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 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of their review of the cost of wound dressings to the NHS, they will ensure that clinical expertise is a full component part of the process in order to ensure that the outcome is clinically effective as well as cost-effective.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The review of wound dressings by a dedicated working group resulted in the development of a number of clinical specifications for wound care products.

    In order to progress this work, from April 2016 a new NHS Clinical Evaluation Team will be put in place. The Clinical Evaluation Team will assess wound care products through a comprehensive evaluation process, which will have extensive engagement with NHS clinical staff. Included in the process will be tissue viability and infection control nurses, clinical procurement specialists, doctors, nurses and midwives along with medicine management practitioners from community trusts.

    The project’s remit is to review clinical products to identify those that enable high quality patient care whilst delivering the best outcomes for the NHS. The secondary consideration will be to identify products that could be procured more effectively through combined NHS buying power, to deliver greater overall value for money.

    The Clinical Evaluation Team is made up of practising clinicians.

    The project will therefore undertake assessments of the total costs and benefits of any recommendations to the overall NHS.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire who will pay less inheritance tax as a result of the proposed changes to inheritance tax thresholds planned to be introduced from 2017.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government has made no specific estimates of the number of people who will pay less Inheritance Tax in either Ashfield constituency or Nottinghamshire as a result of the reforms to Inheritance Tax that will be introduced from April 2017.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the preservation of cultural sites in Sudan.

    James Duddridge

    The UK Government is not directly involved in the preservation of cultural sites in Sudan. However, the British Council has previously sought to increase the awareness and appreciation of Sudan’s cultural heritage, including its cultural sites, amongst Sudanese youth. In addition, the British Museum has long-been involved in the archaeology of Sudan, including the preservation of cultural sites in Sudan, often with the support of the British Council.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were employed by NHS Protect at each Civil Service pay grade in each year since 2010.

    George Freeman

    NHS Protect co-ordinates anti-crime work in the National Health Service in England. This not only includes investigations and prosecutions but also managing information and intelligence and, wherever possible, ensuring crime is deterred and prevented.

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    Number of NHS Protect prosecutions

    105

    41

    18

    7

    16

    9

    Note:

    1. Not all prosecutions relate to cases where the investigation commenced in the year shown as complex investigations may take more than one year to conclude and, if appropriate, prosecute.

    NHS Protect staff are employed on NHS Agenda for Change terms and conditions and the following table shows the number of NHS Protect staff by NHS pay scales.

    Number of NHS Protect staff by grade

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    Band 3

    3

    2

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Band 4

    22

    17

    13

    15

    16

    15

    Band 5

    23

    34

    28

    30

    30

    30

    Band 6

    11

    0

    0

    1

    1

    2

    Band 7

    106

    87

    78

    78

    85

    81

    Band 8a

    30

    32

    34

    34

    35

    30

    Band 8b

    13

    10

    11

    10

    10

    10

    Band 8c

    6

    5

    6

    6

    6

    3

    Band 8d

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Band 9

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Associates

    1

    1

    1

    2

    1

    1

    Total

    217

    190

    173

    178

    186

    174

    Note:

    1. Associates are clinical specialists employed to provide advice and guidance in their area of expertise.
  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 36104, whether the Government (a) received a copy of Saudi Arabia’s inquiry into alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen and (b) has encouraged Saudi Arabia to publish any findings of their investigations.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Saudi led Coalition Joint Investigations Assessment Team (JIAT) announced the outcome of eight investigations on 4 August. The outcome of these investigations are available to the public.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on religious freedom in Tibet; and whether he has received reports on expulsions of Buddhist students and the demolition of dwellings at the Larung Ghar Buddhist Institute in Sichuan province.

    Alok Sharma

    ​I refer my Hon. Friend to my answer of 18 October 2016 (PQ 48663). We are aware of, and concerned by, reports of the closure or demolition of churches and monasteries and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs across China. However, I am unable to comment in detail on the demolitions at Larung Gar, as British diplomats are not currently allowed to travel to the area, so my information is partial. Our Consulate General in Chongqing is seeking further information on the situation.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures exist, or are planned, to ensure that audit and accountancy firms accused of devising unlawful tax-avoidance schemes are investigated and censured, where appropriate.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    In the March 2015 Budget, the Government challenged the accountancy and tax professional bodies to improve how they deal with their members who promote tax-avoidance schemes.

    The professional bodies have responded positively to this challenge and are working with HM Revenue and Customs to agree a new standard with which their members will need to adhere to.

  • Glyn Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Glyn Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Glyn Davies on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what criteria her Department uses to designate technologies as less established for the purpose of Contract for Difference auctions.

    Andrea Leadsom

    In designating technologies in the less established group, we considered which technologies could have a significant long-term role in the UK energy mix, and where there remains significant potential for future cost reduction.

  • Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how, and to what extent, they are working with other donor governments to address the current food shortages in Ethiopia.

    Earl of Courtown

    Britain is working closely with the Government of Ethiopia and the international community to ensure adequate funding for drought response activities. Britain’s overall funding for the drought to date is £113 million, making the UK the second largest donor.

    In December, the Government of Ethiopia and the United Nations launched an appeal for 2016 to fundraise $1.4 billion (~£923 million) to respond to the drought in Ethiopia. By the beginning of March, 53% of the required funds have been raised.

    DFID is an active participant in donor coordination fora in Ethiopia, including Ethiopia’s Development Assistance Group, and works closely with other donor governments to monitor the response and to lobby for support from the Government of Ethiopia and UN appeal.

    DFID Ministers have discussed the drought at the highest levels with the Government of Ethiopia. We have been working closely with the Ethiopian Government to support their leadership of the humanitarian response. To date, the Government of Ethiopia has allocated $381 million (~£269 million) to address the crisis.

  • Andrew Bridgen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Bridgen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2016-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of child benefit claims made for children living in each other EU member state in each of the last 10 years; and what the estimated cost to the public was of such claims.

    Damian Hinds

    Around 7m people are receiving Child Benefit. To extract and collate the value of all payments made to EU migrants for children living outside the UK in the format requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Information relating to the number of Child Benefit claims paid to families with children living overseas is available in the Government publication , “The best of both worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union”. This publication is available on Gov.uk

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-best-of-both-worlds-the-united-kingdoms-special-status-in-a-reformed-european-union

    The Government’s new settlement between the UK and the EU means that EU nationals whose children live abroad will ultimately receive Child Benefit at a rate that reflects the conditions – including the standard of living and child benefit paid – of the country where their child lives. This will restore fairness to the system.

    “