Tag: Baroness Gould of Potternewton

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-01-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there has been an increase in the rate of abortions among women over the age of 24 since 2010, and if so, what assessment they have made of the cause.

Lord Prior of Brampton

We have made no such assessment.

Rates of abortions for women aged 25 and over, England, 2010-2014

Year	Rate per thousand women
2014	13.72
2013	13.43
2012	12.97
2011	13.30
2010	12.82

Source: Office for National Statistics

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-04-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent the spread of gonorrhoea in England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Public Health England (PHE) undertakes a number of actions to limit the spread of gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted infections in populations most at risk of infection in England, which are outlined in PHE’s Strategic Action Plan for Health promotion for sexual and reproductive health and HIV. These activities are focused on (i) developing and providing high quality surveillance data to monitor rates of gonorrhoea and related antimicrobial resistance, (ii) producing national guidance and a service specification template to optimise infection detection, (iii) maintaining effective treatment by advising on national treatment guidelines, promoting good prescribing practice and updating national guidance on the management of gonorrhoea in primary care, (iv) leading the public health response to local and national outbreaks to control wider dissemination in the population (v) supporting high quality case and partner management by providing expert advice, (vi) improving prevention by raising awareness in professionals and affected communities through local and national campaigns, and (vii) co-leading research to improve the evidence base. A copy of the Strategic Action Plan is attached.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-01-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 8 December 2015 (HL3838), how they define reasonable access to all methods of contraception in the context of open access sexual health services; what steps they have taken to ensure that local authorities are commissioning open-access sexual health services as mandated by legislation; and whether reasonable access to all methods of contraception includes access to long-acting reversible contraception as recommended by NICE guideline CG30.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Department issued guidance to local authorities in March 2013 Commissioning Sexual Health services and interventions (a copy of which is attached) to help local authorities (LAs) to fulfil their legal requirements in relation to open access sexual health services. The guidance sets out that in relation to contraception “reasonable access” is for local determination, but also highlights “there is evidence that it may ultimately be better for patient outcomes, and more cost effective, to offer unrestricted access to all methods for all age groups. This supports women controlling their fertility and ensures contraceptive needs are met using the most effective methods”. The guidance also highlights key findings from the National Institute Clinical Excellence on long-acting reversible contraception.

Departmental officials meet regularly with sexual health organisations to consider the commissioning of sexual health services by LAs. Public Health England is undertaking a survey of local commissioning arrangements for sexual health and developing a tool that will improve monitoring of contraception use at LA level.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government  how much funding, and what resources, are allocated to providing training for teachers and those working in the care and medical professions to recognise female genital mutilation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

We are clear that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. On 1 April we published updated multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM including information to help professionals understand the risk factors that they should be looking out for and what action they should take. In addition, free e-learning is available to all professionals, providing training on how to recognise and respond to FGM. To date the course has been completed by over 30,000 people. In addition, the Department of Health’s £3M FGM Prevention Programme is focused on improving the NHS response and includes free e-learning for healthcare professionals. A new mandatory reporting duty requiring regulated health and social care professionals and teachers to report known cases of FGM in under 18s to the police came into force on 31 October 2015. Professionals encountering instances of FGM in women over 18, or who believe that a girl or woman is at risk, should follow established safeguarding procedures. Anyone who is concerned that a girl or woman has undergone FGM or is at risk can contact the NSPCC FGM helpline. Reports to this helpline can be made anonymously. The Home Office’s Border Force plays a vital role in helping to identify and protect potential victims of FGM travelling to and from the UK. Border Force work with the police in protecting girls and young women at risk of FGM, including carrying out joint operations. FGM Protection Orders (FGMPOs) were fast-tracked for implementation last July and are being used to protect girls at risk of FGM, including those who may be taken abroad. Ministry of Justice data released on 31 March shows 32 FGMPOs were issued between July and December 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-02-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the planned future HPV vaccine programme will also cover elimination of genital warts.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Department and Public Health England are currently undertaking a procurement exercise to secure vaccine to support the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for girls and as this is a competitive tender, it would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of that exercise. The procurement will take account of the costs and benefits of all vaccines offered to establish which provides best value for money for the National Health Service.

