Tag: Catherine West

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the current average response times are for ambulances responding to C1 and C2 incidents.

Jane Ellison

Category C1 and category C2 are terms used by London Ambulance Service to describe the first two categories of green calls.

Green calls are lower acuity calls where there is still a need for an ambulance, but in slower time scales than life-threatening or more urgent calls. They are usually split into four categories and the response times for these are agreed and set locally.

Data on green call performance is not centrally held.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the consequences of pollution levels in London; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce pollution in that city.

Rory Stewart

The UK is compliant with EU legislation for nearly all air pollutants but faces significant challenges in achieving nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) limit values.

The national air quality plan for NO₂, published in December last year, sets out a comprehensive approach for meeting the air quality challenges by implementing a new programme of Clean Air Zones, along with the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London. The plan combines targeted local and national measures, forming part of a wider approach that exploits new and clean technologies, such as electric and ultra low emission vehicles.

The Government has committed over £2 billion since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles, support green transport initiatives and support local authorities to take action.

The Mayor is responsible for air quality standards in London. The Mayor provides the framework and guidance which London boroughs use to review and improve air quality in their areas. The new Mayor recently set out his plans to improve air quality in London.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce community-based alternatives to immigration detention for pregnant women released from immigration removal centres under section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Home Office has issued guidance to Immigration Enforcement caseworkers, enforcement officers and Border Force officers on the application of section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016. This was published on GOV.UK on 12 July, and includes monitoring tools to track the detention of pregnant women.

It is already the case that the majority of individuals liable to be detained at any one time are not actually detained but are managed in the community through the grant of temporary admission or temporary release on bail. This includes pregnant women, whose detention is now subject to the further restrictions imposed by section 60 of the 2016 Act.

Pregnant women who are to be released from detention, but who remain liable to be detained, will be granted temporary admission or temporary release with appropriate reporting and/or residence restrictions. Pregnant women have access to the Home Office Voluntary Departures Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many trade deals the UK has with other Commonwealth countries.

Greg Hands

The EU has trade agreements in place with 23 Commonwealth countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat

The United Kingdom currently participates actively in the work of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Continued participation after the UK leaves the European Union would be a matter for negotiation. The Founding Regulation of the EMCDDA which was recast in 2006 makes provision for the participation of third countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to negotiate to continue participation in the European Centre for Disease Control after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat

Nothing has yet been decided on whether the United Kingdom will continue participation in the European Centre for Disease Control after leaving the European Union. Officials in both the Department of Health and the Department for Exiting the European Union are considering the position and options available to us with the aim of achieving the best outcome for the UK health system and for the UK as a whole.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has commissioned any studies in 2016 from (a) LSE, (b) UCL, (c) King’s College London, (d) University of Cambridge and (e) University of Oxford on the UK leaving the EU.

Sir Alan Duncan

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office ( FCO) has not commissioned any studies from University College London, King’s College London, the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford on leaving the EU. The London School of Economics provided the FCO with some notes on European issues on a pro-bono basis at the end of September.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to roll out the fairer funding formula in schools.

Nick Gibb

We will introduce a national funding formula for schools from April 2018. We are considering the options carefully, taking into account the need to give schools and local authorities’ stability, and the importance of ensuring these historic reforms are right. We will put forward our detailed proposals later in the autumn, including our proposals for the transition to the formula. Following a full consultation, we will make final decisions and confirm arrangements in the new year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to undertake tooth checks for incoming unaccompanied child refugees.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Home Secretary’s statement on Calais on 24 October (Column 55) referred to the proper safeguarding, age assessment and security checks we carry out, working closely with local authorities and social workers in the UK, to ensure that the children transferred here are eligible to come and it is in their best interests to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time is for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Karen Bradley

The average time taken to process an enhanced disclosure and barring service check over the last 12 months for which figures are available (November 2014 – October 2015) is 14.92 calendar days.