Category: Speeches

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS bodies which carry out surgery to repair work performed by outsourcing companies are able to claim back the costs of carrying out that work.

    George Freeman

    Whether or not National Health Service bodies are able to claim back the costs depends on a number of circumstances. For instance:

    – A clinical commissioning group (CCG) may have placed a contract for elective surgery with an independent sector provider. A patient treated in this provider’s hospital may experience complications and require further treatment, which has to be arranged under the CCG’s separate contract with the local NHS trust or foundation trust (FT) (perhaps because it has the facilities to carry out more specialist treatment); or

    – An NHS trust or FT may sub-contract surgical procedures to an independent sector provider. Again, a patient treated at the sub-contractor’s hospital may experience complications and require further treatment, which has to be carried out by the NHS Trust or FT (again, because it has the facilities to carry out more specialist treatment).

    The terms of such subcontracts are not nationally prescribed, but it would be usual for such a sub-contract to require the sub-contractor to indemnify the NHS provider for the cost it incurs as a result of negligent or inadequate treatment on the part of the sub-contractor.

    However, it is important to be clear that complications after surgery are not necessarily associated with negligence. It is normal for patients experiencing complications to be referred to the hospital which can provide the best care. In these circumstances, each NHS provider will normally be paid by the relevant NHS commissioner for the specific service it has provided to the patient.

    In the first example, the NHS trust or FT will be paid in full by its local CCG for the further treatment it has provided, at the normal national prices laid down in the National Tariff Payment System. Normally, the CCG would also have paid for the initial treatment provided by the independent sector provider, but if there is evidence of breach of contract or negligence, the CCG would be entitled to be indemnified for the additional costs of further treatment.

    In the second example, the NHS provider is responsible to the commissioner both for the treatment it has carried out itself and under sub-contract by the independent sector provider. It will therefore be paid by its CCG at National Tariff prices for all the operations that have been undertaken at both hospitals – though, again, this would be subject to the potential for the CCG to withhold payment to in a clear case of negligence or breach of contractual requirements. Payment between the NHS provider and its sub-contractor would be a matter for those parties to agree locally between themselves, as a part of their sub-contract.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential savings to the public purse arising from the Sellafield workforce reform initiative.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has a responsibility to UK tax payers to ensure that Sellafield Ltd has maximum opportunity for improved performance: accelerating hazard reduction and delivering value for money. A new model, part of a suite of changes designed to increase efficiency in the business, is being put in place to help achieve that. The rationale for this model is set out in the Sellafield Model Change (SMC) Outline Business Case.

    Details of the change programme are available at http://www.nda.gov.uk/contracts-and-competition/sellafield-model-change-programme/.

    “

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the role of social enterprises in delivering high-quality healthcare services.

    Ben Gummer

    It is a statutory obligation that decisions on healthcare provision should be taken independently by local commissioners. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) must decide how to use their resources in a way which is evidence based, clinically-led and cost-effective in order to provide high-quality healthcare for people in their area. CCGs must also balance both short-term need and long-term transformation in line with the NHS Five Year Forward View’s (5YFV) objectives.

    However, the Government firmly believes that providers from all sectors, including social enterprises, play an important role in providing high quality, safe and efficient care to patients, as well as helping to realise the ambitions set out in the NHS 5YFV. That is why, working in partnership with Public Health England, NHS England and representatives from the voluntary sector, the Department is in the final stages of a review looking at partnerships and investment in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. The final report of the review is expected to be published in the spring.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 1.302 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what progress his Department has made on exploring the sale of the Government’s 49 per cent shareholding in the National Air Traffic Service.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department is in the early stages of developing its approach to exploring options on the potential sale of the Government’s shares. No decision has been made on how it will realise value from its stake in NATS.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the recent reconstruction and reopening of the Ferhadija Mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government warmly welcomes the reopening of the Ferhadija Mosque, which took place on 7 May. This is an unmistakable symbol of religious diversity and tolerance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The atmosphere during the reopening ceremony, which our Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina attended, was dignified and celebratory. The Ferhadija Mosque will serve as a powerful symbol of how communities can support each other on the long journey towards reconciliation.

  • Lord Cashman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Cashman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Cashman on 2016-07-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is representing them at the LGBTI Human Rights Conference taking place in Montevideo and what update they can provide about the proceedings of that Conference.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK was represented at the Montevideo conference by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and by a representative from the Kaleidoscope Trust, a UK civil society organisation working to promote the advancement of the rights of LGB&T people globally. The conference brought together representatives of governments, civil society organisations and multilateral organisations and agencies. It discussed: diplomatic efforts to promote and protect the equal rights of LGB&T and intersex people; their social inclusion; efforts to ensure the commitment made in the Sustainable Development Goals to ‘leave no one behind’ is fulfilled; and ways to coordinate donor funding to best support these objectives.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy of the UN Secretary-General’s statement of 11 July 2016 on events in South Sudan; and whether the Government supports calls for an arms embargo to that country and the strengthening of the UN mission in South Sudan in the light of its response to those events.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We welcomed the statement made by the UN Secretary-General on the situation in South Sudan. Our policy continues to be focussed on helping to protect the people of South Sudan and we are in support of an arms embargo as a means to support this. We lobbied hard to strengthen the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and supported UN Security Council Resolution 2304, adopted on 12 August, which mandated a regional protection force of up to 4000 additional troops to robustly protect civilians and key humanitarian transit routes in Juba. In addition, the Secretary of State for Defence, Rt Hon the member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) announced on 8 September that the number of UK troops to be deployed within UNMISS will be increased to close to 400 in order to support the mission’s operations.

  • Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of national lottery sales income has been allocated to the Big Lottery Fund budget for Scotland in each of the last five years.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Big Lottery Fund decides how much of its funding to allocate to each of the home nations. Scotland is allocated 11.5 per cent of the Big Lottery Funds proceeds from the National Lottery after administration costs, and 10 per cent of the Fund’s Lottery income is allocated to a UK portfolio, from which Scotland also benefits.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the embarked carrier air wing of Sea Lightnings, Merlins, Crowsnest aircraft, and Wildcats will be under Maritime Task Force command.

    Earl Howe

    Command of embarked aircraft will be dependent on a variety of factors such as but not limited to, the specific task, whether it is a national or coalition commitment, threat levels and theatre of operations.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will hold a formal public consultation on proposed extremism disruption orders which makes reference to issues of free speech before bringing such proposals to the House.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government has engaged widely on the Counter-Extremism Strategy and will continue to do so. This includes on any proposals to prevent and disrupt extremist activity.

    The Government will continue to protect freedom of speech and the right to practice any faith or none. These are two of the values that the Counter-Extremism Strategy is designed to uphold.