Tag: 2014

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-05-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many breast network site-specific groups existed in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and how many times each such group met in each year.

    Jane Ellison

    The requirement for the provision of site-specific groups (SSGs), such as those for breast cancer, is written into national cancer peer review requirements. In consultation with strategic clinical networks (SCNs), NHS England has developed an SCN framework. The framework reiterates the role and importance of clinical networking groups as support for the commissioning process, but allows for local agreement to how those groups are supported.

    There are 12 SCNs and we would expect all to have a breast network SSG. This will be evidenced by the annual report published for the SCN and relevant area team. The National Peer Review Programme “Manual for Cancer Services; Breast Cancer Measures” states that network groups should meet regularly.

    The Review Programme further states that the network group should produce an annual work programme in discussion with the SCN and agreed with the director of the relevant Area Team. It should include details of any planned service developments and should specify the personnel responsible and the timescales for implantation. The SSGs also develop protocols for the treatment of patients within the SCN and agree audits and research projects that will be supported.

    The Review Programme also states that network groups should meet regularly. It gives guidance on the roles that should be represented on the group but not numbers.

    We do not hold information on how many breast network SSGs existed and how many times each group met prior to April 2013.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress the Global Fund has made in reducing instances of AIDS, malaria and TB in the last two years.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The Global Fund to fights AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (GFATM) is critical to the delivery of DFID’s ambition on HIV, TB and Malaria and is a very significant channel for our funding. Results from GFATM supported programmes have increased significantly:

    1) 6.1 million people are currently receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to treat HIV, an increase from 2 million 5 years ago (2008); an additional 900,000 people received ARV therapy in 2012 and 1.9 million people in 2013;

    2) 11 million new TB cases have been detected and treated, an increase from 4.1 million 5 years ago (2008) ; about 1.1 million TB cases were detected and treated in 2012 and 1.5 million cases in 2013;

    3) 360 million insecticide treated nets have been distributed to protect families from malaria, an increase from 70 million 5 years ago (2008); 80 million insecticide treated nets were distributed in 2012; an additional 50 million in 2013.

    Since 2002 the Fund has supported over 1,000 programmes in 151 countries, and approved grants totalling $12.4 billion for HIV, $3.6 billion for TB, and $6.5 billion for Malaria. It accounts for 21% of all international funding for HIV/AIDS, 82% of international TB funding, and 50% of global malaria spend.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 13 March 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs S Rajabbi.

    James Brokenshire

    I wrote to the Rt. Hon. Member on 6 May 2014.

  • Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with UN Women about the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Simmonds

    Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian Government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have made no representations to UN Women about the case. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement condemning the schoolgirls abduction on 16 April.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what average length of time is taken for asylum seekers and refugees from Syria to have an initial interview.

    James Brokenshire

    Between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013, the average length of time taken
    for asylum seekers and refugees from Syria to have an initial interview was
    28 days from initial claim.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department for Transport is a federated organisation comprising DfT (Central), the headquarters functions responsible mainly for policy issues, and five executive agencies responsible for the delivery of various services.

    DfT Central has no current plans to relocate staff or offices to Brighton. The Department for Transport (including our Executive Agencies) will consider opportunities for relocation as they arise, for example, through departmental reorganisation and reviews of estates requirements.

  • Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Murphy on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of teaching provision available to Syrian refugee children in Lebanon and Jordan; and what assessment she has made of the effects of language barriers on the effectiveness of such provision.

    Justine Greening

    According to the UN, there are over 320,000 school-age Syrian refugee children in Lebanon and over 200,000 in Jordan. We continue to be concerned about barriers to education for refugees from Syria, which is why I have set up the £50m ‘No Lost Generation initiative’ which is providing desperately needed help, including trauma counselling and education.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, columns 707-8W, on school meals, how many academies (a) were invited to respond and (b) responded to the survey by the School Food Trust in 2012.

    Mr David Laws

    The School Food Trust (now the Children’s Food Trust) wrote to more than 1,500 academies in January 2012. Of the 641 academies that replied, 635 said they were committed to following the new food standards, even though they are not required to do so.

  • Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the 50 initial preferred bidders for probation services remain in the competition.

    Jeremy Wright

    We have a robust and diverse market. In mid December 2013, the bidders who passed the first stage of the competition to win the regional rehabilitation contracts were announced. That list included a mix of private and voluntary sector partnerships with more than 50 organisations represented. A list of the bidders who have been successful at this stage can be found at:

    https://www.justice.gov.uk/transforming-rehabilitation/competition

    The process to award Community Rehabilitation Company contracts is ongoing and the details of which bidders remain in the competition is commercially sensitive information. The contract winners for each Community Rehabilitation Company will be announced by the end of 2014.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the proportion of secondary school students who studied the Second World War as part of their (a) GCSE and (b) A-level studies in each year since May 2010.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education does not hold information on the individual topics which students elect to take in their GCSE and A level examinations. Information on the proportion of pupils attempting GCSE history is published in the 2009/10[1], 2010/11[2], 2011/12[3] and 2012/13[4] GCSE and equivalent results statistical first release.

    Information on the number of entries in A level history is published in the 2012/13[5] A level statistical first release.

    [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-equivalent-results-england-academic-year-2009-to-2010-revised (Table 9)

    [2]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-academic-year-2010-to-2011 (Table 9)

    [3]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-academic-year-2011-to-2012 (Table 9)

    [4]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2012-to-2013-revised (Table 9)

    [5]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-england-2012-to-2013-revised (Table 14)