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Tag: 2015

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement by the Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid of 15 October 2015, HCWS 237, on HM Courts & Tribunal Service, if it is his policy for staff of that service to remain civil servants.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    As I stated in my Written Ministerial Statement of 15 October, the department has withdrawn the procurement for an external provider for compliance and enforcement services. Therefore permanent members of staff employed by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service in compliance and enforcement roles will remain as civil servants.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust paid in relation to the 104 patients admitted to The Priory, Cheadle Hulme in 2014.

    Ben Gummer

    This information is not collected centrally.

    We have written to Derek Brown, Chair of the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust informing him of the hon. Member’s enquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  • Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on children being absent from school to be on holiday.

    Nick Gibb

    Reducing absence from school is a top priority for this government as good attendance is clearly linked to attainment. Evidence shows that missing the equivalent of just one week a year from school can damage a pupil’s life chances and reduce a pupil’s chances of succeeding at school[1]. Parents should avoid taking their child out of school during term time if this is not absolutely necessary.

    Head teachers continue to have the discretion to approve term-time absence, but only in exceptional circumstances.

    [1] : “The link between absence and attainment at KS2 and KS4: 2012 to 2013 academic year” research report at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/absence-and-attainment-at-key-stages-2-and-4-2012-to-2013

    “

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects the Coastal Communities Fund to reopen for a further round of funding.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Details of future funding arrangements for the Coastal Communities Fund are currently being considered as part of the 2015 Spending Review. An announcement about the timing of future funding rounds is expected after the Autumn Statement.

  • Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress towards the establishment of a government in Libya; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We welcomed the announcement on 8 October by UN Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino Léon, of details of the final political settlement. A political settlement remains the best way to create the environment in which the Government of National Accord can bring peace and security to the Libyan people, regenerate the Libyan economy, and effectively tackle the terrorist threat. It is therefore disappointing that the House of Representatives failed to take a decision on the political agreement on 19 October. We will continue to urge all parties to the talks to seize this moment by endorsing and signing the political agreement as soon as possible, and to quickly realise the establishment of a Government of National Accord.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to improve the quality of palliative care.

    Ben Gummer

    This Government is committed to improving the quality of palliative care. Earlier this year, the Review of Choice in End of Life Care made a number of recommendations on how to enable greater choice and improve quality in palliative and end of life care nationally, including on the provision of out-of-hour palliative care services.

    We agree with the vision set out by the Review and are working with NHS England and others to see how this can best be achieved. We intend to respond to the Review recommendations in due course.

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

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department and NHS England are taking to ensure that autism diagnosis waiting times for (a) children and (b) adults meet NICE guidance in Newcastle upon Tyne East constituency.

    Alistair Burt

    In general NHS England is required to assess the performance of each clinical commissioning group (CCG) to ensure that CCGs are commissioning safe, high quality and cost effective services, to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), NHS England makes an annual assessment of CCGs each financial year and publishes a summary report. The Secretary of State for Health keeps NHS England’s performance in discharging its functions under review, which includes NHS England’s assurance of CCGs. The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to CCGs where there is good practice in meeting the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism, and to those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. The National Autism Programme Board will monitor reported progress from NHS England against the commitments in the Autism strategy including the implementation of NICE guidance.

    Newcastle Gateshead CCG is investing in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to provide improved services for adults with autism with an initial focus to reduce waiting times in line with NICE guidelines and then for further improvement to be made in the core service. Within 18-24 months the intention is for the autism pathway to be embedded in mainstream services with the addition of a specialist autism service which will provide training, support, liaison and assess more complex cases. By the end of this year, it is expected that all children’s services will have reached a 95% target for all referralsto be assessed and in treatment within 12 weeks and for 70% of referrals to be assessed and in treatment within six weeks.

  • Colleen Fletcher – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Colleen Fletcher – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account she has taken of the introduction of a dedicated specialist police line for professionals to report highly sensitive information about cases of known FGM under the Serious Crime Act 2015.

    Karen Bradley

    A mandatory reporting duty for regulated health and social care professionals and teachers will come into force at the end of October. We recently published guidance to support its introduction.

    The guidance sets out that reports can be made using the 101 service. The Government has opted to recommend the use of an existing cost effective, simple and clear reporting route for professionals rather than introduce a dedicated specialist police line. Calls to 101 are answered by trained police officers and staff in the control room of the local police force. All 101 call handlers are fully trained to handle all calls received and specific call-handling instructions on FGM will be issued to them by the National Policing Lead before the duty comes into force. Upon receipt of a report, the police will record the information and initiate a multi-agency response in line with local safeguarding arrangements. Police forces have responsibilities regarding the management of information, including a statutory responsibility to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.

    The College of Policing will also shortly update its Authorised Professional Practice Guidance on FGM with information and advice on the mandatory reporting duty.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to coordinate development and environmental sustainability agendas.

    Grant Shapps

    The new Global Goals provide a strong new framework for sustainable growth and poverty reduction, explicitly linking the development and environmental sustainability agendas. DFID is integrating environmental sustainability through development policy, research and investment, including investment of Climate Finance via the UK’s International Climate Fund (ICF) which has helped 15 million poor and vulnerable people adapt to the effects of climate change and helped 2.6 million people to access to clean energy.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of global shipping tonnage was registered in the UK in each of the last five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The proportion of global shipping gross tonnage (GT) registered in the UK in each of the last five years is shown below:

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015 to July 2015

    World Fleet (million GT)

    959.2

    1036

    1094

    1134

    1175

    1193.0

    UK Fleet (million GT)

    17.5

    17.9

    17.6

    15.1

    13.8

    14.2

    UK % of World Fleet

    1.8%

    1.7%

    1.6%

    1.3%

    1.2%

    1.2%

    These figures are for ships over 100GT. Figures for the size of the world fleet are not recorded by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and come from Clarksons.