Tag: 2015

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to assist the Syrian people in putting in place stable political and diplomatic foundations on which to rebuild that country once the conflict there has ended.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We hope that the 30 October Vienna meeting is the start of an international process, alongside talks between the Syrian parties, which will lead to transition away from Assad in line with the Geneva communiqué of 2012. The UK Government is closely engaged in this process and is working with Syrian opposition and civil society groups to ensure they are adequately represented in the process, and to help them prepare for a political transition in Syria.

  • Ian Mearns – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Mearns – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to paragraph 1.17 of the UK National Strategy for Maritime Security, published in May 2014, how many meetings there have been of the ministerial working group on maritime security.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    As Chairman, I write to the members of the Ministerial Working Group on maritime security biannually with operational and policy updates, the most recent of these was on 19 November. The Ministerial Working Group intends to meet in 2016 to discuss the implications of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of support for people with cerebral palsy.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England advises that there are currently no plans to develop a national register for people with cerebral palsy.

    Spend on support for people with cerebral palsy is not collected.

  • Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2014 to Question 17343, what free schools her Department funded for 2014-15; how many children were enrolled at each such school in the autumn term 2014; and for how many children each such school received funding for the academic year 2014-15.

    Edward Timpson

    To allow response to PQ 18764, please find attached an Excel workbook detailing:

    – The Free Schools, Studio Schools and University Technical Colleges (UTCs) open as at 1st September 2014;

    – Their funded pupil numbers for the academic year 2014 to 2015;

    – Their recorded pupil numbers as per the October 2014 school census.

  • Melanie Onn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Melanie Onn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of NHS patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis who have not had a gastroenterology appointment in the last six months and who have had an appointment cancelled or postponed by their NHS provider during the last six months.

    Jane Ellison

    The information is not held centrally.

  • Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much revenue accrues to the public purse for payments received for semen collection licences.

    George Eustice

    The information will be placed in the House Library.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many verified images are currently on the National Hash Set Database; and how many police forces have direct access to that database.

    Karen Bradley

    The Child Abuse Image Database (CAID) was launched in December 2014 and supersedes the interim National Hash Set Database. All of the hashes relating to Indecent Images of Children from the interim National Hash Set Database managed by Cheshire Constabulary were added to CAID along with hash sets held by other UK law enforcement agencies.

    CAID contains over four million images. All these images appearing on CAID have an indicative categorisation based on police force grading or ‘votes’. Of these images, at present, fewer than 600,000 have been categorised as having a “trusted grade”. This “trusted grade” is achieved once the image has received three independent, undisputed votes by police forces encountering them. These are therefore the images which have been most reliably assessed as being Indecent Images of Children.

    The focus this year has been to ensure that all police forces and the National Crime Agency are connected to CAID by the end of this year.

  • Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral contribution of 30 November 2015, Official Report, column 33, on NHS England collating feedback from all trusts on the effect of proposed industrial action, if he will place a copy of that feedback in the Library.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS England asked trusts to provide information on their preparations for the proposed industrial action for 1, 8 and 16 December 2015 which was being refreshed on an ongoing basis by trusts as plans developed locally.

    On 30 November 2015, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) announced on behalf of the Department of Health and the British Medical Association that action was suspended, upon agreement of a memorandum of understanding.

    NHS England is therefore continuing to work with trusts to ensure that the service is prepared should there be any industrial action in the future.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing to remote communities in Nepal affected by the earthquakes to prepare for and cope with winter.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK’s response to the recent devastating earthquakes in Nepal now stands at £70 million, making it one of the largest bilateral donors to the humanitarian response. With the onset of winter DFID is stepping up its support, particularly for communities in high altitudes. We are providing over 200,000 people with clothes, blankets, shelter kits, cooking stoves and solar lamps; reaching an additional 60,000 people with temporary shelter; and helping over 58,000 internally displaced people currently living in makeshift camps. In addition, we are providing logistic support to help transport emergency relief overland, including with mules and porters, to the most remote areas. We are also supporting helicopter operations to reach out to remote high altitude regions.

    The UK support to the humanitarian response has already delivered important results including: 5,600,000 people benefitting from the restoration of healthcare services in their area; 200,000 benefitting from shelter support; and 80,000 people receiving cash transfers for restoration of houses and livelihoods.

  • Mims Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mims Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mims Davies on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the drugs advice provided by FRANK in tackling use of illegal drugs.

    Mike Penning

    FRANK, the Government’s drugs information and advice service, is run by Public Health England. It provides impartial, reliable and confidential information and advice about drugs. It can be used in both specific drug prevention activities and in general health and wellbeing activities which are designed to help individuals to build and develop the skills they need to be able to actively choose not to use drugs.

    The last assessment of the website was run by the Home Office through the website user survey between 20 February – 11 March 2013. Key findings included:

    • 85% said they are very/fairly likely to visit the FRANK website in the future if needed

    • in total, 69% claimed that their visit to the FRANK website had a positive effect on their attitudes and/or behaviours in at least one way

    FRANK continues to be updated to reflect new and emerging patterns of drug use, remain in line with young people’s media habits and strengthen situational advice and support. FRANK is just one part of our approach to reducing the demand for drugs. For example, Public Health England has launched a new online resilience building resource, ‘Rise Above’, aimed at 11- to 16-year-olds, which provides tools to help develop skills to make positive choices for their health, including avoiding drug use.