The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.
Greg Clark
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 November 2015, PQ 13946.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Byford on 2015-12-16.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many doctors currently employed by the NHS qualified outside the UK.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The latest data on the number of doctors who qualified outside the United Kingdom is in the following table. This is taken from the Health and Social Care Information Centre’s annual workforce census, which shows the data as at 30 September 2014. The next census will be published in March 2016.
Headcount Data at 30 September 2014
|
Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) Drs |
General Practitioners (GP)(excluding registrars and retainers) |
GP registrars |
|
|
Qualified in the UK |
70,470 |
27,807 |
3,585 |
|
Qualified in other European Economic Area (EEA) Country |
8,307 |
1,600 |
124 |
|
Qualified outside EEA |
27,398 |
6,403 |
803 |
|
Unknown |
463 |
9 |
0 |
Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre annual workforce census
Notes: The figures for HCHS doctors includes doctors in training
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what circumstances would constitute a political shutdown of the proposed Hinkley Point C power station by the EU or international competent authority which would trigger a payment to the operators of that power station.
Andrea Leadsom
As explained in DECC’s Departmental Minute of 21 October, a political shut down would be an action by a UK, EU or international Competent Authority which shutdown, or prevented the completion of, Hinkley Point C (HPC) – except where this action is done on grounds of protecting health, nuclear safety, security, environmental, nuclear transport or nuclear safeguards related matters. If my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State decides to direct the Low Carbon Contracts Company Ltd to offer a Contract for Difference to HPC, the terms of the contract will be published (with commercially sensitive information removed) once it has been entered in to by the parties.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-12-16.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether priority in distributing aid will be given to those who are hard to reach, in the light of the new Sustainable Development Goals commitment to leave no-one behind”.”
Baroness Verma
The new UKAid strategy ‘Tackling global challenges in the national interest’ reiterates DFID’s commitment to tackling extreme poverty and helping the world’s most vulnerable, including hard to reach groups, which helps to build security, stability and opportunity that benefits all. Strategic Objective 4 outlines the UK Government’s ambition to be a world leader in implementing the promise to “Leave No One Behind”, as was agreed by the Prime Minister and other world leaders at UNGA in September 2015. To deliver our strategy, we will prioritise work that targets the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, the most excluded, those caught in crises, and those most at risk of violence and discrimination.
We have also made the commitment that at least 50% of all DFID’s spending is to be allocated to fragile states and regions. Fragile and conflict-affected countries typically have the highest poverty rates and in the future, extreme poverty is likely to be concentrated in fragile countries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of freedom of religion and belief in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Hugo Swire
The Government is concerned by the violence directed towards those expressing secular or atheist views in Bangladesh. Ministers have been unequivocal in our condemnation of the murder of five secular bloggers and publishers in Bangladesh this year, and in calling for the Bangladesh government to protect those who face threats to their lives because of the views they have expressed. My noble Friend the right hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, our High Commissioner in Dhaka and myself, in my statement on 7 August, have all expressed shock at the appalling murders and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and free speech protected. In my 14 August blog I said that Bangladesh is a secular country, with a rich tradition of freedom and religious tolerance. That should be commended, protected and preserved.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, visited Bangladesh from 31 August to 9 September. We look forward to the release of his report at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016 and will encourage the government to consider all its recommendations carefully.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mancroft on 2015-12-16.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to measure the effectiveness of the implementation of the new medicines for hepatitis C treatment, and when they will publish those results.
Lord Prior of Brampton
NHS England has advised that it is working with Public Health England and the clinical leads of the operational delivery networks to agree a common dataset which will enable the effectiveness of new medicines for hepatitis C to be measured.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen McPartland on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress the National Group on Sexual Violence Against Children and Vulnerable People has made on establishing a Child Sexual Exploitation Response Unit; and if she will make a statement.
Karen Bradley
The actions which stemmed from the National Group’s work have been incorporated into a cross-Whitehall CSA Programme which includes the actions from the “Tackling CSE” report published in March 2015, and the WeProtect Summit in December 2014.
Good progress is being made across the range of commitments in the CSA Programme, including that to establish a new national response unit to help local areas when child sexual exploitation is a particular concern. The Government will publish a progress report on all actions within the Programme one year on from the publication of “Tackling CSE”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-12-16.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from mental health organisations about the next NHS mandate.
Lord Prior of Brampton
A public consultation on the Government’s Mandate to NHS England took place earlier this year, to which 139 organisations of various types responded. Those concerned specifically with mental health included the Mental Health Foundation, the Mental Health Policy Group and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition. Charities and patient groups that responded, especially those with an interest in long-term conditions, often made reference to the impact of such conditions on the mental health of those that they represent.
The Government response to the consultation, published on 17 December 2015, summarises these concerns and sets out its response to them. A copy of the document is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many train services through Neston have been cancelled since August 2015; and what the reason was for the cancellation in each such case.
Claire Perry
This information is not held by the Department. Under the Welsh rail devolution arrangements, the Welsh Government is responsible for the day to day management of the Arriva Trains Wales franchise, including services to and from Neston.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Evans of Weardale on 2015-12-15.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what national co-ordinating arrangements are in place to provide reassurance or security assistance to MPs or members of the House of Lords who receive direct or implicit threats as a result of their parliamentary duties.
Lord Bates
As the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Leader of the House of Commons, stated during Business of the House of Commons on Thursday 17th December (Hansard Column No 1703), it has been agreed that a standardised approach to security packages will be made available to Members of Parliament and will address the personal security outside Westminster including at constituency offices and their homes and will include consideration of staff safety. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) will shortly be announcing details of how to access the security packages.