Category: Speeches

  • Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve ambulance services.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is working with Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority to improve performance in 2014-15, this includes a workstream looking at best practice.

    However, this Government also wants to tackle the root causes of the increasing demand on urgent and emergency care services.

    That is why the Urgent and Emergency Care review, led by Sir Bruce Keogh, is currently considering whole system change to the delivery of urgent and emergency care, including new models of delivery of care for ambulance services, such as:

    – general practitioner and other clinical support/advice in control rooms and to crews on the ground and how it can reduce conveyance rates (particularly for frail and elderly, mental health, and children) and;

    – prevention work available to the Ambulance Service: early diagnosis and risk management.

    In addition, as part of the Review, NHS England is working closely with stakeholders (including the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives) to ensure that ambulance services can be further developed and commissioned as a treatment as well as a transport service.

    As part of this work, an Ambulance Task Group has been set up and is working with Health Education England to reform the training and careers framework for paramedics – to involve developing a skilled set of advanced practitioners in the Ambulance Service to deliver care closer to home using hear & treat and see & treat models.

    The first phase of the Review was published last November. We expect NHS England to be publishing further reports later this year.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2014, Official Report, column 510W, on the electoral register: young people, how the £4.2 million funding to maximise the rate of voter registration ahead of the transition to individual electoral registration has been spent; and what measures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of this spending.

    Greg Clark

    Funding has been provided to all 363 local authorities and valuation joint boards in Great Britain, and five national organisations, to support the costs of activities for maximising registration as part of the transition to individual electoral registration.

    Guidance has been made available to support them in evaluating the success of activity delivered through this funding. Government officials will continue to work closely with funding recipients to monitor and measure the outcomes.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials of his Department are working on the Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2014, Official Report, columns 250-1W, on special educational needs, when he expects to make an announcement on the effect of reforms on funding for special educational needs.

    Mr David Laws

    On 13 March, I announced proposals to allocate £350 million to our least fairly funded local areas in 2015-16. This is the biggest step towards fairer schools funding in a decade, and it puts us in a much better position to implement a national funding formula when the time is right.

    To allocate this £350 million as fairly as possible, we selected the characteristics we think contribute most to the attainment of pupils and viability of schools, and set indicative minimum funding levels for each of these. These characteristics include deprivation and low prior attainment, both of which show some correlation with low-cost, high incidence special educational needs (SEN). We looked at the average value attached by local authorities to these characteristics and used these as a basis for our proposed minimum funding levels. Applying these minimum funding levels could mean that some of the least fairly funded local authorities with high numbers of these pupils see a benefit.

    This additional £350 million applies to the schools block of the dedicated schools grant that local authorities receive. However, this is one of three notional blocks of funding, and local authorities are free to move money between their schools block, high needs block and early years block as they see fit. It is therefore possible that local authorities could choose to move the additional money to their high needs block to support children with high-cost special educational needs.

    Our proposals are still at the consultation stage. For more information, please see the consultation at the following address:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016

    “

  • Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2014-05-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what briefings they have received from the United Kingdom Ambassador to Nigeria with regard to the incitement by certain individuals to treat some children as witches; and what reports they have received about the physical and mental effects on children subjected to such accusations.

    Baroness Warsi

    Our High Commission in Abuja have previously reported on children being accused of witchcraft in Nigeria. We are aware of various reports detailing the physical and mental damage caused by such accusations. Our officials in Nigeria, and in London, regularly meet with individuals and non-governmental organisations to discuss this.

    Child abuse is appalling and unacceptable wherever it occurs and in whatever form it takes. Abuse linked to faith is an abhorrent crime, which should be condemned by people of all cultures, communities and faiths.

  • Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many contracts with her Department are held by Airwave; what the value is of each such contract; and when each such contract is due for renewal.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Department has 57 contracts with Airwave Solutions Limited. The total
    whole-life value of all the contracts is estimated at £4.18 billion (the cost
    may vary, depending on usage). All contracts commenced between 21 September 2001 and
    31 December 2005 and are due for expiry between 21September 2016 to 31December 2020.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with (a) church and community leaders from black and minority ethnic communities and (b) Operation Black Vote on increasing registration levels for voters in those communities.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what proportion of employees in her Department of what (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The figures for staff in my Department falling under these work patterns by grade and gender are as follows:

    (i) Zero;

    (ii) Flexi-time is granted under local arrangements between line managers and their staff and the details are not held centrally;

    (iii) None of the staff in my Department work from home on a full time basis;

    (iv) Band A 9% male;

    (v) No one in my Department job shares;

    (vi) Band B (SEO) 8% female;

    (vii) Figures for part time working in my Department are given below:

    Male

    Female

    Band A

    9%

    –

    Band B

    14%

    –

    Band C

    –

    –

    Band D

    –

    8%

    Band E

    –

    33%

    Band F

    –

    22%

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government’s proposed Deregulation Bill on tourism employment in England.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    At present, local authorities set term and holiday dates for about 30% of secondary schools and 70% of primary schools (around half of all registered pupils). The Deregulation Bill gives more schools the flexibility to make changes should they wish to, although the experience of the academies programme and voluntary aided (church) schools, suggests that only a small percentage of schools are likely to vary their term dates.

    The Department for Education has produced an assessment of the impact of the changes. Whilst there will be greater flexibility, we expect that sensible conversations between the local authority and schools on coordination will take place. Variations to term dates could also help businesses and employers, for example, in areas of high-seasonal employment where employees may welcome the chance to holiday outside of peak tourist periods. For example, Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell has a two-week half term in May/June to accommodate parents’ seasonal employment patterns.

    A separate assessment of the specific impact on tourism related jobs in seaside towns or seaside economies has not been carried out.

  • Mr Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mr Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Gregory Campbell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure people who are currently employed by the Driver and Vehicle Agency receive training to enable them to take up local posts in other Government departments and public bodies..

    Stephen Hammond

    Department for Transport officials are working with those in Northern Ireland to support any Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) staff who might need to learn new skills to secure alternative employment. An initial meeting has taken place to discuss the details. Officials will continue to work together to ensure appropriate support is given to staff at the DVA during the transition period.