Category: Speeches

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the annual cost to the public purse of (a) extending free dental check-ups to people aged 60 and over and (b) exempting people aged over 60 from all dental charges.

    David Mowat

    The table below shows the estimated cost of extending exemption to National Health Service dental charges for paying patients under the age of 21, age 60 and over and for examinations only for patients aged 60 and over.

    Age Group

    Estimated Cost

    People aged 18-21

    £15.7 million

    People aged 60 and over

    £329.2 million

    People aged 60 and over (for check-ups only)

    £25.1 million

    This data is based on FP17s submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority for general dentistry courses of treatment completed between April 2015 and March 2016. It shows the amount of patient revenue, based on 2016/17 charge levels, which would be foregone should the currently fee paying groups be made exempt.

    Dentists are required to submit a form called an FP17 for every course of NHS dental treatment they provide. The figures assume no increase in the number of patients currently accessing NHS dental care, in reality additional patients may seek NHS treatment if they were to become exempt.

  • Lord Warner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimates they have made of the impact of the National Living Wage on registered care providers, both domiciliary and residential, in the first year of the National Living Wage’s introduction; and whether they will classify the National Living Wage as a new burden on local authorities for which they should receive grant increases to pay care providers.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department has engaged with the social care sector, including care providers, to understand how the introduction of the National Living Wage will affect them. The overall costs to local authorities of providing social care are being considered as part of the Spending Review.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 1 December (HL3716), what legal redress is available to patients denied access to mental health care by public health authorities that fail to comply with the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 on equal priority for mental and physical health.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government is committed to achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health and we expect people to have access to appropriate care and treatment based on their needs. We have implemented the first waiting times for mental health to improve access to mental health services. If individuals are dissatisfied with the services they are receiving, they may raise their concerns using local complaints procedures and if necessary with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many houses he expects to be built in the UK in 2016.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department for Communities and Local Government does not publish forecasts of house building.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date the (a) Cycle Proofing Working Group and (b) Cycling Health sub-group last met.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Cycle Proofing Working Group met on 14 January 2016. The Department for Transport does not have a Cycling Health sub-group.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the balance of trade between the UK and the rest of the EU was in (a) sugars and confectionery, (b) beverages and tobacco, (c) animal products, (d) cereals and preparations and (e) fish and fish products using the same definitions as in the presentation of information on page 15 of The process of withdrawing from the EU, in the last year for which data is available.

    Anna Soubry

    The trade balance between the UK and the rest of the EU in the above commodity groups in 2015 is given in the table below. These figures are sourced from HM Revenue and Customs’ Overseas Trade Statistics database and based on the same definitions as in the presentation of information on page 15 of ‘The process of withdrawing from the EU’.

    Commodity (HS commodity code)

    UK trade balance with the EU (£ million), 2015

    Sugars and confectionery (HS 17)

    -451

    Beverages and tobacco (HS 2009, 2201-08)

    -1,969

    Animal products (HS 01, 02, 1601-02)

    -3,465

    Cereals and preparations (HS 0407-10, 10, 1101-04, 1107-09, 19, 2102-06, 2209)

    -2,729

    Fish and fish products (HS 03, 0508, 051191, 150410, 150420, 1603-05, 230120)

    +84

    Source: HM Revenue and Customs Overseas Trade Statistics database

  • John Woodcock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    John Woodcock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the purchase and subsequent support contracts for the P-8A aircraft will come under the single source contract regulations.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 December 2015 to Question 19776 to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle).

    The Ministry of Defence has not yet made a final decision on the method for contracting for delivery of the P8-A Poseiden aircraft to the UK. Therefore the information requested is yet to be determined.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 13 April 2016 to Question 32812, whether the figures provided for sums to be spent annually and in total are additional to each other; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    The 2015 Spending Review agreed funding rising to £130m per year for the Work and Health Programme, focussing support for people with a disability or health condition and the long term unemployed (over 24 months). This figure is separate and in addition to the Prime Minister’s announced plans to provide further support and funding for people with mental health issues to retain or regain employment.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeal tribunal decisions in relation to re-assessments of entitlement of disability living allowance for children found in favour of the Department for Work and Pensions in the last three years for which figures are available.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the level of adherence by the Palestinian National Authority to the principle of non-violence set out in the Memorandum of Understanding between her Department and that authority; and if she will make a statement.

    James Wharton

    The UK deplores incitement to violence on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and takes the issue of incitement extremely seriously. When incidents of incitement to violence do occur, we do not hesitate to raise and condemn these with the Palestinian Authority. The UK raises the issue of incitement as part of the FCO-led UK-Palestinian strategic dialogue, most recently in February this year. HMG’s assessment is that the Palestinian Authority is not in breach of the Memorandum of Understanding. The UK continues to encourage the leaderships of both the PA and Israel to re-engage in the Trilateral Committee on Anti-Incitement.