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  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government plans to reinstate a bilateral aid programme with Burundi.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    There are no plans for DFID to re-open the office in Burundi. Our bilateral programme in Burundi closed in 2012 following the 2010 Bilateral Aid Review. We continue to provide support to Burundi through Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA), an independent agency promoting trade and regional economic integration given that this is central to Burundi’s growth and prosperity. We have provided £10 million for TMEA work in Burundi since 2012. We also support Centrally Managed Programmes working in Burundi, covering areas such as food security and livelihoods. In addition, we are providing significant humanitarian support to Burundian refugees in the region and will consider providing humanitarian support in Burundi should a humanitarian crisis materialise.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s expenditure on the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project in South Africa on reducing poverty in that country.

    James Duddridge

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has incurred no expenditure on the development of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on reports of threats and human rights violations by the Colombian army and police towards members of the Patriotic March.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Our Embassy in Bogotá met members of the Patriotic March on 20 January 2016 to discuss concerns around these threats and human rights violations. They will continue to monitor the situation closely and will ensure reports of threats against members of the Patriotic March are raised with the Colombian Government.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22703, what assessment his Department has made of progress in discussions between the Colombian government and the FARC on end of conflict issues.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Talks continue in Havana and both sides are working to meet the 23 March deadline. However, the priority is reaching a sustainable agreement, not the exact date.

    Alongside negotiations on the implementation of the peace deal, discussions on end of conflict issues are one of the two negotiating
    points that are still to be decided. We continue to support Colombia on this important issue.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the response of the government of Saudi Arabia was to his recent representations on (a) the attacks in Yemen on the Médecins Sans Frontières hospitals and mobile clinic, (b) the airstrike on the Oxfam warehouse, (c) the reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch of attacks on civilians and civilian facilities including schools and (d) investigations into the use of cluster munitions.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Saudia Arabia have their own internal procedures for investigations and they announced more detail of how they investigate such incidents on 31 January. This includes a new investigation team outside of Coalition Command to review all existing procedures and suggest improvements.

    Regarding allegations of cluster munition use, we have raised this issue with the Saudi Arabian authorities and, in line with our obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, continue to encourage Saudi Arabia, as a non-party to the Convention, to accede to it.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications to the Healthy New Towns programme were made by organisations based in the West Midlands.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department does not hold information on the applications to the Healthy New Towns programme.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to respond to the letter from the Right hon. Member for Enfield North, dated 28 January 2016, on the Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group.

    Jane Ellison

    My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health responded to the Rt hon. Member’s letter on 25 February.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from (a) the British Medical Journal, (b) GP networks, (c) Monitor and (d) other organisations on conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups.

    George Freeman

    NHS England updated existing guidance for managing conflicts of interest in December 2014, when NHS England issued revised statutory guidance, which prescribed stronger assurance measures in light of the development of primary care co-commissioning. This came into force from April 2015.

    In light of comments from stakeholders and the recent National Audit Office report “Managing conflicts of interest in NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups”, as well as findings from the audit of the management of conflict of interest that was undertaken in the autumn by NHS England’s internal auditors, NHS England is in the process of further updating this statutory guidance.

    NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners in respect of conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to positive effect.

    It has also engaged with around 80% of the Audit chairs for the CCGs- the feedback and discussion received on behalf of both these groups will feed into the Revised Statutory Guidance which will be published and discussed at the next NHS England board meeting on 31 March. This will launch the official public consultation (which will also take into consideration views from British Medical Journal and Monitor).

    The final guidance will then be presented to the May NHS England board meeting and will be published on the NHS England website.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS guidance to clinical commissioning groups on their responsibility to manage conflicts of interest when commissioning and providing services.

    George Freeman

    NHS England updated existing guidance for managing conflicts of interest in December 2014, when NHS England issued revised statutory guidance, which prescribed stronger assurance measures in light of the development of primary care co-commissioning. This came into force from April 2015.

    In light of comments from stakeholders and the recent National Audit Office report “Managing conflicts of interest in NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups”, as well as findings from the audit of the management of conflict of interest that was undertaken in the autumn by NHS England’s internal auditors, NHS England is in the process of further updating this statutory guidance.

    NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners in respect of conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to positive effect.

    It has also engaged with around 80% of the Audit chairs for the CCGs- the feedback and discussion received on behalf of both these groups will feed into the Revised Statutory Guidance which will be published and discussed at the next NHS England board meeting on 31 March. This will launch the official public consultation (which will also take into consideration views from British Medical Journal and Monitor).

    The final guidance will then be presented to the May NHS England board meeting and will be published on the NHS England website.

  • Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals in Merseyside and Cheshire carry out planned surgical procedures at weekends.

    Jane Ellison

    The information is shown in the table below. An elective procedure is a non-urgent procedure that is planned in advance, not all elective procedures are surgical.

    The following National Health Service and independent sector hospitals in Merseyside and Cheshire1 reported elective procedures at weekends.

    Provider

    Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

    BMI – The South Cheshire Private Hospital

    Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    East Cheshire NHS Trust

    Fairfield Hospital

    Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust

    Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust

    Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    Nuffield Health, The Grosvenor Hospital, Chester

    Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust

    Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust

    Spire Cheshire Hospital

    Spire Liverpool Hospital

    Spire Murrayfield Hospital

    Spire Regency Hospital

    St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust

    The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust

    The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

    Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

    Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre

    Notes:

    1. Merseyside and Cheshire has been interpreted as two Area Teams. This indicates the area team within which the organisation providing treatment was located. This data is limited to providers in the area teams:

    Q44 – Cheshire, Warrington and the Wirral Area Team

    Q48 – Merseyside Area Team