Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reduce waiting times for autism diagnosis.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The number of children, young people and adults diagnosed with autism by the National Health Service is not collected centrally. Latest figures from the School Census (2015) state that there were 90,775 pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder at state funded schools and non-maintained special schools in England. This has increased from a total of 56,250 in 2010 who were recorded as having a primary need of autism, but it is not directly comparable to the 2015 figures because of a change in collection methodology. Local authority areas provide information for Public Health England’s annual self-assessment exercise on implementing the Autism Strategy. This includes the number of adults receiving an autism diagnosis but because information is submitted on a voluntary basis a complete total for England is not available.

    The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis and support in a timely manner. NHS England has commenced a programme to visit clinical commissioning groups to identify and share good practice in accessing autism diagnosis, and look at possible barriers. The Department is funding the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services to support this work. NHS England will complete a report on this by the end of April 2016.

    The Department is also encouraging the autism third sector to work together and the four charity representatives on the Cross Government Autism Programme Board, which oversees the implementation of the Autism Strategy, gave presentations at the meeting on 18 February on work they are doing to increase public awareness. The charities are the National Autistic Society, the Autism Alliance UK, Autism Plus and Ambitious about Autism. The Autism Alliance UK is also being funded by the Department to undertake work with national and local organisations, to make reasonable adjustments to services and to train staff to be aware of what autism can mean to individuals who have the condition and their families.

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre’s publication Estimating the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Conditions in Adults – Extending the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) gave the overall prevalence of autism in England as 1.1% (95% confidence interval 0.3% to 1.9%). Among adults with learning disabilities living in private households whose learning disability was sufficiently severe that they could not have taken part in the 2007 APMS, the prevalence of autism was 35.4% (95% confidence interval 24.7% to 46.2%). Among adults with mild or severe learning disabilities living in communal care establishments, the prevalence of autism was 31% (95% confidence interval 23.9% to 38%). Detailed supporting information regarding the underlying data and how figures have been derived is found within the detail of the report, a copy of which is attached.

    The APMS was repeated in 2014 and findings are scheduled to be published in September 2016.

  • Gordon Henderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gordon Henderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that absent parents financially support their children.

    Priti Patel

    Child Maintenance Options provide free and impartial information and support to help separated parents make decisions about their child maintenance arrangements. For parents who are unable to make a family-based arrangement the government has introduced a new statutory Child Maintenance Service, which will bring speedier processing of applications, simpler calculations and faster enforcement action, where necessary.

    Where parents fail to fulfil their financial responsibilities towards their children we have a range of strong enforcement powers at our disposal. These powers include deducting maintenance directly from earnings, instructing bailiffs to collect arrears or seize goods, forcing the sale of property, disqualification from driving and commitment to prison.

  • Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws on 2016-04-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of freedom of expression in Bangladesh, including the threats of criminal defamation against individual journalists and editors, and whether they will raise any specific concerns with the government of Bangladesh.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We believe that a vibrant civil society and free media, able to challenge and hold authority to account, are fundamental to a democratic and economically successful society. We have made clear our concerns about freedom of expression in Bangladesh, most recently in a press statement about the murder of Nazimuddin Samad. In that statement the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), restated our position that the right to freedom of expression and open debate in Bangladesh must be upheld.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of funding the collection of modern exposure data on occupational carcinogens.

    Justin Tomlinson

    HSE has participated in a European Commission funded pilot project exploring the development of a database to capture data on occupational exposures to hazardous substances in workplaces, see: http://www.hazchematwork.eu/. The pilot is expected to report later this year.

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will place in the Library copies of the cost assurance statements prepared by Bright Tribe Multi-Academy Trust and Adventure Learning Academies Trust in relation to the requirement that the trusts were meeting at cost principles for related party transactions.

    Edward Timpson

    The Education Funding Agency is due to publish a report about Bright Tribe Trust. This final report will include the Trust’s progress in implementing recommendations set out by the EFA in December 2015; and will incorporate how assurance is obtained that services are provided at cost. Once this report is published, a copy will be placed in the Library.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what proportion of people given security clearance and passes in 2015 to work for construction, maintenance and refurbishment purposes in the Palace of Westminster were not UK nationals.

    Tom Brake

    In 2015 responsibility for construction, maintenance and refurbishment was held by the Parliamentary Estates Department. The Pass Office database shows that 2,529 CTC (Counter Terrorist Check) clearances were conducted on those working in PED in 2015. Of these, 366 were non-UK nationals. This equates to 14.47% of all those given security clearance for work in the department in 2015.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they plan to give to the Clean For The Queen campaign, which aims to conduct a nationwide litter cleaning campaign next year to celebrate Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government is delighted to support and endorse this excellent initiative. Litter and fly-tipping blight communities and pose a risk to human health, which is why tackling them is a priority for the Government. The Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs gave his backing to the campaign when it was launched, and we will continue to promote it, to help reach as many people as possible.

    Our experience with the first Community Clear-Up Day in March demonstrated the enthusiasm and willingness of people across England to give some of their time to improve their local environment. The Clean for The Queen campaign provides a great opportunity for people to come together and clean up our local streets and parks.

    We hope the campaign will help lead to a lasting legacy of a cleaner, tidier Britain

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England and (d) each non-departmental public body spent on downloading apps for smartphones and similar devices in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    Information about the cost of downloading apps for smartphones and similar devices in the Department and its arm’s length bodies for each of the last five years is in the tables below.

    The National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) is unable to provide a response to this question as it would incur disproportional cost to establish whether this information is held. We don’t have a separate expense code that would enable an easy search of this type of expenditure.

    Health Education England do not collect this data. Applications are usually purchased by the individual and claimed back through expenses.

    Organisation

    Cost

    Department of Health

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Care Quality Commission

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Health and Social Care Information Centre

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Health Research Authority

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Human Tissue Authority

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Monitor

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    NHS England

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Public Health England

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    Organisation

    Cost

    Health Research Authority

    2011-12

    Nil

    2012-13

    Nil

    2013-14

    Nil

    2014-15

    Nil

    2015-16 to date

    Nil

    NICE is unable to provide a response to this question as it would incur disproportional cost to establish whether this information is held. We don’t have a separate expense code that would enable an easy search of this type of expenditure.

    Health Education England do not collect this data. Applications are usually purchased by the individual and claimed back through expenses.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on public health of rising levels of alcohol consumption in England.

    Jane Ellison

    There has been a reduction in overall consumption in recent years which is welcome, but there is no room for complacency. Harms such as liver disease remain much too high.

    To help people understand how to keep health risks from alcohol consumption low, the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers published new low risk alcohol guidelines on 8 January 2016.

  • Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they envisage for British-produced and British-manufactured steel in the Northern Powerhouse.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The UK steel industry has a key role in generating future economic growth across the country, including the Northern Powerhouse region. The steel sector is a critical element of the supply chain for high technology industries like aerospace, automotive and construction. These all require high value, continually improving steel products in order to remain competitive.

    The Government wants to drive up the number of public procurement contracts won by UK steel manufacturers, and have updated procurement rules accordingly. There are more major projects in the pipeline offering opportunities, for example HS2 and Network Rail’s £38bn five-year investment and replacement programme. We have mapped rough estimates of steel that could be needed for major projects including the above: we have shared this with industry and will continue updating them. Steps have also been agreed with industry on how to make better use of the pipelines as they are updated on a six monthly basis.