The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the accessibility of defibrillators for sports clubs.
Tracey Crouch
We take player safety in all sportsseriously, and it was one of the main themes of the recent sports strategy consultation.DCMS is considering the responses and the new strategy document will be published in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the implementation of European Professional Cards for doctors does not inhibit his Department’s ability to perform background checks on doctors from European countries and to ensure that they meet the medical qualification standards required by the NHS.
Ben Gummer
The European Professional Card (EPC) will not be introduced for doctors until 2018 at the earliest. The European Commission will review the effectiveness of the EPC process for the first wave of professions, which includes nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists, before any decision is taken to extend the EPC to other professions.
In the United Kingdom, independent health regulators are responsible for performing checks on health professionals from European countries to ensure that they meet agreed standards of fitness to practise. For doctors, this role is undertaken by the General Medical Council.
Although under the EPC system the responsibility for carrying out initial background checks will transfer to the home regulator of the professional, UK regulators will continue to be able to carry out registration checks, and can require additional information if there are any justifiable doubts about a registrant’s application or fitness to practise.
The UK Government has negotiated new safeguards to ensure that the high standards we expect from staff in this country are met by those from elsewhere in Europe who come to work here. These include:
– the introduction of an EU-wide alert mechanism which regulators will use to inform other countries of professionals who have been restricted from practising; and
– applying language controls for healthcare professionals from the EU so that regulators are able to ensure that professionals have the necessary knowledge of English before they are able to work in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who have applied for asylum in the UK have failed criminal background checks or have been found to have links with extremist organisations since January 2015.
James Brokenshire
All asylum claims are the subject of rigorous checks to confirm identity, ensure security and minimise abuse of the system. To fully answer this question would require a physical check of every electronic case record and therefore to provide a complete answer would incur a disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College for Nursing on the connection between cancer drugs and dementia.
Jane Ellison
There have been no such discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make the shingles vaccination available for people over 70 years old on the NHS.
Jane Ellison
A shingles vaccination programme was introduced in September 2013 for 70 year olds; with a progressive catch-up to ensure all those aged 71 – 79 years old could also benefit from the vaccine. A schedule indicating which age groups will be eligible for the shingles vaccine in 2015/16 and beyond is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/who-is-eligible-for-the-shingles-vaccine-beyond-2016
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has (a) sought and (b) received permission for the use of (i) Italian or (ii) US facilities at Sigonella by RAF aircraft for operations in Libyan airspace.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We have had a long-standing presence at Naval Air Station Sigonella, and have made frequent use of it. However, it is not normal practice to comment on the details of arrangements with host nations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-05-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the London Stock Exchange estimates that its acquisition by Deutsche Bourse will lead to a reduction of £7 billion in the margin capital available to protect the financial system from the consequences of counterparty failure, and of whether such a reduction in collateral represents an unacceptable increase in systemic risk.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
Central Counterparties (CCPs) play a central role in modern financial markets. As the Prime Minster has made clear, the UK’s new settlement with the EU ensures UK firms, including CCPs, will never face any discrimination for being outside the Eurozone.
I refer the noble Lord also to my written answer of 1 April (HL7153).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-06-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2016 to Question 35252, how many staff within the scope of the HM Treasury guidance on senior off-payroll engagements were paid off-payroll in (a) NHS trusts in 2013-14 and (b) NHS foundation trusts in 2012-13.
Alistair Burt
Information collected by the NHS Trust Development Authority showed that as of 31 March 2014 there were 961 staff engaged by National Health Service trusts within the scope of the HM Treasury guidance. Information collected by the Health and Social Care Information Centre indicated that at 31 March 2013 there were 1,267 such staff engaged by NHS foundation trusts (FTs).
The numbers of Board off-payroll staff have declined consistently since the introduction of the HM Treasury guidance in August 2012. In 2012/13 there was a total of 2,403 engagements in trusts and FTs of which 200 were Board members or senior officials with significant financial responsibility. In 2013/14, there was a total of 2,070 of which 118 were Board members or senior officials with significant financial responsibility. In 2014/15, there were 1,193 in NHS trusts of which 52 were senior officials with significant financial responsibility. Figures for FTs in 2014/15 are not yet available. The Department continues to work with NHS Improvement to ensure that all off-payroll engagements comply with tax law and HM Treasury guidance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-09-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from (a) Birmingham Airport and (b) other regional airports outside London on maintaining existing routes and increasing the number of long haul flights on offer; and if he will make a statement.
Mr John Hayes
Transport Ministers have regular discussions with airport operators across the country on aviation policy issues, including domestic and international air connectivity. The UK’s airports operate commercially, and it is a matter for them to work collaboratively with airlines to maintain existing air services and develop new ones.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to table a new statutory instrument relating to the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees and to change their title to reflect their new role.
Mark Lancaster
This matter is under consideration.