Category: Speeches

  • 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 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Care Quality Commission on collection and publication of data on mortality rates of over 75s in mental health trusts.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department’s ministers and officials meet with representatives of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues, including mental health.

    Currently, the CQC monitors various aspects of the mortality rate for over 75s. This age threshold was applied to take account of age within the analysis of indicators which relate to deaths that may have resulted from physical health problems, given that deaths due to natural causes are likely to increase with age.

    The CQC are planning further work in 2016 to develop its approach to monitoring mortality among people in contact with trusts that provide mental health services.

  • Lord Mawhinney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Mawhinney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawhinney on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of which medical institutions in the UK are in the forefront of research into, and treatment of, Lyme disease.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    It is not practical to eradicate Lyme disease in the United Kingdom through treatment of human cases, therefore no cost estimate has been made. The disease is endemic in much of the small mammal and bird population in the UK, and is spread to humans by the bite of infected ticks which have fed on these animals. The number of human cases can be reduced by raising public awareness of how to avoid tick bites, and by environmental measures in public places to reduce the long grass and scrub which harbour ticks.

    The number of laboratory confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales varies annually, in 2013 there were 878 and in 2014 there were 730, but the majority of diagnoses are made clinically by general practitioners and those figures are not recorded. Patients with late or complicated Lyme disease may be diagnosed in a variety of specialist clinics, and the numbers are not recorded. Based on the clinical information supplied with the laboratory request, only a small proportion of the annual number of cases fall into this category.

    The Health Protection Research Unit of the University of Liverpool in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) has funding from the National Institute of Health Research for research into Lyme disease, covering diagnostics and biomarkers and public awareness. PHE is working on clinically linked studies for diagnostics with the Czech Republic, as no single centre in the UK has sufficient patients for a suitable study; funding for this work is not yet in place. PHE undertakes limited studies on ticks and Lyme disease in the UK. The Research Councils fund some additional work on ticks and the environment.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Attorney General, what steps the CPS is taking to ensure a higher rate of prosecution for knife crimes.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises that carrying an offensive weapon, a knife or a bladed/pointed article is a serious offence as the unlawful provision and possession of weapons encourages violence and can cause serious injury and death in addition to facilitating other criminal offences.

    The CPS acts robustly to deter the carrying and use of knives and offensive weapons and has issued guidance to prosecutors on the prosecution of knife crimes. The guidance provides advice when deciding what offence to charge, the public interest considerations to apply and comments on sentencing practice.

    It has been agreed between the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the CPS that a more robust response is required in respect of youths aged 16 and 17. Guidance issued to the police by the NPCC has been shared with prosecutors to emphasise the consistency of approach of the two organisations and to underline the shared expectation that where there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction, a prosecution should normally result.

    The CPS participates in the cross-Government Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation programme of work which includes a work-stream to reduce violence and knife crime.

    CPS data on offences charged and reaching a first hearing at magistrates’ courts shows an increased number of prosecutions for the year 2014-2015 in comparison with the previous year.

  • Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of any studies that have been conducted in the UK about integrating the cultivation of trees, crops and livestock on the same agricultural area, and of the conclusions of those studies.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Natural England commissioned a report from the Organic Research Centre and Abacus Organics considering the potential for agro-forestry options in the Countryside Stewardship scheme. The Land Use Policy Group commissioned an independent review of the evidence on agro-ecology including a consideration of agro-forestry, which was published in June 2015.

    The Government has not yet made an assessment of these studies but officials will be exploring the evidence base for agro-forestry and how this measure might operate in practice within the Rural Development Programme.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Departments provide how much funding to the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

    The total amount of funding for 2016/17 is £0.4m from DfT and £6.3m from BIS. This includes admin and programme spend.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken was to decide applications for the change of conditions of leave granted on the basis of family or private life during the last 12 months.

    James Brokenshire

    The average time taken between January 2015 and December 2015 to consider whether an application meets the requirements to change a condition code is 83 calendar days.

    January 2015 – December 2015 was taken as the 12 month time frame to fall in line with data that is published.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what severance pay has been granted to the special advisers that left his Department in the last week.

    Ben Gummer

    Severance payments are in the process of being calculated. Details of the costs will be published in due course.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to begin the ratification process of the December 2015 Paris Agreement.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    An explanatory memorandum initiating the UK’s domestic approval of the Agreement was laid on 7th October 2016 with a view to completing the domestic procedures that will enable ratification before the end of the year.

  • Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what communications they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the establishment of City Deals in Northern Ireland.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government communicates with the Northern Ireland Executive frequently on a wide range of issues.

    The Economic Pact between the Executive and the Government was modelled on some of the approaches the Government takes with City Deals but many of the policies included in City Deals in Great Britain are devolved in Northern Ireland and are the responsibility of the Executive.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 19916 on Temporary Exclusion Orders, when she expects that report to be published.

    Mr John Hayes

    No date has been set yet for the report to be published. The report on disruptive and investigatory powers, covering their use in 2014, was published on 4 November.