Tag: 2014

  • Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve ambulance services.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is working with Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority to improve performance in 2014-15, this includes a workstream looking at best practice.

    However, this Government also wants to tackle the root causes of the increasing demand on urgent and emergency care services.

    That is why the Urgent and Emergency Care review, led by Sir Bruce Keogh, is currently considering whole system change to the delivery of urgent and emergency care, including new models of delivery of care for ambulance services, such as:

    – general practitioner and other clinical support/advice in control rooms and to crews on the ground and how it can reduce conveyance rates (particularly for frail and elderly, mental health, and children) and;

    – prevention work available to the Ambulance Service: early diagnosis and risk management.

    In addition, as part of the Review, NHS England is working closely with stakeholders (including the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives) to ensure that ambulance services can be further developed and commissioned as a treatment as well as a transport service.

    As part of this work, an Ambulance Task Group has been set up and is working with Health Education England to reform the training and careers framework for paramedics – to involve developing a skilled set of advanced practitioners in the Ambulance Service to deliver care closer to home using hear & treat and see & treat models.

    The first phase of the Review was published last November. We expect NHS England to be publishing further reports later this year.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials of his Department are working on the Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2014-05-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what briefings they have received from the United Kingdom Ambassador to Nigeria with regard to the incitement by certain individuals to treat some children as witches; and what reports they have received about the physical and mental effects on children subjected to such accusations.

    Baroness Warsi

    Our High Commission in Abuja have previously reported on children being accused of witchcraft in Nigeria. We are aware of various reports detailing the physical and mental damage caused by such accusations. Our officials in Nigeria, and in London, regularly meet with individuals and non-governmental organisations to discuss this.

    Child abuse is appalling and unacceptable wherever it occurs and in whatever form it takes. Abuse linked to faith is an abhorrent crime, which should be condemned by people of all cultures, communities and faiths.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with (a) church and community leaders from black and minority ethnic communities and (b) Operation Black Vote on increasing registration levels for voters in those communities.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff will be employed in the specialist housing teams that will be established in univesral credit centres.

    Esther McVey

    A team exists to support current live service. This will expand as the rollout continues.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of a Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived on deprived communities in the UK.

    Esther McVey

    The Government is currently considering the best use of the money. It is therefore too early to assess what impact it might have.

  • David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent modern slavery.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government is determined to lead the global fight against modern slavery,
    and have introduced the Modern Slavery Bill to help us do so. The Bill aims to
    give law enforcement the tools to stamp out modern slavery and to enhance protection for
    victims. The Bill was published on 10th June 2014.

  • David Davis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Davis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the findings from the US Senate Intelligence Committee, what information his Department holds on the number of detainees held in Diego Garcia.

    Hugh Robertson

    There are no detainees on Diego Garcia and the British Government is aware of no evidence that US detainees have been held on Diego Garcia since September 2001. The findings of the Senate Intelligence Committee remain classified and we have not seen them.

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the change in waiting times for an initial decision for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa applications in the last year; what the average waiting time is for an initial decision for a Tier 1 application; and what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the time taken for such decisions on economic growth.

    James Brokenshire

    The average waiting time for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) customer in the financial
    year 2013-14 was 125 calendar days. The number of days taken to process
    applications dropped by 50 days over the course of the financial year and
    processing times continue to decrease.

    A record number of applications were decided in the financial year 2013-14, and
    there is nothing to suggest that processing times are deterring entrepreneurs
    from applying.

    Month Despatched

    Average Calendar Days Between Application Raised Date and Despatch Date

    Apr-13

    131

    May-13

    148

    Jun-13

    142

    Jul-13

    129

    Aug-13

    134

    Sep-13

    126

    Oct-13

    96

    Nov-13

    108

    Dec-13

    114

    Jan-14

    141

    Feb-14

    97

    Mar-14

    81

    Overall Average / Total Cases

    125

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of failure to return a completed abortion notification form in each of the last five years.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. However, not all offences are individually reported within the centrally held data. It is not possible to separately identify from this centrally held information convictions resulting from failure to return a completed abortion notification form. This information may be held by the individual courts in England and Wales and as such it can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.