Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide support to overseas students who convert to Christianity in the UK to ensure they are not persecuted for their religious beliefs when they return to their country of origin.

Alok Sharma

The UK is a staunch defender of the right to freedom of religion or belief internationally. We believe that societies where freedom of religion or belief is protected are fairer, more tolerant and better able to resist extremist ideologies.

With this in mind, we actively lobby governments for changes to laws and practices that discriminate against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief.

In many cases students have access to alumni networks, often supported or endorsed by the British Embassy, once they have returned to their country of origin. Such networks can offer moral and practical support in times of need.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the safety of passengers at train stations in London.

Paul Maynard

We are working with train operators inside and outside of London, including through franchising arrangements, so that they maintain or increase the number of the stations which have been awarded ‘Secure Station’ status. The Secure Stations scheme is managed by the Department for Transport (DfT) and British Transport Police (BTP), and sets station design and management standards. It is aimed at:

• preventing and reducing crime and disorder, providing a safer environment for passengers and staff;
• increasing passenger numbers;
• reducing costs of repair following vandalism, graffiti, etc., and of lost staff time due to distress or injury.

DfT is also currently working with the BTP to review and refresh the Secure Stations scheme to ensure that it continues to drive up standards, covers wider aspects of station security and that it reflects recent changes to the operating structure of the rail industry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Chinese government on the removal of crosses from Christian churches in Zhejiang province.

Alok Sharma

We pay close attention to the human rights situation in China and remain concerned by all reports of restrictions to freedom of religion or belief and persecution of faith groups, including reports of the removal of crosses from Christian churches in Zhejiang Province. A British official visited Wenzhou in May and spoke to church leaders. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness of Anelay of St Johns raised the case of Ding Cuimei, who reportedly died while protesting the demolition of her church in Zhejiang province, with the Director of the National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee on 7 July.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of nuisance calls.

Matt Hancock

I refer the honourable member to my response to PQ 44827, answered on 12^th September.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to continue to support Government investment in (a) new energy sources and (b) tidal energy.

Jesse Norman

Government investment in all forms of renewable energy continues to be predicated on achieving an energy mix that is secure, clean and affordable. Government will be announcing details of the next energy innovation programme and the Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many regular armed forces personnel have been involved in recruiting since the commencement of the Capita contract for recruitment; and what the cost to the public purse has been of that involvement.

Mike Penning

Information on the number of regular Armed Forces personnel involved in recruiting since the commencement of the Capita contract for recruitment and the cost to the public purse is in the table below. It should be noted that the Capita contract only covers recruitment to the Army.

	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Manpower	1,621	849	849
Cost	£62,923,193	£39,643,712	£38,651,408

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of knotweed proliferation; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making house and land owners more responsible for uncontrolled weed growth.

George Eustice

The Department takes the problems caused by Japanese Knotweed very seriously and has taken a number of steps to tackle this invasive plant.

Defra has provided funding of £390,000 for biocontrol work to tackle Japanese knotweed. A psyllid/insect, Aphalara itadori has been identified as a biocontrol agent capable of retarding the plant’s growth significantly and therefore reducing its ability to spread and regenerate. A closely monitored, licensed release programme has been ongoing since 2010 to assess the impact of this psyllid/insect, but as with other biocontrol programme, it can take five to ten years from release to achieve success.

Defra has also provided funding for Local Action Groups (LAGs) to tackle and raise awareness of invasive non-native plants, including Japanese knotweed. Additionally, Defra is currently funding a LAG coordinator to help groups with funding bids and provide advice.

Japanese knotweed is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it an offence to allow the plant to escape or cause it to grow in the wild. Whilst landowners are under no statutory obligation to remove Japanese knotweed from their property, where they are acting unreasonably and allowing Japanese knotweed to cause a nuisance to the local community, local authorities and the police can now issue a Community Protection Notice against them to ensure that appropriate action is taken.

The issue of making land owners more responsible for uncontrolled weed growth.is complex. It could produce disproportionate or inequitable impacts such as the potentially high cost of removal and liability on landowners for clearance as a result of fly-tipping.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans for new implants for people diagnosed with damaged shoulder tendons to be available on the NHS.

Nicola Blackwood

It is for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to provide national clinical guidance and advice to improve health and social care based on the latest research and evidence base for use of interventional procedures. NICE has not issued any guidance on the use of new implants for damaged shoulder tendons.

Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning services to meet the requirements of their local population. It would be for them to decide whether this procedure should be made available, taking into account any available evidence of its clinical and cost effectiveness.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions NHS England has had with clinical bodies on the introduction of new treatments based on immunotherapy.

David Mowat

NHS England already funds some immunotherapy treatments for kidney cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma.

It has had detailed discussions around the potential use of immunotherapies with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; the NHS England Chemotherapy Clinical Reference Group; and the Cancer Drug Fund team. They regularly draw on expertise from specific clinical professional groups and patient organisations when considering treatment decisions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has assessed or commissioned on potential links between prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and maintaining positive thinking into later life.

Jane Ellison

Reducing the incidence of dementia, improving dementia research, raising awareness and improving the treatment and care of people with dementia is a key priority for the Government. That is why in February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia 2020 as a successor to the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-15. Under the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020, we set an ambition for:

– improved public awareness and understanding of the factors, which increase the risk of developing dementia and how people can reduce their risk by living more healthily. This should include a new healthy ageing campaign and access to tools such as a personalised risk assessment calculator as part of the NHS Health Check;

– increased identification of effective ways in which people can reduce their personal risk of developing dementia, including cardio-vascular and cognitive strategies, and ways of encouraging these approaches to improve public health and wellbeing; and

– overall spending for dementia research from all sectors to double by 2025.

Research funding for dementia research doubled under the last Government and will be maintained to total over £300 million over the period of the current government.