Tag: 2016

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission on the quality, safety and effectiveness of services at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    No such assessments have been made. The provision of accident and emergency (A&E) services at the Royal Blackburn Hospital is a matter for the local National Health Service. The NHS in East Lancashire has established an A&E delivery board to oversee system performance and the effective delivery of urgent and emergency care locally.

    Ministers consult weekly with NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission about A&E performance.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the rationale is for people on spousal visas resident in the UK being required to pay a health surcharge as part of their visa.

    James Brokenshire

    The Immigration Health Surcharge was introduced in April last year to ensure that temporary, non-EEA migrants (unless subject to an exemption), who apply to come to the UK to work, study or join family, for a time-limited period of more than 6 months or who make an application to remain in the UK, contribute to the extensive and high quality range of NHS services available to them in a manner in line with their immigration status. This includes individuals resident in the UK with temporary spousal visas of more than 6 months, until such time they are eligible for indefinite leave to remain in which case the Immigration Health Surcharge does not apply.

    It gives migrant’s access to the NHS on the same terms as a permanent UK resident. The surcharge is set at a competitive rate and is a lower cost over the period of stay than the cost of even basic private medical insurance. In setting the Immigration Health Surcharge level at £200 per annum per migrant and £150 for students, the last Government considered the range of health services available without charge to migrants, the valuable contribution migrants make to our country and the need to ensure that the UK remains an attractive destination for global talent.

    In the first 6 months since its introduction, the Immigration Health Surcharge collected more than £100 million in income for the NHS.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the case of the Hares Boys.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to monitor developments in the case of the Hares boys and raise the issue with the Israeli authorities.

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 25 February (HL5719), whether an NGO can assist individual parents, or groups of parents, to challenge the fairness of the admission arrangements in their local school or schools through the adjudication process, including legally challenging the fairness of the adjudication process itself.

    Lord Nash

    There is nothing in school admissions legislation which would prevent a parent or group of parents from seeking the assistance of a non-government organisation in referring an objection to the Schools Adjudicator or in bringing a legal challenge about the adjudication process. Similarly, there is nothing in admissions legislation to prevent an organisation from providing such assistance.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-04-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what conversations they have had with other members of the UN Security Council about referring the actions of Daesh against religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq to the International Criminal Court for further investigation.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We condemn in the strongest terms the targeting and persecution of Yezidis, Christians and other communities by Daesh. We continue to urge the Government of Iraq to do all it can to ensure the security and rights of all communities in Iraq.

    We are working with international partners, including members of the UN Security Council, to look at all options to ensure accountability for human rights abuses and violations committed in Iraq.

    Although the UN Security Council can refer situations to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor for investigation, we believe that any decision on further investigations must be made on the basis of what will be the most effective means of bringing perpetrators of atrocities to justice.

  • Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support tree planting in towns.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government recognises the social and environmental benefits of urban trees. We will champion the Vision for a Resilient Urban Forest, developed by the Urban Forestry and Woodlands Advisory Committee Network. This Vision sets the direction and challenges local decision makers and communities to consider how they can better value, manage and expand the urban forest in their areas.

    Millions of schoolchildren across England, mostly in urban areas, will have the chance to plant trees in their communities as part of a Government-backed scheme to give free trees to schools in partnership with the Woodland Trust.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people of each gender over the age of 50 have been treated for (a) drug and (b) alcohol addiction in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The number of people of each gender over the age of 50 who have been in drug or alcohol treatment for the last five years can be accessed in the following link:

    https://www.ndtms.net/Publications/AnnualReports.aspx

    Source: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System

    “

  • Lord Aberdare – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Aberdare – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Aberdare on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the finding of the recent British Red Cross research report Are prehospital deaths from trauma and accidental injury preventable? that up to 59 per cent of pre-hospital deaths from injury could have been prevented with basic first aid, what steps they are taking to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to learn life-saving skills at school.

    Lord Nash

    We want to provide all young people with a curriculum that prepares them for success in adult life. High-quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) teaching has a vital role to play in this, helping young people understand the world around them, building resilience and helping them to make good choices and stay safe.

    The national ‎curriculum sets the expectation that pupils study PSHE education in maintained schools, and academies are encouraged to teach it as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

    Schools and teachers should decide what to teach based on their pupils’ needs, and taking account of pupil and parent views, when planning health education as part of PSHE.

    Where schools decide to teach first aid they are free to draw on expert advice and resources for teaching, as provided by organisations such as the British Red Cross, when planning their curriculum.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Prime Minister, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of his Department’s legal advice on the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan for purposes related to the Inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee into that matter.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Ms West) on 21 January 2016, UIN 22720.

    By long-standing convention under successive Governments the Law Officers’ advice is not published. The legal basis for the airstrike against Reyaad Khan is set out in the Government’s Memorandum to the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

    The Government’s legal position in relation to UK airstrikes against Daesh in Syria is reflected in my response to the Foreign Affairs Committee Report on the extension of offensive British military operations to Syria.

    The current Memorandum of Understanding together with the Justice and Security Act 2013 provides the necessary scope for the ISC to conduct robust oversight of those matters that are within its statutory remit.

    “

  • Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice has been provided this Session for ministers or senior officials in the Department of Health on whether to use secondary legislation or primary legislation for significant legislation.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    There has been no change in approach to the use of primary and secondary legislation since the General Election. Each piece of legislation is approached within the context of the policy and the existing legislative framework. There is no evidence of an increase in the number of statutory instruments laid since 2010 or since the General Election. Briefing produced by the House of Commons Library (CBP 7438) shows that the number of statutory instruments laid before the House of Commons peaked at 1,885 in the 2005-06 session, compared to 1,378 last session and 540 so far this session.