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Tag: 2014

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the importance of the sustainability of the British Overseas Territories.

    Mark Simmonds

    The sustainability of the UK’s Overseas Territories is a priority for my Department and for the whole of Government. The UK Government has a fundamental responsibility and objective to ensure the security and good governance of the Territories and their peoples and to ensure the good stewardship of their natural environments. On the latter point, the government has worked closely with the Territories to mainstream environmental policy and to help them understand how their unique natural heritage can bring them positive benefits. The Government is contributing some £2 million per annum to the Darwin Fund which supports environmental management in the Territories.

    The Government set out its vision and strategy for the Overseas Territories in the 2012 White Paper – The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability. I recognise the valuable work of the Hon member for Romford as the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Overseas Territories.”

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with medical authorities on the use of botox as a painkiller; and whether it is used as such in the NHS.

    Norman Lamb

    We have had no such discussions. Botox is not licensed in the United Kingdom for use as a painkiller.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published technology appraisal guidance for the National Health Service in May 2012 which recommends botulinum toxin type A as a possible treatment for preventing headaches in some adults with chronic migraine, subject to certain clinical criteria.

    Patients have the right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, where their doctor believes they are clinically appropriate.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NHS England plans to publish its five year strategy for specialised services; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England established the specialised commissioning taskforce to make some immediate improvements to the way in which NHS England commissions specialised services, and to put commissioning arrangements on a stronger footing for the longer-term. The task force is not conducting a complete review of specialised commissioning, although there are some aspects of this work which will require some specific services or arrangements to be reviewed. The life of the task force was originally three months running from May to July 2014: this has now been extended to the end of October 2014.

    The publication and application of the specialised services strategy have been paused while the task force undertakes its work. At this stage, NHS England is yet to confirm when the strategy will be published. However, many aspects of the work of the taskforce will contribute to taking the strategy work forward later in the year.

    Information on the work on development of the mission and vision and service-level planning elements of the specialised services strategy, prior to the pause, is available on the following webpages:

    www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/spec-services/five-year-strat/mission-vision/

    www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/spec-services/five-year-strat/service-level-plan/

    NHS England has advised that the A3 change proposals were a pilot process to establish how NHS England might be able to achieve multiple stakeholder involvement on future service change. Proposals that demonstrate good opportunities to increase value and contain cost have moved into the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) programme for specialised services. Other proposals which support strategic service planning continue to be considered. Authors with proposals that do not meet the objectives of QIPP or strategic services planning will be informed within the next few weeks.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take additional steps to tackle human trafficking within the UK’s borders.

    Karen Bradley

    This Government is determined to stamp out all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking, regardless of whether these crimes have involved
    cross-border movement. The Modern Slavery Bill will give law enforcement the tools to tackle modern slavery and enhance support and protection for victims. The Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive are both bringing forward their own legislation to tackle this terrible crime and we are working with them closely to ensure a coordinated approach across the UK. We are also undertaking a comprehensive programme of activity which includes awareness-raising for front-line professionals, to ensure that they can spot the signs of modern slavery, including human trafficking, and know what to do.

  • Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation she undertook with (a) non-governmental organisations, (b) civil society, (c) church organisations, (d) front-line professionals, (e) social workers and (f) local authority and Health Service staff on the creation of a modern slavery helpline prior to her announcement that such a helpline was being set up.

    Karen Bradley

    We are working closely with the NSPCC to pilot a Modern Slavery Helpline as part of a wider communications and marketing campaign, to raise awareness of modern slavery. The helpline will be established by the end of July 2014. We are working with a number of non-governmental organisations and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all callers to the helpline can access any additional help, advice and support they need.

    Training will be provided to all call handlers working on the helpline, which will be delivered by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre and the
    Metropolitan Police Service, building on their specific expertise and knowledge in this area. The training will include the nature of modern slavery, the information to be obtained from individuals who call the helpline as well as organisations that can provide further support and guidance. There are no specific costs to the Home Office associated with providing this training.

    Each call to the helpline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and, where an individual requires further information or advice, the helpline call handlers will provide the details of other organisations for the caller to contact, as appropriate. This is regardless of whether the caller is from an EU or non-EU country.

    Stakeholders, including NGOs, have been engaged in the communications and marketing campaign which underpins the helpline.
    The NSPCC is ideally placed to deliver what we need given their existing infrastructure and expertise in safeguarding issues. The NSPCC runs a number of helplines, including Childline, FGM helpline and the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) line. We have engaged NSPCC by means of a formal Grant Agreement, not a Contract, which will be managed using standard Home Office grant terms and conditions in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.

  • Mike Wood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mike Wood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Wood on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many serving military personnel have been arrested and charged with indictable offences by civilian police forces in each of the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    The information requested is not collected centrally by the Home Office. Aggregated data on arrests supplied to the Home Office do not include information about whether persons arrested were serving military personnel.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much No. 10 Downing Street paid to (a) G4S, (b) Serco, (c) Sodexo, (d) GEOAmey, (e) Capita, (f) Atos, (g) Mitie, (h) Working Links, (i) A4E, (j) MTC Amey, (k) GEO Group and (l) Carillion in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Prime Minister’s Office and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office are an integral part of the Cabinet Office.

    As part of my department’s transparency programme, any spend over £25,000 is available on the Department’s website. Since January 2011, all contracts over £10,000 in value are published on Contracts Finder (http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk/).

    “

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Regional Air Connectivity Fund has been used to support air links to and from Northern Ireland since that fund was created.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Regional Air Connectivity Fund has not currently been used to support air links to and from Northern Ireland.

    The fund can be used maintain existing domestic air connectivity to London where there is a risk that an existing link may be lost, and to provide financial support to develop new routes from airports of less than five million passengers per year.

    Northern Ireland is well-connected by air to London with over 18,000 flights per year between the two Belfast airports and the five main London airports, carrying over two million passengers. The first use of this fund was announced earlier this summer to protect the air route between Dundee and London through a Public Service Obligation.

    With regards to providing Start-up aid for new routes, the Department for Transport is working with the Treasury to develop guidance that will clarify how the Government will expect to interpret the European Union State aid guidelines on start-up aid for new air routes. The Department for Transport expects to publish this guidance in the autumn.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions took place between (a) Ministers in his Department, (b) officials, (c) the Financial Adviser to HM Government and (d) the banking syndicate working on the privatisation of Royal Mail with priority investors on the length of time shares in the privatised business would continue to be held.

    Matthew Hancock

    We did not seek assurances from priority investors on the length of time that they would hold the Royal Mail shares that they bought.

    Our intention was to ensure that RM started out with a core of long-term, stable investors who understood the business, along with some hedge fund participation to ensure liquidity in the aftermarket. We achieved that.

    We did not expect the shareholder register to remain static. Some investors have sold their shares, presumably because the share price reached their target price. Others have bought shares. There is still a wide range of views on the value of this company.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when Military Aviation Authority Regulatory Article 1210 replaced Ministry of Defence Business Procedure 1201 with regards to air safety.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Military Aviation Authority (MAA) Regulatory Instruction 02/11, issued on 28 January 2011, mandated a Risk Management framework to support Aviation Duty Holder decision making and replace existing procedures. This was superseded by Regulatory Article 1210 on 1 August 2011.