Tag: 2016

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Public Health England plans to spend on HIV prevention in 2016-17; and what interventions will be provided with that budget.

    Nicola Blackwood

    In 2016/17, Public Health England’s (PHE) allocation for the national HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme is £2.5 million and these monies will be invested in five different workstreams.

    A total of £1.2 million has been allocated to the national HIV prevention programme for most at-risk populations (MARPs) which will deliver, on behalf of PHE, a range of activities in system leadership, social marketing, amplification of local HIV prevention and monitoring and evaluation that aim to reduce HIV incidence in MARPs. This contract has been re-tendered and retained by HIV Prevention England, a consortium led by Terrence Higgins Trust.

    A total of £0.6 million has been allocated for the 2016/17 HIV Prevention Innovation fund which will support voluntary sector organisations, supported by their local authority, to deliver local projects that offer new and innovative ways of delivering HIV prevention in groups at high risk of HIV.

    A total of £0.2 million has been allocated as PHE’s contribution to the national HIV self-sampling service jointly commissioned with over 80 local authorities.

    A total of £0.25 million for the Sexual Health and Reproductive Health Information contract was re-tendered and successfully retained by FPA (formerly Family Planning Association) who will deliver, on behalf of PHE, a range of information products to enable people to make healthy, safe and sustainable sexual and reproductive health choices.

    A total of £0.25 million has been allocated for monitoring and evaluation of the HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme.

    PHE staff are also involved in supporting HIV prevention in England through data analysis and reporting, public health system leadership and management of programme activities at both national and local levels.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken on the effects on road safety of adopting harsher sentencing for those who break the law by dangerous driving, speeding or driving whilst under the influence of alcohol.

    Andrew Jones

    I published the Road Safety Statement in December 2015 which sets out the measures Government is taking to improve road safety including the reduction of road traffic offences. Our award-winning THINK! campaigns have also been running throughout the year to educate drivers on the risk and consequences of a number of different type of offences. The Department is in regular contact with a range of organisations and their reports, such as the ‘RAC Report on Motoring 2016’, are provided to the Department. The Department often includes research evidence in its impact assessments, for example the Elvik ‘dose response’ model, which shows that rigorous enforcement increases the deterrent effect on offending. The Government continues to keep road safety and road traffic offences under review.

  • Liam Fox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liam Fox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Fox on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve research into the causes of and a cure for fibromyalgia.

    George Freeman

    The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including fibromyalgia. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

    The researcher-led workstream of the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme is funded by the Medical Research Council and managed by the NIHR. This programme funds clinical efficacy studies and is currently open to applications, including applications in fibromyalgia. The programme also provides an opportunity to use clinical studies to understand disease or treatment mechanisms.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the (a) viability of hydrogen fuel cells and (b) associated energy costs of extracting liquid hydrogen on the reduction of carbon emissions.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The viability of hydrogen fuel cells depends on a number of factors including the nature of the application and the future costs of fuel cells and competing energy technologies. Hydrogen can be produced by a number of different routes, some of which are low carbon. There are energy costs associated with the production, storage, distribution and end use of hydrogen which depend on the approach taken. Hydrogen is typically stored in bulk as a compressed gas rather than a cryogenic liquid; both processes require energy.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of fibre-optic broadband coverage across the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government’s Superfast Broadband programme delivers superfast broadband – which delivers speeds of at least 24Mbps. Superfast broadband is available to nearly 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK, and we are on track to reach 95% by the end of 2017, as set out in our manifesto.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to provide assistance to public libraries to address digital exclusion.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    DCMS is engaging with national Digital Engagement partners to help users of public libraries get online and to tackle digital exclusion. Thanks to Government funding, over 99% of public libraries in England will provide free access to Wi-Fi from March 2016. BT and Barclays have worked together to provide free Wi-Fi in 100 libraries and community centres in deprived areas across England; and Lloyds Banking Group and Halifax Community Bank have piloted a scheme to match local branch staff with libraries to deliver basic digital skills training to adults in the UK. Tackling digital exclusion is also one of the priorities of the Leadership for Libraries Taskforce, established in 2015 by DCMS and the Local Government Association. The Taskforce has been working in partnership with the Tinder Foundation on new approaches through libraries to build digital skills in socially excluded, hard to reach groups and address digital exclusion.

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on the ratio of firearms instructors to police officers of the Government’s policy to train an extra 1,500 firearms officers by April 2018.

    Mr John Hayes

    At the Spending Review in December 2015, the Chancellor announced a major investment of £143 million to uplift armed policing capacity to respond more quickly and effectively to a marauding firearms attack.

    The police have been working to allocate that spending to ensure maximum effect and are arranging for sufficient instructors and training places to be in place.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to pages 13 and 39 of the White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction, published in May 2016, what his Department plans to spend the £85 million of new funding for the World Service on.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The additional Government funding for the BBC World Service was agreed as part of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 and will be provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It will be used to provide additional language services subject to agreement by the Foreign Secretary and the BBC Trust.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with (a) her international counterparts, (b) international organisations and (c) NGOs on the situation in Yemen.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK is playing a leading role in responding to the crisis in Yemen. DFID Ministers regularly have discussions with international counterparts, organisations, and NGOs on the situation in Yemen. The World Humanitarian Summit in May was obviously a key moment for such discussions.

    Senior officials also have regular discussions on the situation in Yemen. Mark Lowcock, DFID Permanent Secretary, recently discussed the humanitarian and economic situation in Yemen with international counterparts on 11 July, at the annual Tidewater conference of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-ordination and Development (OECD-DAC).

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Department does not directly employ any cleaning staff on its Westminster estate. All cleaning staff are employed and managed under outsourced estates and facilities contracts. Information on nationality in such situations is not held by the Department.