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

    Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 9 December (HL4036), what assessment they have made of whether it is appropriate for the Chief Executive of NHS England to take part in a political debate programme, and of whether doing so is consistent with the requirement for senior public servants to remain politically neutral; and whether they plan to issue new guidance to NHS England on the basis of that assessment.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, is not a civil servant and it is for him to take decisions on invitations received. There are no plans to issue guidance to NHS England.

  • Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the progress made by the Metropolitan Police in introducing out-of-court-disposal scrutiny panels for youth and adult crime across Greater London.

    Lord Faulks

    The Government has made no assessment of the progress made by the Metropolitan Police in establishing out of court disposal scrutiny panels. We are working with PCCs to ensure there are appropriate scrutiny arrangements in place.

  • Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Commissioners of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact receive funding to cover travel and hotel expenses ahead of visits, or whether they are reimbursed for meeting those costs personally.

    Baroness Verma

    The majority of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) commissioners’ air and rail journeys and hotels are booked in advance by the ICAI secretariat through DFID’s internal travel system to ensure value for money in line with DFID/ICAI guidance. These invoices are then verified and settled by the Secretariat. In the minority of cases where travel cannot be booked in advance, commissioners pay up-front and their submitted expense claims with receipts are then verified by the Head of the Secretariat and reimbursed.

  • Baroness Hayman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Hayman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayman on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 26 November (HL3704), whether they have completed their review of the possibility of resuming direct flights to Sierra Leone, and if so, whether they are currently processing any permissions for flights to begin.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government has now lifted the restriction on direct, scheduled, commercial air services between Sierra Leone and the UK. The Department is aware of one company that has applied for, and been issued, a Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit by the Civil Aviation Authority to operate services between Sierra Leone and the UK.

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

    Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to produce a national strategy plan for the health and care of older prisoners.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The health and social care needs of older prisoners will continue to be managed through health needs assessments (HNAs). HNAs address these needs on a prison-by-prison basis, reflect the diverse health needs of prisoners, including older prisoners, and identify the health needs which inform health commissioning in that establishment.

    Public Health England, NHS England and the National Offender Management Service commission individual HNAs in all prisons in England on a regular basis, as part of the commissioning timetable.

  • Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the annual amount spent on upgrading the railway tracks and stations between Salisbury and Exeter between 2015 and 2020 will increase or decrease in real terms.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Network Rail currently has no funded strategic plans for significant upgrading on this route. However, it advises that it is working closely with local stakeholders, including Local Enterprise Partnerships and local authorities, to work up potential schemes that could support growth and meet the needs of passengers.

  • Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their strategy for the continued protection of Alawites, Christians and Druze in the areas of Syria now controlled by the government of President Assad.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The current state of the Syrian civil war makes it difficult to offer explicit protection to Syrian minorities. The Assad regime creates the conditions for extremism in Syria by prosecuting a war it cannot win, destroying communities and the social fabric of the country. The only way to secure the position of Syria’s minority communities is to find a political solution to the crisis.

    However, the International Syria Support Group has agreed that protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious domination is fundamental. The UK will continue to work with this, as political discussions continue.

    The UK also supports non-governmental efforts to promote dialogue between different ethnic and sectarian groups in Syria, as we seek further progress on a political settlement. Minorities including Alawites, Christians, Druze, Kurds and Turkmen have been represented in these projects.

  • Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the freedom of Christian worship afforded to British citizens visiting Turkey.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    It is our understanding that British citizens are not hindered from Christian worship in Turkey. As stated in the EU Commission’s Annual Progress Report on Turkey released on 10 November, freedom of worship continues to be generally respected.

  • Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the freedom of Christian worship by British citizens visiting the Maldives.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Maldives is an Islamic country. Under its laws public observance of any religion other than Islam is prohibited. We state this in our Travel Advice and advise UK tourists to respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they next intend to revise or update the Agricultural Land Classification Survey guidelines.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government currently has no plan to revise or update the Agricultural Land Classification Survey guidelines, but will keep their suitability under review.