Tag: Derek Thomas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department issues guidance to schools on how to identify and manage incidences of parental alienation.

Edward Timpson

Protection from abuse and neglect is a fundamental right of all children and young people, regardless of their family situation, and the government will continue to review how schools, police, social services and other agencies work together to protect all children.

The Department published updated statutory guidance in 2015 on Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children. Schools and colleges must have regard to this guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. All school and college staff should be aware of the various forms of abuse, including emotional harm, so that they are able to identify children in need of help and support and know what action to take. This would include recognising where children are suffering as the result of family relationship breakdown.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will assess the practicality of putting in place standard blocks to child pornography on the internet similar to those obtained by members of the BPI British Recorded Music Industry Ltd on material where access would cause commercial damage.

Karen Bradley

Reports of Indecent Images of Children (IIOC) can be made to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) which is an industry funded body. In 2014 the IWF processed 74,119 reports, of which 31,443 were confirmed as depicting illegal content. The IWF can proactively search the Internet for IIOC and this has vastly increased the number of webpages being taken down.

100% of UK-hosted webpages confirmed by the IWF as containing IIOC were removed within four days, although most were taken down within two hours. 84% of webpages hosted outside the UK, and confirmed by the IWF as containing IIOC, were removed within 10 days. This material has been removed permanently, rather than simply having access to it blocked. The IWF also provides a list of webpages containing IIOC, primarily hosted outside the UK, to enable companies to block or filter them for their customers’ protection. This approach uses the same technology used by ISPs to block access to copyright-infringing websites.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will issue guidance to NHS trusts on ensuring future reductions in frontline staff numbers are not made for the purpose of reducing trusts’ deficits.

Ben Gummer

The National Health Service has taken a number of steps to reduce trusts’ deficits. We have introduced tough new financial controls to cut down on waste in the NHS – including clamping down on rip-off staffing agencies and expensive management consultants, and introducing central procurement rules.

We are also introducing a £2.1 billion Sustainability and Transformation Fund in 2016/17 to support providers to move to a financially sustainable footing. This will give the NHS the space to transform services so they are world class for decades to come.

The purpose of these actions is to put NHS finances on a sustainable footing to ensure high quality care, now and in the future.

Trusts should focus on the numbers and skillmix needed to deliver quality care, patient safety and efficiency, taking into account local factors such as acuity and casemix.

Two communications to NHS trusts (a letter on safe staffing and efficiency dated 13 October 2015 from NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS England, Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; and a letter dated 15 January 2016 from Chief Executive-designate of NHS Improvement, Jim Mackey, and the CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards) asked trusts to consider quality and finances on an equal footing in their planning decisions; stated that it is not the case that NHS trusts could only achieve their financial targets at the expense of quality, or that improving quality is more important than staying in financial surplus; and emphasised that responsibility for staffing rests (as it has always done) with trust boards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will offer military resources to assist with the refugee crisis (a) in Lesbos and (b) elsewhere.

Penny Mordaunt

The Ministry of Defence is already supporting the Home Office in its work with refugees. In the Mediterranean, Royal Navy medics and a Royal Marine force protection team are deployed on board the Border Force chartered vessel MV VOS Grace currently in the Aegean Sea, supporting the EU’s FRONTEX-led search and rescue operation. The Ministry of Defence has also supported HM Government’s Syrian Resettlement Programme through the provision of medical escorts on board some of the charter flights that recently brought Syrian refugees to the UK.

HMS ENTERPRISE is also deployed to the EU Naval Force operation in the Mediterranean tackling the migrant smugglers who profit from the perilous journeys made by migrants across the Central Mediterranean. Royal Navy assets operating in this operation and the earlier search and rescue operation in the summer, have rescued over 7,500 persons in the Mediterranean since May.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help give the views of young people greater prominence in policy decisions in their community.

Mr Rob Wilson

The Cabinet Office supports the Government’s commitment of giving young people the power and opportunity to play a real part in their community. We promote engagement, advocacy and consultation at both national and local level

We support the British Youth Council (BYC) to deliver its ‘youth voice’ programme, including key activities such as the national annual Make Your Mark ballot, UK Youth Parliament, and the Youth Select Committee.

Cabinet Office has committed to continuing its support for these activities for the remainder of the current Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the proposed council tax levy for social care will support integration of health and social care.

Alistair Burt

The Government is committed to delivering more person-centred care through programmes such as the Better Care Fund, the Integrated Care Pioneers and the Vanguards. The proposed council tax levy gives councils the flexibility to raise additional funds. Councils can also voluntarily invest additional funds in programmes if they wish.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Government plans to publish the White Paper on the BBC Charter.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government will set out its plans for the future of the BBC in a White Paper in May.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will initiate a cross-government strategy to prevent homelessness.

Mr Marcus Jones

People find themselves facing homelessness for many reasons – and it is more than just a housing issue. Relationship breakdown, health and employment can all play a part. What is more, the costs of homelessness are felt across Government, through the criminal justice system, healthcare and the welfare bill.

I have re-established the Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness, to ensure we have a joined up response and a shared sense of mission across Government.

Through this Group, my colleagues and I will ensure that we have a coordinated plan to tackle and prevent homelessness across departmental boundaries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support healthcare professionals working in the NHS to continue to undertake research.

George Freeman

The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) improves the health and wealth of the nation through research. Part of the NIHR is the Faculty.

The Faculty empowers and develops the NIHR community of research professionals, to improve the nation’s health, wellbeing and prosperity. The Faculty achieves this by creating a sense of common purpose and identity around shared values that cut across organisational and professional boundaries.

The NIHR Faculty comprises three categories of membership: Investigators (including Senior Investigators), Associates and Trainees. The Faculty encompasses research, clinical and support staff from all relevant professional backgrounds.

Since 2006 the NIHR:

― has made Senior Investigators awards to 338 individuals through nine competitions;

― has supported 10,593 unique trainees through fellowships and through the NIHR Infrastructure;

― has supported 5,920 unique Investigators through research contracts and the NIHR Infrastructure;

― has supported 2,355 unique Principal Investigators through research contracts;

― has supported 3,926 unique Investigators within the NIHR Infrastructure; and

― has supported 4,652 Associates in the NIHR Infrastructure.

The number of eligible clinical professional groups able to benefit from the training programmes targeted at allied health professionals and nurses has increased by 50% since 2006.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to measure (a) national and (b) local performance on tackling high levels of cholesterol.

Jane Ellison

Cholesterol testing in primary care is included in the Quality Outcomes Framework for people diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes and this is published every year by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Public Health England’s (PHE) healthier lives website provides local comparisons of how well cholesterol is being controlled in people with diabetes. The link is below:

http://healthierlives.phe.org.uk/topic/diabetes

The Health Survey for England, an annual survey of the general population, has included measurements of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol every year since 2008. The data is publically available from the UK Data Service.

In addition, the National Cardiovascular Health Intelligence Network within PHE is working closely with organisations concerned with cardiovascular disease to take forward the recommendations in the recent Heart UK report ‘Helping Us to Beat Cholesterol’. This report focusses on the importance of data in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.