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Tag: 2015

  • 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 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to attach conditions to aid to Pakistan relating to the prevention of persecution of and discrimination against Christians.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Our aid relationship with any government is based on an assessment of their commitment to our Partnership Principles, which include human rights. The Government of Pakistan has publicly recognised the problems facing minorities, and the need to bring an end to religious persecution. We remain fully committed to working in partnership with them to achieve this.

    We raise these issues regularly with the Government of Pakistan; most recently the Head of DFID Pakistan raised this issue in October as part of the annual Bilateral Assistance Talks. Withdrawing aid would undermine our ability to protect the poorest, including many minority and excluded groups.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any decision has been made about the introduction of the new Long Service medal proposed by the Secretary of State for Defence in March.

    Earl Howe

    I can confirm that officials are currently working on the eligibility criteria for a new Long Service Medal. Details will be made available in 2016.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of local authority road are in a poor structural condition in (a) England outside London and (b) London.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport does not hold information on how many miles of local authority roads are in a poor structural condition in England or London.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what modelling his Department conducted on the effect of the Apprenticeship Levy prior to its announcement.

    Nick Boles

    HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, conducted internal modelling on which rate and scope would result in sufficient levels of income to fund growth in high-quality apprenticeships up until 2020. It will continue to conduct analysis and have an open dialogue with employers to understand the cost and benefits of the apprenticeship levy.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the study entitled ‘First, do no harm’: are disability assessments associated with adverse trends in mental health? A longitudinal ecological study, published in November 2015 in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

    Priti Patel

    The Department will study the report. However, as the authors make clear, their report does not show a causal link between the Incapacity Benefit reassessment process and rates of suicide, mental ill-health or use of anti-depressants.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make representations to the Office for National Statistics to include earnings from self-employment in its weekly earnings series.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Cabinet Office will be working with the Office for National Statistics to consider ways to improve data collection capability, including potential legislative options.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Ouseley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 12 November (HL3373), what they intend to do to prevent discriminatory treatment of BME mental health patients, and what assessment they have made of the implications of discriminatory treatment for patients in mental health wards.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We are aware that people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups often report poorer experiences of mental health services and there is some evidence of people from BME groups experiencing ethnic discrimination in how services are delivered by not ensuring equitable access or meeting diverse cultural needs.

    The Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010 make it clear that people should not be discriminated against on the grounds of race or mental impairment. People with mental impairments are included within the groups of people with Protected Characteristics within the Equality Act 2010.

    The Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice makes it clear that decisions relating to people detained under the Act should be lawful and in accordance with the requirements of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010.

    The Department established the Mental Health Equalities Working Group (EWG) in 2013 to advise on equality and human rights issues, including BME issues.

    The Joint Commissioning Panel published guidance in 2014, Guidance for commissioners of mental health services for people from black and minority ethnic communities, which set out 10 key messages for commissioners to improve services. A copy of the guidance is attached.

    The Coalition Government published Closing the Gap: priorities for essential change in mental health in 2014, which included a specific action to tackle inequalities around access to mental health services and we continue to work to achieving that action. A copy of this document is attached.

    The Department commissioned the Mental Health Providers’ Forum and the Race Equality Foundation to gather and review evidence of effective mental health services for BME groups, which was published this year. The report, Better practice in mental health for black and minority ethnic communities, found that organisations that were successful in providing mental health services that meet the needs of BME groups had developed local community-based approaches to service delivery which addressed cultural and linguistic differences and sought to actively engage hard to reach groups. A copy of this report is attached.

    NHS England is also working with a number of BME groups and community leaders to raise awareness, reduce barriers and improve the uptake of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) to all sections of the community. We are also working with the National Health Service and commissioners to disseminate guidance and good practice of what good mental health services for BME communities look like.

  • Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Bank of England is able to recover funds lent under the Funding for Lending Scheme from small and medium-sized enterprises which have subsequently defaulted on the loan.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Bank of England does not lend directly to small and medium sized enterprises as part of the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS). Under the FLS, the Bank of England provides funding to UK banks and building societies participating in the scheme. The amount of funding participant banks and building societies are eligible to borrow from the Bank of England is determined by their net lending to certain sectors of the economy.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any grant has been provided to Action on Smoking and Health in the last five years other than through grants under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, and if so, what was the nature and value of each grant.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    All grants awarded to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the last five years have been awarded under Section 64 powers. There are a range of different circumstances under which it would not be appropriate or represent best value for money to run a competed scheme. The grants awarded to ASH have been assessed as most appropriate for the non-competed route.

    The assessment of any grant application for funding from ASH is undertaken by members of the Tobacco Control policy team. Following this assessment, the Grants Hub makes a decision regarding whether or not to approve the application. These policy assessments contain policy advice to Ministers and so are not made public. Approvals are required from Ministers and from HM Treasury or are subject to a Departmental approval process that has been agreed with HM Treasury.

    To identify relevant representations the Department has received would result in disproportionate cost.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Virendra Sharma – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what effect Sustainable Development Goal 3 has had on her Department’s aid strategy for UK; and what account she plans to take of that goal in forming the new UK aid strategy.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID will continue to play a leading role in health globally supporting developing countries to meet the Global Goal 3. DFID’s work on health is also guided by the Government’s International Development manifesto commitments and the new UK Aid Strategy. This work will benefit millions of people, which will avoid needless deaths; and encourage healthier populations who are better able to contribute to their nation’s prosperity; and increase the ability of these countries to develop, which is in the UK’s national interest. We will also help build strong health systems that can sustain the gains.

    For example, the new Ross Fund announced in the UK Aid Strategy is a commitment to global public health that will fund work to tackle diseases of epidemic potential, such as Ebola, neglected tropical diseases, drug resistant infections, and malaria. This will directly contribute to the achievement of a number of the global goal health targets.