The Department of Health & Social Care, with NHS England and NHS Improvement, is currently in the process of working with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) to determine the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework settlement for 2019/20. These are confidential negotiations and as such I am unable to provide any detail on these discussions at this time. The Government is committed however to working with the PSNC to deliver a fair settlement for the NHS services community pharmacies provide; one which will enable the Government to deliver our longer-term ambition of fully integrated primary medical and community services, whilst also allowing us to realise opportunities to increase value for money.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Elizabeth Truss"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Elizabeth Truss"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-28T10:33:20.53Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pharmacy"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to identify and deliver efficiencies in the pharmacy sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4040", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Evans"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islwyn"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Evans"} ], "uin" : "268463"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134159", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134159/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The government has previously consulted and legislated on the policy for a cap of £95,000 on exit payments in the public sector. The consultation published on 10 April 2019 seeks views on the draft regulations to implement this policy.<\/p>
An equalities impact assessment was conducted and published in the 2016 consultation ahead of the primary legislation. Following the current consultation, a further equalities assessment will be conducted on the final version of the legislation.<\/p>
The government is aware of concerns about the impact of the cap on long serving workers and workers that cannot be categorised as amongst the best paid. The government was clear during the passage of the primary legislation that the cap will have no impact on the large majority of public sector workers. The proposed cap, amounting to six times the maximum statutory redundancy entitlement, will still offer a significant level of compensation and support to employees who must support their families, find new employment or as a bridge until retirement age. We accept that there will be some circumstances where it is necessary or desirable to relax the cap. The waiver is in place for use in exceptional situations, including where imposing the cap would cause genuine hardship.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Elizabeth Truss"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Elizabeth Truss"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "268436"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-28T09:31:13.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Sector: Redundancy Pay"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a lower earnings threshold exemption for exit payments in the public sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"} ], "uin" : "268435"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134165", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134165/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The government has previously consulted and legislated on the policy for a cap of £95,000 on exit payments in the public sector. The consultation published on 10 April 2019 seeks views on the draft regulations to implement this policy.<\/p>
An equalities impact assessment was conducted and published in the 2016 consultation ahead of the primary legislation. Following the current consultation, a further equalities assessment will be conducted on the final version of the legislation.<\/p>
The government is aware of concerns about the impact of the cap on long serving workers and workers that cannot be categorised as amongst the best paid. The government was clear during the passage of the primary legislation that the cap will have no impact on the large majority of public sector workers. The proposed cap, amounting to six times the maximum statutory redundancy entitlement, will still offer a significant level of compensation and support to employees who must support their families, find new employment or as a bridge until retirement age. We accept that there will be some circumstances where it is necessary or desirable to relax the cap. The waiver is in place for use in exceptional situations, including where imposing the cap would cause genuine hardship.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Elizabeth Truss"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Elizabeth Truss"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "268435"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-28T09:31:13.33Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Sector: Redundancy Pay"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that proposals to cap exit payments in the public sector does not have a disproportionate effect on (a) women and (b) older people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"} ], "uin" : "268436"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134190", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134190/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In January 2016, we extended access to the adoption support fund to children and their prospective adopters from the point at which the child is placed with them.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-28T11:31:35.923Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Adoption: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to extend the adoption support fund to also cover pre-adoption support and transitional support for prospective adopters and adoptive children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"} ], "uin" : "268437"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134227", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134227/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Environmental objectives are always fully considered as part of Treasury spending and policy decisions, including at the next Spending Review.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Treasury has accepted the recommendation from the Committee on Climate change to conduct a review into the costs of decarbonisation. The Review will consider how to achieve this transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as the implications for UK competitiveness.<\/p>
<\/p>
The next Spending Review will build on experience and lessons learnt from previous events and aim to ensure that policy issues are considered across departmental boundaries.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Elizabeth Truss"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Elizabeth Truss"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-28T07:40:33.857Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Departmental Coordination: Carbon Emissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure cross-departmental spending decisions support the transition to a net zero economy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Antoinette Sandbach"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Eddisbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Antoinette Sandbach"} ], "uin" : "268606"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1133845", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1133845/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not government.<\/p>
<\/p>
The BBC set out in its decision document on the future of the over 75 licence fee concession that enforcement action would be a last resort, and that it will consider \u2018people\u2019s vulnerability'.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4115", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Margot James"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stourbridge"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Margot James"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-28T13:42:56.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Television Licences: Older People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government plans to take to help protect vulnerable older people from prosecution for unpaid TV licences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "267716"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1133850", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1133850/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Dumping of radioactive waste (before being banned under the London Convention of 1972 for highly contaminated and in 1993 for low contaminated waste) was subject to approval by the MAFF Approval Committee, whose procedures included careful checks on the containment and transport of the waste. Both the Hurd Deep and Atlantic Deep sites have been subject to monitoring.<\/p>
<\/p>
Hurd Deep:<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> From 1946 to 1993, the UK disposed of amounts of both civilian and radioactive waste at sea, in accordance with national policy and legislation, and with later international agreements regulating such disposals. These disposals were seen at the time as routine and uncontroversial.<\/p> <\/p> The total estimated activities in curies (TBq) for these dumpings were: Alpha activity, 400 curies (14.8 TBq); Beta-Gamma activity, 1,200 curies (44.4 TBq). The very low active waste (mainly sludges) dumped into the Hurd Deep was packed in approved light metal drums to permit rapid dispersion of the contents. The UK regularly monitors the Channel Island States and report the results in the annually produced RIFE (Radioactivity in Food and the Environment) report series. These reports can be found here:<\/p>