Tag: Andrew Stephenson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) benefits and (b) risks of using electrical socket safety covers or inserts.

Margot James

The Department has not made an assessment of the benefits and risks of using electrical socket covers or inserts.

Under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 all products placed on the UK market must be safe and any products that do not comply can be removed from sale by Trading Standards.

There are no reports of death or injury as a result of the use of socket covers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to support the NHS recruit, retain and help the professional development of consultants specialising in (a) rare and (b) ultra-rare diseases.

George Freeman

The Government published the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases in November 2013. The strategy is a high-level framework which sets out a strategic vision for improving the lives of all those affected by rare diseases. The strategy includes specific commitments regarding the education and training of the National Health Service workforce in the context of genomics and rare diseases.

Health Education England (HEE) was established to deliver a better healthcare workforce for England and for ensuring a secure workforce supply for the future. In addition, the HEE Genomics Education Programme was established in 2014 and is intended to build capacity and capability in response to the genomic medicine revolution. The programme includes rare diseases within its scope and will support the professional development of both new and existing members of the NHS workforce.

HEE has also published a suite of awareness raising videos to inform healthcare workers and the public about rare diseases. One video is aimed at general practitioners and highlights the importance of considering the possibility that their patient may have a rare condition.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to broaden the range of educational subjects taught in prisons.

Andrew Selous

Education is embedded in a wide range of regime activities which occur within a prison including classrooms, libraries and industries. No data is held centrally on the proportion of space at each prison (and this would incur disproportionate cost to calculate).

The Secretary of State for Justice announced on 8^th September a review of the quality of education in prisons, chaired by Dame Sally Coates. The review will examine the scope, quality and effectiveness of current provision. It will consider the scope and range of the current curricula and identify the most effective teaching and delivery models. Stakeholders are being consulted and a Call for Evidence has been issued. A copy of the terms of reference are lodged in the library of the House and at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-prison-education-terms-of-reference

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effect equipment gifted to the Lebanese armed forces between 2012 and 2015 on that country’s ability to secure its border with Syria against (a) the spread of the Syrian conflict, (b) the movement of Hezbollah fighters supporting the Assad Regime and (c) the movement of Daesh fighters.

Penny Mordaunt

The UK is committed to the security of Lebanon, including helping the Lebanese state secure its borders. From 2012-2015 we used over £30 million to help the Lebanese army raise and equip three Land Border Regiments (LBRs) deployed along the border with Syria. The project provides the LBRs with border towers, non-lethal equipment, mentoring and training. This has had a direct effect in mitigating contagion from the war in Syria. The border regiments successfully repel frequent attacks by Daesh on Lebanese territory. 75% of the Syria-Lebanon border will be under state control by March 2016, and the rest will be further secured with the establishment of a fourth LBR in financial year 2016-17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs were destroyed following violent behaviour in each of the last three years.

George Eustice

The numbers of dogs destroyed as a result of being dangerously out of control (section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991) are not held centrally. Such records would be held by each police force.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent assessment the Commission has made of the security arrangements for screening mail received by hon. Members of each House of Parliament.

Tom Brake

A procurement process for a new contract for screening mail received by hon. Members is currently underway. A full review of the security arrangements and contract specification forms part of that process. This review is based on advice from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) as well as on a national standard specification for mail screening (PAS 97:2015).

Following an incident, the Parliamentary Security Department has recently revised and reissued guidance to Members and staff on what to do following receipt of a suspicious letter or package.

We do not comment in public on details of security arrangements. The Deputy Director of Security (Delivery) would be happy to discuss these arrangements in more detail with the hon. Member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on the potential introduction of a ban on electrical socket safety covers or inserts.

Margot James

The Department has received representations from FatallyFlawed.org.uk putting forward their view that socket covers should be banned as they believe them to be unnecessary and dangerous due to the safety shutter system installed as standard in UK electrical sockets.

Under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, all products placed on the UK market must be safe and any products that do not comply can already be removed from sale by Trading Standards. There are no reports of injuries or death as a result of the use of socket covers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates are able to access education at HM Prison Holloway each day.

Andrew Selous

At HMP Holloway there are currently approximately 120 places in a morning session and the same in an afternoon session for women to attend education courses. Women may attend in one or two sessions each day depending on the type of course they are on. In addition there are approximately 40 places available to attend Physical Education provision and approximately 60 places in vocational training areas.

The Secretary of State for Justice announced on 8^th September a review of the quality of education in prisons, chaired by Dame Sally Coates. The review will examine the scope, quality and effectiveness of current provision. It will consider the scope and range of the current curricula and identify the most effective teaching and delivery models. Stakeholders are being consulted and a Call for Evidence has been issued. The review is expected to report in the spring of 2016. A copy of the terms of reference are lodged in the library of the House and at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-prison-education-terms-of-reference

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veterans in (a) Pendle, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West have been helped by Veterans UK since 2010.

Mark Lancaster

I have taken help by Veterans UK to mean assistance provided by the Veterans UK Welfare Service. The Veterans Welfare Service provides Veterans and their families’ with free and confidential advice on a wide range of issues.

Regrettably, the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

However, the total number of visits to Veterans from the Veterans UK Welfare Service since 01 January 2010 to 20 January 2016 in the Pendle, Lancashire and North West district, are set out below.

District	*Number of Visits
Pendle	100
Lancashire	1,870
North West(1)	7,240

(1) This figure incorporates the Pendle and Lancashire districts.

*In line with departmental policy, values have been rounded to the nearest 5.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-03-01.

To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, how many all-in-one computers have been issued to hon. Members and their offices since May 2015; and how many such computers have had to be recalled due to a fault.

Tom Brake

1,071 all-in-one computers have been issued since May 2015. 14 have been recalled due to a fault.