Tag: David Mackintosh

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people diagnosed with dementia have access to appropriate treatment and support.

Jane Ellison

Dementia is a key priority for the government.

That is why in February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his new Challenge on Dementia 2020 to make sure that dementia care, support, awareness and research are transformed by 2020. The Challenge Implementation Plan, published in March 2016, set out the actions partners across health and care will take to ensure commitments in the 2020 Challenge are delivered. These include:

― every person diagnosed with dementia having meaningful care following their diagnosis, which supports them and those around them;

― information made available locally on post-diagnosis services and how these can be accessed;

― access to relevant advice and support to help and advice on what happens after a diagnosis and the support available through the journey; and

― carers of people with dementia being made aware of and offered the opportunity for respite, education, training, emotional and psychological support so that they feel able to cope with their caring responsibilities and to have a life alongside caring.

Alongside the Implementation Plan the Department has published, together with key dementia stakeholders, a “Joint Declaration on Post-Diagnostic Dementia Care and Support”. This sets out the key principles of good quality post-diagnostic care for people with dementia. All partners across the health and social care system are working to deliver services in line with the Joint Declaration and Implementation Plan.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will make representations to the Advertising Standards Authority to change the guidelines for broadband speed advertisements to increase the proportion of broadband customers who must reach the stated speed on their internet connection.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy has met and written to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), encouraging it to strengthen its rules on broadband speed claims in advertising. We consider that the proportion of customers who can receive the headline speed should be higher than their guidelines stipulate (10%) and have asked to ASA to examine this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent steps she has taken to promote LGBT rights in the workplace.

Caroline Dinenage

Improving LGB&T people’s experience at work is a key priority for this government. The Equality Act 2010 provides one of the world’s strongest legislative frameworks to prevent and tackle discrimination, harassment and victimisation in employment, including because of sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

We also fund the Equality Advisory & Support Service, which provides free information, advice and support on equality and human rights issues to LGB&T people and others who may have been discriminated against at work.

In addition, we recently published guidance for employers on the recruitment and retention of transgender employees. The guidance contains practical advice, suggestions and ideas to help improve knowledge and understanding about transgender issues in the workplace, and helps employers comply with the law.

We will continue to engage with LGB&T organisations, employers, trade unions and individuals to understand and address the challenges for LGB&T people in the workplace.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22430, what plans his Department has to communicate those developments in domestic and international research referred to UK Gulf War veterans.

Mark Lancaster

As stated in my answer to Question 22430, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has funded extensive research into Gulf War Illness, including some research into rehabilitative therapies for those veterans with persistent symptoms. There are no plans to fund any further research.

The MOD has no plans to issue guidance on treatment best practice to healthcare professionals or partners in the military charity sector in respect of veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict. Neither do we have any plans in January 2016 to communicate the findings of independent research on the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict, published in the UK or overseas, to UK veterans.

There is a wide range of support already available to veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf conflict. This can be accessed through MOD’s Veterans UK website and free help line.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to increase the level of voter registration in schools, colleges and universities.

John Penrose

The Government has made it easier and quicker to register to vote than ever before through online registration. Since June 2014, 3.6 million people aged 16-24 have applied to register to vote, with 2.7 million of these applications made online. The Government has also worked with various youth organisations such as NUS and Sixth Form Colleges Association, to encourage voter registration among students.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people leaving sixth form are fully aware of all further education options open to them.

Mr Sam Gyimah

We are taking a number of steps to ensure that the full range of education and training options are widely understood by young people. Schools are legally required to secure independent careers guidance for pupils up to the age of 18. This must include information on the full range of education and training options, including apprenticeships.

Destination measures are a key tool to assess how well schools and colleges prepare their students to make a successful transition into the next stage of education or training, or employment. The key stage 5 measure looks at activity in the year after the young person took A level or other level 3 qualifications. Destination measures will be one of the headline performance measures in the 2016 performance tables if the data are robust enough. They are taken into account by Ofsted during school inspections.

However, the range of information that young people receive remains too narrow and we want to ensure that young people hear much more consistently about the merits of alternatives to academic routes and are aware of all the routes to higher skills and into the workplace. The government intends to bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity that will require schools to allow other education and training providers the opportunity to talk to students about their offer on school premises.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what work her Department is carrying out using its funding priorities to encourage gender equality around the world.

Mr Nick Hurd

Promoting the rights of girls and women is a priority for the UK’s development programme. The UK Aid strategy states that ‘Throughout all its development spending, the government will continue to prioritise the needs of girls and women, which has been fundamental to the UK’s approach to development’ (para 3.2.1).

DFID’s Strategic Vision for Girls and Women (published in 2011, refreshed in 2013) sets out how UK Aid is being used to unlock the potential of girls and women, to stop poverty before it starts. To reinforce this, the Gender Equality Act was passed in the UK law on 13th May 2014. Through the Act there is a legal requirement to consider, before providing development assistance and alongside other considerations, how the assistance will contribute to reducing gender inequality.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taken to encourage the use of solar power in new building developments in England.

Andrea Leadsom

Solar power is a good option for developers looking to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their building stock. We encourage such installations by allowing solar power on new building developments to qualify for the Feed-in-Tariff scheme, and through Building Regulations that set demanding energy performance targets for new buildings.

The Regulations were strengthened most recently in April 2014, to a level that means builders increasingly have to consider the use of renewable technologies in their designs. These could be solar panels, or they could be other types of renewables, which might be more appropriate depending on the location.

As the costs of panels continue to fall, we expect developers will increasingly see the value of installing solar power on new buildings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the implementation of Ofcom’s recommendations related to BT and Openreach.

Matt Hancock

It is for Ofcom to implement its recommendations for the relationship between BT Group and Openreach. Nine out of ten homes and businesses now have access to superfast broadband, but our goal is to make sure the UK builds the right infrastructure to maintain our position as a world leading digital nation. We welcome Ofcom’s determination to tackle these issues.

We are clear that a more independent Openreach is needed to benefit consumers and the UK’s digital infrastructure. Swift and clear action is needed to give certainty to consumers, industry and investors in the UK’s broadband infrastructure and to deliver rapid improvements in the level of investment and service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what work the Ministerial Working Group for Homelessness has conducted since its last meeting.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness re-convened on 13 January, bringing together key Departments to coordinate policy across Government to prevent more households becoming homeless. The group will meet again shortly to agree its priorities and future work programme.