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Tag: 2015

  • Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the location of imprisonment of transgender prisoners.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Prison Service Instruction 07/2011 sets out NOMS policy on the care and management of prisoners who live or propose to live in a gender other than the one assigned at birth. Prisoners are normally placed according to their legally recognised gender. However, the guidelines allow room for discretion and senior prison staff will review the circumstances of every case in consultation with medical and other experts in order to protect the physical and emotional wellbeing of the person concerned along with the safety and wellbeing of other prisoners.

    A review of the current policy on transgender and transsexual prisoners began earlier this year and revised policy guidance will be issued to reflect NOMS’ responsibilities to transgender offenders in the community as well as in custody. The intention is to implement the guidance early in the New Year.

  • Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Afshar on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Islamophobia on Muslim communities in the UK.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. There is no place for hatred against people because of their race, gender, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation, age or disability.

    Anti-Muslim attacks rose 30-40% in the first two weeks after the Paris attacks. These attacks are unacceptable in Britain. The Government funds Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) to encourage reporting of these crimes and to support victims. We have also set up the first cross Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group to raise awareness of Islamaphobic attacks. In addition, the Prime Minister announced that the police will disaggregate hate crime by religion beginning in April 2016. This will help the police to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Warrington which are (a) dependent on and (b) directly related to Britain continuing to maintain an at-sea nuclear deterrent; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence no longer compiles national or regional defence industry employment statistics as they do not directly support policy-making or operations.

  • Lord MacKenzie of Culkein – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord MacKenzie of Culkein – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord MacKenzie of Culkein on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research has been conducted into whether clinical teams, mentors and practice educators can support an additional 10,000 nursing and midwifery students while ensuring the quality of their practice placements.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The additional places will include placements in line with existing degrees, to do so there will be no change required to existing statutory regulation or education standards.Delivering suitable high quality placements as now, is part of the universities commitment on delivering an additional 10,000 student places.

    Education standards will continue to be set United Kingdom-wide by the statutory Nursing and Midwifery Council and Health Care Professionals Council who as part of their approvals process assess the quality of practice placements. Professional bodies are also involved in setting curricula, particularly in the allied health professions and this will continue. It will be for universities to work as part of their local health economy with placement providers to secure extra placements for the additional students.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2015 to Question 4418, which women’s (a) rugby, (b) cricket and (c) football matches she has attended in an official capacity since taking office.

    Caroline Dinenage

    I have not yet attended any women’s rugby, cricket or football matches in an official capacity since taking office.

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 1 December (HL3644), which UK members and UK associate members attended the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Cheltenham on 16 and 17 November.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Northern Ireland Office is not responsible for the administration of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.

    However, I am advised by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly secretariat that the following full members of the UK delegation to the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly took part in the Assembly’s plenary session held in Cheltenham from 15 to 17 November 2015:

    David Anderson MP

    Lord Bew

    Baroness Blood

    Andrew Bridgen MP

    Deidre Brock MP

    Oliver Colvile MP

    Lord Dubs

    Mark Durkan MP

    Paul Farrelly MP

    Lord Glentoran

    Helen Jones MP

    Danny Kinahan MP

    Rt Hon Lord Mawhinney

    Conor McGinn MP

    Nigel Mills MP

    Laurence Robertson MP

    Andrew Rosindell MP

    Lord Skelmersdale

    Robin Walker MP.

    In addition, a number of full and associate members who had initially committed to attend the plenary session withdrew at short notice.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of NHS England on spending on mental health services during 2015-16.

    Alistair Burt

    In total, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have set plans for 2015/16 which reflect an increase in mental health care expenditure in excess of their increase in allocation for the year. NHS England is tracking actual expenditure against those plans and it will report to the Secretary of State at the end of the year on whether those plans have been met.

    Departmental Ministers meet the Chief Executives of NHS England and Monitor regularly and discuss a wide range of issues, including funding for mental health services.

    NHS England was formally established on 1 April 2013.Expenditure by NHS England on Specialist Mental Health Services for 2013/14 was £1.780 billion and £1.795 billion in 2014/15. NHS England’s planned expenditure on Specialist Mental Health Services for 2015/16 is £1.859 billion.

    NHS England has published CCG level expenditure on mental health for 2013/14, which was estimated to be £8.1 billion. CCGs are currently in the process of preparing estimates of expenditure for mental health services in 2014/15. Estimates for 2015/16 are not available.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Government sought assurances from Royal Mail that local collection offices would not be closed after the sale of that company.

    Anna Soubry

    Decisions on whether to close and re-locate local collection offices have always been operational matters for Royal Mail. The Government played no role in such decisions prior to the sale of Royal Mail.

    Regardless of ownership, Royal Mail, as the United Kingdom’s designated universal service provider, is required to provide a universal postal service that meets the minimum requirements as set out under the Postal Services Act 2011.

    It is the responsibility of the postal regulator, Ofcom, to ensure that Royal Mail provides sufficient access points to meet its universal postal service obligations.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of households in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow constituency that have access to superfast broadband.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    UK Government has allocated £122 million for the two Scottish SuperfastBroadbandprojects, which focus on areas where commercial coverage does not exist or is not planned.

    DCMS estimates that commercial coverage will provide superfast broadband availability to 83% of premises inEast Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, and theDigital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme will add a further 12% premises to the commercial coverage following completion of the first phase of the project.

    In addition the Government is supporting seven pilot projects to explore options for delivering superfast broadband services to the hardest to reach parts of the UK.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sarah Wollaston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the planning protection for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and if he will make a statement.

    James Wharton

    The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protection for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is for decision makers to apply that policy and related legislation. The local planning authorities have responsibility for determining planning applications and developing local plan policies in the first instance.

    The strong protection for these valued areas is supported by planning guidance. We keep this guidance under review to ensure it reflects up-to-date planning policy.