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  • Lord Walton of Detchant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Walton of Detchant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Walton of Detchant on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure access to innovative medicines in order to improve the management of venous thromboembolism in the National Health Service.

    Earl Howe

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a number of treatments for the prevention of venous thromboembolism. National Health Service commissioners are legally required by regulations to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.

    We understand that NHS England has established an Innovation Programme which ensures the commissioning system promotes and supports participation of the NHS in research, translating scientific developments into benefits for patients.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had regarding the compatibility of Brunei’s human rights policies with the human rights values of the Commonwealth Charter, and with whom.

    Baroness Warsi

    We, along with the EU and other members of the international community, regularly discuss human rights with the Bruneian authorities. During Brunei’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 2 May, we called on Brunei to lift its state of emergency, to establish a national human rights institution and to ensure that the implementation of their new sharia criminal code was in line with international human rights standards. This includes the Commonwealth Charter which commits members to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I discussed this with His Majesty The Sultan, and other government figures during a visit to Brunei in April. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon Friend the Member for East Devon also raised our concerns with Brunei’s Deputy Foreign Minister Pehin Kunis on 12 June. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for North West Cambridgeshire (Mr Vara), raised this with the Bruneian Attorney General at the Commonwealth Law Ministers meeting on 6 May. The Secretary of State for Health, my Rt Hon Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), discussed this with his opposite number at a Commonwealth Health Ministers’ meeting on 18 May 2014.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what current and future non-core funding they provide or plan to provide to (1) the United Nations Population Fund, (2) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (3) Marie Stopes International, and (4) Women and Children First UK.

    Baroness Northover

    Marie Stopes International (MSI) currently receives non-core funding of approximately £41.5m for 2014-15, with future non-core funding estimated at £37.5m for 2015-16. International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) does not currently receive non-core funding from DFID. Women and Children First UK currently receive non-core funding of £246,101 over three years from 2014 – 2016. Women and Children First UK have also been provisionally approved for a second grant worth £249,842 over three years from 2014 – 2017 through the Global Poverty Action Fund, pending successful completion of pre-grant assessment.

    During financial year 2013-14, DFID provided non-core funding of £100m to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The non-core component was made up of 20 contributing programmes which will each undergo annual reviews to assess performance and determine future funding. Any proposals for new funding undergo a comprehensive business case process. Therefore it is not possible to give figures for future non-core payments.

  • in each case – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    in each case – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by in each case on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the proposal to introduce contracts for difference auctioning has been reassessed following the European Commission’s adoption of the final state aid guidelines for environmental protection and energy for 2014–2020; if so whether they specifically considered (1) the risk of the proposal failing to conform with the Commission’s guidance that competitive bidding should be non-discriminatory due to the distinction the proposal makes between established” and “less established” technologies

    Baroness Verma

    The move to competitive allocation of CfDs has been a long-standing feature of Electricity Market Reform. In early 2014, the Government consulted on proposals to move straight to competitive allocation for some technologies. EU ‘Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020′ were adopted in principle on 9 April 2014. Prior to that adoption, the European Commission worked with member states on the development of the guidelines, including through draft versions and receiving comments.

    Implementation of key EMR policies is subject to State Aid approval, and the Government has been in discussion with the European Commission for some time to ensure our policies comply. These conversations remain constructive and we are making the strongest possible case for our policies which we believe are consistent with the new guidelines. To maintain effective working relationships with the Commission, we do not comment publicly on the specifics of cases.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure that British values are taught in schools.

    Lord Nash

    Independent schools, academies and free schools are already required to encourage pupils to respect British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

    We plan to strengthen the requirement placed on these types of school, to one of actively promoting British values. We will also ask Ofsted to change the Section 5 inspection framework to reflect this expectation, which will ensure that for the first time maintained schools are also properly held to account.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure that there is no excessive delay in issuing passports.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    As My Rt. Hon. Friend the Home Secretary explained in the House on 12 June, we have agreed a range of measures to deal with the current high levels of demand for passports. I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 12 June 2014, Official Report, columns 693 and 694.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training they provide for magistrates.

    Lord Faulks

    Responsibility for the training of magistrates rests with the Lord Chief Justice and this is exercised through the Judicial College. The National Training Programme for Magistrates provides the framework of training and appraisal for magistrates who sit as chairs and wingers for each of the jurisdictions of Adult Court, Youth Court and Family Court in England and Wales.

    The training programme supports the learning and development of magistrates to a consistent standard across England & Wales to enable them to perform their duties effectively. Magistrates will go through an induction process and thereafter attend continuation training. The Judicial College supports the training process by providing Bench Books for the Adult, Youth and Family proceedings. Where a need is identified, the Judicial College will also provide training materials to the magistracy for the implementation of major legislation and other changes.

    Magistrates are advised in court by their legal advisers who, as professional lawyers, will keep themselves up-to-date with legal developments.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they are making in talks with Spain to prevent excessive delays at its border with Gibraltar.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), suggested ad hoc talks, involving all relevant parties, to address practical issues (including the delays at the border) to the Spanish government in April 2012. We are actively discussing this proposal with the Governments of Gibraltar and Spain and hope it will be possible to hold talks soon.

    In the meantime, we are maintaining strong diplomatic pressure on the Spanish government to end disproportionate and unlawful checks at the border. We have also asked the European Commission to continue to monitor the situation and urge Spain to return their checks at the border to proportionate levels.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are making any representations concerning the choice of Qatar as the host of the World Cup in 2022 in the light of recent allegations of corruption.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    There is an investigation taking place into the bidding process and we should wait and see what this reports rather than prejudge it. We expect FIFA, and all other major sports organisations, to practise good governance and operate in a transparent manner.

  • Baroness Corston – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness Corston – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Corston on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the implementation of the Prison Service Instruction 30/2013, which prohibits prisoners from receiving parcels from relatives, whether any prisons have introduced measures to help women who no longer have access to sufficient underwear.

    Lord Faulks

    In order to ensure that women have access to sufficient underwear, there is now no restriction on the number of pairs of underwear women in prison can have in their cells (subject to standard overarching volumetric limits on property held in possession).