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Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2016 to Question 20586, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on achieving the aims of the draft Hepatitis C Improvement Framework and the decision to withdraw that draft framework.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department continues working with Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England to advance the public health ambitions set out in the initial framework to establish a strategic approach to tackle hepatitis C.

    Both PHE and NHS England are fully committed to improving hepatitis C outcomes including the long-term reduction in transmission of the virus in which treatment has a potentially major role to play.

    NHS England has been working on plans for access to treatment during 2016/17 and has committed to produce an operational framework for the treatment of hepatitis C during 2016/17. This will set out NHS England’s commitment to improving outcomes in hepatitis C across England.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government has offered to the Canadian government to help tackle the wildfire emergency in Alberta.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    On 7 May, The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) wrote to his Canadian counterpart, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to offer support to the Canadian efforts to tackle the fires. The British Army Training Unit at Suffield, Alberta, has offered assistance to the Alberta Provincial Government. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and I have repeated these messages to the Canadian Foreign Minister and the Canadian High Commissioner in London.

    On 5 May the UK Space Agency was notified of a request by Canadian Authorities for imagery of the wildfires. This request was authorised and satellite imagery of the affected areas was released.

    The Canadians have so far not requested any further assistance from the British Government, though the messages of support have been warmly received.

    We will continue to liaise closely with our Canadian colleagues and stand ready to assist should they request our help.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress her Department has made on implementation of the recommendations of the Harris Review.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 19 April (PQ 34222).

    The government’s response to the Harris Review was published in December 2015 and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486564/gov-response-harris-review.pdf

    Work continues on implementation of those recommendations which the Government accepted which have not already been implemented.

    “

  • Margaret Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Margaret Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Greenwood on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the provisions in the Higher Education and Research Bill on part-time and adult students.

    Joseph Johnson

    In our assessment the Higher Education and Research Bill will benefit all students. The Bill will deliver greater competition and choice, promoting all forms of learning, including for part time and mature students. However, we are not waiting for the Bill to take action. We will introduce part time maintenance loans in 2018 and from next year allow many more part time students to take a second degree in any science subject.

  • Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) increase awareness of autism and (b) ensure that diagnosis times are improved.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department issued new statutory guidance in March this year for local authorities and National Health Service organisations to support the continued implementation of the 2010 Autism Strategy, as refreshed by its 2014 Think Autism update. This sets out what people seeking an autism diagnosis can expect from Local Authorities and NHS bodies.

    The Department has also discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups to discuss good practice in meeting the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism, and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the NHS to be working towards meeting the recommendations.

    We are aware that Northumberland continues to make significant progress in improving access to services. A child will wait no longer between initial referral and treatment than 12 weeks and the majority are seen within nine weeks. Northumberland has also invested in adult autism diagnosis services and has an agreed programme with Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust designed to deliver the NICE guidelines for adults by September 2016. Urgent cases are seen earlier and those on waiting lists, whose needs escalate, are given access to services as required. There is also a newly developed emotional health and wellbeing strategy for children and young people in Northumberland which will aim seek to identify children with autism at an earlier age and ultimately provide earlier treatment.

    NHS England is promoting the engagement services with children and young people. All children, young people and adults, including those with autism or a learning disability, who are receiving care from the NHS, should have the opportunity to provide feedback via the Friends and Family Test. There should also be consideration given to capturing the views of parents and carers. In addition, the autism statutory guidance mentioned above states that NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts should look at people’s experiences of the autism diagnostic process locally and assure themselves that this is acceptable.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many women affected by state pension age equalisation live in Northern Ireland.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The issue raised is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to publish A-Level data for each type of special educational need.

    Edward Timpson

    Information regarding the attainment of students with special educational needs (SEN) in England is broken down by type of SEN and published in the “Phonics screening check and key stage 1 assessment: England 2015”[1], “National curriculum assessments at key stage 2: 2015”[2] and “GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2015”[3] statistical first releases.

    A wider summary of available SEN information is provided in “Special educational needs – an analysis and summary of data sources”[4]

    Information on the average points score of students with a hearing impairment or the number that achieve three A* to A grades or better at A level is not held by the Department. The Department also does not hold information on the number of students with a hearing impairment who have not achieved a level 2 qualification in English by the age of 19.

    Currently, there are no plans for the Department to publish A-level data split by type of special educational need or to collect additional data on the outcomes achieved by students who have a disability but not an identified special educational need, although this is reviewed every year as part of the collection process.

    [1] Phonics and KS1 assessments for 2014/15: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/phonics-screening-check-and-key-stage-1-assessments-england-2015

    [2] KS2 for 2014/15: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-2-2015-revised

    [3] KS4 for 2014/15: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2014-to-2015

    [4] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/472575/Special_educational_needs-_an_analysis_and_summary_of_data_sources.pdf

    “

  • Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the potential benefits for bus passengers of municipal ownership of bus companies.

    Andrew Jones

    There are a few towns and cities that have municipal bus operators, however no analysis has been undertaken by the Department for Transport to understand the potential benefits of those models for passengers.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, how much extra money was made available for (1) the Royal Navy, (2) the army, and (3) the Royal Airforce, in 2016–17 and 2017–18.

    Earl Howe

    The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force operate as fully integrated joint organisations where elements work closely together sharing land, buildings and facilities, and sometimes equipment. The enhancements made in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) reflect their consequent integrated budgetary structure.

    The Spending Review 2015 set out plans to fund the SDSR, and confirms the Ministry of Defence (MOD) budget settlement from 2016-17 to 2020-21. The Government has committed to increasing the MOD budget by 0.5 per cent above inflation over the course of this Parliament, and has ensured access to £2.1 billion from the new Joint Security Fund.

    We will spend £178 billion on equipment and equipment support over the next decade, £12 billion more than previously planned. This money will be spent on priorities identified by the SDSR, including:

    • Two additional Typhoon squadrons and an additional squadron of F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft to operate from our new aircraft carriers.
    • Nine new Maritime Patrol Aircraft, based in Scotland, to protect our nuclear deterrent, hunt down hostile submarines and enhance our maritime search and rescue capability.
    • Two new Strike Brigades of up to 5,000 personnel fully equipped to deploy rapidly and sustain themselves in the field.

    The precise costs of delivering these priorities will depend upon the associated contractual arrangements.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which regions of the UK the £80 million Violence Against Women and Girls Service Transformation Fund will be spent.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government is providing £80 million of dedicated funding up to 2020 to tackle violence against women and girls. This funding will provide core support for refuges and other accommodation-based services, a network of rape support centres and national helplines, and from April 2017 will also include a new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Service Transformation Fund.

    The VAWG Service Transformation fund will support local programmes which encourage new approaches that incorporate early intervention, establish and embed the best ways to help victims and their families, and prevent perpetrators from re-offending. Criteria for applications to the fund will support these aims. Full details of the how the fund will be administered and the criteria for applications will be published in due course.