Tag: 2015

Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to page 8 of the consultation document Tackling Exploitation in the Labour Market, published in October 2015, if she will publish research conducted by her Department that shows that there has been a shift from abuses of employment regulation towards increasingly organised criminal activity engaged in labour market exploitation over the last 10 years.

Karen Bradley

Operational information, which is not publically discloseable, received from the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority indicates that, since the Authority began operations in 2006, it has seen an increase in the number of vulnerable people being exploited by organised criminals and criminal networks for profit in the sectors it regulates.

Further information about the role of organised criminal activity would come from the proposed new role of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement who will have a role to gather information on worker exploitation and publish a strategic approach to tackling it.

January 1, 2023
Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations to the UN Security Council members in the Human Rights Watch report of 26 November, What Military Target Was in My Brother’s House: Unlawful Coalition Airstrikes in Yemen.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of the report released by Human Rights Watch on 26 November and its recommendations to the international community. The UN Security Council has made clear that sanctions will be applied to those individuals or entities who have been designated or listed for engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security and stability of Yemen. We take all reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Yemen by any side to the conflict very seriously. We have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian government and have received assurances of IHL compliance and continue to engage with them on those assurances. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with IHL and international human rights law. We agree that all parties to the conflict have a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to allow and facilitate humanitarian access to facilitate immediate access to life-saving supplies both into and within Yemen. The Resolution on Yemen adopted at the September session of the Human Rights Council commits the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to work with the Government of Yemen and produce an oral report on developments to be given at the next session in March 2016, and a written report to be published and presented to the Council in September 2016. We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen and will continue to work with all parties to find a political solution to the conflict.

January 1, 2023
Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2015 to Question 10800, when the potential closures of courts will be announced; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Shailesh Vara

HM Courts & Tribunals Service is currently in the process of assessing all responses to the consultation and I expect to announce the outcome of the consultation in due course.

January 1, 2023
Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average turnaround time for cancer genetic tests relating to (1) breast cancer, (2) lung cancer, (3) colorectal cancer, and (4) melanoma, measured from biopsy to a discussion of the results with the patient, in (a) tertiary care centres, (b) secondary care centres with in-house testing, and (c) secondary care centres with third-party testing.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England has not, to date, undertaken a direct comparison of the English and French health systems in respect of genetic testing practice for cancer.

NHS England does not hold data on the percentage of stage 2b, or higher, cancer patients in secondary and tertiary centres who were genetically tested. Detailed information on the clinical circumstances, or reasons, for referral for genetic testing for individual patients is not currently collated on a national basis.

NHS England does not consider business cases from individual National Health Service trusts in relation to the adoption of new genetic tests. Instead, NHS England considers national clinical commissioning policy proposals on the eligibility of a particular test, or treatments to be made available in the presence of particular genetic markers. These are considered and where agreed, funded consistently across England for services falling within NHS England’s direct commissioning responsibilities.

Examples include the separate policies (published in July 2015) confirming eligibility for Ivacaftor for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in the presence of certain gene mutations, and confirming eligibility for testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, respectively. Copies of the policies are attached.

In addition, the UK Genetic Testing Network currently presents new genetic testing proposals to NHS England for funding consideration based on the conclusions of their assurance programme. These are considered, alongside other new policy proposals, as part of the annual funding prioritisation process, where there is a net annual investment to be made to support their adoption.

Information on the average turnaround time for cancer genetic tests is not currently collated, or analysed, nationally. However, NHS England will be undertaking a procurement exercise in the coming months to support the strengthened provision of genetic testing across England. This includes more consistent reporting of activity and other performance indicators, including the timeliness of reporting on receipt on referrals. The supporting national service specification, setting out the standards required of commissioned providers, has been the subject of a recent public consultation.

January 1, 2023
Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014 Plaistow Jobcentre paid from the Flexible Support Fund for a jobseeker’s two month Zone 1-4 Transport for London Travelcard.

Priti Patel

The information is not collated centrally as to specific purchases on Flexible Support Fund and would require detailed analysis of transaction reports within London and Greater London. To provide this information could only be done so at disproportionate cost.

January 1, 2023
Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when construction of the first new SSBN ballistic missile submarine will start at Barrow.

Earl Howe

Whole Boat construction of the first Successor submarine is expected to begin in 2016 subject to the programme’s investment decision

January 1, 2023
Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the Fourth Report from the Work and Pensions Committee, on Support for housing costs in the reformed welfare system, Session 2013-14, HC 720, published on 2 April 2014.

Justin Tomlinson

I refer my Hon Member to the answer I gave on 15 October 2015 to Question UIN 11314.

January 1, 2023
Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to assist members of the armed forces who are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the future; and what assessment they have made of whether those individuals should receive financial support at least equivalent to that of civilians diagnosed with the disease.

Earl Howe

In the UK it is the National Health Service (NHS) that is responsible for the provision of healthcare to veterans including those diagnosed with mesothelioma. Veterans in England, Scotland and Wales are entitled to receive priority access to NHS secondary healthcare for conditions suspected to be due to their service in the UK Armed Forces, subject to the clinical needs of all patients.

Veterans are able to access support from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) through Veterans UK, part of MOD’s Defence Business Services, which provides a package of welfare support for veterans through a free helpline, website and national Veterans Welfare Service. Veterans UK also administer compensation payments for ill health or injury suffered while serving in the Armed Forces through the War Pensions Scheme (WPS) and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

The Department commissioned advice from the Independent Medical Expert Group to look at mesothelioma and the awards paid through the WPS. Following this, officials have considered what options there might be to offer any flexibility for those who will claim in the future under the WPS. This is a complex matter which has required detailed consideration and involved close consultation with our colleagues across Whitehall.

The Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Mark Lancaster) announced during the Adjournment Debate, in the House of Commons on mesothelioma compensation on 19 November 2015 (Official Report, columns 929-936) that he intends to make an announcement regarding the matter of lump sum payments as soon as possible. We will update ex-Service organisations at the forthcoming Central Advisory Committee on Compensation in December.

January 1, 2023
Lord Campbell-Savours – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Campbell-Savours on 2015-11-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 28 October (HL2728), whether they will set out the broad circumstances in which a housing association or Community Land Trust could exercise discretion in deciding whether to sell a property to a tenant.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Government is currently engaging with the National Housing Federation and the housing association sector on implementing the Right to Buy Agreement. Further details will be announced in due course.

January 1, 2023
Lord Donoughue – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Donoughue on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the average proportion of spending on DfID’s Programme Partnership Arrangements was on salaries for UK staff and advocacy work in the UK, broken down by the charities receiving that funding.

Baroness Verma

DFID does not hold details of the average proportion of spending through the Programme Partnership Arrangements (PPAs) on salaries for UK staff.

PPAs are not used for any campaigning or advocacy efforts in the UK.

The PPAs are strategic level arrangements with Civil Society Organisations based around mutually agreed outcomes. Organisations have individual performance frameworks against which they formally report against on an annual basis. Funding is flexible and not tied to specific interventions or initiatives.

January 1, 2023