Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to facilitate the establishment of a gender identity clinic in Brighton and Hove; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb

We are advised by NHS England that there are currently seven gender identity clinics (GICs) in England and three providers of gender reassignment surgery. The nearest GIC to Brighton and Hove is located in London. These GIC clinics have considerable experience of delivering this highly specialised service and are able to accept referrals from all over the United Kingdom. At present there are no plans to undertake a procurement exercise to increase the number of providers.

NHS England report that waiting times for pre-surgical assessment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust one of the three NHS England commissioned providers of gender surgery are currently running at around 12 months, compared to 10 months in 2013-14. The increase in waiting times is due to the increase in demand for the service nationally that has seen referrals increase from 195 in 2011-12 to 300 in 2013-14.

Individual patient waits vary according to the needs of the patient. Currently, the average wait for surgery is just under a year from the point at which funding is confirmed.

Information from the website of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust shows that there are currently 279 patients approved for this surgery and that it carried out 178 male to female gender reassignment operations in 2013-14.

Following a change in staffing, Imperial appointed a new gender reassignment surgeon who will start performing gender reassignment surgeries in September 2014. As a temporary measure, the trust is referring a small number of patients who have waited longer than others to a private provider under a sub-contracting arrangement with that provider, Imperial retain responsibility for managing all patient pathways.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has published an update of the position on its website, which can be viewed at the following link:

www.imperial.nhs.uk/aboutus/news/news_044629

The trust is also sending this information directly to patients.

These issues have not been the subject of discussions between Ministers and the Chief Executive of NHS England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the briefing notes issued by the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights dated 20 June 2014, on the legislative amendment before the Israeli Knesset relating to force-feeding and medical treatment of prisoners on hunger strike, what steps he is taking to ensure that international human rights and international humanitarian law human rights are upheld by all parties.

Hugh Robertson

Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv met with an official from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office on 17 June and expressed our concern over the bill. We are continuing to monitor developments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, where people from Brighton and Hove are being asked to travel to in order to have face-to-face personal independence payment (PIP) interviews; what assessment he has made of the range of challenges faced by people going for assessment for PIP payments who are asked to travel to another town for a face-to-face interview; if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of taxis for people from Brighton and Hove who cannot use public transport to get to PIP assessments up to 90 minutes away from their homes; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Harper

There are currently two assessment centres situated in the BN21 and BN41 postcode area. A third assessment centre based in the BN3 postcode will be opening shortly.

PIP assessment providers must ensure that claimants do not have to travel for more than 90 minutes by public transport (single journey) for a consultation. This limit is an absolute maximum and we expect that only a small minority of claimants will have to make a journey approaching this duration. In the exceptional circumstance where a claimant is unable to make a journey within 90 minutes via public transport the assessment provider will offer either a home visit or the ability to use a taxi.

We are encouraging assessment providers to identify consultation venues that are as local and convenient as possible.

Payment of claimant expenses including taxi fares is the responsibility of the PIP assessment provider, the Department does not meet these costs.

This information is therefore not available within the Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 201W, on the Central African Republic, how much funding the UK will allocate to the deployment of the team of experts to the Central African Republic to investigate sexual violence abuses; how many specialists will be deployed from the UK; when the team of experts will be deployed; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds

The UK is providing £279,000 to the African Union (AU) to support the deployment of a multidisciplinary team of African experts, including medical doctors, psychologists, lawyers and police officers. The programme will be managed by the AU Mission in the Central African Republic, MISCA, through Medecins D’Afrique, a Pan-African NGO with expertise in emergency response. The programme is designed to build African capacity to tackle conflict-related sexual violence, and the UK is not providing any experts as part of the deployment. The team will track and report on allegations of sexual violence, for further action by the AU Commission and African governments. We expect the team to deploy shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his Department’s Research Paper No. 235, on pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination and disadvantages, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the economy of women forced out of work on account of their pregnancy or maternity leave.

Nick Boles

The paper referred to provides interim research results on potential pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination and disadvantage in the workplace. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, in collaboration with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, is undertaking further analysis, to be published later this year, which may include some financial information, where estimates are possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the release of Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha’ar and Naftali Frenkel, who were abducted in the West Bank on 12 June 2014.

Hugh Robertson

As of 30 June, we have received no reports that the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers have been released.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate the Government has made of the average cost to a claimant, including tribunal fees, time spent on case, travel and communication, and advice and representation, of pursuing an employment tribunal claim for pregnancy-related detriment or dismissal.

Nick Boles

The Government does not have a breakdown of average costs to a claimant of taking an employment tribunal claim for pregnancy-related detriment or dismissal.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what penalties will be incurred for consistent delays on passenger services between (a) Brighton and London Victoria at (i) 07:14, (ii) 07:29 and (iii) 07:44 and (b) London Victoria and Brighton at (i) 17:32, (ii) 17:44 and (iii) 18:02 between January 2014 and December 2014 where delays were attributable to (A) train operating companies and (B) Network Rail; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

The performance of a franchise is measured across its entirety; we do not measure individual lines, routes or journey. Therefore, any penalties imposed are in respect of the performance of the entire franchise.

Any penalty on Network Rail’s performance is a matter for the independent Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), which is an independent statutory body, with powers vested by Parliament in their board.

As an independent regulator, the ORR operates within the framework set by UK and EU legislation and is accountable through Parliament and the courts.

Performance across parts of the Southern and Thameslink franchises has not been up to the standards that passengers rightly expect.

Department officials and the ORR recently chaired a performance meeting with regard to the Brighton Main Line. The industry is working together to develop an action plan to improve train performance and this will be presented to the Rail Minister and local MPs on 2nd February in the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether there is a process to allow hon. Members to view (a) limited and (b) other classified (i) Council and (ii) other EU documents on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

My officials are liaising with the Clerks of both the Commons and Lords European Scrutiny Committees to explore the scope and methods by which this information can be shared while still preserving the confidentiality of sensitive documents.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will (a) make an assessment of and (b) discuss with the Office of Rail Regulation the punctuality record of the (i) 07:14, 07:29 and 07:44 Brighton to London Victoria and (ii) 17:32, 17:44 and 18:02 London Victoria to Brighton rail services in 2014.

Claire Perry

The performance of a franchise is measured across its entirety; we do not measure individual lines, routes or journey. Therefore, any penalties imposed are in respect of the performance of the entire franchise.

Any penalty on Network Rail’s performance is a matter for the independent Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), which is an independent statutory body, with powers vested by Parliament in their board.

As an independent regulator, the ORR operates within the framework set by UK and EU legislation and is accountable through Parliament and the courts.

Performance across parts of the Southern and Thameslink franchises has not been up to the standards that passengers rightly expect.

Department officials and the ORR recently chaired a performance meeting with regard to the Brighton Main Line. The industry is working together to develop an action plan to improve train performance and this will be presented to the Rail Minister and local MPs on 2nd February in the House.