Category: Speeches

  • Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England spent per head on mental health in each year since 2008.

    George Freeman

    NHS England was formed in April 2013.

    The table below shows actual expenditure by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on mental health in 2013/14 and 2014/15 and forecast spend in 2015/16. This does not include spending on mental health services directly commissioned by NHS England.

    Total actual expenditure by on mental health by CCGs across all providers for 2013/14 and 2014/15 and the total forecast expenditure for 2015/16

    2013/14 actual spend (£ billion million)

    2014/15 actual spend (£ billionmillion)

    2015/16 forecast spend (£ billion million)

    9.6

    10.1

    10.6

    Source: NHS England

    “

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from NHS trusts in England and Wales on the adequacy of midwife recruitment in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

    Ben Gummer

    No representation from NHS trusts about the adequacy of midwife recruitment has been received in the last 12 months.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many companies have been ordered by the NHS Identity Team to stop using the NHS logo in the last three years.

    George Freeman

    Over the last three years, approximately 250 companies have been informed by the NHS Identity team that they are not permitted to use the National Health Service logo.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of schools which have restricted the school trips which children with autism spectrum disorder can attend in each of the last five years.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department does not collect data on schools which have restricted the school trips that children with autism can attend.

    Public sector bodies, including maintained schools, are covered by the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010. When carrying out their functions they must have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations between disabled and non-disabled children and young people. This duty is anticipatory, which means that schools must take into account the needs of disabled pupils, such as those with autism, when planning school trips and other events.

    The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 emphasises that school leaders should establish and maintain a culture of high expectations that expects those working with children and young people with SEN or disabilities to include them in all the opportunities available to other children and young people so that they can achieve well. This would include opportunities to socialise and attend external school trips.

    If parents believe that a school has discriminated against their autistic child in planning school trips, they can make a claim for disability discrimination to the First-tier Tribunal.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of officials of his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of total sick leave that leave was in each such year.

    Matthew Hancock

    The table below sets out information about sickness absence taken by officials in my Department relating to stress for each the last five years for which figures are currently available.

    Year

    No.of Staff

    % of Staff

    % of Total Working Days Lost

    2014

    35

    1.3%

    31%

    2013

    37

    1.5%

    38%

    2012

    23

    1.0%

    23%

    2011

    31

    1.5%

    34%

    2010

    27

    2.0%

    26%

    2009

    28

    2.1%

    20%

    The Cabinet Office is committed to reducing work related absence due to stress and has a number of services in place to support members of staff suffering from occupational stress. Our Workwell community is staffed by volunteers who aim to make Cabinet Office a happy and healthy workplace through a number of interventions including a listening service for staff. We also offer a 24 hour counselling support helpline through our Employee Assistance Programme provider and advocate early referral to our occupational health service where appropriate, for advice on a number of conditions including stress and mental health.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have received demands to pay underpaid tax as a result of his Department not notifying HM Revenue and Customs when an employment and support allowance claimant is moved from the work-related activity group into the support group in each of the last three years.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not held.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on Turkish facilitated talks between Somalia and Somaliland.

    James Duddridge

    The next round of Turkish facilitated talks between the Federal Government of Somalia and Somaliland were due to take place in Ankara on 31 May but we understand that they have been delayed. We hope that the talks, which are an effort to promote genuine dialogue and cooperation, will be able to continue shortly.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-07-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to improve the quality of initial interviews and decisions in asylum cases in order to reduce the need for appeals.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits and grants protection for those who genuinely need it, in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. In every asylum case the particular circumstances of the individual is considered in light of published country information.

    All asylum decision-makers receive extensive training on how to consider asylum claims and are expected to follow published Home Office policy guidance. The 5-week Foundation Training Programme (FTP) for new decision makers trains staff on all aspects of the asylum decision making process. All decision makers are currently receiving credibility training. This course trains decision makers on how to assess the evidential value of their interview questions, the various reasons why someone may not come across as credible in an asylum interview and discusses issues such as speculation and implausibility. Asylum decision-makers carefully assess the protection needs of each asylum claimant following an interview by assessing all available evidence provided by the claimant in light of published country information and policy guidance. The Home Office systematically assesses the quality of asylum decisions against a detailed quality audit framework drawn up and agreed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

    We expect asylum claimants to disclose all relevant evidence to support their claim at the earliest opportunity so that we can properly consider their claim. We aim to reduce the appeal rate by analysing the reasons why appeals are allowed and using this to further improve guidance and training. We are committed to continuous improvement.

  • Kevin Foster – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kevin Foster – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Foster on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, based on today’s values, what the expected lifetime earnings are for a junior doctor starting in training in August 2016 if they become (a) a consultant, (b) a GP and (c) remain a junior doctor; and what assessment his Department has made of how those earnings compare to other (i) public and (ii) private sector professionals.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The career earnings of a doctor will depend on many factors and are therefore highly specific to individual circumstances. They will depend on decisions around gap years and career breaks, part-time working, the choice between general practice and other specialties, when they leave the National Health Service or retire and on the speed of progression through training. However, indications can be provided by constructing a hypothetical career based on reasonable assumptions in-line with current data.

    It is estimated that assuming a 40 year full time career from Foundation Programme up to consultant or partner in General Practice, a junior doctor starting training in August 2016 could expect to earn around £4 million or an average of around £100,000 per year in 2016/17 prices.

    Comparisons of pay across industries and sectors are notoriously difficult, capturing differences in pressures and working patterns is particularly complicated. Comparison of recent earnings growth for doctors compared with other high-earning occupations shows that doctors remain one of the very highest-earning occupations in the United Kingdom.

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether there are any police investigations into the involvement of the (a) UK intelligence and security agencies and (b) Government in the alleged rendition and torture of detainees.

    Mr John Hayes

    There are a number of ongoing police investigations in respect of allegations regarding HMG involvement in mistreatment of detainees held by other countries in the aftermath of 9/11. The details of these are a matter for the respective investigating police forces.

    In respect of information already in the public domain on specific investigations, I would direct my Rt Hon Friend to the joint Crown Prosecution Service/Metropolitan Police Service statement that was made on 12 January 2012. The full statement can be found here: http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/joint_statement_by_the_director_of_public_prosecutions_and_the_metropolitan_police_service/