The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to work with other governments and international NGOs to increase stem cell and bone marrow donor registration globally.
Jane Ellison
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 December 2015 to Question 18582.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-01-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to respond in detail to the recommendations in the report of the Shaw review into the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons.
Lord Bates
The Government’s position on the Stephen Shaw review was set out in the Written Ministerial Statement laid on 14 January 2016. Mr Shaw’s recommendations, including on pregnant women, will be taken into account as we develop arrangements for the adult at risk policy referred to in the Written Ministerial Statement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions the Government has had with the Indonesian government on the situation of Ahmadis in Bangka, Indonesia.
Mr Hugo Swire
We take freedom of religion or belief extremely seriously. We regularly urge Governments to protect the right of all individuals to practise their religion or belief free from persecution or discrimination. In this regard, we are concerned with the plight of the Ahmadiyah community in Bangka regency. Our Ambassador in Jakarta has discussed these issues, including the plight of the Ahamdiyah community, with the Minister of Religious Affairs, Indonesian civil society, and religious leaders. He urged them to ensure the rights of all individuals to practise their religion or belief freely were fully respected and protected.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to review the definition of stillbirth since January 2014; and whether he has had discussions with his ministerial colleagues on changing the procedure on the registration of stillbirths to allow for the registration of deaths before 24 weeks.
Ben Gummer
The Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, as amended, provides for the registration of babies born without signs of life after 24 weeks’ gestation, which is the legal age of viability. Parents of babies who are stillborn after 24 weeks’ gestation receive a medical certificate certifying the stillbirth and, upon registration, can register the baby’s name and receive a certificate of registration of stillbirth.
Parliament supported a change to the stillbirth definition from “after 28 weeks” to “after 24 weeks” in 1992, following a clear consensus from the medical profession at that time that the age at which a foetus should be considered viable should be changed from 28 to 24 weeks. Medical opinion does not currently support reducing the age of viability below 24 weeks of gestation. Therefore, there are no plans to amend the stillbirth definition.
We are aware that some parents find it very distressing that they may not register the birth of a baby born before 24 weeks. However, it is important to recognise there would also be parents distressed at the possibility of having to do so. When a baby is born without signs of life before 24 weeks’ gestation, hospitals may issue a local certificate to commemorate the baby’s birth.
In November 2015, the Government announced a national ambition to halve by 2030 the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth. The announcement also committed to publishing an annual report to update the public, health professionals, providers and commissioners on the progress we are making towards achieving the ambition.
To support the system in achieving this ambition we also announced:
― A £2.24 million capital fund for equipment to improve safety.
― Over £1 million to roll out training programmes to make sure staff have the skills and confidence they need to deliver world-leading safe care.
― £500,000 to develop a new system that can be used consistently across the National Health Service to enable staff to review and learn from every stillbirth and neonatal death.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve NATO decision-making procedures and culture.
Mr Julian Brazier
NATO adaptation is a high priority for the UK and many other Allies. A number of important decisions were taken at the Wales Summit in 2014. Significant progress has been made in implementing those changes. We expect NATO to take further decisions on adaptation at the forthcoming Summit in Warsaw.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-05-18.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HM Revenue and Customs has collected from UK citizens through the Mutual Assistance Recovery Directive in each year since that Directive came into effect.
Mr David Gauke
This information is not published by the UK Government or by the EU Commission.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by what date NHS Improvement plan to respond to the email it received from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West on 13 May 2016, reference ZA4209, on delay.
Ben Gummer
NHS Improvement replied to the email of 13 May that it received from the hon. Member on 28 June 2016.
In April 2016 NHS Improvement brought together Monitor, NHS Trust Development Authority, NHS England’s Patient Safety team, the National Reporting and Learning System, NHS England’s Advancing Change team and its Intensive Support Teams.
NHS Improvement advise that they are strengthening their regional presence and refining their processes, including how they respond to queries. Their aim is to respond to letters and other correspondence from hon. Members within the Whitehall standard of 18 working days.
The Department has no record of having received an email from the hon. Member on 9 June 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to ensure that Type 45 ships will be repaired and fully operational in order to support the planned new aircraft carrier.
Harriett Baldwin
All Type 45 Destroyers remain in a planned operational cycle and continue to be routinely deployed. Included in this will be periods when they are undergoing repair.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-11-16.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of steps taken to hold to account companies and directors responsible for promoting and managing the affairs of Connaught Asset Management.
Harriett Baldwin
This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government.
These questions have been passed on to the FCA. They will reply directly to the Honorable Member Kirsten Oswald by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reports NHS England has produced on progress in achieving parity of esteem for mental health.
Alistair Burt
NHS England and the Department jointly published Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020 in October 2014. This publication recognised that a key element of achieving parity across mental and physical health care depends on enabling people to have timely access to evidence-based and effective care, and set out a clear vision for the development of access and waiting time standards in mental health including introduction of the first set of standards on early intervention in psychosis and psychological therapies, as well as signalling new investment in liaison mental health services in acute hospitals.
NHS England’s Five Year Forward View set out a clear commitment to a more equal response across mental and physical health and achieving genuine parity of esteem by 2020.
In support of this objective, NHS England’s latest planning guidance, Forward View into Action: planning for 2015-16, includes an expectation that clinical commissioning groups’ (CCG) spending on mental health services in 2015-16 should increase in real terms, and grow by at least as much as each CCG’s allocation increase to support the ambition of parity between mental and physical health.
NHS England has commissioned an independent Mental Health Task Force to produce a five-year mental health strategy, for improved access and outcomes in all settings, to be published in the New Year.