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  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to address transgender patient discrimination in the National Health Service.

    Earl Howe

    We expect people with transgender issues to have the same access to National Health Service treatment, including mental health services, as anybody else in the population. Mental Health has been a priority for this Government for several years now. We made this commitment explicit in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which, for the first time, creates equal status for mental and physical health across Government and for the NHS and social care.

    Since April 2013, gender identity services have been commissioned by NHS England. NHS England will continue to work with the transgendered community, clinical experts and stakeholders through the clinical reference group for gender identity services, to produce a single and consistent policy for the whole of England.

    In order to ensure equitable access to services, an England-wide Interim Protocol was consulted on, developed and became operational on 1 November 2013. The Protocol is based on the previously published and well received Scottish Protocol. The Protocol relies on the publication of the Inter-Collegiate “Good practice guidelines for the treatment of adults with gender dysphoria” published at the end of October 2013. A fully consulted policy document and service specifications will be published during 2014.

    In addition, NHS England has commissioned a review of transgendered patients’ access to the NHS. This review has considered all aspects of access to NHS services and is currently being finalised in readiness for publishing.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the proportion of accident and emergency attendances caused by accidents in the home.

    Earl Howe

    This information is not available centrally.

  • Lord Judd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Judd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that any extension of the mutual defence agreement with the United States does not pre-empt decisions by Parliament on the future of Trident.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Renewal of the Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA) does not pre-empt a Main Gate decision on the Successor submarine in 2016. The MDA underpins the nuclear relationship between the UK and US and enables the UK to procure from the US certain non-nuclear components for the existing UK warhead.
    The Government’s policy is to maintain and renew the continuous at sea nuclear deterrent based on a submarine system and Trident missiles.

  • Lord Birt – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Birt – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the Digital Economy Act 2010 in reducing copyright theft via the internet.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The online infringement of copyright provisions within the Digital Economy Act 2010 have not yet been implemented, and so no such assessment has been carried out. The delay is due to a number of factors, including legal challenge and ensuring compliance with Government “Managing Public Money” principles. In the meantime the Government has encouraged the industry to investigate a voluntary copyright alert programme, which should produce similar results in a significantly shorter timescale. I am grateful to the industry for the energy with which they have picked up this challenge. Nevertheless, unless an effective alternative is put in place, Government continues to be committed to implementation of the provisions with the Digital Economy Act.

  • Lord Howard of Rising – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Howard of Rising – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Howard of Rising on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what value of fines remained unpaid at the end of financial years 2009–10, 2010–11 and 2011–12 (1) in total, and (2) with respect to fines issued in that financial year.

    Lord Deighton

    We have answered this question on the basis that it relates to HMRC penalties.

    1) 2009-10 £0.5 billion

    2010-11 £1.5 billion

    2011-12 £1.5 billion

    Fines and Penalties that remain unpaid are included as receivables and are reported in both the Resource Accounts and Trust Statement.

    2) It is not possible to state the value of fines issued in each of the financial years. The question is very broad in scope and covers the majority of the business of the Department. Some data is held in electronic systems and some in paper files, and records are not kept centrally of the value of fines issued across the Department and across all obligations.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Fiona Bruce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on improving the employment and support allowance appeals process.

    Mike Penning

    Appeals against Employment and Support Allowance decisions decreased by just under 90% in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2013.

    Our reforms to the appeals process mean claimants are now contacted much earlier, with the decision explained to them, and – through Mandatory Reconsideration – they are given the opportunity to provide further evidence. This is helping to resolve disputes as early as possible, and avoids the need for costly and protracted appeals.

    We are using feedback from the First tier Tribunal to improve our approach to decision-making as part of the Department’s continuous improvement work, and where we identify improvements, we will make them.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received on steps to encourage more firms to offer apprenticeships for the long term unemployed.

    Matthew Hancock

    No recent representations have been received on steps to encourage more firms to offer Apprenticeships for the long term unemployed.

    Despite that, we are taking forward action to do so. Apprenticeships play a vital role in equipping people to lead successful and rewarding working lives, and are a key pathway into work. Apprenticeships and the introduction of Study Programmes for the 16-19 age group are at the heart of our drive to equip people with the skills that employers need. Traineeships, which we introduced last year, provide an education and training programme with work experience, focused on giving young people aged 16-23 the skills and experience they need to get Apprenticeships and other sustainable jobs.

  • Tobias Ellwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tobias Ellwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tobias Ellwood on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the level of youth unemployment in (a) the UK and (b) Bournemouth East constituency; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    Excluding full-time students, nationally there were 565,000 unemployed under-25s in February-April 2014, a fall of nearly 100,000 since the 2010 election. Latest figures show 5,700 unemployed under-25s in Bournemouth East in January-December 2013, a fall of 900 compared to the same period in 2010.

  • Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 25 January 2011 (WA 132), what were the final overall installation costs of the Divis transmitter which enables the broadcasting into Northern Ireland of TG4, and of the new low-power television multiplex; what were their annual running costs in the last three years; which government paid what costs; and in which departmental budget they are accounted for.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The capital costs for the installation of the analogue transmitter at the Divis site to carry Telefis na Gaeilge (TG4) services are as set out in the reply by Baroness Rawlings on 25 January 2011 (Column WA132). The operational costs of broadcasting TG4 services in analogue from the Divis site were met by Foras na Gaelige. These arrangements ended with digital switchover on 23 October 2012.

    Since 23 October 2012, TG4 services in Northern Ireland have been carried on the new Northern Ireland Multiplex. These arrangements were made under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of UK and Ireland in February 2010 which sets out a framework for co-operation on broadcasting issues in Northern Ireland. Under this arrangement, the Northern Ireland Multiplex carries RTE 1 and RTE 2 services as well as TG4. DCMS meets one third costs of the multiplex (including transmission services) with RTE meeting the remaining two thirds of costs. The costs since October 2012 are shown in the table.

    2012-13 £149,984.84

    2013-14 £264,211.45

  • Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 December 2013 (WA 189), what was the text of the Somali nationality law which required in the case of Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed the loss of Somali nationality on his naturalisation as a British citizen.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The following is a direct quote from Article 10 of the 1962 Somali nationality law which governed loss of Somali citizenship – Any Somali citizen who:
    a) having established his residence abroad, voluntarily acquires foreign country (sic);
    b) having established his residence abroad, and having acquired, for reasons beyond his will, foreign citizenship or the status as subject of a foreign country, declares to renounce foreign citizenship;
    c) being abroad and having accepted employment from a foreign Government or voluntarily serving in the armed forces of a foreign country, continues to retain his post, notwithstanding the notice from, the Somali Government that, unless he leaves the employment or the service within a definite period of time, he shall lose Somali citizenship; shall cease to be a Somali citizen.