Category: Speeches

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the modal age is of girls experiencing female genital mutilation; whether and how this modal age has changed over the last 15 years; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. We will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong physical and psychological suffering to women and girls.

    As set out in the new statutory multi-agency FGM guidance, FGM is usually carried out between infancy and the age of 15, however the age at which it is carried out varies enormously according to the community.

    We will not stop FGM until we have changed attitudes within communities. We are working closely with community organisations, faith groups and survivors through the FGM Unit which is carrying out an ongoing programme of outreach with local community groups and professionals across England and Wales.

  • Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints NHS England has received in each year since 2010 on services in the NHS provided by Capita.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    NHS England was established on 1 April 2013. NHS England does not receive or record complaints about services in the National Health Service provided by Capita. It does record complaints relating to NHS England and primary care services. We have not recorded any complaints about Capita services between 2013 and 2015. However, NHS England has found that 79 formal complaints, as classified under NHS Complaints Regulations, have been logged about the Primary Care Support Services provided by Capita since 1 September 2015.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve mental health support and services for looked-after children.

    Alistair Burt

    Future in Mind, the previous Government’s report on the work of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce, established a clear and powerful consensus for change across the whole system, including health, social care and education. This Government is driving forward the transformation of children and young people’s mental health services to improve access and make services more widely available across the country so that, where possible, children can access high-quality support locally.

    This transformation programme, backed by additional investment of £1.4 billion allocated over the next five years, will deliver a step change in the way children and young people’s mental health services are commissioned and delivered. Emphasis will be placed on prevention and early intervention, building care around the needs of children, young people and their families, including the most vulnerable, such as those who are looked-after and adopted.

    Clinical commissioning groups, covering all areas in the country, have submitted Transformation Plans for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing developed with local partners which are currently being assured by NHS England.

    A national programme of work will support local areas. This will include the extension and expansion of the use of evidence-based interventions, tacking stigma, improving data and information to inform greater transparency and accountability and developing a specialist and stronger workforce.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to develop a strategy for tackling and treating TB throughout the UK.

    Jane Ellison

    The Collaborative Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy for England 2015-20201 was launched in January 2015. It lays out 10 key ‘areas for actions’ needed to achieve a year on year decrease in TB incidence, a reduction in health inequalities and, ultimately, the elimination of TB as a public health problem in England.

    Since the strategy was launched Public Health England, together with NHS England, have formed a TB Strategy implementation team and established seven TB control boards across England. These boards are leading the local delivery of the 10 key ‘areas for action’.

    As health is a devolved matter, Ministers do not regularly discuss these issues, however research and evidence of best practice is made available throughout the United Kingdom.

    1Public Health England. Collaborative Tuberculosis Strategy for England 2015 to 2020 [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collaborative-tuberculosis-strategy-for-england

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help stabilise Libya.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I welcome the important progress that has been made towards the establishment of the new Libyan government. Along with the UN and our international partners, we continue to urge all parties to resolve remaining issues quickly, so that the new government can address the challenges Libya faces. The UK Government has been at the forefront of efforts to coordinate international support for a Government of National Accord (GNA).

    The UK hosted a meeting with the UN in October to discuss plans for coordinated support from the international community to the GNA. Representatives of 40 countries, UN agencies, and international bodies, as well as a number of independent Libyan experts attended. This has been followed up through UN-hosted coordination meetings in Tunis. The UK will continue to support UN efforts in this area.

    I spoke with Libyan PM designate Fayez Serraj on 23 January and made clear the UK remains ready to support the new Libyan Government.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the country of (a) origin and (b) destination was of each flight in a fixed wing aircraft or helicopter carrying or transporting Defence Nuclear Materials in the last five years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    In the last five years, 23 flights carrying Defence Nuclear Materials (DNM) were undertaken. All flights were between the UK and the United States on fixed wing aircraft under the control of UK Armed Forces. No such flights passed over Scotland, or involved the use of helicopters.

    I am withholding details of the physical state, mass and radiological quantity of DNM transported as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice national security.

    The transport of DNM is carried out to the highest standard in accordance with stringent safety regulations. In over 50 years of transporting DNM in the UK, there has never been an incident that has posed any radiation hazard to the public or to the environment.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department or Saxton Bampfylde Ltd approached any person to apply for the Pubs Code Adjudicator vacancy.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department and the contracted executive search agency, Saxton Bampfylde, approached individuals to consider applying for the Pubs Code Adjudicator vacancy. This was done in accordance with standard practice.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will request that train operating companies publish the criteria they use for calculating rail fares.

    Claire Perry

    The rail fares we regulate have been capped at inflation (Retail Price Index) for three years running, and will continue to be capped for the life of this parliament. The Government sets the maximum amount by which regulated fares can rise. Details of how fares regulation applies to train operators can be found in Schedule 5 of the Franchise Agreement which can be found on the Department’s website. Other fares are unregulated, and train operators are permitted to set these on a commercial basis.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-register-of-rail-passenger-franchise-agreements

    “

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations of the final report of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, published in May 2016, if she will introduce (a) a UK-specific target for the reduction of farm antibiotic use in livestock, (b) restrictions or bans on the use in farming of highly critical antibiotics and (c) improved transparency from food producers on antibiotics used for raising meat.

    George Eustice

    The UK Government welcomes the report and recommendations from the Independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. A full Government response to the recommendations will be published following purdah.

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what level of change to train services by (a) scheduled departure and (b) number of carriages provided by Southern Railway Limited the Government has agreed under the conditions of its franchise with that company.

    Claire Perry

    Timetabling and rolling stock allocation are a matter for the operator. We monitor their performance against the specified benchmarks as set out in the Franchise Agreement and the Remedial Plan.