Category: Speeches

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of prisoners are identified as having an alcoholic disorder.

    Ben Gummer

    According to the most recent centrally collected data published in 2013, (the Ministry of Justice Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction data collection of prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in 2005 and 2006 in England and Wales), 32% of male and female prisoners who reported drinking in the four weeks before custody said they drank on a daily basis.

    Prisoners who consumed alcohol at any stage in the four weeks prior to custody consumed a median of 12 units, which is indicative of binge drinking, according to NHS Choices. Using this measure, 63% of prisoners who drank alcohol in the four weeks before custody would be classified as binge drinkers.

    The 2013 report, Gender differences in substance misuse and mental health amongst prisoners Results from the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) longitudinal cohort study of prisoners, is available from the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/220060/gender-substance-misuse-mental-health-prisoners.pdf

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage other countries to fulfil their commitments to funding initiatives to tackle HIV, TB and malaria.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK government supports calls for shared responsibility and global solidarity in the response to HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

    We strongly believe countries should commit according to their ability to contribute. The UK uses fora such as the UNAIDS and Global Fund board meetings to urge other countries to contribute their fair share to end AIDS, TB and Malaria.

    The UK is also helping to build the evidence that additional domestic resources invested in health can provide high returns, e.g. through the work of the Commission on Investing in Health.

  • Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that jobcentres help younger jobseekers plan for the future.

    Priti Patel

    This Government is committed to ensuring all young people are either earning or learning. That is why we have launched Jobcentre Plus support for schools and from April 2017 we will ensure all young people are supported through our new Youth Obligation.

  • Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce country of origin labels for dairy products in (1) the UK, and (2) across the EU; and if so, when.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government supports the industry voluntary agreement for labelling origin of food, which has resulted in clear and honest origin labelling in the vast majority of dairy products sold in UK shops.

    We have also been pushing for improved origin labelling for dairy products in Europe, including a proper consideration of mandatory origin labelling for lightly processed dairy products such as butter, cheese and cream. Many producers and retailers in the UK provide this information voluntarily, reflecting consumer demand and the acceptable cost of such schemes, but consumers can feel misled where this information is not available.

    New Implementing Acts on origin labelling of the main ingredients of food where these are different from the place of production of the food itself have recently been proposed by the Commission and the UK will engage with the Commission to ensure that these measures are effective.

  • Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Turkish government on the conflict in South East Turkey and further steps to protect the civilian population in that region.

    Mr David Lidington

    We are aware of reports of civilian casualties in south east Turkey. The Turkish Government have said that 120 civilians and more than twice that number of Turkish police and military personnel have lost their lives in clashes between 20 July 2015 and 17 February 2016. We continue to believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. As in any conflict, civilian casualties should be avoided and human rights need to be fully protected.

    The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and our Ambassador in Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process. We have been clear, in public and private, that PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can. I raised these issues when I met Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister on 12 March and with my Turkish counterpart the last time we met in August 2015.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role clinical commissioning groups have in the prevention of HIV transmission.

    Jane Ellison

    Local authorities are responsible for commissioning HIV prevention. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for HIV testing when clinically indicated in CCG-commissioned services (including accident and emergency and other hospital departments).

  • Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the effect of antimicrobial resistance on hospital budgets.

    Jane Ellison

    The current cost of antimicrobial resistance to the National Health Service is estimated to be in excess of £180 million per annum.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning reports of continuing and increasing collective punishment of Palestinian communities, including punitive demolitions of private homes in the West Bank and the withholding of tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have serious concerns about the use of punitive demolitions by the Israeli authorities to destroy the homes of the families of Palestinian suspected terrorists. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have expressed concerns about this policy to a number of Israeli officials: we fear that rather than acting as a deterrent, it has the potential to increase tension. We believe that a stable, well functioning, and fiscally viable Palestinian Authority (PA) is an important contributor to stability, and that it is in Israel’s own interests to secure this stability. As part of this, it is important Israel carries out the regular monthly transfer of tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA in line with its international obligations.

  • Amanda Solloway – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Amanda Solloway – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Amanda Solloway on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust response times for stroke victims for whom 999 emergency services are requested.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    This is a matter for East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, working with its commissioners and other local partners and supported by NHS Improvement.

    The Trust intends to deliver improved performance for all patients, including patients who have had a stroke. This includes increasing the resources available to respond to patients by recruiting more frontline staff and investing in new ambulances to increase the fleet size. The Trust is also working with the local acute hospitals and commissioners to help reduce the delays experienced by ambulance crews when handing over patients at hospitals and reviewing its stroke care practice to ensure that stroke patients are taken to specialist centres within the ideal timeline.

  • Chris Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chris Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Evans on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) Representations and Appeals Regulations 2007 to enable the adjudicator to make an order awarding costs and expenses to appellants in successful parking appeals; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Under current regulations the adjudicator may make an order awarding costs and expenses against an enforcement authority where the adjudicator considers that the disputed decision was wholly unreasonable. The adjudicator may also award costs and expenses against either party where that party has acted frivolously or vexatiously or where their conduct in making, pursuing or resisting an appeal was wholly unreasonable. The Government has no plans to change this arrangement.