UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the NHS’s policy is on prescribing gluten-free food items to coeliacs; and whether any changes have recently been made to the allowance for such items.

    Alistair Burt

    Gluten-free foods are available on National Health Service prescription to patients with established gluten-sensitive enteropathies. The Department provides general practitioners (GPs) and other prescribers with a list of recommended gluten-free products to help patients, including those with coeliac disease, to manage their condition but does not issue guidance on the number of units that should be prescribed.

    Prescribing decisions are a matter for GPs and other prescribers. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) set local guidelines on the number of units to be prescribed for their patients, depending upon age, sex and individual clinical circumstances. A national charity – Coeliac UK – publishes guidelines on the dietary requirements for coeliac patients which can help inform CCG local decisions.

    GPs should always satisfy themselves that the medicines or other substances they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and that patients are adequately monitored.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make Disclosure and Barring Service checks a statutory requirement for taxi and private hire vehicle driver licenses.

    Andrew Jones

    The Policing and Crime Bill contains a power to enable the Secretary of State for Transport to issue Statutory Guidance to licensing authorities in relation to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. There will be a consultation on draft guidance, which I intend will include guidance on Disclosure and Barring Service checks. It is expected that a consultation on this, and any Statutory Guidance, would be launched early next year.

  • Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) whether they consider the action of Network Rail in closing the level crossing in the East Sussex village of Plumpton Green acceptable, and (2) whether they will call on Network Rail to re-open the affected road running through the village as a matter of urgency; and what arrangements will be made for emergency vehicles, access for disabled people and parents trying to get their children to local schools.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Whilst Network Rail has an otherwise excellent record of completing works at the 6,200 level crossings which it manages with minimal disruption, it is highly regrettable that there appears to have been a lapse in project management in this particular case.

    The impact which the continued closure of the crossing is having on the lives of local residents and businesses is not acceptable. Ministers have raised this matter with Network Rail at the highest level to request that the company urgently re-doubles its efforts in partnership with local stakeholders to find a solution and ensure that the crossing can re-open as quickly as possible.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of his Department’s (a) running and (b) maintenance costs for Sentinel aircraft in each of the next five years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review announced the extended life of the Sentinel into the next decade. Detailed cost estimates are currently being finalised.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his North Korean counterpart on the recent nuclear weapons tests conducted in that country; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I summoned the North Korean (DPRK) Ambassador on 7 January. During the meeting, I underlined the UK’s firm condemnation of the nuclear test which was a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. I also made clear to the Ambassador that his country risked increased isolation and further action by the international community should it continue to threaten international security. I told the Ambassador that the North Korean regime should focus on feeding its people rather than regional instability.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23487, of the eight breaches there identified, how many concerned documents within each of the following categories applicable prior to April 2014, namely (a) top secret, (b) secret, (c) confidential, (d) restricted, (e) protected and (f) unclassified; and how many breaches concerned documents within each of the following categories applicable from April 2014, namely (i) top secret, (ii) secret and (iii) official-sensitive or official.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Of the eight breaches reported pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23487 none of them concerned documents prior to April 2014

    Since April 2014;

    • 6 cases concerned OFFICIAL or OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE documents
    • 2 cases did not involve documents
  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether further authorisation from him will be necessary for any future airstrikes in Libya carried out by US forces from UK bases.

    Michael Fallon

    Authorisation for the United States to use UK bases to launch the airstrike against a Daesh training camp in Libya was given on 18 February 2016. Authorisation would be required for any operations of this nature involving the use of UK bases.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons applicants for the fifth round of the SMART scheme will not be able to apply for a sixth round as initially advised.

    Joseph Johnson

    Innovate UK is currently in the process of simplifying its support to innovative businesses to make its funding programmes more visible and easier to access. Innovate UK expects to publish its Delivery Plan for 2016/17 in the spring.

  • Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the budget is for food produced for her Department’s offices at Smith Square, London; and what proportion of food produced for her Department was sourced from British producers in the last period for which figures are available.

    George Eustice

    Defra does not set a budget for food served in the canteen at its Smith Square offices (Nobel House). Catering services are provided by a private company under contract to Defra which leases facilities in Nobel House and provides food to staff without subsidy. Spending on food is determined by the contractor based on sales receipts from Defra staff.

    Defra has worked with its current supplier to align the existing contract with the requirements of the balanced scorecard.

    The amount of food sourced from British producers for Nobel House was 56% (Jan-Mar 2016). This figure includes non-indigenous products; including drinks such as tea and coffee. It marks, overall, an improvement of 4% over the previous quarter. Furthermore, all meat, milk and yoghurt served in Nobel House is produced in the UK.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to improve the ability of Border Force to gather and exploit information to improve its performance in enforcing general maritime security; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Border Force works very closely with law enforcement partners to harness the collective knowledge of risks associated with maritime and aviation security. This includes intelligence flows to Border Force and partner agencies from overseas partners, the maritime and aviation industries, voluntary organisations and the public. Border Force also works with the NCA through a series of Joint Border Intelligence units to share and develop intelligence across all modes including maritime and aviation.

    The National Maritime Information Centre (NMIC), for which Border Force provides the executive lead, acts as the focal point for all agencies maritime information and provides the UK with unified maritime situational awareness to assist in countering potential threats to UK Maritime Security.