The Department is considering the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding HPV vaccination for men who have sex with men. Consideration will be given to the procurement of vaccine.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government to whom instances of female genital mutilation should be reported, and whether there is a mechanism for doing so anonymously.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

We are clear that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. On 1 April we published updated multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM including information to help professionals understand the risk factors that they should be looking out for and what action they should take. In addition, free e-learning is available to all professionals, providing training on how to recognise and respond to FGM. To date the course has been completed by over 30,000 people. In addition, the Department of Health’s £3M FGM Prevention Programme is focused on improving the NHS response and includes free e-learning for healthcare professionals. A new mandatory reporting duty requiring regulated health and social care professionals and teachers to report known cases of FGM in under 18s to the police came into force on 31 October 2015. Professionals encountering instances of FGM in women over 18, or who believe that a girl or woman is at risk, should follow established safeguarding procedures. Anyone who is concerned that a girl or woman has undergone FGM or is at risk can contact the NSPCC FGM helpline. Reports to this helpline can be made anonymously. The Home Office’s Border Force plays a vital role in helping to identify and protect potential victims of FGM travelling to and from the UK. Border Force work with the police in protecting girls and young women at risk of FGM, including carrying out joint operations. FGM Protection Orders (FGMPOs) were fast-tracked for implementation last July and are being used to protect girls at risk of FGM, including those who may be taken abroad. Ministry of Justice data released on 31 March shows 32 FGMPOs were issued between July and December 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have undertaken any analysis to determine why there has been an increase in the number of homeless people; and, if so, what assessment they have made of the impact of the Homeless Prevention Fund provided to local authorities and increased funding of programmes for the homeless.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

This Government has always been clear that we are committed to supporting the most vulnerable people in our society. One person without a home is one too many. That is why we have protected the homelessness prevention funding local authorities receive, totalling £315 million by 2019-20. This builds on our commitment to increase central government funding for homelessness programmes to £139 million over the next four years.

We are working with homelessness organisations to consider other options, including legislation, to ensure those at risk of homelessness get earlier and more effective support. Through a series of roundtables we have already started conversations to help shape and inform our future approach to tackling homelessness and deciding our investment priorities.

During the last Parliament the Homelessness Prevention Grant and our investment in homelessness programmes helped prevent 935,800 households from becoming homeless.

We will continue to use the information provided to us by local authorities to assess the causes of homelessness and the extent of homelessness prevention and relief activity, in order to help shape future policy and investment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children have been prevented from leaving the country when it is believed they are going abroad to undergo female genital mutilation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

We are clear that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. On 1 April we published updated multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM including information to help professionals understand the risk factors that they should be looking out for and what action they should take. In addition, free e-learning is available to all professionals, providing training on how to recognise and respond to FGM. To date the course has been completed by over 30,000 people. In addition, the Department of Health’s £3M FGM Prevention Programme is focused on improving the NHS response and includes free e-learning for healthcare professionals. A new mandatory reporting duty requiring regulated health and social care professionals and teachers to report known cases of FGM in under 18s to the police came into force on 31 October 2015. Professionals encountering instances of FGM in women over 18, or who believe that a girl or woman is at risk, should follow established safeguarding procedures. Anyone who is concerned that a girl or woman has undergone FGM or is at risk can contact the NSPCC FGM helpline. Reports to this helpline can be made anonymously. The Home Office’s Border Force plays a vital role in helping to identify and protect potential victims of FGM travelling to and from the UK. Border Force work with the police in protecting girls and young women at risk of FGM, including carrying out joint operations. FGM Protection Orders (FGMPOs) were fast-tracked for implementation last July and are being used to protect girls at risk of FGM, including those who may be taken abroad. Ministry of Justice data released on 31 March shows 32 FGMPOs were issued between July and December 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to repeal the provisions contained within the Vagrancy Act 1824, which allow for homeless people to be arrested for begging.

Lord Bates

We have no plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-06-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Public Health England’s Strategic plan for the next four years: better outcomes by 2020, what plans they have to work with the Association of Directors of Public Health to support the commissioning of local contraceptive services.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Public Health England (PHE) is committed to supporting the health system to provide appropriate contraceptive services. PHE, supported by the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), has undertaken a review of sexual health, reproductive health and HIV commissioning services. Currently, it is planned to publish the results of the survey in the autumn (September 2016). PHE is committed to continue to work with ADPH in order to improve sexual health outcomes using the findings from the survey, outcomes data and other relevant information.