UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government under which legislative provision the Secretary of State has the power to impose junior doctors’ contracts on (1) GP practices that are not public bodies and deliver services to patients under a General Medical Services contract; (2) GP practices that are not public bodies and deliver services to patients under an Alternative Personal Medical Services contract; (3) local authorities that employ junior doctors to deliver public health services; and (4) NHS Trusts otherwise than by way of directions.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    In deciding that a new contract – which would be safer for patients and fair and reasonable for junior doctors – should be introduced without further negotiation with the British Medical Association, the Secretary of State was exercising his powers under the NHS Act 2006 (in particular sections 1, 1A, 1B, 1F, 1G and 2). To introduce the contract he is working with the National Health Service and other employers who, as they are employers of junior doctors, are using their employment powers. The Secretary of State has not announced, and does not state, that he has a power to direct all NHS bodies or non-NHS bodies providing healthcare services.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what procedures they have in place to identify the occurrence of genocide for the purposes of fulfilling their obligations as a contracting party under Article VIII of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide 1948; and whether there is a protocol in place to guide those procedures.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 1948 which requires that we prevent and punish the crime of genocide in our jurisdiction. As a State Party to the International Criminal Court Statute (ICC), the UK has made it a domestic crime to commit any of the crimes in the ICC Statute, including genocide. Where such crimes take place in the UK, or are committed by UK nationals, they can be prosecuted before the UK courts. Responsibility for investigation and prosecution in the UK lies with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Police.

    Our seat on the UN Security Council means that the UK is able to swiftly engage where a threat of atrocity crimes emerges. The form of that engagement depends on the particulars of any individual situation. Where prevention has failed, it is the international community’s responsibility to take collective action, through diplomatic, humanitarian and other means. Where timely and decisive action to end, or prevent, the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes is necessary, the UK is active in calling for UN action. However, the Government believes that formal recognition that genocide has been committed is ultimately a matter for the courts, not political bodies.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ban the indirect investment by pension schemes in companies linked with the manufacture of cluster munitions; and if he will make a statement.

    Richard Harrington

    Trustees and managers are responsible for acting in the best interests of beneficiaries, including the investment of members’ funds. They must, under existing obligations, prepare a statement of investment principles. This must set out the extent to which social, environmental, or ethical considerations are taken into account in the selection, retention, and realisation of investments.

    We have no immediate plans to change these existing obligations, but will keep them under review.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pregnant women in (a) Liverpool Wavertree constituency, (b) Liverpool, (c) the Liverpool City Region and (d) England received treatment from alcohol services in each year since 2010.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The data is not published in the requested format.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of senior civil servants in her Department attended (a) non-selective state schools, (b) state selective schools, (c) independent schools, fee assisted and (d) independent schools, not fee assisted.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education does not collect or hold this information.

  • Lucy Frazer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lucy Frazer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Frazer on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to reform the allocation of funding to increase participation in sport.

    Tracey Crouch

    The funding model used to date has not delivered the sustained increase in participation we want to see across the country. The new sport and physical activity strategy will ensure that funding is clearly targeted at those organisations that can best deliver results.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints about practical driving tests heard by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (a) were made by (i) men and (ii) women and (b) were found (i) in favour of and (ii) against the complainant; and how many such complaints were subsequently taken to the Independent Complaints Assessor in each year since 2009-10.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not record information about the sex of any complainant. Nor does it retain information about complaints made before 2011-12 about practical driving tests or cases referred to the ICA. Information it does hold is as follows:

    2011-12 1,080 complaints received – 42 upheld, 938 not upheld, 100 no outcome recorded

    2012-13 1,108 complaints received – 40 upheld, 1002 not upheld, 66 no outcome recorded

    2013-14 1,260 complaints received – 37 upheld, 1013 not upheld, 210 no outcome recorded

    2014-15 1,401 complaints received – 27 upheld, 1158 not upheld, 216 no outcome recorded

    2015- 16 1,351 complaints received – 37 upheld, 1174 not upheld, 140 no outcome recorded

    Complaints referred to the ICA

    2011-12 – 3 cases

    2012-13 – 9 cases

    2013-14 – 10 cases

    2015-16 – 4 cases

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when defects were first noted in the pulsion system of the Type 45 destroyer.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The decision to procure the Rolls Royce WR21 was taken in November 2000 by the then Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon. In announcing the decision, he accepted this decision "presents a greater degree of risk to the programme."

    Following that decision a number of issues with the Type 45 Integrated Electrical Propulsion (IEP) system were identified when the First of Class, HMS Daring was launched in 2006.

    From 2006 to the launch of the sixth and final Type 45 in October 2010, the Type 45 Destroyer class had around fifty minor design alterations directly attributable to the development of the Type 45 IEP system identified. The subsequent implementation process for acceptance of these alterations is necessarily rigorous to maintain safety and system design intent. As a result, the majority of Type 45 IEP alterations were implemented after the launch of the last of class.

    A report was commissioned in 2011 to examine the reliability of the power and propulsion system in greater detail. This work was re-assessed in 2013 to examine the extent to which the issues identified in the report had been dealt with, (by changes to operating procedures and training) and establish which were not simply the problems associated with a new complex system.

    As part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 the Government is committed to improving the Type 45’s power and propulsion system an ongoing Equipment Improvement Plan is successfully making further alterations to the existing power and propulsion system.

    Over the last two years, Type 45 Destroyers have been routinely deployed to the Gulf to maintain a destroyer presence in the region, including HMS Defender’s support to US Carrier operations against Daesh.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) the Think Kidneys programme, (b) ongoing work relating to acute kidney injury and (c) other work programmes being led by the National Clinical Director for Renal Disease for NHS England will continue to be taken forward following the discontinuance of that director’s post.

    Jane Ellison

    Following a review of the National Clinical Directors (NCDs), NHS England will be supported by 16 NCDs from 1 April 2016. Objectives for the NCDs will be set according to the priority areas and major programmes, as set out in the Mandate and planning guidance, and where there are established programmes of service improvement.

    Where there will no longer be a specific NCD role for renal disease, NHS England will secure expert clinical advice from its Clinical Networks and through its relationships with professional bodies and by appointing clinical advisors.

    Think Kidneys is scheduled to continue until the end of 2016, and a strategy for the longer term is being developed. Wider work on renal disease will be taken forward through the specialised commissioning infrastructure within NHS England and through joint working with the Royal Colleges and specialist societies.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons have been selected to take part in the pilot scheme on increasing the autonomy of prison governors; and how long that pilot scheme is expected to last.

    Andrew Selous

    We will announce our plans for reform prisons in due course.