Tag: Jim Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will meet environmental groups and specialists in the field to discuss the trade of legal hardwood timber and associated environmental concerns.

Dan Rogerson

Defra recently hosted a stakeholder event on the European Timber Regulation and the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Regulations, at which Lord de Mauley met interested parties, including several NGOs. Next month he will be speaking at a launch event for WWF’s major upcoming timber campaign, which will be another chance to engage directly with a range of interested parties.

As responsible minister, Lord de Mauley would be happy to consider any invitations to meetings on this subject.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of radiologists entering into training in each of the last five years.

Dr Daniel Poulter

Prior to the establishment of Health Education England (HEE) on 1 April 2013, national recruitment to clinical radiology specialty training posts was managed by the London postgraduate medical deanery.

In 2013 HEE advertised and filled 192 clinical radiology positions all of which were released by new Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) holders.

In 2014 HEE advertised and filled 183 positions representing 14 new posts and 169 posts released by new CCT holders.

This level of training and associated CCT output has enabled the clinical radiology workforce to grow on average by over 70 full time equivalent (FTE) consultants a year between 2009 and 2013 (from 2,278 FTE to 2,561 FTE – Health and Social Care Information Centre Annual Workforce Census 2013).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of (a) Israelis and (b) Israeli children who have been killed as a result of Israeli military action in the last 10 years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds no information centrally on the number of Israelis or Israeli children killed by Israeli military action in the last 10 years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness about steps to protect and preserve rainforests worldwide.

Dan Rogerson

Defra is the UK competent authority for the European Timber Regulation (EUTR) and the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which are designed to counter illegal logging and help protect rainforests. Information on both is published on Defra’s Central Point of Expertise for Timber Procurement (CPET). Information on EUTR is also published on GOV.UK. The National Measurement Office, which enforces EUTR and FLEGT on Defra’s behalf, speaks at numerous events at which it raises awareness of the legislation.

Defra is responsible for £140 million of the International Climate Fund (ICF) dedicated to international forestry projects. Our ICF spending so far has targeted rainforest deforestation in Brazil and contributed towards the World Bank’s Biocarbon Fund. Case studies of ICF projects are described on GOV.UK, and details of ICF spending are made available through the International Aid Transparency Initiative.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research evidence the NHS uses to indicate how to select the most appropriate treatment approach for an individual parent or child in stammer cases.

Dr Daniel Poulter

Ensuring the most appropriate treatment for a child with a stammer is a decision for the judgement of the clinician, drawing on their professional training, their ongoing professional development, and the advice provided by the relevant professional body.

The quality of care would be monitored by the provider, through clinical audit and other performance assurance, and by the relevant regulator of the provider (such as the Care Quality Commission), and the professional regulator (such as the Health and Care Professions Council, which regulates speech and language therapists).

Information is not collected centrally on long-term outcomes for children who stammer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department allocates to Palestine; and if she will commission a review of how effective that funding is in serving her Department’s objectives in Palestine.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID will provide nearly £350 million in support of Palestinian development from 2011-15. In addition, we have also provided £17 million of emergency aid since the current conflict began. We regularly review progress and assess that UK aid is on track to deliver key results as set out in our Operational Plan.

Additionally, the International Development Committee’s recent report was supportive of the work that we are doing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, whilst noting the need for political progress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-05-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance is provided to breast network site-specific groups on (a) the frequency with which they should meet each year, (b) the number of members each group should have and (c) the roles that should be represented in the group’s membership.

Jane Ellison

The requirement for the provision of site-specific groups (SSGs), such as those for breast cancer, is written into national cancer peer review requirements. In consultation with strategic clinical networks (SCNs), NHS England has developed an SCN framework. The framework reiterates the role and importance of clinical networking groups as support for the commissioning process, but allows for local agreement to how those groups are supported.

There are 12 SCNs and we would expect all to have a breast network SSG. This will be evidenced by the annual report published for the SCN and relevant area team. The National Peer Review Programme “Manual for Cancer Services; Breast Cancer Measures” states that network groups should meet regularly.

The Review Programme further states that the network group should produce an annual work programme in discussion with the SCN and agreed with the director of the relevant Area Team. It should include details of any planned service developments and should specify the personnel responsible and the timescales for implantation. The SSGs also develop protocols for the treatment of patients within the SCN and agree audits and research projects that will be supported.

The Review Programme also states that network groups should meet regularly. It gives guidance on the roles that should be represented on the group but not numbers.

We do not hold information on how many breast network SSGs existed and how many times each group met prior to April 2013.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving sentences in open conditions have previously absconded for their current or previous establishments (a) once, (b) twice, (c) three times and (d) four or more times.

Jeremy Wright

Keeping the public safe is our priority. Absconds and escapes have reached record lows under this Government but each incident is taken seriously. Immediate changes have already been ordered to tighten up the system as a matter of urgency. Prisoners will no longer be transferred to open conditions or allowed out on temporary release if they have previously absconded, escaped, or attempted to do either.

My officials are currently working to provide the information requested. I will write to you in due course.