The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the declaration by the African Union that the Crans Montana Forum in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara, should be cancelled.
Dan Rogerson
Having received no invitation, no assessment has been made.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any former officials of his Department have taken employment with Rio Tinto plc in the last five years.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The FCO does not hold details of employment taken up by former officials unless they have been subject to the business appointment rules. Records kept under the business appointment rules covering the last 3 years (2012 – 2014) show that no former members of staff have left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to join Rio Tinto plc.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any employees of Rio Tinto plc have been seconded to his Department in the last five years.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Our records show that in the last five years no employees of Rio Tinto plc have been seconded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent progress British military forces have made on defeating the ISIL threat in Syria.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We are providing intelligence and surveillance to support coalition partners, who are carrying out air strikes in Syria against ISIL. Airstrikes are making a difference on the ground, for example, they supported ground forces in driving ISIL out of Kobane. In addition, we will make a significant contribution to the US-led effort to train and equip the moderate Syrian opposition who are fighting against ISIL. Ultimately, we need to see an inclusive political transition in Damascus which produces a Syrian government, without Assad, with which we can work to fight ISIL.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the flag of the Commonwealth nations will fly on public buildings on Commonwealth Day 2015.
Mrs Helen Grant
The flags of the Commonwealth nations will fly on Parliament Square to mark Commonwealth Day on 9th March. Commonwealth Day is a designated day for the flying of the Union Flag on all UK Government Buildings, so the Union Flag takes precedence over other flags on this day. Other public authorities may be participating in the independent initiative ‘Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth’ by flying the Commonwealth Flag from their buildings on Commonwealth Day.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Baker on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Germany on financial contributions for British victims of thalidomide.
Mr David Lidington
The British Ambassador to Berlin has recently raised the issue of compensation for British survivors of Thalidomide with the German Families Minister Manuela Schwesig. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently working with the Thalidomide Trust to secure a meeting between the Trust and the relevant German authorities in support of their campaign to seek compensation for British survivors of Thalidomide.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on supplying arms to Ukraine’s military; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Lidington
I have discussed the crisis in Ukraine with a number of my NATO counterparts. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) set out in his statement to the House on 10 February: ‘it is a national decision for each country in the NATO alliance to decide whether to supply lethal equipment to Ukraine. The UK is not planning to do so, but we reserve the right to keep this position under review. Different members of the alliance take nuanced positions on this question and are entitled to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Jordanian counterpart on tackling ISIL.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK works closely with Jordan as they play a key and active role on the front lines of the fight against ISIL. Most recently, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) wrote to the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Nasser Judeh, to extend his condolences following the brutal murder of Lieutenant Al Kassasbeh and to reiterate that the UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Jordan in the struggle against ISIL. The Foreign Secretary also met Foreign Minister Judeh twice in January, including at the Counter-ISIL Small Group Conference in London on 22 January, where discussions focussed on reviewing progress, strengthening coalition coordination, and providing further support to the Government of Iraq.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-02-11.
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.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The information is not available for the period requested. As part of our drive to make the National Health Service more transparent NHS England introduced mandatory reporting of monthly actual and planned nursing and midwifery staffing levels by hospital wards in May 2014.
In November 2013 the National Quality Board (NQB) supported by Jane Cummings, the Chief Nursing Officer for England, published guidance on How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time’. The guidance specifies that the skill mix of the workforce should reflect the patient care needs and local requirements, considering the experience and capabilities of the workforce employed. The skill mix should reflect outcome indicators such as incidents of harm, patient experience and staff experience. Each ward has to identify the appropriate knowledge and nursing skill mix required in the team to meet the nursing needs of the ward’s patients, with registered nurses remaining accountable for the overall care and safety of patients.
NHS trust boards are required to scrutinise exception reports on any variations in actual versus planned, as part of the Board’s responsibility for assuring safe staffing. Reports to Trust Boards must meet the requirements set out in the NQB guidance. Trusts will triangulate the safe staffing fill rate with other indicators for example outcome indicators of safety – levels of harm, staff and patient feedback. Boards must be able to demonstrate to their commissioners that robust systems and processes are in place to assure themselves that the nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability in their organisations is sufficient. These staffing decisions will then be subject to external scrutiny and challenge by commissioners, regulators and the public, and inspection by the Chief Inspector of Hospitals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent meetings he and other Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of the food industry.
Jane Ellison
Details of all Ministerial meetings with external parties are published in arrears on the Department’s website. The latest publication which covers meetings between January and March 2014 can be found on the Department’s website:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-2014
“