Category: Speeches

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of publicly-funded child and adolescent mental health in-patient services are provided by private providers; what the names of those providers are; how many and what types of services each such provider provides; and what proportion of all privately-provided services such services represent.

    Alistair Burt

    Approximately 47% of in-patient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are provided by independent providers.

    The table below contains a list of the specialised commissioned CAMHS and the names of the independent providers who provided these services in 2014/15.

    Acute – Adolescent Inpatient

    Alpha Hospitals

    Cambian Healthcare

    Oak View

    Riverdale Grange

    Acute – Adolescent Inpatient

    Priory

    Acute – Adolescent Inpatient (High Dependency Unit)

    Priory

    Acute – Child Inpatient

    Cygnet Healthcare

    Plymouth Community Healthcare

    Eating Disorder – Adolescent Inpatients

    Newbridge

    Eating Disorders – Adolescent Inpatient

    CareUK

    Ellern Mede Centre For Eating Disorders

    Priory

    The Huntercombe Group

    Eating Disorders – Adolescent Inpatient High Dependency

    CareUK

    Eating Disorders – Adolescent Short term Intensive

    CareUK

    Low Secure – CAMHS

    The Huntercombe Group

    Low Secure Female and Male

    Priory

    Low Secure Learning Disabled

    Oak View

    Low Secure Male MI

    Alpha Hospitals

    Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit

    The Huntercombe Group

    Alpha Hospitals

    Priory

    Secure and Specialised Mental Health Services (Child)

    Low Secure Female Autistic Spectrum Disorder

    St Andrews

    Low Secure Female Learning Disabled

    St Andrews

    Low Secure Female Mental Illness

    St Andrews

    Low Secure Male Autistic Spectrum Disorder

    St Andrews

    Low Secure Male Learning Disabled

    St Andrews

    Low Secure Male Mental Illness

    St Andrews

    The proportion of CAMHS spend with these independent providers represents approximately 23% of the total mental health spend on independent providers (based on 2014/15 figures).

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of average annual pay growth in (a) 2016, (b) 2017, (c) 2018, (d) 2019 and (e) 2020.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Office for Budget Responsibility provide the Government with estimates for annual pay growth. The table below sets out their forecast growth in average earnings for the years requested.

    Year

    Average earnings growth (per cent)

    2016

    3.4

    2017

    3.7

    2018

    3.6

    2019

    3.7

    2020

    3.9
  • The Lord Bishop of Durham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Durham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Durham on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to engage the African Union and the East African Community in efforts to stabilise the situation in Burundi.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    In the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), met with the Chair of the AU Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the AU’s Peace and Security Commissioner Smail Chergui and a number of African Foreign Ministers. We are exploring what more we can do to support the AU’s leadership, and have intensified our efforts at the UN and with our EU partners to halt the violence.

    The UK strongly supports the East African Community-led dialogue and sees it as crucial in finding a solution to stabilising the situation. The parties met for the first time on 28 December and the second round of talks is scheduled for 16 February. Alongside our international partners we continue to press them to engage.

  • Baroness Featherstone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Baroness Featherstone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Featherstone on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they have forecast they will spend on staff costs related to regulating fracking in each year to 2020.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    Staff costs related to shale gas will be determined as part of the Department’s current business planning process.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the incidence and nature of human rights violations in South Sudan.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK is deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in South Sudan. A range of reports indicate that sexual violence and attacks on civilians remain widespread and that war crimes and/or crimes against humanity may have been committed, if established in a court of law. Bilaterally we are raising our serious concerns directly with the Government of South Sudan and pressing for action. At the regional level we are calling on the African Union to rapidly establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan. And internationally we are pressing for a UN arms embargo to be put in place. We also undertook extensive lobbying to help secure a new Commission for Human Rights for South Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council in March.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulations address the criminal use of drones; and what plans the Government has to bring forward further regulations related to such activity.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    There are a range of laws in place to regulate the use of drones, prevent criminal use, and enable enforcement action to be taken when needed.

    The Air Navigation Order 2009 (ANO) regulates the use of all aircraft, including drones, and provides for a range of offences to guard against criminal use. For example the offences of endangering the safety of an aircraft, and endangering the safety of any person or property, apply to the users of all drones. There are also offences specific to users of small drones, and those using drones for aerial works. Please see at the end of the answer below for a list of these provisions.

    The Civil Aviation (Insurance) Regulations 2005 deal with insurance requirements for drones, and contain offences to enforce these.

    Offences relating to personal data are provided for in the Data Protection Act 1998.

    Other legislation which is not aviation or transport specific may also be relevant to addressing criminal use of drones.

    On future regulation, a proposed new EU Regulation on aviation safety is currently being negotiated with the European Aviation Safety Agency and other EU Member States. This will apply to all drones.

