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Tag: 2015

  • The Lord Bishop of Bristol – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Bristol – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Bristol on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the appointment of Saudi Arabia to head a panel at the UN Human Rights Council.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The appointment of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the UN Consultative Group as Chair was an internal decision of the Consultative Group, which is comprised of five Ambassadors, one from each of the five regional groups of the UN. The Saudi Arabian Ambassador is the Asian Group representative in the Consultative Group, to which appointment lasts for one year.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how many junior doctors will apply for Certificates of Good Standing from the General Medical Council in each year up to 2020.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    A Certificate of Good Standing is now called a Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS).

    The Department does not hold information on the number of junior doctors that have applied for a CCPS and is unable to estimate how many junior doctors will apply for a CCPS.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance, if any, they give to hospitals about whether patients may wear military uniforms in waiting and emergency rooms; what assessment they have made of the recent removal of a uniformed Royal Air Force sergeant from the waiting room of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate reportedly so as not to upset other patients from different cultures; and whether they plan to issue further guidance to hospitals about whether, in the light of that incident, patients who are members of the armed forces have the right to wear military uniforms in waiting and emergency rooms.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England has reviewed the action taken at East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Due to an altercation between a member of the public and a member of the armed forces in uniform that had taken place the previous day, the employee concerned was acting in good faith, but handled the situation wrongly.

    The Trust is absolutely clear that members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, whether in uniform or not, should not be treated differently to others. They have reinforced this policy to all members of staff and offered an apology to the patient involved for any embarrassment caused.

    Additionally, NHS England is currently reviewing the East Kent University Hospitals Trust’s Equality and Diversity and Access Policies and will agree amendments if necessary. There are no plans to issue further guidance.

  • Lord Wallace of Saltaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for maritime and air border controls between the Schengen area and the Channel Islands.

    Lord Bates

    The Bailiwicks of the Channel Islands are responsible for their own border controls. The Government takes protecting our border security very seriously, and there is a high level of collaboration on work to strengthen the Common Travel Area’s external border.

  • Baroness Coussins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Coussins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Coussins on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Modern Languages teachers have been recruited in each of the last five years to work in (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools.

    Lord Nash

    Recruitment to primary initial teacher training (ITT) is not subject specific. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold data on those recruited in languages to primary schools.

    The number of people recruited to secondary ITT in languages over the last five years is shown in the table below:

    Recruitment year

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Number recruited

    1,550

    1,410

    1,620

    1,324

    1,105

  • Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Care Quality Commission’s final report outlining the findings of their national maternity survey will include a specific summary setting out the experience of multiple birth mothers.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. The CQC has advised that the responses to the national survey of National Health Service maternity services are currently being collated and analysed. Until all of this data has been analysed it is not possible for the CQC to comment on what will be included in the final report.

  • Lord Moynihan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Moynihan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are on target to deliver retail competition for non-household water and sewerage services in England in April 2017; whether they plan to publish a clearly defined timetable and a schedule of the trigger points necessary to meet this deadline; and whether Ofwat are able to impose financial penalties for breaches of licence conditions on companies which are not ready to become a licensee for the provision of retail services for all non-household customers by that date.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    We are on track to open the non-household retail market for water and sewerage services in April 2017. All partners in the Open Water programme (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ofwat and Market Operator Services Limited), are strongly committed to meeting this date. A clear timetable of the activities, which will need to be completed before the market can open, is published on Ofwat’s website and updated each month. Market Operator Services Limited is working closely with all relevant companies to ensure that they will be ready for market opening in April 2017. Incumbent water companies who want to compete in the new national retail market will need to establish a separate legal entity and apply for a Water and Sewerage Supply Licence, although they are not under any obligation to do so. Ofwat sought views on the appropriate conditions for licensees operating in the new retail market through its consultation on new Water and Sewerage Supply Licences in June 2015. It will be able to impose financial penalties on licensees who do not comply with these conditions.

  • Baroness Uddin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Uddin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce a national register of children with cerebral palsy, including data on the number of children identified with the condition, and the education, health and care provision available to support those children.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government has taken a number of steps to support people with cerebral palsy.

    Health Education England is mandated to develop training for general practitioners to develop a special interest in the care of young people with long-term conditions. We have also funded the development of Paediatric Care online, a resource for supporting the clinical workforce across the full range of children’s health issues.

    The Government funded the development of Disability Matters (launched in February 2015). This is an e-learning tool to improve the skills of anyone working to support the needs of people with a disability or complex need (of all ages), and can be used by teachers and health professionals.

    The Government has introduced a new statutory framework for children and young people with special educational needs and disability, which requires clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to make joint arrangements to ensure a co-ordinated assessment of needs. The new approach will greatly improve integrated working across specialist health, education (either in mainstream or special schools), and social care, to deliver improved outcomes for the child.

    There are no current plans to introduce a national register of children with cerebral palsy.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the contribution of trades unions to the national economy.

    Nick Boles

    Trade unions have a constructive role to play in maintaining positive industrial relations. The British Social Attitudes Survey and the Workplace Employment Relations Survey provide information on how the population, employers and union members view the services and activities of Trade Unions. The Office for National Statistics publishes estimates of the approximate Gross Added Value for Trade Union activities as well as the number of disputes (and days lost to industrial action).

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the proposal by the RSPB for the creation of a Restoration Investment Fund in areas with orphaned open-cast mines.

    Damian Hinds

    Environmental protection is a devolved matter, and outstanding land restoration liabilities lie with the relevant local authorities and ultimately with the Scottish Government. The Treasury has fully considered the two proposals put to them for addressing the shortfall of land restoration on abandoned Scottish coal mines: an exemption from the Carbon Price Support (CPS) tax and a direct grant from the Exchequer. Following discussions with Hargreaves, the UK Coal Authority, the Scotland Office, the Scottish Government and DECC, the Treasury has had to decline both proposals after thorough consideration. The reasons for this include: – Addressing the shortfall in land restoration is not the responsibility of the UK Government. Environmental protection is a devolved matter, and outstanding land restoration liabilities lie with the relevant local authorities. – The proposals are unaffordable in the current fiscal climate. They would also set a precedent that would risk discouraging companies and local authorities from making proper financial provision for the cost of site restoration and future environmental liabilities. – A CPS exemption would be an inefficient means of addressing the shortfall of land restoration, as the money would not go directly towards this aim and it would incur significant administration costs. – A CPS exemption would distort the market by making non-exempt coal less competitive, and by discouraging investment in low carbon power generation. I have written to the Scottish Government’s Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism informing him of this decision and I would be happy to consider any other options put forward.