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Tag: 2015

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has published for the aviation industry on the definition of liquid.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport has published guidance for passengers and industry on the GOV.UK website on the use of plastic bags to carry liquids through UK airport security. This includes advice on the nature of the plastic bag required. Many UK airports also provide guidance on their websites.

    The Civil Aviation Authority provides advice and guidance for airports on the definition of a liquid. The main regulation covering liquids, aerosols and gels, EU Regulation 185/2010 also sets out the rules and requirements.

  • Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the threat to human health and safety from poor canine welfare at breeding establishments; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    There are a number of diseases that can be passed between animals and humans (these are known as zoonotic diseases). Those affecting dogs include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. One of the standard conditions of holding a dog breeding establishment is that all reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious or contagious diseases.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK troops will be deployed to the UN Mission in Sudan and South Sudan; what is the timeline for their deployment; and what will be the distribution of their roles and responsibilities.

    Earl Howe

    At the UN General Assembly in September, the Prime Minister offered increased UK military support to UN peacekeeping activity in Africa. This offer includes episodic deployment of up to three hundred personnel to conduct key tasks to support the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Indicative tasks might include engineering, combat and advisory support. Planning is in hand now, in consultation with the UN, to determine the precise requirements and how we may best respond. We expect to deploy the first troops in mid-2016. We currently have three personnel deployed to UNMISS; two at the Force Headquarters in the capital, Juba, and one at Malakal, in the north of the country. UK has no plans to deploy troops to the UN (and African Union) Missions in Sudan.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with clinical bodies on the approach in the NHS to prescribing Ritalin for children with ADHD.

    Alistair Burt

    It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to be involved in operational decisions relating to the prescribing of methylphenidate (for which Ritalin is a trade name) in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. That is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently revising guidance on the use of methylphenidate and will be consulting widely on that new guidance which is expected in 2018.

    It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to be involved in operational decisions relating to the prescribing of methylphenidate (for which Ritalin is a trade name) in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. That is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently revising guidance on the use of methylphenidate and will be consulting widely on that new guidance which is expected in 2018.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 4 November (HL2982), what were the reasons for the decision not to appoint a new Middle East Quartet Representative, and what differences exist between the mandate of the Middle East Quartet Representative and the new Head of Mission of the Office of the Quartet.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The reasons for the decision not to appoint a new Middle East Quartet Representative are a matter for the Quartet Principals (UN Secretary General, US Secretary of State, Foreign Minister of Russia and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy).

    The “Office of the Quartet Representative” (OQR) has been renamed the “Office of the Quartet” (OQ). It will be led by two highly-regarded individuals: Kito de Boer, who joined in January 2015, will serve as Head of Mission and Sandra Wijnberg, who joined in July 2014, will serve as Deputy Head of Mission.

    The Head of Mission of the Office of the Quartet (OQ) is charged with delivering the OQ’s mandate. The mandate remains unchanged, and was set out in a June 2015 statement by the Quartet Principals. It is to “focus on economic and institutional development in the Palestinian Territory, addressing issues related to strengthening investment in the Palestinian private sector, rule of law, and movement and access. The OQ shall work in coordination and complementarity (sic) with bilateral and multilateral partners that implement technical assistance programs in the Palestinian Territory. As such, OQ will play an important role in advancing tangible steps on the ground to advance the Palestinian economy, and preserve the possibility of a two state solution.”

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve protection from meningococcal disease; and what steps he plans to take to protect people with low immunity from contracting meningococcal disease.

    Jane Ellison

    Proptection from meningococcal disease is provided through our successful vaccination programmes. The vaccination programme was recently extended to include vaccines against meningitis B and A,C,W and Y.

    We also provide information in our resources on the signs and symptoms of meningitis.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Human Rights Watch report that some Saudi Arabian air strikes in Yemen violated international humanitarian law.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law in Yemen by the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition. We take any report of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law in Yemen by all sides to the conflict very seriously. We have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian government and have received repeated assurances of International Humanitarian Law compliance. We continue to engage with them on those assurances. The Saudi Arabian authorities have their own internal procedures for investigations and we encourage them to be open and transparent in this. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law and international human rights law.

  • Lyn Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lyn Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Crime Agency officers have completed the digital awareness e-learning course, The internet and you.

    Mr John Hayes

    As of 16 December 2015, 3921 Officers have completed the eLearning “Internet and You”. The course forms part of a five stage programme for NCA staff who require detailed training in this area.

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

    Lord Wills – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to secure funding for research into mesothelioma over the last two years.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The usual practice of the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and of the Medical Research Council is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Both funders welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including mesothelioma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition.

    The NIHR launched a ‘themed call’ for mesothelioma research proposals in 2014. Fifteen individual applications have been received, of which two have been approved for funding to date, two are under review, and eleven have been rejected.

  • Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many legally owned .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles have been used in terrorist offences in the last 10 years.

    Mike Penning

    The National Ballistics Intelligence Service regularly assesses the volume and type of legal and illegal firearms in criminal use in the UK. The information is operationally sensitive and is not suitable for release.