    While the Government considers that there are comprehensive rules in place to guard against criminal use of drones, we continue to keep under careful review whether there is any need for further legislation in this area.

    Provisions in ANO which are enforced by offences listed in Schedule 13 ANO

    a) Relevant to all drones:

    • Article 137 – endangering safety of an aircraft
    • Article 138 – endangering safety of any person or property

    b) Relevant to drones above 20kg (those over 150kg have additional requirements to meet):

    • Article 3 – registration (unless comply with B Conditions – see Schedule 2 ANO)
    • Article 16 – certificate of airworthiness (unless comply with B Conditions)
    • Article 21 – issue of national permits to fly
    • Article 31 – dropping articles for purposes of agriculture etc
    • Article 129 – dropping of articles and animals

    c) Relevant to drones up to 20kg:

    • Article 166 – requirements for small unmanned aircraft

    Applying to person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft of 20kg or less (without fuel but including equipment):

    • article 166(1) – Causing or permitting an article or animal to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft so as to endanger persons or property.
    • article 166(2) – Flying without being reasonably satisfied that the flight can be safely made.
    • article 166(3) – Failing to maintain direct, unaided visual contact sufficient to monitor flight path.
    • article 166(5) – Flying for the purposes of aerial work without permission.

    Applying to person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft 7kg – 20kg (without fuel but including equipment):

    • article 166(4)(a) – Flying in Class A, C, D or E airspace without the permission of the appropriate Air Traffic Control unit,
    • article 166(4)(b) – Flying within an Air Traffic Zone during the notified hours of watch without permission,
    • article 166(4)(c) – Flying at a height of more than 400ft above the surface unless within 166(4)(a) or (b).
    • Article 167 – requirements for small unmanned surveillance aircraft.

    Applying to person in charge of a small unmanned surveillance aircraft of 20kg or less (without fuel but including equipment):

    • article 167(1) – Flight over or within 150m of a congested area,
    • article 167(1) & (2)(b) – Flight over or within 150m of an organised open-air assembly or more than 1,000 persons without permission,
    • article 167(1) & (2)(c) – Flight within 50m of any vessel, vehicle or structure or person (not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft) without permission,
    • article 167(3) – Taking off within 30m of a person (not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft).
  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with (a) local education and training boards, (b) Public Health England and (c) Health Education England on the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception.

    Jane Ellison

    No specific discussions have been held about the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception. The continuing professional development of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual employers. Health Education England has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.

    Funding and commissioning of contraceptive services outside of the GP Contract is the responsibility of local authorities though the ring-fenced public health grant. Local authorities are mandated to ensure the provision of open access contraception services that enable reasonable access to a broad range of contraceptive substances and appliances (including intra-uterine methods) and advice on preventing unintended pregnancy. While not directly comparable because of changes in data collection, intra-uterine contraception fitted in sexual and reproductive health services increased from 65,300 in 2004/05 to 121,900 in 2014/15.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to retain the Valuation Office Agency office at Preston.

    Jane Ellison

    The Valuation Office Agency is undertaking a complex transformation programme, which will deliver more digital services and require a smaller estate.

    Preston is not one of the locations the Valuation Office Agency will be operating from in the future and the office will close by March 2021. Staff in the Preston office were made aware of these plans in October 2014. However, a date has not yet been set for closure of the office.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will review the effect on access to justice and protection of human rights of civil legal aid reforms introduced under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    We are committed to reviewing Parts 1 and 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 within three to five years of its implementation.

  • Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to fund additional support for disabled people who might require assistance to fill in job applications and to attend job interviews.

    Justin Tomlinson

    DWP already provides a range of support for people who require assistance to fill in job applications and to attend job interviews.

    Programmes such as Work Choice, Work Programme and the new Specialist Employability Support offer tailored support for any participants who need help with their jobseeking. This may include help with activities such as filling in job applications and attending job interviews. Access to Work can provide practical support for people who need help with attending interviews due to a health condition or disability.

    Jobcentre Plus continues to offer a range of support, including a free helpline for claimants who have difficulty making their claims for benefit online because of dyslexia or a similar conditions, and Claimant Computer Suites manned by Jobcentre Plus Customer Service staff. In addition, a Jobcentre Plus Work Coach, or where appropriate, a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA), can signpost claimants to local sources of support such as Work Clubs, third sector organisations or the National Careers Service.

    The Department is constantly seeking ways to improve these services, but at present there are no plans to fund additional support nationally. However, the support we provide nationally both complements, and is complemented by, our engagement with support provided locally by stakeholders such as third sector organisations, local councils, Work Clubs and other partners.

    We are also exploring innovative new ways to deliver support. For example, the Personalisation Pathfinders project running in three Jobcentre Plus Districts, which will test a new localised approach to helping people with Disabilities and long term health conditions.