Tag: Ben Howlett

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department provides to support efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest from deforestation; and what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of that funding.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID provides no bilateral aid to Brazil. As such, DFID does not provide any support to protect the Amazon rainforest from deforestation. DFID does provide support to stop deforestation in other developing countries, such as Indonesia, Liberia, and the Central Africa region, and this is a key priority for UK climate finance.

DFID’s relationship with Brazil focuses on working together in partnership to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in other developing countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s defence strategy is towards Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting the legitimate Yemeni government in establishing a stable and secure Yemen and we continue to work with regional and international partners to tackle the threat posed by AQAP and Daesh in Yemen. Reaching a comprehensive peaceful solution to the current conflict is the top priority as a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to the country.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to secure the appropriate data to monitor the progress of programmes which encourage the uptake of STEM subjects by girls.

Nick Gibb

The Government funds a number of programmes which encourage the uptake of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects by girls. We monitor the progress of these programmes against their key performance indicators through regular reports and by evaluating their impact.

In 2014 the Government published for the first time data showing the proportion of girls and boys studying A levels in science and maths at each post-16 institution, and in 2016 time series data of students entered for mathematics and science A level subjects by number of subjects and gender. Both sets of data will continue to be published on an annual basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many specialist centres for asthma are recognised by NHS England.

Jane Ellison

NHS England commissions severe asthma services in line with national specifications to ensure that patient numbers are sufficient to support safe, quality service provision. It is revising the severe asthma service specification which is expected to be published later in 2016.

Nationally there are 27 trusts that have identified themselves as providing severe asthma services.

NHS England does not specify travel distances for patients attending treatment for severe asthma.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to extend schemes of shared ownership for existing housing stock.

Brandon Lewis

The Autumn Statement announced measures to double the number of first time buyers and confirmed £8 billion to deliver over 400,000 affordable housing starts including £4 billion for 135,000 new Help to Buy: Shared Ownership starts by 2020. This will build on the 41,000 new Shared Ownership homes we have delivered since 2010.

We believe that shared ownership has an important role to play, as part of a diverse and thriving housing market, in helping those who aspire to home ownership but may be otherwise unable to afford it. The Government is also committed to working with housing associations to help to develop flexible tenure models and savings vehicles. This could include tenants converting their rented properties into shared ownership, overpaying on their rent in order to take an equity share in their property.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government’s current strategy on Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK’s position remains that a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen. We are in regular contact with all parties to the conflict, urging engagement in good faith and to take steps towards achieving a durable ceasefire and we fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. The UK is the 4th largest donor to the crisis and has more than doubled its humanitarian commitment to Yemen over the last year to £75 million. UK aid has assisted at least 700,000 people directly affected by the conflict including vulnerable host communities, internally displaced people and migrants. We have provided critical support for healthcare, malnutrition, water and sanitation, protection and shelter. We have also continued to strengthen and protect local capacity and community assets from further shocks by providing agricultural and other livelihoods assistance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the 100,000 Genomes project will be able to diagnose patients with a ring chromosome.

George Freeman

The 100,000 Genomes Project could potentially diagnose participants with a ring chromosome through whole genome sequencing. The close working between NHS Genomic Medicine Centres and Genomics England means that ring chromosomes will continue to be detected primarily through routine diagnostic care. The 100,000 Genomes Project will give important information on the effective use of genomic technologies to bring benefit to National Health Service patients.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what treatments are commissioned by specialist centres for severe asthma.

Jane Ellison

NHS England commissions severe asthma services in line with national specifications to ensure that patient numbers are sufficient to support safe, quality service provision. It is revising the severe asthma service specification which is expected to be published later in 2016.

Nationally there are 27 trusts that have identified themselves as providing severe asthma services.

NHS England does not specify travel distances for patients attending treatment for severe asthma.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on the introduction of application fees for listed building consent.

Tracey Crouch

Ministers are considering a number of measures relating to local Heritage management as part of the Cultural White Paper, which will be published in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis will be made available on the NHS to men who have sex with men.

Jane Ellison

NHS England is working with local authorities, clinicians, patient representatives and Public Health England to consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to at-risk groups to prevent them acquiring HIV. The PrEP clinical policy proposition is one of many going through NHS England’s 2016/17 prioritisation round.

In July 2015 NHS England approved a significant new investment in a ‘Treatment as Prevention’ programme to help reduce transmissions from persons known to be HIV positive.

We have made no estimates of the number of people accessing PrEP through private provision.