Tag: 2016

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many defibrillators are provided in each building the Law Officers’ Departments manage.

    Robert Buckland

    Staff in the Government Legal Department (GLD) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate who are based at One Kemble Street, have access to two defibrillators which are held by the landlord in their reception areas. GLD client based staff have access to whatever provision is made by those who manage the buildings occupied by their host Department.

    The Attorney General’s Office does not currently have access to a defibrillator in its 20 Victoria Street office.

    The Serious Fraud Office has access to two automated external defibrillators at their offices in Cockspur Street.

    The Crown Prosecution Service does not provide defibrillators in any of its buildings. However, some staff may have access to defibrillators provided by other tenants or the buildings managing agent in buildings that they occupy.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the high incidence of mental health disorders in countries (a) with poor mental health support services and (b) that are experiencing conflict or have recently emerged from conflict; and if she will make a statement.

    Justine Greening

    DFID is funding work on mental health in several of our focus countries. For example in Malawi, under the Health Partnership Scheme DFID is helping to establish a community-based programme to improve care of people with common and severe mental health illnesses.

    The UK is also providing mental health services through the provision of mobile clinics, healthcare and emergency surgery for Syrian refugees caught up in the ongoing crisis

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2016 to Question 28163, and with reference to the Answer of 10 June 2013 to Question 158962, whether his Department has stopped collecting data on National Minimum Wage complaints in the care sector broken down by domiciliary and residential care; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    Information on the number of NMW enquiries made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) and Acas Helpline for the ‘domiciliary care’ and ‘residential care’ sectors has not been collected at that level of disaggregation.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Equality (Language Analysis – Palestinian, Syrian and Kuwaiti Testing) Authorisation (No. 2) 2013, whether the Government plans to revise the existing three exceptions.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government has no current plans to revise the existing Equality Act exemptions relating to language analysis testing.

    No further nationalities have been added to the Equality Act exemption authorisation since it was introduced in 2013.

    A review on language analysis use was undertaken in 2011 and published in 2012.

    (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257177/language-analysis.pdf).

    No further such review is presently planned. However, we do monitor the use of language analysis regularly to ensure it is used as effectively as possible and to identify new trends in nationality swapping.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure emergency education, in particular for displaced children, is prioritised as part of the emergency response in Yemen; and whether education will be prioritised in her Department’s support for the recovery and reconstruction of Yemen.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    UK aid to Yemen is currently focused on the most urgent life-saving needs, in particular food, nutrition, health, water and sanitation. We have so far helped more than 1.3 million Yemenis who have been affected by the conflict.

    DFID has supported education in Yemen through the Social Fund for Development (SFD). Since 2010, more than 240,000 children have attended schools supported by SFD. DFID is also supporting the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to rehabilitate schools which is helping 3,500 refugee children and Yemeni children from their host communities, to resume education.

    The UK is working closely with the Government of Yemen, Gulf countries, the World Bank, UN and other donors on planning for stabilisation and post-conflict recovery. Any future support will be based upon a comprehensive assessment of needs.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) support the provision of and (b) increase the uptake of weight-loss surgery.

    George Freeman

    It is for clinicians to decide when bariatric surgery is appropriate based on the need of the patient and in line with appropriate guidance, including that issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Bahraini government on the failure of the Bahrain Ombudsman to inform his Department that it had received a torture complaint regarding the case of Mohammad Ramadan; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The United Nations Convention Against Torture requires all states to conduct prompt and impartial investigations into allegations of torture within their jurisdiction. We therefore welcome the Ombudsman’s decision to conduct an investigation into the complaints regarding Mohammad Ramadan, and await the outcome of the investigation. Since the announcement of the Ombudsman’s investigation, we have received non-governmental organisation representations regarding these allegations, and are aware of similar representations made to the Ombudsman. We take all such allegations seriously. It is therefore important that investigations into allegations of torture are prompt and impartial, and we are encouraging the Ombudsman to carry out a swift investigation.

    The Bahraini Ombudsman is an independent oversight institution, and we will continue to follow and support its work. I raised the case of Mohammad Ramadan with the Bahraini Ambassador on 8 March, and our Embassy Manama officials have raised the progress of the investigation several times directly with the Ombudsman’s office, the most recent being 4 August.

  • Poulter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Poulter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which government department will have responsibility for the management of the social investment outcomes fund.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    In the spending review the Chancellor announced £80m for a new social outcomes fund to support the creation of locally developed social impact bonds tackling a range of social problems. The Cabinet Office has responsibility for the fund. The detailed criteria for the fund is being developed, but it will provide a portion of outcome payments for locally commissioned social impact bonds where some of the benefits and savings generated fall to central government.

  • Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report by the Social Market Foundation on the effect of single parents of a relaxation of Sunday trading hours.

    Anna Soubry

    In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of public-private partnerships delivering local authority services and representing good value for money.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Local authority Private Finance Initiative Public Private Partnership projects, whether supported by this or other departments, were subject to extensive value for money assessments before authorities entered into their individual contracts. This Department does not undertake post-implementation value for money assessments of local authority Private Finance Initative contracts and services. However authorities are encouraged to continue to seek to improve the value for money of their projects wherever possible and the Department will provide advice and support upon request.