Category: Speeches

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK service personnel are stationed in Yemen; and what the (a) rank, (b) squadron and (c) function is of each officer stationed in that country.

    Mr Mark Francois

    There are two permanently based UK service personnel in Yemen. Both of these personnel are employed within the Defence Section at the British Embassy in Sana’a. There is one Army Colonel employed as the Defence Attaché and one Army Sergeant employed as the Assistant Defence Attaché. The role of the Defence Attaché is to command the Defence Section, to represent the Chief of the Defence Staff in Yemen and Eritrea and to advise HM Ambassador on defence and security matters The role of the Assistant Defence Attaché is to provide administrative support to the Defence Attaché.

  • Mr Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he held with schools and local authorities for the purposes of drafting departmental advice on universal infant free school meals.

    Mr David Laws

    Since the announcement of universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), Departmental officials have engaged in a number of discussions with primary school head teachers and their representatives, local authorities and other interested parties, to explore how this policy can be implemented so that the benefits of universal free school meal provision for children and families are maximised.

    The content of the departmental advice document on universal infant free school meals, which was published on 6 March, was based on feedback gathered through these discussions. Before it was published, the document was commented on by the Department’s UIFSM external reference group, which includes representatives from schools and local authorities.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether public communications providers have sought advice from her Department on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court, but we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in
    force. Those in receipt of a notice under the Regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 725, on Government levies on energy bills, when he plans to present to the House the first annual report on consumer-funded policies, covering actual expenditure and forecast expenditure.

    Michael Fallon

    The first annual report on consumer-funded levies will be published to a timetable consistent with Ofgem’s reporting on the Renewables Obligation for 2013/14, scheduled for March 2015. Officials are currently considering how that date could be brought forward.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what treatments for prostate cancer are routinely funded by NHS England.

    Jane Ellison

    The NHS England Specialised Commissioning team introduced nationally developed service specifications for a range of areas, including prostate cancer, during 2013-14. Prior to 2013, prostate cancer was routinely commissioned by primary care trusts, and as such an assessment of the changes in the level of access to prostate cancer treatments since 2010 is not technically feasible.

    Routinely commissioned treatments for prostate cancer are: (i) radical prostatectomy; (ii) radical external beam radiotherapy; and (iii) radical brachytherapy. In addition, NHS England routinely commissions systemic treatments for prostate cancer, including hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published technology appraisal guidance which recommends docetaxel (Taxotere) for hormone-refractory prostate cancer and abiraterone (Zytiga), in combination with prednisolone or prednisone, for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with one docetaxel-containing regimen. NICE is also currently developing technology appraisal guidance on a number of other drugs for prostate cancer.

    National Health Service commissioners are legally required by regulations to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.

    Five-year survival rates improved from around 42% in the late 1980s to 79.7% in 2007 (currently 80.2% according to data for 2006-2010 published in October 2012) due in part to the effects of increased Prostate Specific Antigen testing and earlier detection. However, survival rates in England are still lagging behind comparable countries in Europe.

    Cancer Research UK has estimated that men with advanced, incurable prostate cancer treated in trials or under drug access schemes at the Royal Marsden Hospital survived on average 41 months, compared to between 13 and 16 months 10 years ago.

    The Government’s Mandate to NHS England sets out an ambition to make England one of the most successful countries in Europe at preventing premature deaths from all cancers, including prostate cancer. Cancer indicators in the NHS Outcomes Framework and the Public Health Outcomes Framework will help NHS England to assess progress in improving cancer survival and mortality for men with prostate cancer.

  • Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Huppert on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the maximum use period is of (a) a new water cannon and (b) a used water cannon of the type the Metropolitan Police Service wishes to purchase from Germany.

    Damian Green

    The Home Secretary has now received the request to authorise water cannon for use by the police in England and Wales. She is considering this request and will announce her decision in due course and lay the relevant information in the House Library.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of 2014DIN04-053 Declaration of obsolete-medical, central and veterinary equipments.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    A copy of Defence Instruction Notice 2014 DIN 04-053 regarding the declaration of obsolete-medical, dental and veterinary equipments will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what her Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 26 March, Official Report, Column 300W.

  • Lord Beecham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the changes in the eligibility of legal aid on the number of litigants in person and the consequential impact on the administration of justice.

    Lord Faulks

    We are closely monitoring the impact of the legal aid changes. The number of family cases showing self representing parties are published in Courts Statistics Quarterly (www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly). We are working towards publishing data on self representation in civil cases more widely and will include this in future publications.

    Litigants in person are not a new phenomenon in our courts. Judges are used to helping persons with no legal representation, including explaining procedures and what is expected of them. We have taken steps to help people who either want or have to represent themselves in court, including publishing a revised guide for separating parents and increased training for judges. The link to the guide is:

    http://hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/HMCTS/GetLeaflet.do?court_leaflets_id=2756

    “

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment applications have been processed in each month since April 2013.

    Mike Penning

    Personal Independence Payment started from April 2013 and although limited data has started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.

    An ad-hoc release of PIP information was published on Tuesday 11 February 2014. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277986/adHoc-pip-statistics-feb14.pdf