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  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK-based private security companies operating in (a) Israel and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories adhere to the International Code of Conduct for private security service providers; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government continues to play a leading role in the International Code of Conduct Association, and has a seat on the Association’s Board. We encourage all private security companies (PSCs) working in complex environments overseas to join the Association, which oversees the Code and can monitor that PSCs are adhering to the Code. We are also encouraging all states, companies and Non-Governmental Organisations that contract private security companies to recognise Association membership and accredited certification to relevant standards in their contracting processes. The Government will do likewise.

  • David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department takes to monitor compliance with the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The independent Intelligence Services Commissioner oversees compliance with the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, and on the Passing and Receipt of Intelligence Relating to Detainees and reports annually on those aspects for which he has responsibility. His role in this regard was put on a statutory footing in November 2014.

  • David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what training his Department has provided to service and other personnel on the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    It is the longstanding policy of successive governments not to comment on intelligence matters. This includes matters relating to the training of Intelligence Service personnel.

  • David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, and on the Passing and Receipt of Intelligence Relating to Detainees has been published online: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/62632/Consolidated_Guidance_November_2011.pdf

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of British citizens who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to support forces opposed to Islamic State.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of reports of a small number of British citizens fighting against ISIL in Syria and Iraq, but are not able to estimate accurately the total number. The UK advises against all travel to Syria and against travel to much of Iraq. Anyone who does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger. The Syrian National Coalition, which we recognise as the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, have made clear that they do not want foreign fighters to come to their country. The best way for the British public to help the people of Syria and Iraq is to support UK registered charities that are providing humanitarian relief to those affected by the conflict.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Pakistan in support of resuming the moratorium on the death penalty in that country; and what assessment he has made of the prospects for a lasting moratorium on the death penalty in Pakistan.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We regularly raise the issue of the death penalty in Pakistan at the highest levels and have consistently pressed the Government of Pakistan to commit to a moratorium on the death penalty. It is our longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We fully understand Pakistan’s resolve to protect society from terrorism but there is no evidence that capital punishment is an effective deterrent.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research evidence the NHS uses to indicate how to select the most appropriate treatment approach for an individual parent or child in stammer cases.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Ensuring the most appropriate treatment for a child with a stammer is a decision for the judgement of the clinician, drawing on their professional training, their ongoing professional development, and the advice provided by the relevant professional body.

    The quality of care would be monitored by the provider, through clinical audit and other performance assurance, and by the relevant regulator of the provider (such as the Care Quality Commission), and the professional regulator (such as the Health and Care Professions Council, which regulates speech and language therapists).

    Information is not collected centrally on long-term outcomes for children who stammer.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what data his Department holds on long term outcomes for children who stammer.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Ensuring the most appropriate treatment for a child with a stammer is a decision for the judgement of the clinician, drawing on their professional training, their ongoing professional development, and the advice provided by the relevant professional body.

    The quality of care would be monitored by the provider, through clinical audit and other performance assurance, and by the relevant regulator of the provider (such as the Care Quality Commission), and the professional regulator (such as the Health and Care Professions Council, which regulates speech and language therapists).

    Information is not collected centrally on long-term outcomes for children who stammer.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report Research spend in the UK, published by the Stroke Association on 3 December 2014, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of that report; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    The report published by the Stroke Association compares research spend in four disease areas (stroke, cancer, coronary heart disease and dementia) by governmental organisations and charities.

    The usual practice of the two main public funders of health research – the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) – is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics or disease areas: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available.

    NIHR expenditure on research on stroke, cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) (including coronary heart disease) and dementia is shown in the following table.

    £ million

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    Stroke

    20.2

    20.9

    20.4

    26.1

    26.3

    Cancer

    101.5

    100.9

    104.1

    133.2

    129.9

    CVD

    31.6

    31.0

    34.1

    42.7

    46.3

    Dementia

    12.6

    18.3

    24.9

    24.4

    26.8

    Through its training and career development programmes, the NIHR supports clinicians at all stages of their career: integrated clinical and academic training; doctoral training; postdoctoral training; and more senior awards. The prestigious NIHR Senior Investigator award provides an additional incentive for the country’s most outstanding clinical researchers. These programmes make a major contribution to the building and developing of research capacity in stroke and other disease areas.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the state of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We strongly supported US Secretary of State John Kerry’s tireless efforts to deliver a final status deal in 2014. We were disappointed that the parties proved unable to make more progress. Our priority remains the achievement of a two-state solution. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations and hope that it will be possible to resume the process after the Israeli elections.