The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on external legal advice in each of the last three years.
Mike Penning
DWP spent the following amounts with Legal Services:
2013/14 – £7,697,576
2012/13 – £10,868,697
2011/12 – £16,109,586
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans his Department has in place to be executed in the event of further Russian aggression on the Ukrainian border.
Mr David Lidington
As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) told the House on 8 April, we are gravely concerned about the situation in Crimea and in the east of Ukraine. We have consistently condemned Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea including in public statements, international fora, and in bilateral contacts with the Russian Federation.
The UK has played a key role in ensuring a tough and united response from the international community. We have reviewed all bilateral engagement with Russia and have frozen military cooperation, refused export licence requests which may be used by the Russian military, and postponed a number of planned Ministerial Summits. Along with other G7 members, the UK has withdrawn participation in the planned G8 Summit in Sochi in June, and will instead take part in a G7 meeting in Brussels.
The Foreign Secretary has taken part in a number of discussions on sanctions at the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in which the European Commission has also been involved. On 14 April, the FAC agreed to expand the second tier of sanctions and to add further names to the list of individuals subject to those sanctions. The FAC agreed on the urgency of completing work on a possible third tier of more far reaching sanctions, which might be implemented in the absence of meaningful diplomatic engagement by Russia or further provocation against Ukraine. The European Commission was tasked to identify such economic measures.
As the Foreign Secretary has made clear to the Russian Foreign Minister, the EU remains prepared to impose additional sanctions should that become necessary. Russia should be clear that any deliberate escalation of this crisis may bring serious political and economic consequences.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Naomi Long on Northern Ireland.
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Mrs Theresa Villiers
Like other UK Government departments, the Northern Ireland Office faces a significant reduction in its budget – of 11.15% in 2015/16. My department has therefore requested that all of its Arms-Length Bodies provide an impact statement on the practical measures that might be taken to meet such a reduction. I have not yet made any decision in respect of the Commission’s budget. I met the acting chair of the Commission last week.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the role independent pharmacies play in relieving pressures on other health and welfare services; and what steps he has taken to disseminate best practice.
Norman Lamb
Pharmacy already plays a vital role in supporting the health of people in their local communities, providing high quality care and support, improving people’s health and reducing health inequalities. However, as we move to more integrated care, there is real potential for pharmacists and their teams to play an even greater role in the future, particularly in keeping people healthy, supporting those with long term conditions and helping make sure patients and the National Health Service get the best use from medicines.
NHS England’s public consultation, Improving care through community pharmacy – a call to action, which closed on 18 March, has provided an important opportunity to explore the contribution community pharmacists and their teams can make. This will inform a strategic framework for commissioning wider primary care services in the autumn. A copy of the consultation document is at:
www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/qual-clin-lead/calltoaction/pharm-cta/
In the meantime, NHS England’s The earlier, the better campaign, launched in January 2014, specifically sought to raise the profile of community pharmacy with the public, to increase the number of people accessing community pharmacy services when they have a minor ailment and reduce pressures on other parts of the NHS.
On 14 April, the Department and NHS England published Transforming Primary Care – Safe, proactive, personalised care for those who need it most. This sets out plans for more proactive, personalised and joined up care, part of which is harnessing the potential of pharmacists. This recognises the vital role that pharmacists have in optimising medicines use, helping to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and supporting people to manage their own care. A copy has been placed in the Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for John Leech on Work and Pensions.
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Steve Webb
Crisis Loans may have been awarded for more than one purpose (for example rent in advance and living expenses). The department does not hold the data to accurately calculate the average award made solely for the purpose of rent in advance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward from 42 weeks the period for inducing labour in at risk expectant mothers.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The induction of labour is a clinical decision for healthcare professionals. These decisions are based on the latest available evidence and take account of the risk and other clinical factors for each individual pregnancy.
To assist healthcare professionals, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published clinical guidelines on the induction of labour, which are available on the NICE website at:
www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/12012/41256/41256.pdf.
The NICE guidelines advise that women with uncomplicated pregnancies should usually be offered induction of labour between 41+0 and 42+0 weeks.
Women can be deemed high risk for a multitude of reasons. Each reason will carry its own set of criteria for delivery. It is not possible to say that induction for all at risk pregnancies should be brought forward as these should be reviewed according to individual needs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Baroness Clark of Kilwinning on Business, Innovation and Skills.
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Jenny Willott
All available information relating to the estate of Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is held by the maintenance provider. This information includes reports and other information relating to asbestos in buildings.
This is available on request to all maintenance provider contractors.
Other interested parties such as staff, need to be directed to the maintenance provider by Property Asset Management Directorate who work for BIS.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hoban on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to ensure that health professionals are trained in the identification and notification of (a) all special educational needs and (b) educational needs related to cerebral palsy in children under two years of age.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The Government works with Health Education England, which provides leadership on the training of the health workforce, and the professional regulatory bodies, such as the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which set professional standards, to ensure that health professionals are appropriately trained in identification and support of children with special educational needs, or cerebral palsy.
Clinical commissioning groups are under a statutory duty to make arrangements to notify the local authority where a provider is of the opinion that a child under compulsory school age has special educational needs (having first discussed this with the child’s parents). The Children and Families Act introduces new arrangements for local authorities and health services to work together to support children with special educational needs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Jonathan Djanogly on Transport.
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Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department’s estimates of vehicle flows give the average number of vehicles per mile of the A14 on an average day of the year. Figures for the last three years are in the table below.
|
Year
|
Average daily number of vehicles per mile
|
|
2011 |
46,073 |
|
2012 |
46,013 |
|
2013 |
46,709 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will introduce legislative proposals to protect police dogs by recognising them as an extension of their handler as a police officer.
Simon Hughes
The Government agrees that attacks of any sort on police dogs, horses or any other police animal should be dealt with severely under the criminal law. However, it is not necessary to create a new offence in order to do this.
An attack on a police dog can be treated as animal cruelty under s4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The maximum penalty is six months imprisonment, or a fine of up to £20,000, or both.