The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2015-11-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Local Government Transparency Code 2015; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
My Department is currently reviewing compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made by (a) his Department and (b) NHS commissioners to ensure NHS services in England are meeting the six inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) standards set out by the IBD Standards Board in the 2013 Board Report; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
The six inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) standards were published in 2013 by the IBD standards group, an independent organisation made up of a number of clinical professional organisations and the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK. The standards were designed to support clinicians, commissioning organisations in developing IBD services locally and may be considered, if appropriate, alongside sources of guidance, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
In February 2015, NICE published a Quality Standard (QS) for IBD. As part of the QS development process, the IBD Standards Group and other related organisations submitted evidence to help shape the four Quality Statements which constitute the QS. The NICE QSs are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers the key elements of what a high quality service should look like in a particular area of care.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the care of, and better respond to, NHS patients with chronic pain.
Jane Ellison
Health Education England is responsible for providing national leadership on education, training and workforce development in the National Health Service in England. The professional regulators, such as the General Medical Council, set the standards and outcomes for education and training and approve training curricula. Higher Education Institutions are responsible for ensuring the programmes they provide allow students to meet these standards and outcomes. Royal colleges, such as the Royal College of General Practitioners also have responsibility for developing curricula for doctors and nurses, in particular postgraduate curricula. This process ensures that healthcare professionals have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care, including in pain management, which is a required competency of all healthcare professionals.
Many patients with chronic pain can be successfully supported and managed through routine primary and secondary care pain management services. It is important that patients with the most serious pain management issues are able to access specialist care. A patient whose pain is particularly difficult to manage may be referred to a specialised pain management service. Under the care of an expert multidisciplinary team, patients may be offered specialised pain management programmes specifically and more complex drug treatments.
To support clinicians in the management of pain, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published several clinical guidelines on the treatment and management of different types of pain, such as migraine and back pain, as well as technical guidance on specific treatments, such as the use of opiates in palliative care and deep brain stimulation for chronic pain.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department gives to former service personnel who are approached by officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland investigating allegations of criminal behaviour during the Troubles; whether such assistance is given before or after that person has been charged; and if he will make a statement.
Penny Mordaunt
In accordance with its normal policy, the Department funds the provision of legal advice to current or former Service personnel whose conduct in the course of their duties in Northern Ireland is being investigated by the police with a view to possible prosecution. This support includes the services of a barrister wherever necessary. The support will be available from the point at which the individual is notified that the police wish to interview him or her as a suspect, which will of course be before any charge, and will continue until the determination of the proceedings. In addition, the Department works closely with Regimental Associations and other Service and veterans’ welfare organisations to ensure the provision of appropriate pastoral support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects discussions to begin with the US government on extending the lease for the military base on Diego Garcia.
James Duddridge
We have been clear that we want to see US presence continue. No decisions have yet been made about whether and when to have discussions with the US about their continued presence on Diego Garcia.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2016-04-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will establish a compulsory register for drone ownership following similar action by the Federal Aviation Administration in the US; and if not, why not.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are exploring a range of options for monitoring and enforcing regulations on drone use in the UK. This includes the potential for types of registration schemes, such as are implemented in the US and Ireland. The Department for Transport is in contact with both these authorities, as part of our work into understanding the benefits of such schemes, in terms of transparency of ownership and enforcement, as against their costs to business and other users. HM Government intends to consult on options this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taken to encourage the use of solar power in new building developments in England.
Andrea Leadsom
Solar power is a good option for developers looking to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their building stock. We encourage such installations by allowing solar power on new building developments to qualify for the Feed-in-Tariff scheme, and through Building Regulations that set demanding energy performance targets for new buildings.
The Regulations were strengthened most recently in April 2014, to a level that means builders increasingly have to consider the use of renewable technologies in their designs. These could be solar panels, or they could be other types of renewables, which might be more appropriate depending on the location.
As the costs of panels continue to fall, we expect developers will increasingly see the value of installing solar power on new buildings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will undertake a review of the law relating to the operation of online pharmacies; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Dinenage
Until 31 March 2013 the Ministry of Justice published twice yearly updates on coroners’ reports to prevent future deaths. The relevant information can be found in the links below to the four reports which cover the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013:
Reports since 1 April 2013 are posted on the Chief Coroner’s website at https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/related-offices-and-bodies/office-chief-coroner/pfd-reports/
Any review of the law relating to the operation of on-line prescribing would be the responsibility of the Department of Health.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-09-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Kofi Annan and members of the new panel investigating the conflict in Rakhine State in Burma.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On 15 September, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Honourable Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma), spoke on the phone with Kofi Annan, Chair of the new Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. He commended Mr Annan on his appointment and expressed the UK’s support for the work of the Commission. We welcome State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s initiative in establishing this Commission, whose work will play an important part in providing independent advice on how to resolve intercommunal tensions in Rakhine state.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2015-11-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will allocate additional funding to the Superconnected Cities fund for those applications in the most recent round that were unsuccessful.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Any decision regarding funding is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.