Tag: Jim Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of levels of food insecurity in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

The UK currently has a high degree of food security as shown by the UK Food Security Assessment (published in 2010 and reviewed in 2012) which analysed the different global factors affecting UK food supply.

Global food security is dependent on a number of factors including increasing production sustainably, reducing waste and ensuring open markets around the world to facilitate trade.

Following a period of higher food price inflation retail food prices have fallen by 7.0% since their peak in February 2014. The proportion of household income spent on food has remained stable at 11% for 2015/16 compared to 2008/09.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the regularity of incursions into UK airspace by foreign jets; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning

The airspace around and approaching the UK is permanently monitored on a 24 hour basis. There have been no unauthorised incursions by any foreign military aircraft into sovereign air space around the UK, which projects 12 miles off shore or to mutually agreed mid-points between adjacent nations over narrow straits such as the Straits of Dover. The UK civil air traffic region and the NATO Air Policing Area, which the UK has responsibility for monitoring, include large areas of international airspace through which foreign military traffic may legally transit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of crowded airspace on British military assets operating in Syria; and if he will make a statement.

Penny Mordaunt

The Coalition has implemented safe separation measures for aircraft operating in Syria and keeps the issue under constant review. In addition, we welcome the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the prevention of flight safety incidents between the US, acting on behalf of the global coalition, and Russia. UK aircraft operating over Syria as part of the coalition campaign against ISIL are following these safe separation measures and the procedures in the Memorandum of Understanding.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many sites are approved for fracking in England and Wales; what the location is of each such site; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

Licensing and consent of onshore oil and gas activities in England is now a matter for the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences are not specific to shale gas. They grant exclusive rights to extract hydrocarbons, including shale gas but also other hydrocarbons, within a particular onshore area. A separate consent from the OGA is required before any drilling or hydraulic fracturing (fracking) can take place, as well as planning permission, environmental permits and review of the well design by the Health and Safety Executive.

The OGA does not have any undetermined consent applications.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received from his Israeli counterpart on the recent violence in that region; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

As I said in my statement of 13 October, the UK Government remains extremely concerned by the violence that we have seen across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories so far this month. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) also made a statement on 9 October condemning the violence.

Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to the Israeli government, urging them to de-escalate the tensions.

On 16 October, the Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser spoke to Israel’s National Security Adviser and reiterated the need for both sides to do everything in their power to calm the situation. On 19 October, the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Directorate in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spoke to the Israeli Chargé D’Affaires to London, including about the recent violence.

Our Embassy in Tel Aviv receives regular updates from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On 19 October, our Ambassador to Tel Aviv raised our concerns on the recent violence with the Israeli Cabinet Secretary. Most recently, our Defence Attaché to Tel Aviv received a briefing from the Israeli Defence Forces on 21 October on the number of attacks they have so recorded in this latest outbreak of violence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment her Department has made of the role of fracking in meeting the future energy needs of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

The Written Ministerial Statement by my rt. hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 16 September 2015 (Official Report, Column 34-38WS), sets out the Government’s view that there is a national need to explore and develop our shale gas and oil resources in a safe, sustainable and timely way, to help meet our objectives for secure energy supplies, economic growth and lower carbon emissions.

A successful shale industry could help create jobs and grow local economies. Investment in shale could reach £33billion and support up to 64,000 jobs in oil, gas, construction, engineering and chemical sectors. The opportunity to extract this energy, as well as to secure jobs and investment, cannot be ignored.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to review the adequacy of waiting times to access NHS physiotherapy services; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt

The Department has not undertaken a review of NHS physiotherapy service provision. However, scoping work has started regarding the ability for patients to self-refer to musculoskeletal physiotherapy within primary care.

The provision of physiotherapy, as for all health services is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and it will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG’s decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs. As such, provision of services will vary in response to local needs.

As defined in the NHS Constitution, patients have the right to expect to be seen and treated within national operational standards ensuing timely diagnosis and treatment, equality of care and patient choice.

The 18 weeks commitment is a universal right. This commitment should be delivered for every patient, in every specialty and in every organisation unless the patient chooses otherwise or it is not in their best clinical interest.

In June this year, NHS England, Monitor and the Trust Development Authority jointly wrote to CCG Accountable Officers and Clinical Leaders and Chief Executives of NHS Providers setting out the changes to the Referral to Treatment operational standards and reporting arrangements. A copy of that letter, which outlines the changes in more detail, is attached.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the level of public subsidy for train operators in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

Actual figures for public subsidy are published on the Office of Rail and Road’s (‘ORR’) website at http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/browsereports/1.

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2015 to Question 12252, what plans his Department has to increase the nutritional content of meals served to the prison population.

Andrew Selous

Meals offered to prisoners are nutritious, balanced, varied and in line with government recommendations on eating a healthy diet.

Last year, National Offender Management Service developed a model of cyclical four week menus, working closely withtheir food suppliers and nutritional technologists. As part of this process, a dietary and nutritional specialist was commissioned to review, analyse and make recommendations on the overall balance and nutritional content of the menus. These recommendations were incorporated and the menus are available to Prison Catering Teams.

Prisons are also encouraged to seek nutritional advice on any changes to menus to ensure they meet national standards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to review the adequacy of NHS physiotherapy service provision; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt

The Department has not undertaken a review of NHS physiotherapy service provision. However, scoping work has started regarding the ability for patients to self-refer to musculoskeletal physiotherapy within primary care.

The provision of physiotherapy, as for all health services is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and it will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG’s decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs. As such, provision of services will vary in response to local needs.

As defined in the NHS Constitution, patients have the right to expect to be seen and treated within national operational standards ensuing timely diagnosis and treatment, equality of care and patient choice.

The 18 weeks commitment is a universal right. This commitment should be delivered for every patient, in every specialty and in every organisation unless the patient chooses otherwise or it is not in their best clinical interest.

In June this year, NHS England, Monitor and the Trust Development Authority jointly wrote to CCG Accountable Officers and Clinical Leaders and Chief Executives of NHS Providers setting out the changes to the Referral to Treatment operational standards and reporting arrangements. A copy of that letter, which outlines the changes in more detail, is attached.