Category: Speeches

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes she plans to make to advice on her Department’s website relating to (a) goods for which an origin is indicated on their labelling, (b) goods from Golan and (c) other goods in response to the European Commission’s Interpretative Notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, published on 11 November 2015.

    George Eustice

    The Commission’s Notice recommends that goods imported into the EU which originate from Israeli settlements in the occupied territories should bear an indication which makes that provenance clear. That recommendation is already included in the current technical advice to UK retailers and importers concerning the labelling of agricultural produce from the West Bank which was issued by Defra in 2009. There is therefore no need for changes at this stage.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel from 6 SCOTS and 7 SCOTS received the annual bonus for fulfilling the minimum training commitment in each of the last three years.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The number of personnel who received a bounty is as follows:

    Unit

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    6 SCOTS

    150

    120

    150

    7 SCOTS

    200

    190

    190

    Reserve Personnel receive an annual Bounty if they meet all of the following criteria:

    Pass the military annual training tests, attend annual continuous training (annual camp), and attend a specified number of non-continuous training days. This is not an obligatory requirement to be in the Army Reserve, but it is a requirement to receive the Bounty.

    The number of training days required varies for each individual depending on the terms under which they enlisted, allows for personal circumstances, and allows for other training to count in lieu of annual camp. All elements are required for the award of a Bounty: therefore some individuals may have met the attendance requirement but have not been awarded a Bounty because they have not met another requirement.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial support his Department has committed for accommodation for the Quick Reaction Force project for Jordan.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We have spent £709,800 on accommodation for the Quick Reaction Force project on Jordan. This is based on an exchange rate of £1=1.10 Jordanian Dinar.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the recent report by the Sri Lankan Centre for Policy Alternatives that more than 12,500 acres of land in the Northern Province remains occupied by the Sri Lankan military; what recent representations he has made to the Sri Lankan government on the restitution of land and reparations; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Since President Sirisena came to power in January 2015, the Sri Lankan Government has made efforts to return some military occupied private land to civilians. The UK has welcomed this. However, as the CPA report sets out, much more remains to be done. In January 2016, during my second visit in a year to Sri Lanka, I raised land returns in my meetings with the Government and reaffirmed our readiness to help it implement its commitments on reconciliation. I also met resettled families in the north, seeing for myself the progress that has been made as well as the challenges that remain. We will continue to encourage further land returns, a process the UK is contributing to through our support for demining in the north of the country.

  • Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2016-05-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times in the three years since 1 May 2013 the maternity unit at Peterborough City Hospital has closed its doors to women about to give birth.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    This information is not available centrally. This information may be obtained from Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Robert Hughes, Chair of the Trust, informing him of the noble Lord’s enquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when her Department plans to publish the terms of reference for its Triennial Review of the Coal Authority; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The next review of the Coal Authority will take place towards the end of the current Parliament at a time to be confirmed. It will be based on guidance for tailored reviews of public bodies published in March 2016 that contains the terms of reference and supersedes the Triennial Review guidance. A copy of the guidance can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tailored-reviews-of-public-bodies-guidance

    “

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that regular health monitoring is in place to address the health care needs of people diagnosed with autism.

    David Mowat

    NHS England has been working with NHS Digital to develop reporting from the new Mental Health Services Data Set. This mandatory data set includes provision for the diagnosis of autism to be recorded, and reporting on these data has been prioritised. Experimental data reports on the number of people diagnosed with autism are expected to be published by the end of 2016.

    The National Health Service is taking action to increase the health checks and cancer screening programmes for people with learning disabilities, including those who also have autism. In 2015, NHS England commissioned the world’s first Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to support local areas to review deaths of people with learning disabilities and to use the information to improve service provision so that physical and mental health problems can be identified and addressed. Information from the programme will help with what more can be done to support regular health monitoring to address the health care needs of people diagnosed with autism.

    In 2015, the Department reviewed and updated the autism statutory guidance for the NHS and local authorities in England. In line with this statutory guidance, local authorities and the NHS should be providing autism awareness training to all frontline staff in contact with adults with autism.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many complaints about (a) natural gas or (b) inadequate safeguards to detect natural gas have been lodged with councils in the last year.

    James Wharton

    The Department does not hold this information. The Health and Safety Executive collects data on gas related incidents which are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on patient outcomes of the planned transfer of obesity surgery commissioning responsibilities to clinical commissioning groups from April 2016.

    George Freeman

    We do not expect obesity outcomes to be affected, as the change will primarily be in regard to commissioning responsibilities. However, we believe the transfer should support better integration between Tier 3 and Tier 4 services (which include obesity services) which in turn should improve patient pathways.

  • Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Madeleine Moon on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to respond to the letter sent to him dated 23 February 2015 on prescription charges for people with long-term conditions by the Chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Respiratory Health, Parkinson’s, Motor Neurone Disease, HIV and AIDS, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia and Heart Disease.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department responded to the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Respiratory Health’s letter of 23 February 2015 on 2 April 2015.