Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide support for producers of anaerobic digestive installations in completing planning applications for those installations.

James Wharton

My Department has made clear, through planning guidance, that anaerobic digestion as a form of waste development needs to be planned for. It is for local authorities to decide on the most appropriate strategy for managing waste in their area in line with planning policy and guidance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have registered as deaf in 2015.

Alistair Burt

The data requested is no longer collected centrally. On 31 March 2010, 56,360 people were recorded on the deaf register.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to upgrade the housing stock in Cyprus for service personnel and their families; and when such work will be completed.

Mark Lancaster

The upgrading and refurbishment of the housing stock in Cyprus is a continuous process. This financial year, the Ministry of Defence has invested £4.4 million on upgrades of Service Families Accommodation (SFA) in Cyprus and this investment will continue in 2016-17. The Defence Capital Infrastructure Programme includes a further £28 million project to refurbish SFA in Cyprus from 2019-2025.

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 discussions his Department has had with the Saudi Arabian government on the role of religious police in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have not recently discussed the role of the religious police in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) a ban on laser pens and (b) setting a minimum age for the purchase of laser pens; and what steps he is taking to ensure online sales of laser pens are regulated.

Anna Soubry

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 requires all products that are placed onto the UK market whether bought on-line or in a shop to be safe.

The sale and use of laser pointers is an issue that cuts across a number of government departments. Following a cross-Whitehall meeting on 25 February, chaired by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Government has drawn up a plan to tackle these issues to ensure the safety of consumers and the wider public.

The Government is looking at a range of options which may include legislative for controlling the sales, use and possession of laser pens.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the time taken on investigations into still births.

Ben Gummer

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Green-top Guideline 55 on Later Intrauterine Fetal Death and Stillbirth (2010) guidance for obstetricians and midwives states that all stillbirths should be reviewed in a multi-professional meeting using a standardised approach to analysis. This will enable the identification of substandard care and establish whether any future preventative measures are required. Results of the review should be discussed with the parents.

The Government is investing £500,000 to develop and roll out by March 2017 a new web-based system to be used consistently across the National Health Service so staff can review and learn from every stillbirth and neonatal death.

All stillbirths should also be reported to the MBRRACE-UK collaboration (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK) which undertakes national surveillance of late fetal losses, stillbirths and infant deaths.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients had epilepsy in the UK in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

Information concerning the number of people diagnosed with epilepsy in each of the last five years is not collected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that UK defence capability can effectively respond to a threat from Russia.

Penny Mordaunt

As outlined in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review our commitment to collective defence and security through NATO remains as strong as ever. Our 2% defence spending pledge will ensure that we stay NATO’s strongest military power in Europe.

In 2017 the UK will lead the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, formed in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and we will make a significant contribution to the force every year of this Parliament. As well as providing Typhoons to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, we have provided ships and Army units to NATO exercises to reassure our Allies against the threat from Russia, and we will continue to do so. We are joining the German-US Trans-Atlantic Capability Enhancement and Training initiative in the Baltic states and Poland, sharing our military expertise.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he is making to the Nigerian government on securing the release of non-Muslim underage girls who have been abducted, forcibly converted and forcibly married in states in the north of that country.

James Duddridge

We have received a number of reports on the abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of women and girls by Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria. These women and girls reportedly come from both Muslim and Christian communities. Due to the nature of Boko Haram attacks, which often take place in remote areas, it is difficult to obtain precise data on such activities.

We welcome the progress made by Nigeria and its neighbours against Boko Haram, including the release of women and children. We regularly raise the issue of abducted women and girls with the Nigerian government at the highest levels, and have stressed the importance of providing appropriate support to those who are rescued.

The UK remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to tackle Boko Haram, support those targeted by its indiscriminate campaign of violence, and find those who are missing. We are providing a substantial and increasing package of intelligence, military and development support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the NHS plans to offer keyhole surgery for liver and colon cancer.

Jane Ellison

NHS England is committed to promoting evidence-based innovation and surgical techniques. Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery can be used in many different surgical interventions, including for liver and colorectal cancer, as determined by clinical teams, often in discussion with the patient.