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Tag: 2015

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent from the public purse on reimbursing each non-European Economic Area country for health care provided to UK nationals for each financial year from 1997-98 to 2014-15.

    Alistair Burt

    Regarding non-European Economic Area (EEA) countries, including those with reciprocal healthcare agreements with the United Kingdom, we can confirm that no reimbursements are made from the public purse in respect of healthcare provided to UK citizens.

    For non-EEA countries without a reciprocal agreement in place with the UK, it would be for the individual to pay for any healthcare needed and for that reason appropriate travel and medical insurance is highly advisable. Similarly, for those non-EEA countries with whom the UK does have a reciprocal healthcare agreement, no money changes hands between the parties to the agreement. The basis of these agreements is reciprocity – that is, necessary healthcare is provided in most cases free of charge to the visitor and the associated costs are absorbed by either side.

    The information requested on the amount received in reimbursement from EEA countries in only available for the country totals of cash payment for 2007-08 to 2014-15. That information is provided in attached table. We do not hold totals for amounts before 2007-08, as the information is hot held centrally.

  • Alex Chalk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Chalk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department plans to spend per person on cycling in England outside London for each year until 2020-21.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government has agreed a four-year revenue and five-year capital settlement for local transport spend, which includes cycling and walking investment. The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, to be published in summer 2016, will explain the Government’s investment strategy for cycling and walking.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will assess the effect on the Nigerian (a) economy and (b) society of (i) Boko Haram and (ii) other terrorist groups.

    Grant Shapps

    Terrorist activities from Boko Haram and other groups have killed more than 15,000 people and caused a major humanitarian crisis. There are an estimated 2.2 million internally displaced people, most of them in host communities, putting an additional pressure on what is already a fragile social environment. Around 6.4 million people are in need of humanitarian support due to disruption of food supply, limitation of livelihood activities, and destruction of basic service facilities like health centres or schools. An estimated 600,000 children are out of school.

    Boko Haram violent extremism has destroyed the economy in the North East. Local chambers of commerce in the North East report that business activity has dropped by 80% over the past three years. The national economy is also affected. Major trade routes for the Nigerian market and with neighbouring countries have been disrupted. And the need for the Government of Nigeria to spend significant additional resources on emergency response and defence has reduced funds available for economic and social investments.

    In response to this crisis, DFID is providing a substantial package of security, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria including a £6.5 million in humanitarian programme and a £5.4 million development portfolio in Yobe state. This is complemented by a £12.1 million funding through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) for programmes implemented by DFID and other departments to mitigate conflict and enhance security forces capability. During my visit to Nigeria in October, I saw first-hand the interfaith peace clubs supported by DFID to build community cohesion and the excellent work the UK military is doing in training the Nigerian army in the fight against Boko Haram.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.126 of Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what funding for Discretionary Housing Payments he plans to provide to local authorities in addition to that announced in Summer Budget 2015.

    Justin Tomlinson

    In the Autumn Statement it was announced that additional Discretionary Housing Payment funding will be made available to Local Authorities, including those in supported accommodation. A further £70 million will be made available on top of the Summer Budget announcement across 2018-19 and 2019-20.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment the Government has made of the risks to the security of electricity supply in Northern Ireland posed by the failure to build and have operational by 2020 the 400kV North-South electricity interconnector between County Tyrone and County Meath.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Non-nuclear energy policy is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive Ministers.

  • Lord Harris of Haringey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Harris of Haringey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that the obligations under regulation 15A of the National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2004, as amended, to establish and maintain a Patient Participation Group are being met.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England is responsible for the assessment of general medical practices compliance with contractual requirements.

    NHS England operates an annual practice declaration to support its local teams assess contractual compliance. The annual declaration was amended this year to include key areas of enquiry in relation to the new responsibilities to establish and maintain a Patient Participation Group.

    The NHS (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations contain steps which NHS England may take where a practice does not comply with the terms of the agreement. These include issuing a remedial notice and, if no action is taken as a result of this notice, a breach of contract notice which could result in NHS England withholding money, due under the agreement, or terminating the agreement.

    NHS England does not currently hold information nationally on the use of contractual sanctions. NHS England is developing its reporting systems to identify the number of breach notices issued periodically and to identify common themes associated with contractual non-compliance.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on the ability of young drivers to gain insurance cover of the recent increase in the insurance premium tax.

    Andrew Jones

    My officials have not made an assessment. There are a number of behavioural, educational and technological interventions that have the potential to help improve young driver safety and hence have an impact on insurance premiums. We need better evidence about what works best, so we’re working with insurance companies to see how we can assess the impact of telematics products, amongst other things, on young driver safety.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the detention and interrogation of a six year-old boy in Bethlehem.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not raised this specific incident with the Israeli authorities, we have been informed by officials from our Consulate General in Jerusalem that the child concerned has reportedly been released.

    We regularly raise the issue of detention of minors with the Israel government. On 27 August our Ambassador in Tel Aviv lobbied the Israeli Military Advocate General on our concerns about children in detention.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits of (a) dualling the A17 in its entirety and (b) dualling its single carriageway sections.

    Andrew Jones

    No assessment has been undertaken by the Department for Transport of the economic benefits of dualling the A17 in its entirety or in single sections. The A17 forms part of the local road network and is the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. It is for the councils concerned to develop proposals to dual this road if they wish to do so, working closely with the respective Local Enterprise Partnerships.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made regarding the government of Zimbabwe’s attempt to access external funding from multilateral financial institutions including the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank.

    Baroness Verma

    The Government of Zimbabwe has been in arrears to the International Financial Institutions for over a decade. This prevents Zimbabwe from accessing any new financing for development from the World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank.

    The Government of Zimbabwe presented its plans to clear multilateral arrears at a side meeting during the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings, in October. Bilateral creditors at the meeting, including the UK, broadly welcomed the intention of the Government of Zimbabwe to work towards arrears clearance, but stressed that implementation of reforms would be necessary to achieve debt resolution.