Tag: 2015

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance he has issued to local authorities about the use of (a) Twitter and (b) other social media to communicate with the public.

    Kris Hopkins

    Digital and social media are an effective and low-cost way of communicating with the public.

    This Government has amended the law to strengthen the rights of the press and public to report and film council meetings using digital and social media. In August 2014, we published a plain English guide to help councils, the press and the public with these new rights.

    We made clear that there is no prohibition on councillors from tweeting and blogging at meetings, and they should be able to do so provided it is not disruptive and does not detract from the proper conduct of the meeting.

    Local authorities should have regard to the local government Publicity Code, which seeks to prevent the misuse of taxpayer-funded resources, including social media.

    Notwithstanding, last June, Ministers challenged and criticised guidance to parish councils issued by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) that sought to prevent elected councillors from issuing media comments without prior written permission of the council. NALC has now produced a new Media Policy Example that takes into account the new national rules on filming and recording at parish and town council meetings.

    In December, we invited bids for local pilots to bring statutory notices into the 21st Century. This could include supporting the increased use of digital and social media by councils and commercial partners, as one of the ways that such notices could be improved and reformed.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2014 to Question 216388, if he will permit Normandy Veterans to apply for funding for independent travel to Normandy as part of the D-Day Return scheme.

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not fund visits by veterans to return to sites of Remembrance. The long standing MOD policy on official commemorations is that only certain specific anniversaries of events of major importance receive MOD sponsorship at public expense.

    Funding is still available from the Big Lottery fund, Heroes Return 2 scheme, as long as veterans travel before 31 December 2015 and haven’t benefited from this scheme since 1 January 2013. This scheme allows veterans to return to the theatre in which they saw action, so travel is not limited to Normandy.

    In addition, and as advised by my hon. Friend the Treasury Minister (David Gauke) in his response to Question 216388, the Royal British Legion (RBL) has been chosen to run the D-Day return scheme on the Government’s behalf. As detailed on the RBL website, the D-Day return scheme will not fund independent travel.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the labelling requirements are for the sale of halal meat.

    George Eustice

    There are no specific EU or national requirements governing the sale and labelling of Halal meat but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer.

    The Government believes that consumers should have the necessary information available to them to make an informed choice about their food. We are awaiting the results of a European Commission study on method of slaughter labelling which is due within the next few months. We will look at possible options in light of that report.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what data his Department holds on long term outcomes for children who stammer.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Ensuring the most appropriate treatment for a child with a stammer is a decision for the judgement of the clinician, drawing on their professional training, their ongoing professional development, and the advice provided by the relevant professional body.

    The quality of care would be monitored by the provider, through clinical audit and other performance assurance, and by the relevant regulator of the provider (such as the Care Quality Commission), and the professional regulator (such as the Health and Care Professions Council, which regulates speech and language therapists).

    Information is not collected centrally on long-term outcomes for children who stammer.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many registered nurses (a) left and (b) joined NHS employment in each of the last five years.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    There are now over 7,000 more nurses, midwives and health visitors working in the National Health Service than in May 2010.

    The attached table shows the number of registered nurses that have left and joined employment in each of the last five years.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to Freedom to speak up?, the report by Sir Robert Francis QC, published on 11 February 2015, what timescale he has set for NHS trusts to appoint whistleblowing guardians.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    On 11 February, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State accepted in principle all the recommendations made by Sir Robert Francis following his Freedom to Speak Up review. We will shortly be consulting on how best to implement these recommendations. In addition we plan to bring forward measures to provide legislative protection for whistleblowers applying for a job in the National Health Service. With Opposition support, this could be in place before Parliament is prorogued.

    The implementation of Sir Roberts’ recommendations will see a programme of action to help foster an open and learning culture in the NHS backed by local freedom to speak up guardians and a new national whistleblowing guardian. Individual trusts may wish to begin implementing some of these recommendations right away. Local action and responsibility will be at the heart of bringing about a culture where reporting of concerns is valued and encouraged.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2014 to Question 216131, what processes will be used to promote specialised commissioning expenditure against nominal clinical commissioning groups budgets; and how the present central NHS England budget for commissioning dialysis services will be transferred to clinical commissioning groups.

    Jane Ellison

    Significant work has been undertaken by NHS England to analyse current specialised commissioning expenditure patterns at clinical commissioning group (CCG) level. This CCG level monitoring will continue in 2015/16 with the aim of improving commissioning decisions.

    There is no planned transfer of renal dialysis budgets from NHS England to CCGs in either the current financial year or during 2015-16. It is for Ministers to decide, with independent advice, the conditions that should be on the specialised commissioning list.

    Neither NHS England specialised commissioners nor CCGs have control over capital funding for dialysis facilities and maintenance. Capital funding for renewal of dialysis facilities and equipment remains with the incumbent providers. Ensuring that these facilities are of appropriate quality is achieved through the application of detailed service specifications which form part of the contract with providers.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many knife crimes were reported in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • John Hemming – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John Hemming – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Hemming on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the contribution by the hon. Member for North West Cambridgeshire of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 625 and pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Question 217723, how many (a) ex-parte non-molestation orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (b) with notice non-molestation orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (c) non-molestation orders were applied for by each firm of solicitors, (d) non-molestation orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men by each judge, (e) ex-parte occupancy orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (f) with notice occupancy orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (g) occupancy orders were applied for by each firm of solicitors, (h) occupancy orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men by each judge in each quarter from the first quarter of 2011 to the third quarter of 2014 in courts in (A) Sussex and (B) the West Midlands.

    Simon Hughes

    Details of the gender of those receiving non molestation orders (ex-parte and with notice), and occupancy orders (ex-parte and with notice) since 2011 can only be obtained by manually checking every case file at disproportionate costs.

    Figures requested for non molestation and occupancy orders applied for by each firm of solicitors in courts in a) Sussex and b) West Midlands are available and provided as extracted from the central MoJ database on family cases, in the accompanying tables.

    Domestic violence and abuse is unacceptable and no one should have to experience it. It is right that the family court has the power to take swift action to protect families and children from domestic abuse. We are confident that the court procedures for making non-molestation orders are sufficiently robust and in each case the court will make a decision whether to make an order based on the circumstances of the case including the need to secure the health, safety and well-being of the applicant and of any relevant child.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish evidence held by his Department supporting the conclusion that passengers on Great Western services do not wish to have buffet cars on the new Intercity Express Programme trains.

    Claire Perry

    The catering provision in the Great Western Inter City Express fleet reflects the preferences of the operator who are closest to their passengers’ priorities. It is a matter for First Great Western whether they wish to release the information supporting the decision.