Tag: Fiona Bruce

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage more young people to go into farming.

George Eustice

The Government is working with the food and farming industries to encourage bright, talented young people into agriculture. We aim to treble the number of food and farming apprenticeships by 2020. Agriculture and related subjects is the fastest-growing subject at university, with a 4.6% increase in student numbers last year. We are also working with industry partners and others to build links between food and farming businesses and schools. The Great British food campaign will help to highlight the breadth of careers the food and farming industries can offer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on the introduction of cell-free DNA non-invasive prenatal testing of the finding of the report of the Pro-Life APPG, Abortion on the grounds of disability, published in July 2013, that many parents feel steered towards abortion on receiving a diagnosis of fetal abnormality and that they do not receive adequate information about other options.

Jane Ellison

There is a long established Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (NHS FASP) that prospective parents can choose whether to participate in.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has recommended that non-invasive prenatal testing for Down’s syndrome should be introduced as an additional test into the NHS FASP as part of an evaluation. Ministers are currently considering this important recommendation from the UK NSC which would give pregnant women and their partners more accurate information and should reduce the number of women having to undergo unnecessary invasive testing which carries a risk of miscarriage.

The UK NSC recommendation does not change the offer to prospective parents of participating in the programme, nor the options and choices available when testing identifies a fetus with Down’s, Edwards’ or Patau’s syndrome.

Existing guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists already makes it clear that women and their partners should receive appropriate information and support from a properly trained multidisciplinary team, who must adopt a supportive and non-judgemental approach regardless of whether the decision is to terminate or continue the pregnancy. This should include referral to other professional experts (including palliative care) and referral for counselling when this can help, as part of a co-ordinated package of care.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that staff in her Department receive religious literacy training.

Nick Gibb

We currently have no plans to carry out religious literacy training in the Department.

Civil Service Learning, the main training portal for Civil Servants, has a broad range of diversity and inclusion courses, which are available to all civil servants. There is also a two day course covering both Abrahamic and Dharmic religions for officials who need a more in depth understanding to carry out their role.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths have occurred in the last five years following abortions provided through the NHS and carried out by the private sector.

Nicola Blackwood

Data from abortion notification forms (HSA4) indicates that between 2011 and 2015, the most recent five years for which data is available, there was one death relating to a termination funded by the National Health Service and carried out by the independent sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to improve awareness of the health implications of drinking during pregnancy.

Jane Ellison

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is overseeing a United Kingdom-wide review of all alcohol guidelines so that people can make informed choices about their drinking at all stages of their lives.

The Guidelines Development Group, a group of independent experts, was tasked with developing the lower-risk drinking guidelines for the UK CMOs to consider. The group have researched and developed a proposal on the guidelines, including a UK wide approach for guidance on alcohol and pregnancy. We will be consulting on these shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-12-17.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 1.144 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how women’s charities can apply for some of the £15 million annual fund.

Greg Hands

Bids and nominations for donations from the sanitary products VAT women’s charities fund can be submitted to HM Treasury by letter. The letter should set out the amount being sought and detail what it would fund. All representations will be given full consideration ahead of Budget 2016, and further rounds of donations will follow at future fiscal events. The fund will continue to run over the course of this Parliament or until the UK can apply a zero rate of VAT on sanitary products.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK has identified any people or ministries responsible for human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Mr Hugo Swire

We have strongly supported the work of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The UN Commission of Inquiry documents serious human rights violations committed by the state in the DPRK and we have urged the DPRK authorities to respond in detail to the contents of the report. The report, which can be found at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/CoIDPRK/Pages/CommissionInquiryonHRinDPRK.aspx, includes details of human rights violations committed by officials from a number of state institutions and ministries. There must be no impunity for those accused of serious human rights violations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 2.9 of Devolving Sunday Trading Rules: government response, published in February 2016, from which organised campaigns the six petitions were received.

Anna Soubry

The six petitions referenced in that paragraph were locally organised petitions which we believe were arranged by individuals. These were in addition to the national campaigns organised by the Christian Institute, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and CitizenGo.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of China on the case of the disabled rights lawyer Ni Yulan who has recently been placed under house arrest in that country.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors the human rights situation in China closely, and we are concerned by the treatment of Ni Yulan, both her house arrest and the credible reports of harassment of her and her family. A senior British diplomat met Ni Yulan in March. Five diplomats from other countries were prevented from visiting Ni at her home last month. We will continue to press the Chinese authorities for access. We plan to raise Ni’s case at the next round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.

More widely, I remain concerned by the harassment and detention of human rights defenders in China. We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to respect and protect freedom of expression and association, in line with its constitution and the international frameworks to which China is a party.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that staff in his Department receive religious literacy training.

Mr David Lidington

Training to develop religious literacy is provided at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and at a number of Embassies and High Commissions overseas. In London, staff are offered a two day course covering Abrahamic and Dharmic religions. This is supplemented by a range of training activities on specific religions and religious topics.

A religion and foreign policy element is being built into the syllabus offered to all staff through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Diplomatic Academy.