Asked by: Corri Wilson (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of HM Revenue and Customs in handling written correspondence from members of the public.
Answered by David Gauke
Such a review has not been carried out recently. However, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) regularly publish general performance reports at Gov.uk. HMRC targets for post are to reply to 80% within 15 working days, 95% within 40 working days, and 90% accuracy.
Asked by: Corri Wilson (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impact assessment his Department carried out on the changes proposed in the Consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of personal independence payment, Cm 9171, published in December 2015.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DWP has conducted a consultation to seek views on how support can best be provided to help meet the costs of disability faced by people who are currently awarded points due to aids and appliances. The department has received responses from a range of interested parties, including disabled people and disability organisations. The consultation has now closed and the department is considering these responses.
No decision has yet been made as to whether any change should be made to the current system and the department does not have any preference between the five options presented in the consultation. We also invited additional suggestions for change.
If the department decides that change is required, a full equality analysis will be conducted and considered prior to a final decision being made, in line with the Department’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Corri Wilson (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants, from which areas, have been asked to attend medical assessment appointments in Edinburgh by Atos due to a lack of appointments available in Glasgow; and how many benefit claimants are currently being assessed at (a) the Edinburgh centre and (b) the Glasgow centre.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department does not hold this information.
Asked by: Corri Wilson (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will bring forward proposals to enable the prosecution of UK businesses through the UK courts for breaches of human rights abroad when the UK's National Action Plan to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights is next updated.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Victims of overseas human rights abuses by UK businesses can already seek redress through UK courts. We have one of the few jurisdictions in the world where this can happen. I am proud it was a Conservative government that introduced the Modern Slavery Act, which requires companies to report on steps they have taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in its supply chains.
Asked by: Corri Wilson (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate of the average daily cost to UK businesses of an unscheduled closure of the Channel Tunnel.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Understanding the full cost to business would require a detailed analysis of their supply chains. This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Corri Wilson (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions were issued for bupropion in each year since 2001.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Information is not collected centrally on the numbers of prescriptions issued. However, information is available on the number of bupropion hydrochloride prescription items dispensed.
Number of bupropion hydrochloride prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England - 2001 to 2014 | |
Year | Items (000’s) |
2001 | 298.8 |
2002 | 131.0 |
2003 | 111.8 |
2004 | 136.8 |
2005 | 131.9 |
2006 | 116.9 |
2007 | 129.9 |
2008 | 62.1 |
2009 | 51.1 |
2010 | 39.3 |
2011 | 32.3 |
2012 | 27.8 |
2013 | 23.7 |
2014 | 22.0 |
Source: Prescription Cost Analysis provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre