the unaccompanied children currently resident in the refugee camps in northern France who are expressing a desire to come...

    • Police: Biometrics

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 9 March (HL6657), in the light of the fact that the findings of the review of the retention of custody images...

      Police: Biometrics

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to Written Answer by Lord Bates on 9 March (HL6657), whether the review findings have found the existing practices of police forces are legal and...

  • HM Treasury

    • Government Departments: Historic Buildings

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will refer to any non-commercial criteria in calculating the economic rent to be charged to HM Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,...

  • Department for Energy and Climate Change

    • Gas Fired Power Stations

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the impact on the electricity market of limiting operational run hours for gas-reciprocating-engine-driven electricity back-up...

    • Electricity Generation

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect the UK to face a power deficit in winter 2016–17, and if so, what action they are taking to prevent electricity shortages.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Charities: Lobbying

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations were made to ministers and officials on the subject of lobbying by charities between May 2010 and February 2016 by organisations other...

    • Charities: Lobbying

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on Principle 1.1 of the coalition document The Compact of the new Cabinet Office policy on charitable...

      Charities: Lobbying

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on government consultations and their policy-making processes of the new policy on charitable campaigning for...

      Elections: Expenditure

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the Electoral Commission’s conclusion in its report UK Parliamentary General Election 2015: Campaign spending report, that...

      Elections

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response the Law Commissions’ recommendations to reform UK electoral law.

      UK Membership of EU: Referendums

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any (1) minister, (2) official, or (3) ministerial special adviser, importuned any persons to sign letters concerning the European Referendum or the...

  • Department of Health

    • Human Embryo Experiments

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 11 February (HL5646), when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority changed its practice;...

    • NHS: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the proposal that NHS England will only pay for patients participating in data collection under the new NICE conditional approval route.

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement the Prime Minister has had in the formation of proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund.

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the anticipated budget impact of the new Cancer Drugs Fund in 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, and 2020–21.

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans the Department of Health has to instruct NICE to include a broader assessment of value in its appraisals of cancer medicines.

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy Dataset in the collection of health outcome data from patients...

      Hearing Aids

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of research presented to the American Academy for the Advancement of Science concerning the impact of hearing loss on the development...

      Hospitals: Working Hours

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish all evidence they have available on the mechanism whereby increasing the presence of consultants and diagnostic tests at weekends...

      Medical Equipment: Procurement

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that the adoption of new medical device technology by the NHS is not frustrated by the five-year length of NHS Supply...

      Autism

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they maintain statistics relating to (1) autism referrals, (2) initial assessments of autism, and (3) diagnosis of autism; and if so, how many of...

      Autism

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of the recent case of 15 year-old Matthew Garnett who, as a consequence of being on the autistic spectrum, has been confined to a...

      Pharmacy: Finance

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the six per cent decrease in community pharmacy funding will be allocated to ensure that access to medication at all times is maintained, in particular...

      NHS: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of the price of five per cent coal tar ointment on the NHS Drug Tariff for England and Wales on Clinical Commissioning...

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria NHS England and NICE will apply when deciding on the commercial agreement to be put in place to provide treatment to patients under the...

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of NHS England’s and NICE’s capabilities in relation to the commercial negotiations between them and...

      Diabetes

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what work NHS England and Monitor are undertaking to develop new payment and incentives mechanisms that drive integrated care for diabetes across primary and...

      Diabetes: Nurses

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many diabetes specialist nurses are currently employed by (1) each Clinical Commissioning Group area, and (2) each hospital trust, in England.

      Medical Examiners

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 17 December 2015 (HL4371), whether they are now able to publish implementation plans for the...

      Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have assessed the amount of infection brought into hospitals by staff uniforms worn outside.

      Blood Diseases: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether appropriate treatment for patients with plasma disorders such as haemophilia and primary immunodeficiency, as provided for under the statutory scheme...

      NHS: Migrant Workers

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many EU nationals work in the NHS in England.

      Abortion

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many abortions there were in 2015 at 23 weeks gestation and above.

      Prisoners: Learning Disability

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individual prisoner screening assessments for learning disabilities were undertaken in each prison in England in each of the last five years.

      Cancer

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Prior of Brampton on 4 February (HL5344), 11 February (HL5970), and 3 March (HL6245), what are the minimum number of...

      Cancer

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is accountable for the project delivery plan for Genomic England’s cancer programme in (1) the Department of Health, and (2) Genomic England.

      Cancer

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what timeframe has been agreed for Genomic England to publish a plan with patient volumes that can be shared with Parliament, and what steps they will take...

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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