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  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Russian government following the Russian airstrike in Hazzano, Syria, which damaged the bakery funded by the Department for International Development.

    Mr David Lidington

    We have repeatedly made clear to the Russian Government our serious concerns about its bombing campaign in Syria. We have consistently called on Russia to focus its targeting on Daesh and to cease the targeting of moderate opposition groups. We have also expressed concern over the numbers of civilian casualties being reported as a result of Russian strikes.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised our concerns about Russia’s approach with Foreign Minister Lavrov, including at meetings of the International Syria Support Group. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), discussed Syria with President Putin at the G20 Summit in Antalya, and in a telephone conversation on 9 December following Parliament’s vote to support military action against Daesh in Syria.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Israeli government on tackling the spread of Daesh in the Middle East.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have regular discussions with the Israeli Government on shared security threats. These include sharing analysis on the spread of Daesh across the Middle East, and discussing our efforts to tackle this spread, including through the Global Counter-Daesh Coalition, international sanctions, and support to bolster countries in the region, such as Jordan.

    I will be visiting Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories later this month where I will continue these discussions.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts (a) in South America and (b) elsewhere on steps to prevent the spread of the Zika virus.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    British officials across the region have been working closely with their counterparts on steps to understand and prevent the spread of the Zika Virus. We have focused particularly on Brazil, which has seen the highest number of cases in the region. On 26 January, the UK announced a new Zika research project between Glasgow University and Fiocruz, a leading biomedical research centre in Brazil. The following day, a scientist from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine arrived in Recife to support Zika research led by the Pan American Health Organisation. Discussions are also ongoing between Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency with regards to combating this virus. On 1 February, I discussed Zika with Ambassadors from the Group of Latin America Countries (GRULAC), highlighting UK assistance to date on this issue and stressing the importance of providing information to those planning their travel now, not least to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to address increasing numbers of ISIS fighters in Kosovo; and what support the UK is offering to authorities in Kosovo to tackle this issue.

    Mr David Lidington

    We are concerned about the rise of Daesh foreign fighters across Europe, including in Kosovo and are engaging in a range of ways to reduce the risk to the UK. We have encouraged Kosovo to put in place the necessary measures, including legislation and counter-extremism strategies. Last year, Kosovo adopted legislation making it illegal to join in armed conflicts outside its territory and approved a 2015-2020 Counter Extremism Strategy. We, along with other international donors, are identifying areas in the action plan where we can offer support. In addition, our wider assistance to Kosovo targets social exclusion and seeks to promote jobs and growth, which are key to mitigating the risks of marginalisation and radicalisation of Kosovo’s youth. Kosovo is a member of the Global Coalition Against Daesh and, at the UK’s invitation, has joined the Strategic Communications Working Group, which the UK co-chairs.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking with his global counterparts to achieve global abolition of the death penalty.

    Mr David Lidington

    I refer the Right hon. Member to my answer of 27 January (question 23192) to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Toby Perkins). https://wqa.parliament.uk/Questions/Details/29682

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which audiology services have applied for accreditation under the Improving Quality in Physiological Diagnostic Services programme.

    Alistair Burt

    Specific data on which audiology services have applied for accreditation under the Improving Quality in Physiological Diagnostic Services (IQIPS) programme, which is managed by the Royal College of Physicians, are not available. According to the latest IQIPS report, published in October 2015, there are currently 183 audiology services registered with the programme. Further information is available at the following link:

    www.iqips.org.uk

    “

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to work with schools and local authorities to promote awareness of mental health issues for young people.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department of Health is investing £700,000 this financial year to fund the largest ever campaign for teenagers and the first of its kind for parents, to raise awareness and reduce stigma about mental health issues. This was done through Time To Change, a partnership between Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and Public Health England.

    A key part of this work included activities within schools. Free resources were made available to teachers to deliver sessions and social contact events, supported by online contact, where young people shared their personal experiences and promoted by local areas. The campaign is being refreshed this week as part of Time To Talk Day on 4 February, which aims to get as many people as possible around the country talking about mental health.

    The Government will continue to support Time To Change campaigns on young people mental health in coming years.

    Work is also underway in partnership with the Department for Education and NHS England to pilot single points of contact in schools so that young people in school have improved access to mental health advice and support. These pilots will include joint training across children and young people’s mental health services and schools to raise awareness of mental health issues, support early identification and highlight potential interventions.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children and young people in need of specialist mental health support as a result of (a) experiences of sexual abuse, (b) non-sexual physical abuse or neglect, (c) emotional abuse or neglect, (d) bereavement or (e) other trauma have been (i) granted and (ii) not granted access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

    Alistair Burt

    The information needed to link individuals who have experienced various forms of trauma with those who have experienced mental health problems is not collected centrally.

    We are committed to improving child and adolescent mental health services, which is why we are investing an additional £1.4 billion in services for children and young people with mental health problems over the course of this Parliament. The guidance issued by NHS England in August last year on Local Transformation Plans for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing specified that the plans should address the full spectrum of need including those with particular vulnerability to mental health problems such as those who have been sexually abused or exploited. The bespoke assurance process that was undertaken by NHS England will therefore have addressed the extent to which this has been addressed in local plans.

    NHS England has commissioned a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Local Transformation Plans, in order to support policy makers, local commissioners and services to understand and use the data that is contained within the plans to drive further improvements. Local Transformation Plans will be reviewed from a narrative, analytical and financial perspective, with thematic reviews carried out in key focus areas that align with Future in Mind principles.

    Sensitive and routine enquiry will be introduced in targeted health services, such as sexual health clinics and mental health services, to help identify those children who have been subjected to abuse and other traumatic experiences.

    NHS England also published a Commissioning Framework for Adult and Paediatric Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Services in August 2015 which outlines the core services in SARCs and referral pathways to other services. These are now being rolled out throughout England and should lead to improved services for those who have experienced sexual assault, including children and young people.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to improve access to mental health services for children who have (a) been the victims of abuse and (b) experienced other trauma.

    Alistair Burt

    The information needed to link individuals who have experienced various forms of trauma with those who have experienced mental health problems is not collected centrally.

    We are committed to improving child and adolescent mental health services, which is why we are investing an additional £1.4 billion in services for children and young people with mental health problems over the course of this Parliament. The guidance issued by NHS England in August last year on Local Transformation Plans for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing specified that the plans should address the full spectrum of need including those with particular vulnerability to mental health problems such as those who have been sexually abused or exploited. The bespoke assurance process that was undertaken by NHS England will therefore have addressed the extent to which this has been addressed in local plans.

    NHS England has commissioned a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Local Transformation Plans, in order to support policy makers, local commissioners and services to understand and use the data that is contained within the plans to drive further improvements. Local Transformation Plans will be reviewed from a narrative, analytical and financial perspective, with thematic reviews carried out in key focus areas that align with Future in Mind principles.

    Sensitive and routine enquiry will be introduced in targeted health services, such as sexual health clinics and mental health services, to help identify those children who have been subjected to abuse and other traumatic experiences.

    NHS England also published a Commissioning Framework for Adult and Paediatric Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Services in August 2015 which outlines the core services in SARCs and referral pathways to other services. These are now being rolled out throughout England and should lead to improved services for those who have experienced sexual assault, including children and young people.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time staff have been employed at the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) staff numbers for the last five years are listed below:

    Staff employed by RIPL in each of the last five years

    Year

    Technical and Admin Staff

    Medical Staff

    2011

    9

    2

    2012

    11

    3

    2013

    13

    3.5

    2014

    14

    3.5

    2015

    15

    3.5

    Note: Since 2013, RIPL was incorporated into the functions of Public Health England.