Tag: 2016

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve dental standards amongst primary school age children.

    Alistair Burt

    We are committed to improving the oral health of school children. Public Health England (PHE) has produced a toolkit to support local authorities in their responsibility to improve dental health and reduce inequalities among children and young people in their area. It supports local authorities to invest in programmes which have demonstrated improvement in children’s dental health, for example targeted community-based fluoride varnish programmes, targeted tooth brushing programmes and water fluoridation. PHE has also this year published a toolkit to support the consideration of water fluoridation as a measure to reduce levels of tooth decay.

    Sugar consumption is the primary cause of tooth decay in children. The Sugar Swaps campaign was launched in January 2015, helping families reduce their sugar consumption through making simple swaps to their diets. In addition PHE has developed guidance for dental teams on preventing dental disease in young children. Advice on prevention of dental disease has also been published by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take, in the light of the recent deaths caused by the electricity crisis in Gaza, to (1) initiate discussions with other EU member states to end import restrictions, (2) assess the humanitarian situation first-hand, and (3) put forward a plan of action to rehouse citizens of Gaza who are forced to move owing to pollution.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are concerned by the electricity shortage in Gaza and the serious impact it is having on the humanitarian situation. We, and the EU, regularly raise Gaza’s energy and the need to ease movement and access restrictions with the Israeli authorities. Our staff who visit and work in Gaza assess the humanitarian situation frequently. We have not put forward a plan rehouse citizens of Gaza who are forced to move owing to pollution.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many inspectors operated at Ofsted in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14, (d) 2014-15 and (e) 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    These are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House libraries.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2016 to Question 45858 and 2 August 2016 to Question 42407, whether Government assistance has been provided to the UK Thalidomide Trust on its proposal to allow collective compensation applications to Contergan Foundation established by the German government.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The Government has discussed this proposal with the Thalidomide Trust and is considering the detail. The German Government has been clear, however, that collective compensation is not permissible. In response to the UK Government’s previous correspondence they have stated that:

    "The assessment of damage by the Medical Commission of the Contergan Foundation and the individual categorization in line with the damage points according to the legally stipulated points based system are mandatory – irrespective of analogous assessments from abroad".

    The German Government further states that there are approximately 300 non-German recognised persons worldwide who are currently supported by the Contergan Foundation, each of whom has undergone individual assessment. This information has been shared with the Trust.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his current estimate is of the cost of decommissioning HMS Ocean.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The cost of decommissioning HMS OCEAN is yet to be determined.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 12101, for what reasons the Family Test assessment on Sunday trading has not yet been published; when he expects that assessment to be published; and if he will ensure that that assessment is published before consideration of new clauses in the Enterprise Bill [Lords].

    Anna Soubry

    Since the answer of 20 October 2015, the Government has been carefully considering the issues raised in the consultation, and plans to publish the Impact Assessment, including results of the family test, shortly.

  • Baroness Garden of Frognal – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Garden of Frognal – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 2016-03-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure that adequate ring-fenced funding is provided to local authorities to enable them successfully to deliver the Government’s childcare provision targets.

    Lord Nash

    We have already announced over £1bn funding for the early years entitlements within the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant by 2019-20, which includes £300m to uplift the funding rate to providers. The increase to the funding rate is based on robust evidence from the Review of the Cost of Childcare. We have made clear our commitment to maximise the amount of this funding which reaches front line childcare providers, and will consult on proposals for achieving this as part of our consultation on early years funding reform later this year.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Romani people are not being discriminated against in the UK.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government is committed to creating a fair society in which all people, of whatever ethnic origin or background, are able to participate fully in society and realise their full potential. The Government deplores racism in all its forms and is determined to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get on in life, free from harassment and fear. The UK has a strong and well-established legal framework to combat discrimination and hate crime, which protects all individuals, including Roma, from racial and other forms of discrimination, and racially motivated crime. Officials in my Department hold regular meetings with Roma, Gypsy and Traveller organisations to discuss issues of concern to those communities.

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the annual saving in legal aid costs as a result of the withdrawal of legal and advice in relation to benefits appeals.

    Lord Faulks

    Legal aid for welfare benefits appeals is limited to advice and assistance on a point of law in the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, including applications to the Upper Tribunal for permission to appeal. Legal aid is also available for judicial reviews of welfare benefit decisions and claims about welfare benefits relating to a contravention of the Equality Act 2010.

    Given the need to focus limited resource on the highest priority matters, legal aid is no longer generally available for other welfare benefits matters. Although many people rely on benefits, these cases primarily concern financial entitlement and, as such, do not raise such fundamental issues as cases concerning liberty or safety.

    The Impact Assessments published at the time LASPO received Royal Assent provided estimates for the reductions in legal aid spending for matters within the welfare benefits category, It was estimated that volumes would fall by 135,000 or 98% and spend by £25m or 97%. As part of the LASPO Post Implementation Review, the department will make an assessment of whether this reduction has been achieved. The impact assessments published alongside LASPO are available on the gov.uk website.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients whose records are contained in Clinical Practice Research Datalink datasets have a GP note of malnutrition contained in such records; what proportion of the population have GP records contained in Clinical Practice Research Datalink datasets; and if he will make a statement.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) hosts the world’s largest validated computerised database of anonymised longitudinal medical records from primary care. We have searched the CPRD database for patients with a record indicative of Malnutrition. There are 582 patients with a record of Malnutrition currently registered with practices which are actively contributing data to the CPRD database.

    The CPRD database of patients whose details are available for query by the disease code for malnutrition represents 4.30% of the United Kingdom population.