Category: Speeches

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce and treat irregular heartbeats in infants that can lead to premature death.

    Ben Gummer

    Sudden loss of life can occur through diagnosed and previously undiagnosed heart conditions in children of any age. This is a devastating event to the families involved and there is no simple solution to prevent every case.

    A large part of the review of congenital heart services that reported in July 2015 focused on producing gold standards for the care of children and infants with heart problems. These standards have now been agreed and will be implemented in April 2016.

    One of the key workstreams arising from the review is improvement in detection of heart disease early in life and there are increasing numbers of specialists involved in this area of cardiology. Research and development strives to improve identification of high risk cases and refine screening programs to aid in reducing these shocking events.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the entering into force of the agreement between the UK and EDF to proceed with Hinkley Point C is conditional on the Flamanville successfully demonstrating capability of operation; what recent conversations her Department has had with EDF about the findings of the French Nuclear Safety Authority on tests on the Flamanville EPR reactor vessel head and bottom and the implications for her policies on new nuclear power; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s final decision on the Contract for Difference and associated agreements for Hinkley Point C is not dependent on developments at Flamanville. The UK has its own independent nuclear regulatory regime which has assessed the reactor design proposed for use at Hinkley Point and will continue to regulate the project through construction, operation and decommissioning. As part of this, the Office for Nuclear Regulation has said that it expects EDF to apply any relevant lessons learned from Flamanville and improve its design to ensure the delivery of high standards of nuclear safety for its new nuclear power plants in the UK. DECC officials are in regular contact with EDF about both projects.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what property and land assets his Department holds in Greater Manchester.

    Mark Lancaster

    The property and land assets held by the MOD in Greater Manchester are shown below:

    Ardwick Green Army Reserve Centre

    Ashton-under-Lyne Army Reserve Centre

    Belle Vue Street Army Reserve Centre

    Bolton Army Reserve Centre

    Bury Army Reserve Centre

    Defence Business Services Cheadle Hulme

    Failsworth Oldham Road Army Reserve Centre

    Haldane Barracks Army Reserve Centre

    Holcombe Moor Training Area

    Holcombe Moor Training Camp

    Kings Road Army Reserve Centre

    Manchester Road Army Reserve Centre

    Norman Road Army Reserve Centre

    Ramsbottom Weekend Training Centre

    Stockport Territorial Army Centre

    Upper Chorlton Road Army Reserve Centre

    University Barracks Territorial Army, Army Cadet Force & Army Cadet Force Headquarters

    Wigan Territorial Army Centre, Army Cadet Force & Air Training Corps
  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 25985, whether he plans to publish his response to his Department’s consultation on tips, gratuities, service and cover charges before the period of purdah for the EU membership referendum begins.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is analysing the responses to the Call for Evidence on tips, gratuities, service and cover charges and will publish a response in due course.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the current length of time is between a penalty notice being issued under the Dart Charge scheme and the date of the offence.

    Andrew Jones

    The majority of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) are currently issued between 5 and 15 days from the time of contravention (midnight the day after crossing).

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what measures she is putting in place to minimise the number of Notifications of Inadequate System Margin issued by the National Grid; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    A Notice of Inadequate System Margin is one of the tools National Grid use to maintain margins in the system and can happen at any time for a variety of reasons. Issuing a NISM does not mean that demand is about to outstrip supply: it is a notice to the market to bring forward further capacity. National Grid issue NISMs ahead of dispatching capacity from its supplementary balancing reserve, which will include 3.5GW of dispatchable generating capacity next winter. This will give any remaining capacity in the market first opportunity to respond but does not signal any significant risk of shortages. National Grid’s objective is to secure supplies and the NISM is an important tool to achieve that objective with minimum distortion to the market.

  • Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the sentencing review of motoring offences and penalties.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    Both the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Transport are aware of concerns about a number of issues relating to serious driving offences and the maximum penalties those offences carry. The Government are committed to making sure that the courts have sufficient powers to deal with driving offences appropriately and proportionately within the context of our wider sentencing framework. It is our intention to commence a consultation before the end of the year which will look at driving offences and penalties.

    The new Justice Secretary will meet the new Transport Secretary to discuss further in due course.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on work permits and immigration rules for EU citizens working in the NHS, health and pharmaceutical industries after the UK leaves the EU.

    David Mowat

    My Rt. hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and the Home Secretary meet regularly.

    Department of Health officials and Home Office officials are working together with officials at the Department for Exiting the European Union to ensure that the workforce implications for the National Health Service and care sectors are considered as part of the discussions around leaving the EU.

    The Secretary of State for Health and the Prime Minister have made it clear that they wish for EU citizens, including those working in the NHS, health and pharmaceutical industries to remain in the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to prioritise (a) looked-after children and (b) other vulnerable groups within his Department’s children and young people’s mental health budget over the next five years.

    Alistair Burt

    Future in Mind, the previous Government’s report on the work of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce, established a clear and powerful consensus for change across the whole system, including health, social care and education. This Government is driving forward the transformation of children and young people’s mental health services to improve access and make services more widely available across the country so that, where possible, children can access high-quality support locally.

    This transformation programme, backed by additional investment of £1.4 billion allocated over the next five years, will deliver a step change in the way children and young people’s mental health services are commissioned and delivered. Emphasis will be placed on prevention and early intervention, building care around the needs of children, young people and their families, including the most vulnerable, such as those who are looked-after and adopted.

    Clinical commissioning groups, covering all areas in the country, have submitted Transformation Plans for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing developed with local partners which are currently being assured by NHS England.

    A national programme of work will support local areas. This will include the extension and expansion of the use of evidence-based interventions, tacking stigma, improving data and information to inform greater transparency and accountability and developing a specialist and stronger workforce.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of womb cancer.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) runs the ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaigns to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of specific cancers, and to encourage those with symptoms to see their doctor promptly.

    Although womb cancer is not covered by ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ specifically, Public Health England is looking at developing an approach to raise awareness of generic symptoms that can indicate a wider number of cancers and the need to visit the doctor promptly with these symptoms. This work is currently in development, with the help of a number of experts, including clinicians and charities.

    The NHS Choices website provides information on the symptoms of womb cancer and when to seek medical advice. This can be found by searching ‘womb cancer symptoms’ on NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx

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