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Tag: 2015

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the human rights of the Bahai community in Iran.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have repeatedly expressed our concern at the harassment faced by Baha’is in Iran and at the sentencing of seven Baha’i leaders to 20 years in prison. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised human rights concerns during his visit to Tehran in August, including lack of freedoms for all citizens. We will continue to urge the Iranian Government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are able to practise their faith freely, as required by international conventions.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent online identity theft.

    Mike Penning

    Cyber Streetwise is a cross Government campaign designed to improve the online safety knowledge, behaviour and confidence of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and individuals; driving down crime, saving victims’ money and reinforcing perceptions of the UK as a safe place to do business. Since its launch in January 2014, approximately 2 million adults have adopted safer online behaviours that will better protect them. Our 2015/16 strategic approach aims to drive measurable shifts in three key behaviours: using strong passwords made up of three random words; installing security software on all devices; and regularly downloading software updates which experts agree will provide SMEs and individuals with the most protection against cyber-crime.

    The City of London Police and Action Fraud have also brought together advice from a range of sources through the ‘Not With My Name’ campaign, to help people protect their identity, including online. The campaign is supported by the Metropolitan Police Service, Experian, Cifas, Financial Fraud Action UK, Get Safe Online and Cyber Streetwise.

  • David Crausby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Crausby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the level of complaints against Arriva Transport Solutions over its level of service while running Greater Manchester’s non-emergency ambulance service; and what steps he is taking to ensure a better service in Greater Manchester in future.

    Jane Ellison

    The provision of local health services, including patient transport services, is a matter for the NHS locally. NHS Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group is the lead commissioner for non-emergency patient transport services in the North West.

  • David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to eradicate polio worldwide.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK Government is fully committed to global polio eradication. With a cumulative investment of more than $1.2 billion, the UK is the third largest donor to the eradication effort, and is providing £300 million for 2013 to 2019. UK funding has contributed to a greater than 99% decrease in polio cases since 1988, with no cases reported in Africa for over a year. Only two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan – are reporting cases of wild polio in 2015, meaning we are now closer than ever to global eradication.

    The UK also plays a key role in sustaining global political commitment and in making sure that every penny we, or others, invest in polio is spent well. The UK actively participates on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s Polio Oversight Board and the Finance and Accountability Committee, ensuring a strong focus on results and delivering value for money. During the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the UK re-affirmed our unwavering commitment to fighting polio encouraging others to join us in the final push towards global polio eradication.

  • 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 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to promote awareness in schools of the HPV vaccine.

    Jane Ellison

    A wide range of information tools are available and used to promote the awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation in schools. These include leaflets, factsheets and question and answer sheets, vaccination record cards, information on the NHS Choices website, and further detailed clinical guidance to health professionals such as school nurses who are able to advise girls about HPV immunisation and respond to questions and concerns. In addition to nationally available material, local National Health Service staff also take steps to provide information on HPV immunisation in their areas. HPV vaccine uptake rates in England areamong highest in the world, with 86.7% of eligible 12 – 13 year olds receiving the full course of vaccine doses in 2013/14.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing web-enabled out-of-hours transfer of vehicle ownership and payment of vehicle excise duty by new vehicle owners.

    Andrew Jones

    Vehicle keepers are already able to license their vehicle and pay vehicle excise duty online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    The online notification of a change of vehicle keeper service is an innovative new facility that was launched in 2015 as an alternative to postal services. This service is currently available between 8am and 6pm as the systems that support it rely on real-time validation of the registered keeper’s details against the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s vehicle register. The legacy IT services that support the vehicle register are only available during these hours, due to the system requirements to update the record daily. There are no current plans to extend the hours that this service is available.

  • Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the proportion of junior doctors not rostered on at evenings and weekends as a result of the terms of the current junior doctor contract.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS Employers’ evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration – “Reform of national contracts for consultant doctors and doctors and dentists in training”1 – published in December 2014 during the hon. Member’s tenure as a Minister, included a profile of how the hours worked by doctors in training were spread across the week.

    We have evidence that hospital leaders consider the junior doctors’ contract to be a significant barrier to delivering more seven-day services. NHS Providers’ written evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration on contract reform for consultants and doctors and dentists in training2 stated that the junior doctor contract is still a significant source of barriers to seven day working and reform of the junior doctor contract is also required to support trusts to deliver more seven-day services. In particular, the pay banding system for junior doctors needs to be reviewed. There were concerns from employers that the banding system is too complicated, can create “perverse incentives” for junior doctors and hospital management, and means that providing more seven-day services is unfeasible, since more junior doctors would be working outside core hours and receive premiums under the current banding system. NHS Providers also believe that more hours in a day and more days of the week need to be defined as core hours, as the current arrangement does not support the delivery of more seven-day services or reflect the needs and expectations of today’s patients.

    Future working patterns are for individual employers to determine. The evidence on doctors’ working patterns has not altered since the hon. Member was a Minister for Health.

    1 http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/pay-and-reward/pay/medical-pay/ddrb-evidence—in-detail/consultants-and-junior-doctors-contract-reform-submission-of-evidence-to-the-ddrb

    2 http://www.nhsproviders.org/resource-library/written-evidence-ddrb-special-remit/

    “

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to increase the number of disabled people in work in (a) Dorset and (b) the South West.

    Justin Tomlinson

    In the last two years, the number of disabled people in work has increased by 339,000. But we recognise that the gap between the employment rates of disabled people and non disabled people remains too large. That is why we are committed to halving it.

    The Spending Review announced a real terms funding increase to help people with health conditions and disabilities return to, and remain in, work.

    In the South West, disabled people who want to work can get support from Jobcentre Plus and a range of employment programmes such as Work Programme, Work Choice and Specialist Employment Support. Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job.

    To support and increase the number of disabled people into employment we are offering a more tailored personalised package of employment support in Greater Wessex which includes Dorset. The Personalisation Pathfinder provides disabled people in Greater Wessex with a more personalised and flexible employment support package that puts the individual at the heart of the employment offer.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the family test on his Department’s policies; and if he will make a statement.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Family Test was introduced in October 2014 and can be located at the following link Family Test Guidance

    The Family Test is part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of new policy in line with the guidance. Potential impacts of policy on family functioning and relationships are identified and brought to the attention of Ministers where appropriate.

    There is no requirement to publish the Family Test assessments. The Ministry of Justice does not collect information on the number of full Family Test assessments completed.

    “

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent finding of the UNOCHA that more than 21.2 million people, including 9.9 million children, were in need of humanitarian aid in Yemen.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK is deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen. According to UNOCHA, there are more people in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen than in any other country. However, because of the conflict, it has been difficult for the UN to access all parts of Yemen to carry out humanitarian assessments. The UN data on the overall number of people and children in need are therefore estimates and should be treated accordingly.

    Over the last year, the UK has doubled its humanitarian commitment to Yemen to £75 million in 2015/16. This is providing vital medical supplies, water, food, malnutrition and emergency shelter, including specifically to children through our programmes with UNICEF, Save the Children, and CARE.