Tag: 2016

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to prevent and tackle Group B Strep infection among pregnant women and unborn children.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Information on how much funding has been provided to prevent and tackle Group B Strep infection among pregnant women over the last five years is not collected centrally.

    The Government has made clear that maternity care is a priority and on 13 November 2015 announced an ambition to reduce by 50% stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and neonatal brain injuries by 2030. This includes harm and death caused by Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

    A range of work addressing GBS is being taken forward by the Department of Health and Public Health England with a range of partner organisations. This includes:

    ― Monitoring developments on GBS vaccines and undertaking a grant-funded study to assess the potential impact of a maternal immunisation programme.

    ― An audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives, recently carried out by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). This examined current practice in preventing early onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline on preventing the disease. The last of two reports was published on 29 January 2016 and has made recommendations for improvements in care in the prevention of early-onset GBS disease.

    ― The National Institute of Health Research has approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study commenced in May 2016.

    The Department is also convening two half day workshops with leading experts from a wide range of organisations, including the RCPG and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the charity Group B Strep Support to discuss research evidence gaps in relation to GBS.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much Disabled Facilities Grant was given to Bradford Council in each of the last three years.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Disabled Facilities Grant funding allocated to Bradford Council in each of the last 3 years is provided in the table below:

    2014-15

    £1,634,703

    2015-16

    £1,929,235

    2016-17

    £3,519,468

    Total

    £7,083,406
  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is the policy of the Government that a written contract of employment is prerequisite to making a claim for working tax credit; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Hinds

    A written contract of employment is not a prerequisite of a claim for working tax credit.

  • 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 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of any proposals by the EU to prosecute charities and volunteers who give assistance to migrants arriving in Greece, and what assessment they have made of which articles of the EU treaties might provide authority for any such action.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government is not aware of any specific proposals by the EU to prosecute charities and volunteers who give assistance to migrants arriving in Greece. The European Commission is currently conducting public consultations as part of an on-going evaluation and impact assessment of the EU legislation on migrant smuggling, to gather views on what improvements could be made. We will consider any proposals if and when they are issued.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will issue a response to EDM 1138, Anti-lobbying Clause in Government Grant Agreements.

    Matthew Hancock

    The grants clause announced on 6 February prevents recipients of taxpayer-funded grants from using them to lobby rather than for the purposes for which they were given.

    The clause does not prevent grant recipients from meeting with ministers, responding to public consultations or giving evidence to select committees.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers in each of the last five years have been foreign nationals.

    Nick Gibb

    The information requested is not collected by the Department.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to launch a public awareness campaign for sepsis.

    Ben Gummer

    Public Health England has been asked to take forward a national awareness campaign to help parents spot the signs of sepsis, alongside other infections such as meningitis and septicaemia. They will be working with the National Health Service and other partners to ensure the plans are evidence based and effective.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the amount of funding that will be made available to each part of the UK for science, education and research purposes through EU schemes in the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework.

    Mr David Gauke

    EU science, education and research schemes are awarded on the basis of excellence and are not pre-allocated. As a world leader in these sectors, the UK has a strong track record at securing these funds – in recent years around 15% of such receipts from Horizon 2020, the EU’s main research programme, have gone to the UK. The deal secured by the Government on the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) resulted in an increase of over one third in the proportion of the EU budget spent on competitiveness, research, innovation and university funding. In addition, Horizon 2020’s budget was almost 30% higher in real terms than its predecessor programme. The post-2020 MFF has not been proposed.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether Sustainability and Transformation plans will be (a) made public and (b) fully consulted on before being implemented.

    David Mowat

    As set out in the NHS Shared Planning Guidance, published in December 2015, the success of Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) will depend on having an open, engaging, and iterative process that harnesses the energies of clinicians, patients, carers, citizens, and local community partners including the independent and voluntary sectors and local government. The national bodies responsible for the development of the programme have continued to ask for robust local plans for genuine engagement as part of the STP process.

    STP proposals are currently at a draft stage, but it is expected that all local leaders will be talking to the public and stakeholders regularly as it is vital that people are able to shape the future of their local services. All local STP areas should therefore now be having conversations with local people and stakeholders – understanding what matters to them, and explaining how services might be improved. No changes to the services people currently receive will be made without local engagement, and if plans propose service changes that are agreed, then formal consultation will be followed in due course in line with good practice and legislative requirements. All footprints will submit an updated plan in October, with further formal public engagement and consultation taking place from this point, as appropriate. Many footprints are already publishing patient-facing summaries as part of their engagement programme.

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2016-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to protect members of the public from unsolicited telephone calls.

    Lord Ashton of Hyde

    The Government is determined to tackle the problem of nuisance calls, and is considering implementing a number of legislative measures to provide better consumer protection, from unsolicited telephone calls. These measures include; extending the Information Commissioner’s powers of compulsory audit to organisations that generate nuisance calls and holding company directors to account for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The Government introduced a new requirement for all direct marketing callers to provide caller line identification, which came into effect on 16 May. More recently we introduced a measure in the Digital Economy Bill, making it a requirement for the Information Commissioner to issue a statutory code of practice on direct marketing, which will support a reduction in the number of unwanted direct marketing calls.