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Tag: 2015

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many of his Department’s policies have been assessed against the family test; what steps he has taken to publish the outcome of such assessments; and if he will make a statement.

    David Mundell

    The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. It is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in the development of all new policy.

    DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance. While the guidance states that departments should consider publishing assessments carried out under the Test, there is no requirement to do so.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance the UK has provided to the government of Nigeria for (a) development of the education system in that country and (b) promotion of education aimed at countering extremist ideologies; and what support the UK provides to the government of Nigeria in monitoring what is taught in madrassas in that country.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Over the last 5 years DFID’s education programmes have supported federal, state and local government education systems as well as schools, communities and teachers to enable over 600,000 children to access better quality basic education. This support has included teacher training, activities to improve access for the most marginalised children including girls, and working with the government to improve education management and financing.

    In Nigeria, where access to education is low, ensuring that children have learning opportunities to acquire basic skills is a critical element in reducing their vulnerability to extremist ideologies. Our teacher training and school improvement approaches promote inclusion and positive values. DFID is working with Quranic schools in northern Nigeria to integrate basic education into their curriculum, including a social studies syllabus with lessons on religious diversity. DFID programmes have provided assistance to the government of Nigeria to design and implement a training programme for Imams and Islamic scholars in communication to counter radical messages. We also support state government institutions to monitor Quranic schools.

  • Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on what grounds the decision was taken to refuse Crown consent for provisions within the Environment Bill currently passing through the Welsh Assembly.

    Stephen Crabb

    The Welsh Government has sought the consent of the Secretary of State to impose the biodiversity duty in the Environment (Wales) Bill on Ministers of the Crown. This request is the subject of ongoing discussions between the UK Government and the Welsh Government.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to collect information centrally on the proportion of people who received consultant-led mental health treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

    Alistair Burt

    We are implementing the first access and waiting times standards for mental health to ensure that 75% of people referred to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme will be treated within six weeks of referral, and 95% will be treated within 18 weeks of referral and that 50% of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis will be treated with a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved care package within two weeks of referral.

    NHS England already collects data on waiting times for people referred to IAPT services.

    We are working with the Health and Social Care Information Centre and NHS England to make changes to the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Dataset to start collecting data for the first time to measure, in a consistent way, access and waiting times for people referred to other mental health services. We will start collecting data first on access and waiting times for people referred for treatment following a first episode of psychosis in early 2016 and intend expanding this to other areas of mental health later.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people flowed off IB/SDA with a work capability assessment decision of fit for work since December 2011; and how many such people’s death was at the same time defined in Mortality Statistics: Employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit or severe disability allowance, published in August 2015.

    Priti Patel

    The information as requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will implement the recommendations made in the Independent Cancer Taskforce’s new Cancer Strategy.

    Jane Ellison

    The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, in July this year. It identified improving support for people living with and beyond cancer, and improving long-term quality of life as high priorities.

    NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the Taskforce report. A cross-system Cancer Transformation Board, chaired by the new National Cancer Director, Cally Palmer, will be established to oversee implementation of the strategy, and will have its first meeting in early 2016. The Transformation Board will formulate more detailed plans for implementation of the report’s recommendations based on the final outcome of the spending review. More details will be available in early 2016.

  • Karl McCartney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Karl McCartney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that refugees can be settled in Europe without making dangerous journeys by boat.

    James Brokenshire

    The UK operates several national resettlement schemes which resettle refugees directly from the regions. The Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme has been expanded and will now resettle 20, 000 Syrians. These schemes provide refugees with a direct and safe route to the UK, rather than risking the hazardous journey to Europe. Resettlement is an important part of any well managed asylum system and we encourage other EU countries to resettle those most in need.

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of whether clinical commissioning groups are fully prepared to assume active commissioning of tier 4 obesity from April 2016.

    George Freeman

    NHS England is supporting the transfer of commissioning responsibilities for obesity surgery services to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to ensure that they are fully prepared to assume the role.

    They will provide technical and operational guidance to commissioners, including undertaking an evaluation of Tier 3 and Tier 4 interfaces within regions to assist CCGs. This guidance is in development.

    NHS England is also supporting CCGs through national and local collaborative meetings on commissioning.

  • Lord Quirk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Quirk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 9 July (HL896, HL897) and 30 July (HL1654), why according to recent press reports HMRC are still failing to answer telephoned inquiries and complaints from the public within an acceptable time frame.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) recognise that their customer service has not been good enough, and have taken major steps to improve, including recruiting 3,000 new staff into customer service roles, available outside normal office hours when many of their customers choose to call them. The process of recruiting and training the new staff is now complete. These improvements have started to make a difference. This month, HMRC have answered more than 80 per cent of calls, and average queue times are now around 10 minutes.

    HMRC also recognise that some customers have been waiting too long for a response to their complaint. HMRC have recovery plans in place and their performance is improving week on week.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Fabian Hamilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the £1 billion over five years for use by the Ross Fund in conjunction with the Gates Foundation is UK Aid funded.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    All of the £1 billion Ross Fund, announced in November 2015, is UK Aid funded. Discussions are underway with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about how their investments can contribute to the objectives of the Fund.