Category: Speeches

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of British citizens who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to support forces opposed to Islamic State.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of reports of a small number of British citizens fighting against ISIL in Syria and Iraq, but are not able to estimate accurately the total number. The UK advises against all travel to Syria and against travel to much of Iraq. Anyone who does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger. The Syrian National Coalition, which we recognise as the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, have made clear that they do not want foreign fighters to come to their country. The best way for the British public to help the people of Syria and Iraq is to support UK registered charities that are providing humanitarian relief to those affected by the conflict.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Information held by the Department shows the total value of contracts with private sector providers was for each of the financial years for which we have records available at a proportionate cost:

    Financial Year

    Value of Contract

    2011/12

    £365,621,061

    2012/13

    £428,405,616

    2013/14

    £245,882,759

    2014/15

    £156,256,479

    The above figures include all spend that either currently is or was previously under contract with the third party commercial providers of the Department.

    Information for 2010/11, whilst being available, is not in a format to answer the question without the Department incurring disproportionate costs.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to ensure that patients who have opted out of the care.data scheme with a type 2 objection will not be excluded from NHS services such as bowel screening and e-referrals.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The process for objecting (‘opting out’) will be communicated during the care.data pathfinder stage and will apply to the use of identifiable general practitioner data for purposes beyond direct care. The care.data Programme team is working closely with clinical commissioning group pathfinder practices to ensure that it is understood that the opt-out should not impact upon the sharing of information for direct care.

    The care.data Programme team is working closely with the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), NHS England and the Department in relation to ‘type 2 objections’. Appropriate communications will be agreed before starting communication activity in pathfinder areas.

    For those people who have made an existing ‘type 2 objection’, the HSCIC is committed to ensuring no patient suffers any adverse impact on their direct care through an inappropriate implementation of an objection. This means that information flows to support services such as cancer screening, electronic prescriptions and e-referrals are currently flowing and will continue to do so.

  • Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2014 to Question 218494, what the reasons were for the reduction in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13.

    Jane Ellison

    The reasons for the reduction in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13 may relate to a number of factors, including variations in data recording and changes in professional practice.

    Latest available data for 2014-15 (April 2014 to December 2014) shows an increase of 5% in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out compared to the same period in 2013-14.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police stations in each constabulary in the North West have been (a) closed and (b) reduced to part time status since June 2010.

    Mike Penning

    This information is not held centrally. Decisions about the most effective use of available resources, including the numbers and operating hours of police stations, are a matter for the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable locally, tailored to the needs of the local community.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing for security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID’s Peacebuilding Support Programme supports the provincial Government to deliver improved security and justice to 250,000 citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). It focuses on strengthening civilian security (police, prosecutions, prisons) and the formal and informal justice sectors. DFID also contributes to a Multi Donor Trust Fund supporting areas of KP affected by militancy and conflict. It helps improve state-citizen trust and reduce the root causes of insecurity through improved infrastructure, economic development and service delivery.

    UK aid to Pakistan also addresses the conditions that might breed violent extremism by reducing poverty, meeting basic needs, increasing economic opportunities and promoting inclusion. It supports the government to build an effective state that is more able to respond to violent extremism through strengthening democratic processes and institutions, delivering better services and improving access to justice.

  • Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the cost of replacing Pacer trains in the Northern rail franchise due to start in February 2016.

    Claire Perry

    In putting together the business base for the new Northern rail franchise, we have discussed the options for phasing out Pacers with the Treasury. Our specifications for the Northern franchise will be set out in the Invitation to Tender document, which will be published shortly.

  • Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether each local authority comprising Rail North will be asked to approve that body’s response to the consultation for the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises.

    Claire Perry

    We have been working closely with Rail North on the response to the Northern and TransPennine Express consultation, which has been developed jointly. Rail North have confirmed through their own processes that they are in agreement with publishing the response as a joint document.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged 18 to 24 years are subject to sanctions for (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) employment and support allowance in (i) Preston, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the North West.

    Esther McVey

    The information requested for Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance adverse sanctions, by age and geography is published at:

    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

    Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

    “

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

    Jo Swinson

    The guidance is all staff should ensure they undertake at least 5 days of learning a year as part of the commitment in the Civil Service Reform Capabilities Plan. Learning takes place in many forms including shadowing, taking on development projects, seminars, coaching, e-learning, undertaking research and attending meetings as well as relevant courses.