The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with clinical bodies on the potential connection between the level of diabetes and eating pears to reduce sugar levels.
Jane Ellison
There have been no such recent discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage people to become pilots.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Secretary of State for Transport appointed Terry Morgan CBE to develop a transport infrastructure skills strategy, which was published on the 28 January. The strategy, which covers aviation and specifically pilot training, contains recommendations for both government and industry to act on.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Colombian government’s ability to guarantee safety for (a) social activists and (b) human rights defenders in the region of Catatumbo.
Mr Hugo Swire
Our Embassy in Bogota has received reports about the safety of social activists and human rights defenders in Catatumbo. This was raised at a meeting between Embassy officials and community leaders during a visit to the Catatumbo region in May 2015 and also in a meeting with the ‘Marcha Patriotica’ movement in January 2016. The Government of Colombia has put in place a National Protection Unit responsible for coordinating and implementing protective measures for those at risk due to their activities.
Peace Process negotiations are at a key stage, but there is still further to go. Catatumbo is an example of a region in conflict that will be positively impacted by a peace deal. This Government is committed to supporting Colombia as part of the ongoing negotiations to ensure the safety of its people and long term stability across the country.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Nursing on the connection between a low-fat diet and the reduction of migraine attacks.
Jane Ellison
There have been no such recent discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the emergency response plans are in the event of Russia firing a nuclear bomb.
Mr Oliver Letwin
We live in an unpredictable world and if a threat to the UK were to arise from a nuclear-armed adversary, we would seek to ensure that they were deterred from using nuclear weapons by convincing them that the costs to them of doing so greatly outweighed any gains they could hope to make.
Other chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats are considered as part of the National Security Risk Assessment and this is reflected in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. The Government’s approach to preparing for emergencies is to prepare for the common consequences of a range of civil emergencies. This is supplemented with proportionate planning and capability building for the highest impact and most concerning risks, of which a nuclear terrorist attack in the UK is one.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with people who run airports on excessive VAT charging in retail outlets based in airports.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department for Transport meets regularly with airport operators and the issue of the treatment of VAT in airside retail shops has been reviewed. The Chancellor announced on the 31 December 2015 a review into airport sales to make sure VAT savings are being passed on to shoppers. It would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage whilst HM Treasury is undertaking this review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that any underspend of the budget for Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus is allocated to projects and schemes on those bases; and what planning his Department has carried out for such a scenario.
Penny Mordaunt
There has been no significant underspend in the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in recent years. In the unlikely event an underspend is identified, there are measures in place to identify priorities for additional investment in the SBAs, subject to wider Departmental policies. These measures involve engagement with all key stakeholders at the beginning of each Financial Year to identify ‘quick win’ projects that could be funded and implemented promptly in the event of a potential underspend.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has given to the Lebanese government to assist with the refugee situation in that country.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK has contributed over £330 million to support Lebanon since the start of the Syria crisis. Our priorities have been to support refugees and host communities, and strengthen the ability of the Lebanese Armed Forces and security forces to protect against armed groups at the border at terrorism.
On 4 February the UK co-hosted the ‘Supporting Syria and the Region 2016’ conference which secured over $11 billion in pledges from the international community for Syria’s neighbours, including Lebanon. This was the largest sum raised for a cause in a single day.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with representatives from shooting and conservation groups on the simplification of firearms legislation.
Mike Penning
Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings are published on the Cabinet Office website on a quarterly basis at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding he plans to provide to stem-cell research in each of the next five years.
George Freeman
Total spend in future years on stem cell research by the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity. The usual practice of the NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the use of stem cells. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and the National Health Service, value for money and scientific quality.