The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role her Department had in the selection of appointed local authority heads of social services departments from 1985 to 2015.
Karen Bradley
The Home Secretary has not had any involvement in appointing local authority heads of social services departments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to raise awareness of the seriousness of stalking (a) through social media and (b) otherwise.
Karen Bradley
Stalking is a deeply disturbing crime which can leave its victims living in fear for years. That is why we introduced new legislation in 2012 which made stalking an offence in its own right.
To mark National Stalking Awareness Week, we are using Twitter to raise awareness of the increases in prosecutions and convictions for these crimes to help improve victim confidence in the criminal justice system.
The Government has committed £80 million to support victims of violence against women and girls, including, stalking, between 2016 and 2020. This includes funding for the National Stalking Helpline run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. Additionally, we have consulted on the introduction of a new civil Stalking Protection Order to tackle perpetrators at an early stage to help prevent victims becoming targets of a prolonged campaign of abuse. Our response to this consultation will be published in due course. Through the Police Innovation Fund, we are supporting the police to identify ways to manage the significant volume of online material in abuse, harassment and stalking cases, so that evidence can be collected more easily and a strong case built to bring a prosecution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to improve support resources available to students who have been victims of sexual assault.
Karen Bradley
The Government is providing £80 million of dedicated central government funding over the course of this Parliament to tackle violence, including sexual assault, against women and girls. This includes central funding for rape support centres and £1.7 million per year up to 2017 to part-fund 87 Independent Sexual Violence Advisers who provide appropriate and independent support for victims. These services support all victims of sexual assault including students.
At the request of the Secretary of State for Business, Universities UK set up a taskforce in September 2015 to bring together relevant stakeholders to explore what more can be done by the higher education sector to prevent, and respond effectively, to incidents of violence and sexual harassment against women, hate crimes and other forms of harassment. The taskforce is considering a range of potential measures, and its work includes an analysis of the nature and scale of the problem. The taskforce is expected to report in the Autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total number of visit visa applications was from Sri Lanka in 2015; and how many such applications were refused.
James Brokenshire
The information requested is as follows:
Applications: 16745
Issued : 10940
Refused : 5785
*These figures are based on Management Information, not published statistics, and are therefore liable to change.
*These figures relate to all visit visa applications made via the Visa Application Centre in Columbo, Sri Lanka, in 2015. It will therefore incorporate applicants other than Sri Lankan nationals.
*Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned on the causes and consequences of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies.
George Freeman
The Department has not recently commissioned specific research on the causes and consequences of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies.
The Department funds the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). A pilot randomised controlled trial led by researchers at the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London suggests that women at risk of having children with neural tube defects may be able to reduce this risk by taking inositol (Vitamin B8) as well as folic acid during pregnancy. The findings were published in February in the British Journal of Nutrition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support carers assisting people with mental health conditions.
Alistair Burt
The Government recognises the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers including those who care for people with mental health conditions and the importance of supporting them in their caring roles.
That is why we continue to support implementation of the improved rights for carers enshrined in the Care Act 2014. The Department has provided £104 million of funding to local authorities for these rights in 2015/16, which include an extended right to assessment and, for the first time, a duty on local authorities to meet carers’ eligible needs for support.
We have also made an additional £400 million available to the National Health Service between 2011 and 2015 to provide carers with breaks from their caring responsibilities to sustain them in their caring role. The equivalent annual allocation of £130 million for carers breaks is now included in the Better Care Fund.
In May 2014, NHS England published its action plan NHS England – Commitment to carers, it includes a series of commitments around eight priorities, which include raising the profile of carers, including young carers.
The Department is leading on the development of a new cross-Government National Carers Strategy that will look at what more can be done to support existing and new carers including those who care for people with mental health conditions. To support the development of the strategy we are currently conducting a national call for evidence. We want to engage with a wide range of individuals and organisations with experience of caring, to ensure our evidence reflects the diversity of experience of carers, and those for whom they care. The call for evidence was launched in March and will run until mid-summer 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals he has visited on Saturdays and Sundays since his appointment; and on what dates such visits were made.
Jane Ellison
My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the National Health Service, and is on call and briefed on relevant events seven days a week, including public holidays. He routinely works on Departmental business at the weekends, which includes attending meetings, visiting frontline services and carrying out official engagements where relevant.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Department’s advertisement on the Hays Recruitment Agency website for a temporary Senior Deputy Head of Media Planning and Strategy on a daily rate of pay, whether the post holder will be paid through (a) the Department’s payroll, (b) that agency or (c) a limited company.
George Freeman
The advertisement is for a position within NHS England’s established structure, and the individual will not be employed by, contracted to or paid by the Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the post-treatment recovery package is adapted to meet the specific needs of blood cancer patients.
Jane Ellison
The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July 2015, and recognised the need to improve care and support for people living with and beyond all types of cancer, including blood cancers. In September 2015, we announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, including those with blood cancer, live well beyond cancer. In April 2016, we also published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively. Support for patients living with and beyond cancer should be tailored specifically to the needs of every patient.
In addition the strategy called for every person with cancer to have access to a clinical nurse specialist or other key worker from diagnosis onwards. NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the Cancer Taskforce, and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE as National Cancer Director. A National Cancer Transformation Board is overseeing the implementation of the strategy, and an implementation plan will be published shortly. An independent Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK and Chair of the independent Cancer Taskforce, is advising and scrutinising the work of the Transformation Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that all blood cancer patients have access to a clinical nurse specialist or equivalent point of contact as part of their care.
Jane Ellison
The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July 2015, and recognised the need to improve care and support for people living with and beyond all types of cancer, including blood cancers. In September 2015, we announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, including those with blood cancer, live well beyond cancer. In April 2016, we also published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively. Support for patients living with and beyond cancer should be tailored specifically to the needs of every patient.
In addition the strategy called for every person with cancer to have access to a clinical nurse specialist or other key worker from diagnosis onwards. NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the Cancer Taskforce, and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE as National Cancer Director. A National Cancer Transformation Board is overseeing the implementation of the strategy, and an implementation plan will be published shortly. An independent Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK and Chair of the independent Cancer Taskforce, is advising and scrutinising the work of the Transformation Board.