Category: Speeches

  • Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his contribution of 28 October 2015, Official Report, column 429, on junior doctors hours, if he will publish the evidential basis for the proposition that hospitals are not rostering enough junior doctors at weekends.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS Employers’ evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration – “Reform of national contracts for consultant doctors and doctors and dentists in training” [1]– published in December 2014, included a profile of how the hours worked by doctors in training were spread across the week.

    We have evidence that hospital leaders consider the junior doctors’ contract to be a significant barrier to delivering more seven-day services. NHS Providers’ written evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) on contract reform for consultants and doctors and dentists in training[2] stated that the junior doctor contract is still a significant source of barriers to seven day working and reform of the junior doctor contract is also required to support trusts to deliver more seven-day services. In particular, the pay banding system for junior doctors needs to be reviewed. There were concerns from employers that the banding system is too complicated, can create “perverse incentives” for junior doctors, and means that providing more seven-day services is unaffordable, since more junior doctors would be working outside core hours and receive premiums under the current banding system. NHS Providers also believe that more hours in a day and more days of the week need to be defined as core hours, as the current arrangement does not support the delivery of more seven-day services or reflect the needs and expectations of today’s patients. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has also said that premium pay rates are hindering efforts to put services on a seven-day footing.

    [1] http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/pay-and-reward/pay/medical-pay/ddrb-evidence—in-detail/consultants-and-junior-doctors-contract-reform-submission-of-evidence-to-the-ddrb

    [2] http://www.nhsproviders.org/resource-library/written-evidence-ddrb-special-remit/

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the statement by the EU Commission of 18 June 2015 on the termination of intra-EU bilateral investment treaties, to which such treaties the UK is a party; what steps the UK is taking to terminate such treaties to which it is a party; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK has bilateral investment treaties in force with twelve EU Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The UK is participating in discussions with the Commission and other Member States on possible options and approaches towards handling the Commission’s request, regarding the termination of these treaties. These discussions are at an early stage and no consensus has been reached among Member States.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what organisations he has met to discuss the introduction of the capping of housing benefit for tenants in supported housing at the local rate of local housing allowance.

    Brandon Lewis

    Ministers from the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Department of Work and Pensions regularly consult with a wide range of organisations as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Ministers and officials from both Departments are meeting relevant organisations from all sectors.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of his Department’s civil service workforce based in London (a) at present and (b) at the end of the BIS 2020 restructure programme.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) headquarters at 1 Victoria Street, London accounts for around 10% of total employees across the BIS Group. In addition, a number of our Partner Organisations, such as the Insolvency Service and Companies House, have offices in London, as well as regional offices across the country.

    By 2020 the majority of employees in BIS and its Partner Organisations will continue to be based outside London through a number of centres – such as in Birmingham, Glasgow, and Swindon – as well as a regional footprint for the provision of local services.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Prime Minister, how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in the last five years.

    Mr David Cameron

    Refurbishment and maintenance at 10 Downing Street is part of a continuing programme of work. The Downing Street complex is maintained to standards appropriate to its Grade 1/2 listed status in consultation with English Heritage.

    The building also fulfils an important representational role.

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce a Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator to address the growing number of hospital admissions attributable to iron deficiency anaemia.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Health and Social Care Information Centre make recommendations to NHS England for new indicators for the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Outcomes Indicator set. This process includes a public consultation on potential new indicators and at this stage an indicator on hospital admissions attributable to iron deficiency anaemia could be considered. Any new indicators that are selected by NHS England would be published in the 2016/17 CCG Outcomes Indicator Set during 2016, for commissioners to use them in 2016/17.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data quality testing has been carried out on the effect on universal credit calculations of the timeliness and accuracy of employer PAYE reporting through real time information.

    Priti Patel

    DWP and HMRC are continually monitoring the quality of Real Time Information (RTI). DWP analysts are working to understand the volumes of late, missing or incorrect RTI returns on Universal Credit (UC), although this analysis is still developing and will be broadened as UC expands to different types of claimants. DWP continually work with HMRC to identify employers who are submitting inaccurate returns and work with them to rectify issues.

  • Lord Soley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Soley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Soley on 2016-06-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Verma on 7 June (HL Deb, col 663), what is meant by the phrase depend on securing the right aircraft”.”

    Baroness Verma

    We are seeking to establish commercial air services using the southern approach to the runway where wind shear is not a significant issue. A number of aircraft types have been identified which should offer reasonable performance using a southern approach (the Airbus A318 and A319, Boeing 737-600 and 737-700). We are in discussions with airlines on how we can bring one of these into service.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the infrastructure in the NHS to deliver mechanical thrombectomy to stroke patients.

    David Mowat

    NHS England’s National Clinical Director (NCD) for stroke is leading work to develop a full proposal which will consider the evidence and logistical issues involved in delivering mechanical thrombectomy to stroke patients across the country. This includes working with the relevant specialist societies, Royal Colleges and Health Education England to consider the workforce implications. Once the proposal has been developed, NHS England will decide whether the procedure should be made widely available.

    The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) is now collecting data on patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy and the latest data shows that 124 patients were treated between October 2015 and March 2016. It should be noted, however, that this may not reflect all patients treated as some may not have had their data entered into SSNAP.

    The SSNAP team is addressing this issue with the relevant clinicians. SSNAP data is freely available at:

    https://www.strokeaudit.org/

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has suspended, or plans to suspend, funding to the Palestinian territories.

    Rory Stewart

    The Secretary of State is conducting a full examination of DFID’s programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to ensure that UK taxpayer’s money is spent in the right places and in the right way.