Tag: Imran Hussain

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage donor organisations and partner countries to include action on violence against women and girls in their sectoral programmes.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID worked hard with others to secure Global Goal 5, which includes targets on ending all forms of violence against women and girls, FGM and CEFM. In addition DFID has been at the forefront of work with OECD-DAC to create a new reporting marker for development programmes that will more comprehensively track donor spend on violence against women and girls from 2016. These measures will ensure that action on violence against women and girls enters into the core work of donors and UN agencies. DFID is also providing funding to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which is testing and building evidence on interventions for the benefit of the whole international development community.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase understanding of dental care among young people.

David Mowat

We are committed to improving the oral health of school children. As part of every child having the Best Start in Life, Public Health England (PHE) has established a Child Oral Health Improvement Programme Board with a substantial programme of work, working with others to improve children’s oral health.

As part of this programme of work, PHE has produced a toolkit to support local authorities (LAs) in their responsibility to improve dental health and reduce inequalities among children and young people in their area. The toolkit supports LAs to invest in programmes which have demonstrated improvement in children’s dental health such as targeted community-based fluoride varnish programmes, targeted nursery and school based tooth brushing programmes and water fluoridation.

More broadly, sugar consumption is the primary cause of tooth decay in children. The Change4Life Sugar Smart app launched in January 2016 provides parents with a tool to show how much total sugar is in every day food and drinks, to help them make healthier choices. Dental health professionals have also been provided with Change4Life toolkits to help them have conversations with parents about their children’s oral health.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to provide additional financial assistance to local authorities to help support resettled Syrian refugees who have physical and mental health needs.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government has made available significant funding to support Syrians with physical and mental health needs who are resettled in the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

In the first year after arrival in the UK, each individual attracts a standard tariff for healthcare costs and additional funding is in place to cover the costs of exceptional medical cases during that period. This is a substantial level of funding which will enable local authorities to support these vulnerable people as they rebuild their lives in safe and secure surroundings, among supportive communities in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of increased use of temporary doctors and nurses on the (a) quality of the healthcare provision and (b) cost of that provision.

Ben Gummer

No formal assessment has been made by the Department on the specific effect of increases in the use of temporary doctors and nurses on the quality of healthcare provision. The Care Quality Commission is responsible for the quality of healthcare services provided overall.

No formal assessment has been made by the Department on the net effect of increases in the use of temporary doctors and nurses on the costs of providing services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to give refugees settled in the UK opportunities to improve their English language skills.

Nick Boles

Adults who are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection become eligible for skills funding through a provider’s adult skills budget, as any other English resident and are not subject to the normal 3 year qualifying period. Refugees are therefore eligible for full-funding for English Speakers of Other Languages, if they are in receipt of certain work-related benefits and are mandated to undertake skills training to improve their English in order to find work. If they are on other state benefits and are unemployed, they may still be eligible for full funding at the discretion of the training provider. If they are not on benefits, they can be co-funded at the discretion of the provider.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether (a) all and (b) vulnerable tenants who receive housing benefit are subject to additional protection from eviction by landlords.

Brandon Lewis

Private rented sector legislation as in the Housing Act 1988, and the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 sets out the rights of landlords and tenants. It is applicable to all tenants and landlords, and there are no specific protections for (a) all housing benefits claimants or (b) vulnerable tenants, other than their statutory rights in UK legislation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to support Syria’s economy after the end of the current conflict in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne

Much of our assistance is already laying the groundwork for future reconciliation, stabilisation and reconstruction efforts inside Syria. Regarding the economy, we are already taking a long term approach to foster market stability and economic recovery. This includes the supply of agricultural inputs to farmers to increase production as well as support to small businesses. This has potential to be scaled up once a political transition is reached and depending on the nature of that settlement.

On 26 November 2015, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will commit at least £1 billion to Syria’s reconstruction. We anticipate that reconstruction funds would be allocated against a plan agreed between a new, inclusive Syrian government and the international community. We expect that, over time, this funding will include support for re-building Syria’s shattered economy and infrastructure.

However, we must not underestimate the scale of the challenge of post-conflict reconstruction. Syria has experienced 40 years under an oppressive regime and a brutal civil war. Conflict has reversed Syria into poverty. Consequently, reconstruction will cost hundreds of billions of dollars. That is why we will use our influence as a major shareholder to push the UN and International Financial Institutions and the private sector to bring their planning, resources and expertise to bear.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the UK Anti-Corruption Summit being held in London in May 2016.

Mr Desmond Swayne

In addition to regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues in relation to the Summit, DFID is represented in the Inter-Ministerial Group on Anti-Corruption. This Group is tasked with overseeing the government’s work to tackle corruption domestically and internationally, and specifically at this time the planning for the Summit and implementation of its conclusions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the closure of the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya on refugees in that region; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd

The Government recognises the scale of the burden and challenge facing Kenya in terms of the number of refugees hosted there. We also recognise that progress under the Tripartite Agreement between the government of Kenya and the international community must urgently speed up, and that more needs to be done to ensure a safe and dignified refugee return. We are concerned over any destabilising action and actions must be consistent with international law. We have confirmed the readiness of the UK to work with the Government of Kenya and other key parties to find a solution.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that mental health services are not deprioritised in the commissioning process for budgetary reasons.

Nicola Blackwood

NHS England has a clear commitment that spending on mental health should increase year-on-year by an amount at least as great as the overall growth in clinical commissioning group (CCG) baseline allocations. From this year, NHS England’s budget and financial reporting will be aligned to specific mental health priorities, increasing transparency and allowing additional resources to be tracked at CCG level.