The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-01-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review their policy of not offering British passports to former members of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps and the Hong Kong Royal Naval Service.
Lord Bates
We have agreed to undertake a thorough assessment of the request that this group are offered right of abode in the United Kingdom, based on their employment in Hong Kong. This is under consideration.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on child and adolescent mental health services in (a) England, (b) London, (c) each London boroughs and (d) each London health trust in each year since 2010.
Alistair Burt
The information is not available in the format requested. The following table presents the available information which is taken from reference costs – the average unit cost to National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts of providing defined services to NHS patients.
Estimated costs to NHS trusts and foundation trusts1 of providing child and adolescent mental health services2, 2010-11 to 2014-15
|
Name |
2010-11 |
2011-12 |
2012-13 |
2013-14 |
2014-15 |
|
England |
371.0 |
450.2 |
486.7 |
539.4 |
611.6 |
|
London |
104.9 |
118.3 |
112.2 |
133.5 |
135.3 |
|
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust |
4.1 |
14.2 |
11.0 |
12.7 |
11.4 |
|
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust |
14.9 |
13.2 |
14.0 |
18.1 |
16.6 |
|
East London NHS Foundation Trust |
11.7 |
14.7 |
12.9 |
17.5 |
17.2 |
|
Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust |
– |
– |
– |
0.6 |
0.6 |
|
Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust |
– |
0.3 |
– |
– |
– |
|
Islington Primary Care Trust |
4.1 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
North East London NHS Foundation Trust |
14.5 |
16.3 |
13.1 |
17.1 |
15.7 |
|
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust |
9.3 |
7.6 |
6.9 |
7.0 |
7.6 |
|
Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust |
0.2 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust |
1.0 |
1.6 |
1.9 |
2.3 |
0.6 |
|
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust |
22.4 |
27.2 |
26.8 |
30.7 |
29.4 |
|
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust |
9.8 |
8.5 |
8.6 |
10.7 |
11.9 |
|
Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust |
6.2 |
5.9 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
10.4 |
|
The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust |
– |
5.9 |
2.7 |
5.2 |
3.6 |
|
West London Mental Health NHS Trust |
6.6 |
2.6 |
9.0 |
6.3 |
10.1 |
Source: Reference costs, Department of Health
Notes:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times since 2006 government-commissioned reports have recommended that more teacher training is necessary in the field of special educational needs to satisfy the duty to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs.
Lord Nash
All initial teacher training (ITT) courses must ensure that trainee teachers can meet the teachers’ standards at the appropriate level. This includes having a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers must also be able to adapt teaching to the needs of all pupils and have an understanding of the factors that can inhibit learning and how to overcome them.
An independent review of ITT, carried out by Sir Andrew Carter, and published in January 2015, found that there is considerable variability in ITT course content across the system, and cites SEN among areas where there are gaps in a range of courses.
In response to the Carter Review, the Government has commissioned an independent working group made up of expert representatives from the sector, including an SEN specialist, to develop a framework of core ITT content. The group is expected to report to Ministers in spring 2016.
Further guidance on teacher’s standards is available on GOV.UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Beresford on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has had with the professional photographic sector since June 2015; and if he will request that the DVLA meets representatives of the Photo Marketing Association to discuss the future provision of digital ID photographs.
Andrew Jones
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has met with representatives of the professional photographic sector on six occasions since June 2015. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the minister with responsibility for the DVLA and DVLA officials are due to meet with the Photo Marketing Association on 27 April.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-04-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on which religious occasions prisoners are eligible for release on temporary licence; and how many prisoners were released on each such occasion in the last year for which information is held.
Andrew Selous
Faith communities can play a significant part in supporting offenders to resettle into the community. Facilities for worship are available in each establishment but, as part of restoring links between the offender and wider community, suitable, risk-assessed offenders may attend worship outside the prison to help them adjust to the climate of non-prison worship and mixing with the community. In addition, temporary release for the purpose of maintaining family ties might be timed so as to coincide with religious occasions. There is no prescription as to the nature of the religious occasion; it is for the governor, on the advice of the temporary release board, to decide whether the activity is linked to the offender’s resettlement plan.
