Category: Speeches

  • The Countess of Mar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The Countess of Mar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Countess of Mar on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether patients have the legal right to be referred to any hospital provider of their choice, no matter where the consultant is located in England, subject to the provisos listed on the NHS website under Choosing your Hospital; whether patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy in Sussex and elsewhere have been denied the opportunity to do so by local clinical commissioning groups when their general practitioners request a referral; and, if so, why.

    Earl Howe

    The 2014-15 Choice Framework and the NHS Constitution, both available on .gov.uk, set out when patients have legal rights to choice.

    The NHS Constitution states that patients have the rightto make choices about the services commissioned by National Health Service bodies and to information to support these choices.

    The 2014-15 NHS Choice Framework establishes that if a patient needs to see a consultant or specialist as an outpatient for a physical or mental health condition, they can choose the organisation that provides their NHS care and treatment anywhere in England for their first outpatient appointment. They can also choose which consultant-led team or which mental health team led by a named health care professional will be in charge of their NHS care and treatment for their first outpatient appointment.

    The organisation can be any clinically appropriate health service provider with whom any clinical commissioning group or NHS England has a commissioning contract for the service required as a result of the referral, but the team must be clinically appropriate and led by a named consultant or health professional who is employed or engaged by that health service provider.

    There are also times that patients are not able to make a choice, and these are outlined in the Choice Framework and the Handbook to the NHS Constitution. For example, patients can only choose a hospital or clinic that offers the right treatment and care for their condition. Furthermore, if patients need urgent or emergency treatment, they cannot choose who they see.

    If a patient, who is not covered by the exemptions, has not been offered choice, or denied the opportunity to exercise choice by a clinical commissioning group, the 2014-15 Choice Framework sets out a clear complaints procedure.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time for applicants for the personal independence payment (PIP) in each region of the UK is between submission of the PIP2 form and the date of receipt of the first payment after an assessment from each assessment provider.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby, official report, 5 March, column 850W.

    In order to manage the gap between Personal Independence Payment go-live and the first release of Official Statistics in Spring 2014, we are assessing whether we can release some further information. If the quality assurance of this information shows that it is sufficiently robust and reliable then we will publish it via ad-hoc statistical releases.

  • Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will review the level of the debt threshold for a creditor bankruptcy petition.

    Jenny Willott

    We plan to review the debt threshold for a creditor bankruptcy petition this year.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to combat domestic violence.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Government is determined to do all it can to tackle domestic violence and abuse and bring perpetrators to justice. Our approach is set out in our strategy, ‘Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls’ published in November 2010, together with a supporting Action Plan. A revised version of the Action Plan was published in March 2014 and contains a hundred and fifty actions across Government departments.

    We are committed to ensuring that the police response to victims of domestic violence is as good as it can be. That is why last September, the Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to conduct an all force review of domestic violence. HMIC published its findings on 27 March 2014 and highlighted serious failings in the police response. In response to the review, the Home Secretary is leading a series of measures to improve the police response. This includes establishing a new national oversight group, which she will chair. The Home Secretary has also written to chief constables making it clear that the police must make significant improvements and that every police force must have an action plan in place by September 2014 to address HMIC’s findings.

    The Coalition Government is also committed to ensuring that the police and other agencies have the tools necessary to tackle domestic violence, to bring offenders to justice and to ensure victims have the support they need to rebuild their lives. That is why on 8 March 2014, we commenced the national rollout of Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme across England and Wales and why we are currently providing funding for 144 Independent Domestic Violence Advisers and 54 Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference co-ordinators.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) National Savings and Investments staff will be employed administering tax-free childcare in (i) 2015-16, (ii) 2016-17, (iii) 2017-18 and (iv) 2018-19.

    Nicky Morgan

    On the 23 May the Government published a further consultation on the delivery of childcare accounts within Tax-Free Childcare. The consultation will be open until 27 June and the Government will consider the responses alongside those to the first consultation before it makes its decision on the provision of childcare accounts.

  • The Earl of Listowel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The Earl of Listowel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Listowel on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are offering local authorities to implement the staying put duty in the Children and Families Act 2014.

    Lord Nash

    The Government will be giving local authorities an additional £40 million over the next three years to help implement the new ‘Staying Put’ duty. The Department for Education will shortly be publishing revised ‘Transitions to Adulthood’ statutory guidance, which will include specific guidance for local authorities on implementing the duty.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which Arts Council England strategic programmes are designed specifically to address the National Lottery directions issued in 2007.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Lottery Distributors, including Arts Council England, are required to take account of directions issued under Section 26 (1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. It is for the Arts Council to determine how best to do so in designing its strategic programmes.

  • Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the levels of poverty among Tamils living in Sri Lanka.

    Mr Alan Duncan

    Sri Lanka has met Millennium Development Goal No 1 which calls for the halving of extreme poverty, and is on track to meet most other MDGs. Poverty remains in areas of northern and eastern Sri Lanka where large numbers of Tamils live. We do not have a breakdown by ethnic group.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what risk assessment he has made of the safety of aircraft handlers and maintenance personnel due to the noise produced by the Joint Strike Fighter.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Full assessment has been made regarding the noise levels of the Joint Strike Fighter. Personnel noise exposure risk is managed in accordance with The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, 2005 and will include a combination of personal protective equipment and procedures to control daily noise exposure, normal practice for personnel operating machinery such as helicopters, tanks and other aircraft.

  • Nick de Bois – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nick de Bois – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick de Bois on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the prospects for UK exporters to Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    In October 2013, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office conducted an assessment to identify the prospects for UK export expansion to Turkey. The report concluded that UK exports to Turkey are projected to increase from £4.9 billion in 2011 to £9 billion in 2020. The report also identified which sectors provided the greatest opportunities and are most critical to growing UK exports to Turkey. UK Trade and Investment is leading for Government in actively helping UK business to maximise opportunities.