Category: Speeches

Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to encourage unemployed teachers to seek work in England.

Nick Gibb

Qualified teachers not currently in the workforce, including those who are unemployed, are an important supply of teachers for schools. The number of those returning to teaching has been increasing in recent years, from 11,710 in 2011 to 14,100 in 2014 (School Workforce Census, 2014[1]). The Government is keen to support schools to attract teachers back to the profession and to provide support to refresh their skills where required.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) is undertaking a new pilot, the Return to Teaching Programme. 61 school partnerships have been successful in applying for funding to support potential returners. Qualified teachers outside the profession who plan to teach a secondary English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subject can access free tailored support provided by these schools. Support could include subject knowledge training, training to update knowledge of classroom practice and assessment frameworks as well as access to classroom experience and mentor support. In addition, teachers returning to mathematics or physics also have access to one-to-one advisors.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440582/Additional_Tables_SFR21_2015.xlsx

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01/01/2023

Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Advice Note: 05/2015, paragraph 9 of the Harm-Benefit Analysis Process, how many project licences applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were recommended by the Animals and Science Regulation Unit in each year since 2012.

Mr John Hayes

The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.

The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).

The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.

The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.

The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.

Year	(a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1]	(b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors	(c) Project licences granted
2012	9	4	626
2013	3	0	604
2014	4	1	474
2015	3	0	577

[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’

01/01/2023

Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the Alzheimer’s Society’s Fix Dementia Care campaign.

Jane Ellison

NHS England welcomes the campaign and its efforts to highlight areas in the health and care system where there is still room for improvement in the care of people with dementia. NHS England has already undertaken a range of initiatives to encourage hospitals to improve the standards of care provided to people living with dementia as well as their carers but recognises that more needs to be done.

Improving the care and support for people with dementia is a priority for this Government. That is why on 21 February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia 2020 (PM Challenge 2020) to build on the progress of the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-2015. It sets out the broad vision for dementia care, support, awareness and research to 2020.

The Department will soon publish an Implementation Plan which has been co-produced with key partners including the Alzheimer’s Society and sets out the actions partners across health and care will take to ensure commitments in the PM Challenge 2020 are delivered.

01/01/2023
Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that private contractors invest in prisons throughout the length of the management contract.

Andrew Selous

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is responsible for the management of the 14 private prisons in England and Wales.

The terms of each contract include an agreed level of service. There are financial remedies which apply where a provider fails to achieve this expected level of performance, making sure that they have an incentive to properly support the rehabilitation of offenders on an ongoing basis.

There are clear processes in place to monitor performance and identify emerging issues. Each private prison has an on-site Controller, accountable for providing assurance that the contracts for each prison are delivered in accordance with agreed contractual delivery indicators, and that the prison provides safe, decent and secure services in line with performance standards.

01/01/2023
Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what comparative information his Department holds on the rate of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects in the UK and in other EU member states.

Ben Gummer

The prevalence of neural tube defects in live births, fetal deaths (over 20 weeks’ gestation) and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly in 2012 in the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers, registers (covering 36% of the births in England and Wales) was 12.5 per 10,000 births (source: Congenital anomaly statistics 2012, England and Wales (2014)).

In European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies registries (covering 25.8% of the births in the United Kingdom) the prevalence of neural tube defects in 2012 for the UK was 12.53 neural tube defects per 10,000 births. By comparison, other European Union member states ranged from 1.75 per 10,000 births to 17.37 per 10,000 births. Differences in total prevalence rates may reflect a number of factors including genetic and environmental differences.

Data on prevalence is available at:

http://www.eurocat-network.eu/AccessPrevalenceData/PrevalenceTables

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01/01/2023
Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on the economy in Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Ben Wallace

The Government is clear that we are safer, stronger and better off in the EU.

Reports by HM Treasury are clear that leaving the EU would bring serious economic costs that would affect businesses, jobs, living standards and public finances for decades to come.

01/01/2023
Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department plans to measure progress of the implementation of its sports strategy.

Tracey Crouch

Progress will be measured against the five outcomes set out in Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation. Information will be collected about the key performance indicators the strategy sets out, drawing on data from a range of sources. We will submit an annual report to parliament on the progress.

01/01/2023
Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44488, what the implications for councils are of failure to determine planning applications in a timely and efficient manner; and what plans he has to provide extra funding to councils to assist them with implementing his Department’s plans to tighten the Planning Guarantee for minor planning applications.

Gavin Barwell

Councils are at risk of being designated as underperforming where they persistently fail to determine planning applications for major development within statutory timescales or an agreed extended period with the applicant. In an area where the council has been designated as underperforming, applicants can choose to submit their application directly to the Planning Inspectorate for determination, instead of the council. We are extending this regime to applications for non-major development. Where applications are not determined within 26 weeks, councils have to refund the application fee under the Planning Guarantee.

We do not intend to provide any additional funding to local authorities with regard to tightening the Planning Guarantee. Earlier this year we consulted on proposals to increase planning fees and will publish our response in due course.

01/01/2023
Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-10-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards are in place to prevent armed opposition fighters funded by Western countries from using their arms and training against unintended targets, or acting in a way that contradicts the Government’s overall strategy in the Middle East, in particular in Syria.

Earl Howe

The US-led programme to Train and Equip members of the moderate Syrian opposition, to which the UK has contributed, incorporated a screening process to determine the suitability of candidates. The training programme itself was designed to reinforce positive behaviours and on completion, successful candidates were required to make a formal declaration committing themselves to the fight against ISIL. Efforts continue to be made to monitor the activities of such individuals and the groups to which they are affiliated, to mitigate the risk that they engage thereafter in activities inconsistent with the aims of the programme.

01/01/2023
Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department made of the effect of previous reviews on the uptake of innovation in the NHS in establishing the terms of reference for the Accelerated Access Review.

George Freeman

The Accelerated Access Review (AAR), chaired by Sir Hugh Taylor, will make recommendations to government on reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies making our country the best place in the world to design, develop and deploy these products. The terms of the reference for the review focus on faster access to innovations, which may include certain off-patent repurposed drugs, as opposed to the routine availability of medicines or medical technologies.

Prior to establishing the terms of reference for the AAR, the Department reviewed evaluation reports and met with officials from previous initiatives on the uptake of innovation in the NHS including the Innovation, Health and Wealth report. As a result, building upon the lessons of previous reviews is explicit with the terms of reference of the AAR.

The AAR has regular meetings with senior officials from NHS England via a steering group as recommendations are being developed. In addition, some staff from NHS England have been assigned to support the review team.

Sir Hugh is still in the process of developing final recommendations which will be published in spring 2016. In his Interim Report published in October, Sir Hugh sets out a proposition on “galvanising the NHS”. This involves supporting the NHS to adopt innovation, more rapidly through better practical support, stronger incentives and the potential streamlining of local structures.

The Department reviewed evaluation reports and met with officials from previous initiatives on the uptake of innovation in the NHS prior to establishing the terms of reference for the AAR. It was clear that whilst progress has been made on the uptake of innovation in the NHS there is still much to do. Sir Hugh and the head of the External Advisory Group, Professor Sir John Bell, set out the case for uptake of innovation in the recently published AAR Interim Report.

The AAR has senior level contact with officials working on Lord Carter’s review of NHS efficiency to ensure that information is shared between the two teams.

01/01/2023