The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NHS England plans to publish guidance to commissioners on their duty to pay excess treatment costs.
George Freeman
NHS England has confirmed that guidance to commissioners on their duty to pay excess treatment costs will be published by the middle of November 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are assisting Burundi and its neighbours to prevent further sectarian violence.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK has been actively working with the international community to prevent sectarian violence in Burundi. Our activities in New York, the EU and the region, including calls from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), to the Burundian Foreign Minister, Ugandan Foreign Minister and African Union (AU) Peace and Security Commissioner have had an impact. There are signs the Burundian government is taking a more conservative approach in using the police and security forces. We have also pushed for the EU to start Article 96 negotiations with Burundi. Burundi has agreed to participate in Article 96 negotiations, having initially refused. We support a sanctions regime for Burundi whereby four individuals have been listed so far and the EU and AU are considering further sanctions on individuals. We continue to work with the AU who are mobilising the financial and political resources to assist with the mediation process between the East Africa Community and Burundi.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees of Border Force are seconded to Kos and Lesbos; and what their (a) powers and (b) duties are.
James Brokenshire
UK Border Force currently has twelve staff deployed to support Frontex joint operations in the Mediterranean, and one staff member seconded to Frontex Headquarters, Returns Sector, in Warsaw. Eight of the twelve staff support joint operation ‘Poseidon Sea’ in Greece: two in Kos, three in Lesbos, one in Leros, one in Samos and one in Chios; and four support Frontex joint operation ‘Triton’ in Italy: two in Trapani, one in Lampedusa and one in Syracuse.
UK staff cannot exercise any powers on Frontex operations. Border Force staff debrief migrants to gather intelligence on their routing, modus operandi and any facilitators involved; Border Force staff also screen migrants to establish their identity, to aid the host member state with documentation and return of those migrants with no right of stay in Europe.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to broaden the remit of Police and Crime Commissioners.
Lord Bates
Within our Manifesto, this Government gave a commitment to “…develop the role of our elected and accountable Police and Crime Commissioners.”
We have already announced proposals to enhance the PCCs current role in relation to police complaints and emergency services collaboration.
We are actively looking for further opportunities to develop the PCC role as we move forward towards the next national PCC elections in 2016 so that they are able to shape policing services to local needs, as they are now doing in commissioning victims’ services, setting policing priorities and driving reform.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support women’s reproductive healthcare in Liberia.
Mr Desmond Swayne
Since 2008 DFID has been supporting the Government of Liberia to deliver health services and has committed over £28m. This includes an additional £6m funding announced at the UN conference on post-Ebola recovery in July 2015.
Roughly half of our funding is specifically targeted towards health services for women and children, including during pregnancy and for childbirth, and to purchase drugs including contraceptives and other family planning products.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the higher education sector on extending the loan book to part-time students who wish to undertake a second degree.
Joseph Johnson
We have extended fee loans for those already holding a degree to students wishing to retrain in engineering, technology and computer science. We continue to examine what more we can do to support part-time including the availability of additional fee loans and are engaging actively with the sector on these issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish the minutes of the Prime Minister’s Community Forum meeting on 13 October 2015; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Cameron
Information about the first meeting of the Community Engagement Forum can be found on the gov.uk website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of apprentices in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK earning £3.30 per hour.
Mr Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made in extending reassessment periods for claimants in the employment and support allowance support group (a) generally and (b) who have degenerative brain conditions.
Priti Patel
Despite routine re-assessments are currently suspended to focus on new claims, we have made an exception for deteriorating conditions where a repeat assessment can be requested. As a consequence no changes have been made to the re-referral periods for people in the Support Group.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the European Food Safety Authority’s review on the evidence on the impact of neonicotinoids; and what representations she has made to that Authority on that review.
George Eustice
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) review on the evidence on the impact of neonicotinoids is an important opportunity to produce an up-to-date assessment of this issue. EFSA has just completed the data collection phase and the UK will contribute fully to the review as it progresses.