Category: Speeches

  • Dame Tessa Jowell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dame Tessa Jowell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dame Tessa Jowell on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacant A&E consultant posts there are in (a) London and (b) England; and how many such vacant posts there are in each category in each of the last six years.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Information on vacancies is not collected by the Department. The last annual National Health Service vacancy survey in England was undertaken by the Health and Social Care Information Centre in 2010. The survey was suspended in 2011 and then discontinued in 2013 following the publication of the Fundamental Review of Data Returns, which aimed to reduce the burden of the collection of data from NHS organisations.

    The attached table provides vacancy data for 2009 and 2010, the only two years within the last six years for which data is available.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency who will reach the state pension age within 12 months from the introduction of the single-tier pension and will be eligible to receive the full rate of state pension.

    Steve Webb

    The Department does not hold the required information to answer this question.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to answer Question 217184, tabled on 4 December 2014 by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East.

    Brandon Lewis

    Question 217184 was answered today, 25 February 2015.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial rewards her Department makes available to kinship carers.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Children placed in a kinship care arrangement by a local authority are looked after children, in which case their carer must be approved as a foster carer. In these circumstances, kinship carers must receive the same support, including financial support, as all other foster carers.

    The majority of kinship carers will be caring for children who are not looked after.

    Relatives caring for a child in these circumstances are entitled to support, such as child benefit and any other benefits available to parents, subject to the usual eligibility criteria.

    In 2011, the Department for Education issued ‘Family and Friends Care: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities’ which sets out a requirement on local authorities to develop clear, publically accessible policies to describe how they will assess and support children cared for by kinship carers. Such support could include financial help for carers of children who are not looked after, where the local authority assesses this is appropriate.

  • Dame Joan Ruddock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Dame Joan Ruddock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dame Joan Ruddock on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the P5 nuclear weapon states will next meet in London; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK will host the sixth Conference of P5 Nuclear Weapon States in London on 4-5 February; I will update the House after the meeting.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of additional demand for NHS counselling services resulting from survivors of historic child sexual abuse recently coming forward; and what argument he has made of the effectiveness of NHS mental health services in meeting that demand.

    Norman Lamb

    No such estimate has been made. However, over £400 million has been invested in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme to make a choice of psychological therapies available for those who need them in all parts of England. We are also investing in improving provision for children and young people.

    IAPT services are not counselling services but may be provided to someone who has developed post-traumatic stress disorder in response to abuse. Assessment for IAPT services includes questions in relation to trauma. IAPT services treat depression and anxiety disorders which are also typical consequences of traumatic abuse.

    The Department’s 2014-15 Mandate to NHS England makes clear that ‘everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence based services’. The Mandate sets a clear objective for NHS England to deliver the key objectives of the IAPT programme – providing access to therapies for around 900,000 people per year by 2015, with a recovery rate of 50%.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) offence and (b) sentencing outcome of each terrorist-related offence dealt with in court was in the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    This Government takes terrorism offences extremely seriously, which is why there are tough sentences available to the courts. We are further strengthening the law in this area through the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, currently going through Parliament.

    We are increasing the maximum sentence from 10 or 14 years to a life sentence for three specific terror offences – weapons training for terrorist purposes, other training for terrorism, and making or possession of explosives. We are also ending automatic early release for those convicted of a range of serious terror offences – including weapons training for terrorist purposes and directing a terrorist organisation – so that they will only be released before the end of their custodial term at the discretion of the independent Parole Board, who must be satisfied that they no longer pose a threat to society. We are also ensuring that terrorists convicted of a second very serious offence will face the ‘two-strikes’ automatic life’ sentence.

    Data for terrorist related offences and sentence outcomes can be viewed in Tables C.01-C.04 at the below link:-

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-quarterly-update-to-june-2014-data-tables

    Findings of guilt includes crimes which have a terrorist link.

    “

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing contracts for the removal of litter on the strategic road network.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    The Highways Agency’s existing contracts specify sweeping and cleaning activities on the network to comply with the mandatory legal requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act states that the area should not fall below a Grade B (“Predominantly free from litter and refuse apart from some small items”), and the contracts operate satisfactorily in this regard.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Lord Framlingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Framlingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Framlingham on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are investigating the possibility of establishing a statutory quarantine system for all trees imported into the United Kingdom.

    Lord De Mauley

    The Government takes a risk-based approach to prioritise action on plant and tree pests and pathogens to improve resilience. We have produced, working with stakeholders from across industry, Non-Governmental Organisations, and the public, a prioritised plant health risk register of 750 known pests and diseases.

    On that basis and where appropriate, we have acted to introduce movement restrictions or requirements for importers to notify incoming consignments of particular species – for example for ash, oak, plane, pine, elm and sweet chestnut.

    We are also funding new research to ensure that we have a robust evidence base regarding the pests and diseases that could threaten our trees and plants.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of bilateral aid from the Department for International Development in the last three financial years has been channelled through non-governmental organisations (1) based in the United Kingdom, and (2) based in the recipient countries.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The table below shows the proportion of bilateral aid from the Department for International Development in the last three calendar years which has been channelled through non-governmental organisations (1) based in the United Kingdom, and (2) based in the recipient countries.

    NGO Percentage of DFID Net Bilateral ODA

    2011

    2012

    2013

    NGO Based in the United Kingdom

    8%

    9%

    10%

    NGO Based in Recipient Countries

    2%

    2%

    3%