Tag: 2016

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the timetable is for the outcome of the consultation on the resettlement of Chagos Islanders to the British Indian Ocean Territory and on the funding for that resettlement.

    James Duddridge

    The public consultation on a potential resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory concluded on 27 October 2015, and the summary of its responses was published by the Government on 21 January 2016. The Government is now considering all the relevant material, including these responses, and the recent independent feasibility study published in February 2015. The consultation is now closed and it is for the government to now make a decision.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on reforming the law on surrogacy.

    Jane Ellison

    A search of the Department’s central correspondence system shows that, since November 2015, the Department has received 31 representations that made direct or indirect reference to reforming the law on surrogacy. I have also answered four Parliamentary Questions in this session about this issue.

    The Government has no current plans to change the legislation in respect of surrogacy arrangements.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 36039, on fertility: medical treatments, which criteria set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 fertility services do not meet in order to be centrally commissioned.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Act 2012, part 1, Section 15, 3B (3), about services that the Secretary of States can require the Board (NHS England) to commission, states:

    “(3) In deciding whether it would be so appropriate, the Secretary of State must have regard to:

    (a) the number of individuals who require the provision of the service or facility;

    (b) the cost of providing the service or facility;

    (c) the number of persons able to provide the service or facility;

    (d) the financial implications for clinical commissioning groups if they were required to arrange for the provision of the service or facility.”

    The Clinical Advisory Group, which advised Ministers about the services that should be regarded as specialised and commissioned nationally by NHS England, took the view that fertility services would not meet (a) and (c) of these listed factors.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to accelerate negotiations to leave the EU to ensure that they are completed before July 2017 when the UK is due to take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government has no such plans.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role her Department plays in Government plans to ensure a higher rate of prosecution for knife crimes.

    Sarah Newton

    The decision whether or not to bring a prosecution is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

    The Home Office works closely with the CPS, other Government departments, and the police to tackle knife crime and ensure that offenders are dealt with effectively.

  • Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that jobcentres help younger jobseekers plan for the future.

    Priti Patel

    This Government is committed to ensuring all young people are either earning or learning. That is why we have launched Jobcentre Plus support for schools and from April 2017 we will ensure all young people are supported through our new Youth Obligation.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 23 February (HL6044), whether they will clarify whether the Conference held in 2007 was the final meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference or its most recent meeting.

    Lord Dunlop

    The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference remains part of the architecture of the Belfast Agreement and its most recent meeting was held in 2007. There are no plans to hold a meeting of the Conference in the immediate future.

    Interaction between the UK Government and Irish Government takes place regularly at all levels and in many different forums. These include an annual summit between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, and regular meetings between the heads of UK and Irish government departments.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths resulting directly from epilepsy have been recorded in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues in (a) her Department and (b) other Departments on establishing a new national centre of expertise on tackling child sexual abuse.

    Karen Bradley

    Tackling child sexual abuse is a top priority for this Government and good progress is being made on delivering the commitments made in “Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation” – the Government’s response to address on a national scale the failures that had been seen in Rotherham and elsewhere. We are working collaboratively across Whitehall to deliver on our commitments and will publish an update to the “Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation” report later this year. This will set out our progress to date on what we have achieved in tackling offending, reducing vulnerability and supporting victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. It will also set out what future steps the government plans to take.

    As part of this work, we have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat, providing a clear mandate for police forces to safeguard children and to share intelligence and best practice. We have also rolled out to all UK police forces Child abuse image database (CAID) which provides law enforcement with effective tools to search seized devices. We have delivered a £7 million uplift in funding over the financial years 2014 – 15 and 2015 – 16 for non statutory organisations which support victims and survivors of sexual abuse and have announced that the same amount will be available in 2016 – 17.

    In January this year we launched a new national whistle-blowing helpline, operated by the NSPCC, for any employee who wants to raise a concern about how their organisation is dealing with a concern about a child. The establishment of the Centre of Expertise has formed part of discussions held at the Inter Ministerial Group on Child Sexual Abuse, and we are currently working towards its procurement. In terms of the Centre working with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Inquiry is independent of Government, but the Government is, and will, continue to fully co-operate with it.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 36039, on fertility: medical treatments, which services NHS England commissions centrally.

    George Freeman

    NHS England is responsible for directly commissioned services which include not only specialised services, but also offender and military health services, as well as primary care services such as optometry and dentistry.

    A complete list of Prescribed Specialised Services for 2016/17 can be found in the attached document.