Records show that, in 2015, prisoners were released on temporary licence specifically in order to attend a religious service on 90 occasions.
Releases on temporary licence (ROTL) recorded as "attend religious service", 2011-2015, England & Wales
|
Attend religious service |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Incidences of ROTL |
231 |
217 |
139 |
228 |
90 |
NB. This is number of occasions a prisoner was released, not number of prisoners released.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to reduce congestion on the M25 motorway; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Jones
Highways England is developing road schemes at several locations to help reduce congestion on the M25 including:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which former Deputy Prime Ministers have claimed expenses under the Public Duty Cost Allowance after leaving office.
Ben Gummer
The purpose of the Public Duties Cost Allowance is to assist former Prime Ministers with the costs of continuing to fulfil duties associated with their previous position in public life. Exceptionally, the then Prime Minister agreed that the former Deputy Prime Minister , the Rt Hon Member for Sheffield Hallam, should be able to have access to the allowance to recognise the special position he held in the Coalition Government. Other former Deputy Prime Ministers are not eligible for the allowance. The allowance is set at a maximum limit of £115,000 per annum. The amounts paid are a reimbursement of expenses, accounted for in the published Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts. The former Deputy Prime Minister is eligible for the allowance from the date of leaving ministerial office for the duration of this Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-10-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the fire risk posed by e-cigarettes and what discussion they have had with the LGA, London Councils and the leaders of Fire Authorities in England about this risk.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
We recognise e-cigarettes are an emerging technology and have taken action with the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and with Electrical Safety First to develop appropriate fire safety messages for consumers.
These were promoted through the Fire Kills campaign, and continue to be made available on Electrical Safety First’s website – http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/electrical-items/e-cigarettes/.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Garnier on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to encourage recruitment of cadets.
Mr Julian Brazier
We are determined that many more young people benefit from the Cadets experience. Hence we have committed an extra £50 million to increase the number of Cadet Units in schools across the UK to 500 by 2020.
More widely, the Community Cadet Forces continue to recruit new Cadets. Over 3,000 Community Cadet Force Units provide exceptional opportunities for over 131,000 young people to develop key life skills.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve cervical screening rates among black and minority ethnic women.
Jane Ellison
NHS England closely monitors the coverage rates for cervical screening in all age groups and is committed to improving coverage and reducing variation between all groups including black and minority ethnic women, women with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Local NHS England commissioners analyse coverage rates within their area and work with general practices to improve coverage by sharing best practice. For example, commissioners in London have developed a screening coverage strategy and delivery plan, including:
― Increased public awareness and engagement with screening programmes across all communities;
― increased engagement with primary care and improved reliability of data; and
― working with screening providers to optimise coverage.
In addition to this:
― A primary care cancer screening best practice guide has been developed jointly with the transforming cancer services team, clinical commissioning groups and local authority public health representatives;
― linking with Cancer Research UK facilitators and Macmillan Cancer Support general practitioners to support best practice for screening in general practice; and
― imperial College is conducting a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of texting non-responders on improving coverage.
NHS England is working in partnership with Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support on the ACE (Accelerate, Coordinate, Evaluate) Programme aiming to generate knowledge about effective approaches to achieve earlier diagnosis. A number of ACE test sites are evaluating approaches to increase screening rates in a range of groups, including black and ethnic minority women, women with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
To explore the potential to increase rates of cervical screening in young women, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake amongst women aged 25 who are receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The study began in November 2011 and reports can be expected later in 2016.
In addition, the Department of Health Behavioural Insight team has undertaken a trial to investigate the use of behavioural insights to optimise the content of the invitation letter for cervical screening. Results are due in summer 2016.
A routine human papillomavirus vaccination programme has been available in England since 2008, and offers immunisation to girls aged 12-14 years. It is expected that the vaccine will reduce the already low rates of cervical cancer in these young women and allow them to be protected for years to come.