Tag: 2016

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with other Commonwealth leaders about the need to encourage further democratic reform in the Maldives.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    On 24 February, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) met in London to discuss the situation in the Maldives. Following that, I hosted a meeting for CMAG Ministers and senior officials. I welcomed CMAG’s conclusion that their consideration of the situation in Maldives should continue. I also supported their recommendations, in particular the need for the release of political leaders and a swift implementation of reforms to strengthen separation of powers and independence of the judiciary in Maldives. I encourage the Maldives Government to implement all of CMAG’s recommendations. I also discussed the situation in the Maldives with Foreign Minister McCully during my visit to New Zealand on 21 February and with Foreign Minister Samaraweera when I visited Sri Lanka in January.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) survivability, (b) sustainability and (c) readiness of NATO forces.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The Readiness Action Plan (RAP), agreed at the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, is progressing well and it will deliver enhanced NATO Response Forces, including the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), by the time of the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July 2016. The UK has played a leading role in the implementation of the RAP: we have committed to spending 2% of GDP on Defence, and 20% of that on new equipment; we will lead a capable and credible VJTF (Land) Brigade in 2017; we have increased our commitment to NATO’s Standing Naval Forces this year; and will continue to provide Airborne Early Warning, Air to Air Refuelling, Tornado and Typhoon aircraft to the VJTF (Air).

    Considerable work on survivability, sustainability and readiness of NATO forces has been undertaken. The RAP includes a commitment to generate an enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF) including a VJTF. To enhance survivability, the eNRF has been designed from the outset as a Joint, Multi-National force with an appropriate quantity and balance of forces needed to effectively conduct the full range of potential operations. Integral logistic structures, which include the newly created Multi-National Corps Headquarters in Poland and a Multi-National Division Headquarters in Romania, ensure the sustainability of the enhanced NRF and VJTF. Enhanced NRF forces are designed to meet the readiness timelines that are laid down in NATO’s strategic planning documents, including the Alliance’s Graduated Response Plans.

    Considerable work on Interoperability has also been undertaken since the end of combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014. This has built upon NATO’s Connected Forces Initiative to ensure that NATO’s Multi-National forces force are able to continue to operate together effectively beyond the end of combat operations in Afghanistan. For our lead of the VJTF (Land) in 2017, the British Army will operate alongside the armed forces from 13 contributing nations.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made in updating tax treaties between the UK and (a) Malawi, (b) Lesotho and (c) Ghana.

    Mr David Gauke

    The UK is not currently involved in active treaty discussions with Tanzania.

    Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. The Government of Malawi have stated that they hope to be in a position to sign the new treaty in the near future.

    The UK has negotiated a treaty with Lesotho and are currently seeking to arrange signature.

    The UK is currently involved in negotiations with Ghana in agreeing a new tax treaty.

    Nepal has approached the UK to begin negotiation of a tax treaty. We are seeking suitable dates for discussions.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) treatment targets and (b) care processes are for people with (i) sickle cell disease and (ii) thalassaemia in each (A) clinical commissioning group area, (B) trust area and (C) national sickle cell and thalassaemia centre area in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    George Freeman

    NHS England has a published service specification for haemoglobinopathy which covers the requirements of commissioned services providing specialised services for patients with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia. The specification was developed by the Haemoglobinopathies Clinical Reference Group that covers Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassaemia and other very rare anaemias requiring lifelong transfusion and chelation. The specification reflects that although these are complex disorders they are often grouped together and managed by the same specialist team. It recognises that each condition will have distinct clinical manifestations and treatments.

    Specialised services for haemoglobinopathy care B08/S/a:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/b08-speci-serv-haemo.pdf

    “

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote breastfeeding in the curriculum.

    Edward Timpson

    Where there is a demand from parents and pupils, schools can choose to teach about any topic of interest, including breastfeeding. For example, it can be covered in schools’ personal, social, heath and economic (PSHE) lessons. The suggested programme of study for teachers by the PSHE Association does not specifically cover breastfeeding, but it includes teaching about parenthood and the development of parental skills. Schools can expand on these topics if they wish, and include breastfeeding if there is a demand to cover it.

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the ability of Kurds in south-east Turkey to live in secular, democratic and gender-equal communities.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Turkish government recognises promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women amongst the range of human rights issues it is committed to addressing. Prime Minister Davutoğlu spoke publicly on 9 December about the importance his government attaches to these issues. We have welcomed the previous measures taken by the Turkish government, such as the 2013 “democratisation package”, to improve rights for minority groups in Turkey and to resolve the Kurdish issue through the peace process but, as the EU’s Annual Progress Report highlights, there is more progress to be made. We want the peace process to be resumed, building on previous progress.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the financial implications of removing the quality and outcomes framework indicator for seizure freedom (EP002) in 2014.

    Alistair Burt

    When the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicator EP002 was retired, all of the funding in relation to it was reinvested back into general practitioner (GP) contract core funding (global sum) payments and into new enhanced services to be delivered in general practice. The reduction in the number of QOF indicators was intended to reduce bureaucracy, unnecessary patient testing and unnecessary frequency of patient recall and recording. It was also to allow GPs to use their professional judgement to treat their patients according to best practice guidelines.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what public information leaflets and literature have been published by (a) his Department and (b) NHS England on mental health.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department has published a number of information leaflets and other literature, as have NHS England. These documents are available on the Government and NHS England websites:

    https://www.gov.uk/search?q=mental+health

    and

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/?s=mental+health

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on applying lessons learned from statistics on low energy bill debts.

    Andrea Leadsom

    DECC officials have meetings with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on a regular basis to discuss market issues.

    I welcome the use of smart technology, such as the introduction of keypad electricity prepayment meters in North Ireland, to help consumers manage their bills and reduce energy debt. The rollout of smart meters across Great Britain has the potential to transform customers’ experience in a similar way.

  • Craig Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Craig Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Williams on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what dates in 2017 tax-free childcare is planned to be made available to children aged (a) 0-2, (b) 3-4, (c) 5-6, (d) 7-8, (e) 9-10 and (f) 11-12 years.

    Damian Hinds

    Tax-Free Childcare will be launched from early 2017. To roll out the scheme in a safe and managed way, we will be gradually opening up the scheme to all eligible parents within 12 months.

    We will provide further details of the exact plans for this rollout in due course and in good time for parents and childcare providers to prepare for the introduction of Tax-Free Childcare.