Tag: 2015

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that men make use of mental health services when they need them; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    We have committed to achieving parity of esteem for mental and physical health and improving access to mental health services for all people. We are implementing the first waiting times for mental health services to ensure more people have access to care when they need it and we have increased access to talking therapies through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme.

    We know that men can sometimes be a hard to reach group for some mental health issues such as reducing the risk of suicide and reducing stigma and encouraging men to seek help for their mental health problems.

    We continue to provide financial support to the Time to Change programme which aims to reduce the stigma around mental health and we provide financial support to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance, which involves organisations from across Government, industry and the community, voluntary and charitable sectors to support delivery of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. Men are highlighted as a high risk group within the National Strategy for whom our suicide prevention activities should be prioritised.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to increase the representation of Muslims on elected bodies.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government believes that democratic institutions make the best decisions when they have a mix of people with different skills, backgrounds and experiences, from right across the country. The Government implemented section 106 of the Equality Act, which makes it possible to require registered political parties to publish anonymised data relating to the diversity of their candidate selection. This is a voluntary approach, which provides greater transparency over candidate selection. It is for political parties to ensure that they have a wide range of candidates to stand for elections.

    We have supported and promoted mentoring schemes and internships at local and national Government level to open up political life to black, Asian and minority women and disabled people. Schemes such as the ‘Be a Councillor Campaign’ run by the Local Government Association encourage candidates from all walks of life to come forward and represent their local community.

  • Michelle  Thomson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Michelle Thomson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Thomson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department no longer publishes accounts of the revenue stream from visa services previously published by the UK Border Agency.

    James Brokenshire

    This information is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15, a copy of which is available in the Vote Office.

    Table 6.2 sets out an analysis of income from services provided to external and public sector customers.

  • Kirsten  Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which weapons were identified in health and safety dangerous occurrences reported by his Department involving an unplanned or faulty discharge in each of the last five years; and how many such incidents there were for each of those weapons in each of those years.

    Mark Lancaster

    We are investigating the compilation of the requested statistics and I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on the Airports Commission: Final report, published July 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    There have been no recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Airports Commission’s Final Report.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with UK Border on the effectiveness of the implementation of the pet travel scheme.

    George Eustice

    Defra is working closely with Border Force to agree a framework for co-operation to ensure the effective enforcement of legislation relating to biosecurity risks, including the illegal importation of animals.

    My officials have advised Border Force that we will be seeking their support in planned discussions with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and local authorities to explore ways in which we can improve enforcement of these controls at the border.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider North Korean citizens and refugees as South Korean citizens.

    Lord Bates

    The Constitution of Republic of Korea (South Korea) stipulates that all North Koreans are citizens of the Republic of Korea.

    As citizens of South Korea, North Korean asylum seekers are able to seek the protection of the South Korean authorities. A person who simply expresses an unwillingness to avail themselves of such protection would not bring them within the scope of the UN Refugee Convention.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the consultation on payment of compensation out of the his Department’s contingency fund for those who have suffered from the contaminated bloods issue will report.

    Jane Ellison

    Liability has not been established in the majority of cases of individuals infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through NHS-supplied blood or blood products, so it would not be appropriate to talk about support payments in terms of compensation.

    I announced in the House of Commons on 16 December 2015, in response to an Urgent Question, Official Report, columns 1555-1565, that the consultation on reforming the current payment schemes for those infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through NHS-supplied blood or blood products will be announced later this month.

  • 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 whether they support the Euro-Atlantic integration process for Bosnia-Herzegovina, set out in the 2014 UN Security Council Resolution No. 2183.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government is a firm advocate of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) Euro-Atlantic integration. The UK-Germany initiative, launched a year ago (and adopted by the EU), was designed to stimulate reform and energise BiH’s EU perspective. The entry into force of the EU-BiH Stabilisation and Association Agreement on 1 June 2015 marks an important initial step. On the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the Government continues to encourage BiH to enhance its efforts to meet the requirements to proceed with its Membership Action Plan.

  • Paul Scully – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Scully – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Scully on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on implementing the plan for community pharmacists to access Summary Care Records; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    NHS England is now working with stakeholders to develop guidance and the arrangements for deployment so that all community pharmacists in England have access to the Summary Care Record. As this continues to be rolled out, it will enable more pharmacies to provide increased clinical services, helping to reduce the burden on other health and social care providers.