Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the deduction of trade union subscriptions from payroll in the Civil Service.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
This is matter that is delegated to individual Departments in the Civil Service.
This information is a matter for departments.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 12 March 2015, HCWS385, on testing of household products on animals, what proportion of tests on animals for ingredients predominantly used in household products are not carried out for regulatory purposes; and what estimate she has made of the annual number of animals who will not now be used to test household product ingredients as a result of measures in that announcement.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The ban on testing animals on household products includes any chemical where more than half of it is expected to be used as an ingredient in household products. The only exceptions are tests legally required to protect humans, animals or the environment, or a small number of cases where a "strong justification" can be made for which we will apply a robust harm-benefit analysis. We will monitor the application of these exceptions closely.
The Annual Statistical Returns on the use of animals in Scientific Procedures do not specify the purpose of use of chemical ingredients. One of the reasons we want to have a notification system is to get better understanding of what, why and for what purposes ingredients primarily used in household products are tested. We estimate that on average, Contract Research Organisations in the UK test a small number of ingredients per year (around 8 or fewer) for which the testing is required by regulation and which are primarily for use in household products. From 1st October 2015 businesses will be required to report the testing within 30 days of having it carried out.
The UK has one of the most comprehensive animal welfare systems in the world to ensure animal testing is carried out humanely and only when necessary. This ban is a big step forwards that significantly raises the bar on the use of animals in testing and goes beyond that of other European countries. It demonstrates a continuing commitment to safeguard animal welfare and advance the use of the 3Rs principles (replacement, refinement and reduction) in research and development. The UK remains at the forefront of global work to develop alternatives to animal testing.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce reoffending.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
We have opened up the delivery of rehabilitation services to a diverse range of public, private and voluntary sector providers, who will only be paid in full if they are successful at reducing reoffending. Rehabilitation support has also been extended to an extra 45,000 offenders on sentences of less than 12 months, who previously received little if any support on release and have the highest reoffending rates.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether dogs which have been de-barked outside the UK are permitted to be kept for breeding, supply or use in procedures at scientific establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
There are no legal restrictions on dogs which have been de-barked outside the UK being kept for breeding, supply or use in procedures at scientific establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
However we consider that the Establishment Licence Standard Condition 4(2) ‘Any restrictions on the extent to which an animal can satisfy its physiological and ethological needs shall be kept to the minimum’ is relevant and we would strongly discourage stakeholders considering doing it for welfare and reputational risk reasons. We are not aware of any such dogs being kept at establishments licensed under the 1986 Act.
The Home Office would not authorise the cutting of vocal cords of dogs under the 1986 Act. We cannot envisage any scenario where that would be acceptable unless it were for the health and well-being of the individual animal with the procedure conducted under Veterinary Surgeons Act.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent progress has been made on negotiations to agree the Sustainable Development Goals.
Answered by Justine Greening
The first session of intergovernmental negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals has concluded. The Open Working Group proposal includes 17 goals and 169 targets. The UK supports the breadth and balance of the proposal but will be arguing for a more concise and workable agenda as negotiations progress.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients waited longer than four hours in A&E departments in 2014.
Answered by Norman Lamb
Of almost 22.4 million attendances at all accident and emergency departments in England in 2014, 94.5% of patients were seen within the four hour standard. Of these, just over 1.2 million patients spent over four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of nuisance calls made by companies in (a) the UK and (b) abroad to customers registered with the Telephone Preference Service; and if he will bring forward proposals to increase fines for businesses that breach the law on nuisance calls.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
No estimate has been made about the level of nuisance calls made by companies in the UK or abroad to Telephone Preference Service (TPS) registered consumers, as this type of information is not readily available. However, tackling nuisance calls is a priority for the Department, including those that are made to consumers who are registered with the TPS. We published the first ever Nuisance Calls Action Plan on 30 March 2014: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuisance-calls-action-plan-unveiled.This set out our achievements to date, work underway and proposed actions for the future, which included both legislative and non-legislative measures. We are currently pursuing these measures, which we believe that as a combination are beginning to make a significant difference for the benefit of consumers. The Information Commissioner’s Office’s Office (ICO) can issue a substantial monetary penalty of up to £500,000 to any organisation for breaching the TPS and therefore we are not looking to increase this further. However, we have consulted between 25 October and 6 December 2014, proposing to lower or preferably remove the legal threshold, as this will make it easier for the ICO to issue more monetary penalties. The Government’s Response will follow shortly in 2015. Details of enforcement action taken to date by ICO can be viewed at: http://ico.org.uk/enforcement/action/calls
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the level of nuisance calls made by companies in (a) the UK and (b) abroad; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of such calls to (i) older and more vulnerable customers and (ii) others.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
No estimate has been made about the level of nuisance calls made by companies in the UK or abroad, as this type of information is not readily available. However, tackling nuisance calls is a priority for the Department, including those that are made to the elderly, vulnerable and other consumers. We published the first ever Nuisance Calls Action Plan on 30 March 2014: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuisance-calls-action-plan-unveiled. This set out our achievements to date, work underway and proposed actions for the future, which included both legislative and non-legislative measures. We are currently pursuing these measures, which as a combination are beginning to make a significant difference for the benefit of all consumers.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review paragraph 3.25 of the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage; and if she will bring forward proposals to amend that framework to ensure that all nursery staff are adequately trained in paediatric first aid.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework requires all nurseries and all pre-schools to have on duty a trained pediatric first aider. They must be on the premises at all times when children are present and accompany children on outings. Although providers are required to take into account the number of children, staff and layout of premises to ensure that a pediatric first aider is able to respond to emergencies quickly, in a recent debate, initiated by the hard work of the parents of Millie Thompson and founders of Millie’s Trust, I committed to undertaking a review of the first aid requirements to see if there is any further action needed on this important issue.
Asked by: Graeme Morrice (Labour - Livingston)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the Smith Commission's recommendations to devolve shale gas mineral access rights to Scotland.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The UK Government has welcomed the Smith Commission Agreement and has committed to delivering draft clauses by 25 January 2015.
The Department will now prepare draft clauses in order that the Agreement can be implemented. It is worth noting that most of the powers needed to make Scottish decisions on Shale are already devolved to Holyrood, Including all decisions on whether or not to grant planning and permitting consent for shale development.