Tag: Danny Kinahan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the men who have sex with men population is aware of the availability of the HPV vaccination at sexual health clinics.

Jane Ellison

In November 2015, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the expert body that advises the Government on all immunisation matters, advised that a targeted human papilloma virus vaccination programme should be undertaken for men who have sex with men up to 45 years of age who attend genitourinary medicine and HIV clinics. They noted that this should be subject to procurement of the vaccine and delivery of the programme at a cost-effective price.

The Department is considering the JCVI’s advice and will confirm its plans in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of using adjustable furniture in schools to improve the classroom learning environment.

Nick Gibb

The Department has not undertaken its own assessment of the potential benefits of using adjustable furniture in schools.

The Department recognises the advantages and disadvantages of using adjustable height furniture detailed in research carried out by appropriate professionals and through working jointly with organisations such as the Furniture Industry Research Association.

Our jointly produced website on ergonomics highlights the option of using adjustable chairs and tables for effective management of the classroom environment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to introduce independent and impartial advice from qualified professionals into careers advice and guidance.

Mr Sam Gyimah

All maintained schools have a legal duty to secure access to independent careers guidance for year 8-13 pupils. Guidance secured under the duty must be delivered in an impartial manner.

The duty gives schools the flexibility to commission a broad range of support for pupils – from careers advisers but also from employers, mentors and coaches, who can give young people real-life insight into the world of work. This allows schools to identify their own priorities and configure their careers education and guidance offer to meet the needs of their pupils. The Careers & Enterprise Company is taking a lead role in transforming the provision of careers, enterprise and employer engagement experiences for young people to inspire them and prepare them for the world of work.

Careers professionals can play an important role in supporting pupils as one element of a varied careers programme. The careers statutory guidance is clear that schools should include consideration of the role that careers professionals can play in supporting pupils. The statutory guidance provides information about the register of careers professionals, developed by the Career Development Institute, which schools can use to search for a career development professional who can deliver a particular service or activity.

Ofsted has given higher priority to careers guidance in school inspections – and destination measures help schools and colleges to be held to account locally and inform choices by parents and students.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Consumer Council on UK ferry operators and their pricing structures.

Mr John Hayes

I have held no such recent discussions. The level of charges on ferries across the Irish Sea is a commercial matter for the companies concerned, subject to normal competition law.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of expanding Heathrow Airport on Belfast International’s ability to establish its own direct international connections.

Mr John Hayes

The Government values the vital contribution airports right across the UK make to the growth of regional and local economies, and recognises that air connectivity between areas of the UK and beyond is very important.

The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work before an announcement on its preference.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that the Armed Forces Covenant fully addresses the healthcare needs of all active and retired servicemen and women with (a) post-traumatic stress disorder and (b) other conditions.

Mark Lancaster

The Armed Forces Covenant sets a number of goals with respect to healthcare, including that members of the Armed Forces community should enjoy the same standard of, and access to, healthcare as received by any other UK citizen in the area where they live. With regard to Mental Health, the Armed Forces Covenant states that veterans should be able to access mental health professionals who have an understanding of Armed Forces culture.

The Ministry of Defence provides primary healthcare for all Service personnel including mobilised Reservists. The provision of veterans’ healthcare, including for those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions, is primarily the responsibility of the National Health Service in England and the Devolved Administrations. Veterans in England, Scotland and Wales are entitled to priority access to secondary healthcare for conditions suspected to be due to their service in the Armed Forces, subject to the clinical needs of others. In Northern Ireland, the mental health needs of returning ex-Service personnel continue to be addressed either through the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Aftercare Service, through Combat Stress, or directly within the mainstream Primary Care and Mental Health services.

For a summary of our approach to ensuring that our serving Armed Forces personnel receive the very best mental healthcare provision, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 September 2015 to Question 9141 to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr Robertson). http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-07/9141/

For details of the steps we have taken to ensure that veterans are provided with the support they need, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 September 2015 to Question 9865 to the hon. Member for Inverclyde (Mr Cowan). http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-10/9865/

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce a service medal to people serving in Operation Helvetic.

Mark Lancaster

There are no plans to issue a Service medal for the support provided by the UK Armed Forces to the Police Service of Northern Ireland since 1 August 2007, known as Operation Helvetic.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to distribute a proportion of the frozen assets of the Muammar Gaddafi administration in the UK to the families of people killed (a) by Libyan-supplied semtex and weapons and (b) on flight LW1103.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

There is no legal basis upon which the UK could re-direct frozen Libyan assets or the interest accrued to individuals for the purposes of compensation. Regarding assets which belonged to Qadhafi or other regime figures, the UN Security Council has stipulated that when these are unfrozen, they will be made available to, and for the benefit of the Libyan people. For the duration of time that these assets are frozen, they and any interest they accrue will be governed in accordance with the specific sanctions in place over the individuals or entities to which the assets belong. In this case, the asset freezing measures are set out under EU Regulation 204/2011 which prohibits the release of frozen funds and the interest accrued belonging to listed individuals or entities except in very specific circumstances, which do not apply here.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to her oral statement of 20 October 2015, Official Report, column 381, on Paramilitary Groups (Northern Ireland), in relation to the structure of the Provisional IRA, what is meant by departments.

Mr Ben Wallace

The independently reviewed assessment of paramilitary organisations states that PIRA retains "some departments with specific responsibilities". It is only the policy of her Majesty’s Government to publish the report. It is a long held convention of Government not to discuss or disclose detailed intelligence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what budget reductions he plans to the fire and rescue service.

Greg Hands

Funding for fire and rescue authorities, national resilience and other central programmes will be determined as part of the Spending Review.