The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-04-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential of extended peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to effect change in Israel’s control of East Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.
Baroness Warsi
The Government fully supports the peace talks which we hope will lead to a negotiated two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Gray on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for further funding of Combined Cadet Forces; and if he will make a statement.
Anna Soubry
We have set a target of expanding the number of Combined Cadet Forces (CCFs) in state schools.
We are moving towards a model for all CCFs which will involve schools making a small contribution towards the running costs of their units, irrespective of which sector the school is in. We are working with schools to establish the best way forward and our current plan is that funding changes will happen in a phased manner over a four-year period from September 2015.
The Secretary of State for Defence has not had discussions with the Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA), although officials are in regular contact. The CCFA is represented on relevant Government cadet committees, and has been briefed on the planned changes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2014-04-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Royal Navy ships were newly commissioned in the financial year 2013–14.
Lord Astor of Hever
HMS DUNCAN was commissioned on 26 September 2013. In the same month, HMS PROTECTOR was purchased outright by the Royal Navy, having previously operated on a long lease.
In November 2013, the Ministry of Defence announced its intention to purchase three new offshore patrol vessels.
This demonstrates Her Majesty’s Government’s continuing commitment to investing in a strong and versatile Royal Navy capable of securing and protecting our national interests for the future.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Denham on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers have had action taken against them under Teachers’ Standards for (a) undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and (b) failing to ensure that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law in the last two years.
Mr David Laws
The National College for Teaching and Leadership has prohibited two teachers following professional conduct hearings where the allegations relate to behaviours outlined in the question.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-09.
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the voter registration rate was for 18 year olds in each of the last 30 years.
Mr Gary Streeter
The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not hold figures on the registration rates for 18 year olds in each of the last 30 years.
However, it does hold estimates of registration rates for age groups from several studies conducted on the accuracy and completeness of the electoral registers in Great Britain.
|
Register |
Age band |
Registration rate |
Study conducted by |
|
April 2011 (Great Britain) |
17-18 |
55% |
Electoral Commission (EC) |
|
19-24 |
56% |
||
|
February 2001 (England and Wales) |
18-24 |
84% |
EC and Office for National Statistics |
|
February 1991 (Great Britain) |
18-19 |
88% |
Office of Population Census and Surveys – Social Survey Division |
|
February 1981 (Great Britain) |
18-19 |
87% |
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many red kites there are in the UK; and whether his Department has set a population number above which it will take steps to control that population.
George Eustice
The most recent estimate of red kites in the UK is 1600 breeding pairs (as recorded by both the British Trust for Ornithology and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in 2013).
The Government has no plans to control red kites.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications have been made for the personal independence payment to date, by parliamentary constituency.
Mike Penning
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby and the hon Member for Airdrie and Shotts, official report, 5 March, column 850W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on NHS patients receiving Enterra gastric stimulator treatment.
Jane Ellison
Funding of gastroelectrical stimulation procedures is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). If a clinician considers that a patient in their care may benefit from this procedure, they would need to submit an Individual Funding Request to their CCG so that they can consider the case.
In May 2014 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued new Interventional Procedure (IP) guidance on gastro-electrical stimulation for gastroparesis, which is a chronic disorder in which the stomach empties more slowly than normal. The guidance can be found at the following link:
www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/14531/67802/67802.pdf
NICE’s IP Programme assesses the safety and efficacy of (mainly) new procedures that are used for diagnosis or treatment that involve incision, puncture, entry into a body cavity or the use of ionising, electromagnetic or acoustic energy. Unlike NICE’s technology appraisals programme, it is not within the remit of the IP Programme to evaluate the cost effectiveness of IPs or to advise the National Health Service on whether IPs should be funded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 8W, on employee ownership, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the qualifications and independence of the independent advisers provided by companies to advise employees on their employee shareholder employment status.
Jenny Willott
In order for an individual to become an employee shareholder, the individual must obtain advice from a relevant independent adviser on the terms and effect of the proposed agreement. An employee shareholder employment contract is of no effect if an individual does not get independent advice before the agreement is made. It is in the interest of the individual to understand the employee shareholder contract and its implications before they accept a job.
Advice must be given by a qualified lawyer, certified trade union member, certified worker at an advice centre or a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives who is employed in a solicitor’s practice. The law does not permit advice from a person employed by the employer to count towards fulfilling the legal advice requirement.
The law is already clear in this area. Government has drawn on the same legal mechanism detailing the provision of advice which is set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage the uptake of chlamydia screening.
Jane Ellison
The Public Health Outcomes Framework includes a chlamydia diagnosis rate indicator – one of three sexual health indicators in the framework. Public Health England (PHE) encourages local authorities to work towards achieving a rate of 2,300 diagnoses per 100,000 young adult populations.
The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) supports this aim through:
– Publishing chlamydia screening standards, to form the basis of local screening planning, delivery and quality assurance;
– Producing guidance to support local commissioners and providers in the delivery of chlamydia screening, including forthcoming publication ‘Achieving the diagnostic rate indicator’;
– Reviewing and summarising the latest evidence to inform evidence-based and cost-effective approaches to chlamydia screening;
– Collecting and publishing chlamydia data, at a national and local level, to monitor screening and detection activity;
– Providing information to young adults on chlamydia, chlamydia screening and wider sexual health matters (e.g. condom use, contraception), including via a website;
– Supporting the implementation of specific programmes to increase chlamydia screening rates, such as the ‘3Cs & HIV Programme’. This is currently being piloted across England to encourage the routine offer of chlamydia screening, alongside information on contraception and condoms, to young adults during primary care appointments;
– A team of PHE sexual health facilitators, who are linked closely into local commissioner and provider sexual health networks, with a focus on promoting chlamydia screening; and
– Evaluating the impact of the NCSP, including development of different approaches to estimate and monitor prevalence, such as mathematical modelling.