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Tag: 2014

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of additional demand for NHS counselling services resulting from survivors of historic child sexual abuse recently coming forward; and what argument he has made of the effectiveness of NHS mental health services in meeting that demand.

    Norman Lamb

    No such estimate has been made. However, over £400 million has been invested in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme to make a choice of psychological therapies available for those who need them in all parts of England. We are also investing in improving provision for children and young people.

    IAPT services are not counselling services but may be provided to someone who has developed post-traumatic stress disorder in response to abuse. Assessment for IAPT services includes questions in relation to trauma. IAPT services treat depression and anxiety disorders which are also typical consequences of traumatic abuse.

    The Department’s 2014-15 Mandate to NHS England makes clear that ‘everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence based services’. The Mandate sets a clear objective for NHS England to deliver the key objectives of the IAPT programme – providing access to therapies for around 900,000 people per year by 2015, with a recovery rate of 50%.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) offence and (b) sentencing outcome of each terrorist-related offence dealt with in court was in the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    This Government takes terrorism offences extremely seriously, which is why there are tough sentences available to the courts. We are further strengthening the law in this area through the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, currently going through Parliament.

    We are increasing the maximum sentence from 10 or 14 years to a life sentence for three specific terror offences – weapons training for terrorist purposes, other training for terrorism, and making or possession of explosives. We are also ending automatic early release for those convicted of a range of serious terror offences – including weapons training for terrorist purposes and directing a terrorist organisation – so that they will only be released before the end of their custodial term at the discretion of the independent Parole Board, who must be satisfied that they no longer pose a threat to society. We are also ensuring that terrorists convicted of a second very serious offence will face the ‘two-strikes’ automatic life’ sentence.

    Data for terrorist related offences and sentence outcomes can be viewed in Tables C.01-C.04 at the below link:-

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-quarterly-update-to-june-2014-data-tables

    Findings of guilt includes crimes which have a terrorist link.

    “

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing contracts for the removal of litter on the strategic road network.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    The Highways Agency’s existing contracts specify sweeping and cleaning activities on the network to comply with the mandatory legal requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act states that the area should not fall below a Grade B (“Predominantly free from litter and refuse apart from some small items”), and the contracts operate satisfactorily in this regard.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Lord Framlingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Framlingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Framlingham on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are investigating the possibility of establishing a statutory quarantine system for all trees imported into the United Kingdom.

    Lord De Mauley

    The Government takes a risk-based approach to prioritise action on plant and tree pests and pathogens to improve resilience. We have produced, working with stakeholders from across industry, Non-Governmental Organisations, and the public, a prioritised plant health risk register of 750 known pests and diseases.

    On that basis and where appropriate, we have acted to introduce movement restrictions or requirements for importers to notify incoming consignments of particular species – for example for ash, oak, plane, pine, elm and sweet chestnut.

    We are also funding new research to ensure that we have a robust evidence base regarding the pests and diseases that could threaten our trees and plants.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of bilateral aid from the Department for International Development in the last three financial years has been channelled through non-governmental organisations (1) based in the United Kingdom, and (2) based in the recipient countries.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The table below shows the proportion of bilateral aid from the Department for International Development in the last three calendar years which has been channelled through non-governmental organisations (1) based in the United Kingdom, and (2) based in the recipient countries.

    NGO Percentage of DFID Net Bilateral ODA

    2011

    2012

    2013

    NGO Based in the United Kingdom

    8%

    9%

    10%

    NGO Based in Recipient Countries

    2%

    2%

    3%
  • Lord Greaves – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Greaves – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information, advice and training is provided to doctors and nurses on the symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease; what advice is provided to general practitioners on the reference to specialists of patients exhibiting symptoms of Lyme disease; and which centres provide specialist treatment for that disease.

    Baroness Jolly

    Public Health England (PHE) and the National Health Service have detailed information on the recognition, diagnosis, treatment and management of Lyme disease. PHE has also written a guide on how to refer patients for specialist advice, which is attached. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also has an online guide for general practitioners (GP) and other health professionals.

