Tag: 2016

  • 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 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 27141, by which criteria his Department plans to determine NHS support funding for community pharmacies under the Pharmacy Access Scheme.

    Alistair Burt

    We have been in discussions with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) since December 2015 regarding the Government’s proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond. In parallel, we have sought views on our proposals from other pharmacy organisations and from patient groups. The details of the Pharmacy Access Scheme, including any criteria and a timetable for implementation, form part of this consultation.

    We announced on 16 March 2016 that the consultation period was to be extended to allow more time to develop the proposed changes with the PSNC and others. It will now close on 24 May 2016.

    Once we have carefully considered the outcomes from the consultation, we are looking to communicate final decisions as soon as possible, so that pharmacy contractors are fully informed some months before the funding reduction starts from October 2016.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, from which academic year the Government plans that a Sharia-compliant student loan will be available for Muslim students.

    Joseph Johnson

    The November 2015 Higher Education Green Paper (Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice) confirms the Government’s intention to introduce, for the first time, a new system of alternative student finance. Subject to Parliament, the Government plans to introduce the system through new primary legislation.

  • Viscount Astor – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Viscount Astor – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Astor on 2016-06-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the Frontier Economics report commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the level of contributions from the betting industry to the horse-racing industry.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Frontier Economics report is an independent economic analysis of the costs and revenues of the horseracing sector in Great Britain. This report forms one element of Government’s work on determining the rate which will be payable by gambling operators under the new funding system which is due to be in place by April 2017.

    The Government intends to publish the findings of the Frontier Report in due course.

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-09-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what detailed research was carried out into potential problems with the proposed airport at St Helena before the contract was signed in 2011, and what were the results of that research.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    A detailed Feasibility Study was undertaken in 2004. This study looked at a wide range of issues associated with the development of the airport.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what arrangements his Department has in place to monitor the performance of MTCNovo’s delivery of the custodial service at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre.

    Andrew Selous

    The contract with MTCnovo at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre (STC) will begin on 5th May 2016. During the transition of the new contract, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) will work alongside MTCnovo and the current contract holder at Rainsbrook STC to facilitate a safe and successful transition to the new contract.

    The YJB has responsibility for commissioning and overseeing the youth secure estate through monitoring and reporting performance at each STC site against the contract and STC rules. The YJB has a full time on-site Monitor at Rainsbrook STC supported by a part time assistant and YJB managers, to ensure that MTCnovo’s service delivery is in accordance with the contract and the STC rules, which set out how STCs should be managed and run. The YJB conduct regular walk-rounds to monitor compliance, analyse data returns, review reports – including incidents of use of force – and review contractor’s declaration of performance awards.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which guests have (a) visited and (b) stayed at Dorneywood House since 7 May 2015.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This Government regularly publishes more information on the use of official residences and ministerial meetings than under previous Governments.

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and senior official meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/senior-officials-expenses

    “

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will take steps to ensure that at the point of sentencing all available information on previous offences committed by the person to be sentenced is made available to the court.

    Robert Buckland

    It is vital that all relevant available information on previous convictions and sentences (antecedents) is made available to the court that passes sentence. This allows the court to pass a sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offence taking account the offender’s previous convictions. There are already procedures in place to ensure this

    The Crown Prosecution Service, or other prosecuting authority in the case, obtains relevant antecedents and previous convictions from the police so that it is available for service on the court, with further copies being served on the defence and Probation Services. It is the responsibility of the prosecution advocate to ensure that the information required is made available to the court at any sentencing hearing.

    The Criminal Practice Directions [2013] EWCA Crim 1631 prescribe minimum standards for the provision of antecedent information in the magistrates’ and Crown Court. There is an additional requirement in the Crown Court for brief details of convictions likely to be of interest to the court to be made available prior to sentence being imposed.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many stroke survivors are currently in receipt of local authority-funded adult social care.

    Jane Ellison

    One of the actions set out in the 2007 National Stroke Strategy was to increase the rate of thrombolysis (treatment with clot busting drugs), which stood at around 1% of stroke admissions. Data from the Stroke Sentinel Audit Programme (SSNAP) suggests this rate has risen to 11-12%, with around 9,600 stroke patients now benefiting from treatment with thrombolysis each year. Evidence suggests that, on average, 13% of those treated with thrombolysis will have reduced disability as a result. It is therefore likely that more than 1,200 stroke patients per year now benefit from reduced disability due to thrombolysis.

    Although the Government has made no assessment of the quality and variation of rehabilitation and speech and language therapy available to stroke survivors in England, SSNAP has collected data over the last three years on the rehabilitation that patients get in hospital and when they are discharged in to the community.

    SSNAP also undertook an audit in 2015 of the provision and organisation of post-acute stroke care which includes details on the provision of speech and language therapy. It shows there are variations around the country in the availability of these services to stroke survivors. The Strategic Clinical Networks and the National Clinical Director for Stroke are working with clinical commissioning groups to help address this.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) the cost to the public purse has been of and (b) advice he has sought or received from the Electoral Commission on Government plans to promote public awareness of the (i) forthcoming EU referendum and (ii) need for timely registration in order to participate in that referendum.

    John Penrose

    The referendum on membership of the European Union is a decision of fundamental importance for the future of the country. The Government is committed to helping ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote in this referendum is able to do so.

    The Electoral Commission’s public awareness campaign plays an essential role in explaining to the electorate the importance of registering to vote. As it has done previously ahead of the 2015 General Election, the Government aims to complement and amplify the Electoral Commission’s work to maximise the number of people reached by voter registration communications to ensure that electors can have their say on 23 June. The Government will allocate up to £7.5m for a range of voter registration activity, including funding local authorities and civil society organisations.

    The Electoral Commission and Cabinet Office have been in regular dialogue on encouraging voter registration.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-06-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the political and human rights situation in Uganda following the election earlier this year.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    I commend the people of Uganda for turning out in large numbers to cast their vote on 18 February 2016 and for their determination to participate in the electoral process. President Museveni was inaugurated on 12 May 2016. With the new cabinet in place, it is important for the Government of Uganda to refocus its efforts on domestic and regional issues. The British Government has raised concerns with the Government of Uganda about the conduct of the elections and the post-election environment, most recently during Article 8 discussions on 28 June 2016. These include the continuing harassment and intimidation of members of the opposition and journalists by the Uganda Police Force.

    With international partners, we seek to work with the Government of Uganda to ensure human rights are respected in the country and to aid substantive electoral reform. Where human rights disputes are raised these must be addressed through appropriate legal channels.