    PHE issues a letter to all GPs on an annual basis at the beginning of the tick season describing Lyme disease and highlighting the need to be aware and to recognise the condition. The majority of cases are managed by GPs without reference to specialists, but problem cases can be referred to neurology, rheumatology, cardiology and infectious disease clinics depending on the local provision and of services and patient’s symptoms. In addition to the attached guidance, Suggested referral pathway for patients with symptoms related to Lyme disease, PHE offers a telephone helpline for GPs and consultants to discuss particular cases. PHE works closely with the patient group Lyme Disease Action, who will also represent individuals who have trouble obtaining specialist advice, and can thus help in suggesting potential routes of referral.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that the average United Kingdom graduate starting salary ranges from £18,000 to £24,000, what assessment they have made of the impact of policy that allows international students to stay in the United Kingdom upon the condition that they find a graduate-level job paying £24,000 a year.

    Lord Bates

    The Government recognises that there should be opportunities for the brightest and best international students to undertake skilled work in the UK after their studies. International students who graduate in the UK may switch into skilled work providing they have an offer of graduate-level job from a sponsoring employer, paying at least £20,500 per year or the appropriate salary for the particular occupation, whichever is higher.

    The Government closed the previous Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) route in April 2012. This route granted free access to the UK labour market for two years after graduation in the UK. Too many individuals in the route were unemployed or competing with resident workers for low-skilled jobs, and too many were using the student route merely as a means to work in the UK, without any real intention of study. We also saw a large number of fraudulent applications. This undermined our work routes and damaged the reputation of our education system.

  • Lord McFall of Alcluith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord McFall of Alcluith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McFall of Alcluith on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the charges, fees and commissions paid by consumers in relation to private pensions are transparent.

    Lord Freud

    The Government is committed to improving the transparency of costs and charges in workplace pension schemes. The Government’s Command Papers ‘Better Workplace Pensions: Further measures for savers’ and ‘Better Workplace Pensions: Putting savers interests first’ published in March and October 2014 set out a range of measures including a cap on charges in default fund arrangements, a ban on inappropriate charges and proposals to introduce minimum governance standards and improve transparency across workplace defined contribution schemes.

    The Government has recently consulted on draft legislation which, subject to parliamentary approval, will introduce new requirements on trustees to improve the transparency of costs and charges in occupational schemes from April 2015. Under these new requirements, trustees will be required to annually report on costs and charges for the first time. Similar rules are to be introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority to require the newly formed Independent Governance Committees to report on costs and charges in workplace personal pension schemes.

    Later this year we will consult on ways to build on this first phase of enhanced transparency, to meet our duties under the Pensions Act 2014 requiring information about transaction costs to be disclosed to members of workplace pension schemes, and the publication of costs and charges information. The FCA also intends to consult on amending its rules to with a view to introducing equivalent enhanced transparency provisions for workplace personal pension schemes during 2015.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the funds for the Builders Finance Fund has been (a) allocated and (b) spent.

    Brandon Lewis

    The fund will make investments over two years from 2015/16 to 2016/17. The funds must be drawn down by 31 March 2017.

    The shortlisted bids to the Builders Finance Fund are currently undergoing due diligence and have the ability to deliver over 10,000 new homes. We have recently expanded the scope of the fund to enable smaller builders with schemes between 5 and 15 units to access this funding and the Homes and Communities Agency are currently engaging with the market to seek further bids for such schemes. The first contracts are due to be completed in the Spring with the first homes expected to be started in the first half of 2015.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Seema Malhotra – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials of her Department in (a) the UK and (b) each station worldwide deal with FGM as part of their remit.

    Justine Greening

    Ending violence against women and girls – including ending FGM – is a cross-cutting priority for DFID and therefore it is not possible to report the specific number of staff working on this.