Tag: Jim Shannon

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much repairs to Type 45 ships will cost; and whether the cost will be borne out of existing funds or a new allocation.

Harriett Baldwin

To reveal our current estimates of the cost of this upgrade would be prejudicial to the commercial interests of the Department. I can confirm, however, that funding for this improvement programme is to be contained within the budget allocated to Navy Command.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent the Zika virus from entering the UK.

Nicola Blackwood

The female mosquitoes responsible for Zika virus transmission are not native to the United Kingdom and it is considered highly unlikely they could survive the current UK climatic conditions long enough to become established. The risk to public health posed by Zika virus is, therefore, very low and no greater than the risks posed by other mosquito-borne infections, such as malaria, for example.

Public Health England monitors various insect vectors (in particular, mosquitoes) in the UK through surveillance projects that it runs in collaboration with a range of organisations across the UK. In England, detection of an invasive species considered to pose a threat to the UK would trigger the use of appropriate control measures.

In addition, the Government is ensuring UK residents travelling to countries with active Zika transmission are encouraged to take measures to minimise the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, for example through the use of insect repellent.

Up-to-date travel advice is in place, and clinical advice is available to UK medical professionals. More information can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/zika-virus-zikv-clinical-and-travel-guidance

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce nuisance calls and (b) give advice to companies on how to contact the public appropriately on inheritance tax issues.

Matt Hancock

Companies who wish to make direct marking calls must abide by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations(PECR). The Government has already taken a number of steps to reduce the problem of nuisance calls with further measures to be implemented in the near future. In May 2016, the Government introduced a new requirement for all direct marketing callers to provide caller line identification. In September 2016 we introduced a measure in the Digital Economy Bill that in currently going through Parliament that will make it a requirement for the Information Commissioner to issue a statutory code of practice on direct marketing, which will support the ICO in taking action against those who breach PECR. More recently, we announced the Governments intention to hold company directors to account for breaches of the PECR. In addition, the Government is considering extending the Information Commissioner’s powers of compulsory audit to organisations that generate nuisance calls. This measure amongst other measures will provide better consumer protection, from unsolicited telephone calls.

The Gov.UK website, provides information about inheritance tax and the support available from the Inheritance Tax and Probate helpline. HMRC works with advisers to direct them and the public to this.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on steps to ensure that maintenance of flight connections between Belfast Aldergrove Airport and New York.

Mr John Hayes

The Department for Transport was briefed on several occasions by the Northern Ireland Office on the Northern Ireland Executive’s considerations on steps to ensure the maintenance of flight connections between Belfast Aldergrove Airport and New York. The Department was not actively involved in this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government had with the Chinese government during the state visit to London in October 2015 on reducing restrictions on the Christian minority in China.

Mr Hugo Swire

Religious freedom was not raised during the recent State Visit. However, the Prime Minister my Right Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China.

We believe that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right. I therefore remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity in China. We are aware of reports of the closure or demolition of churches, the removal of crosses from buildings, and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs.

We raise the range of our human rights concerns directly with China. We do so during the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, most recently in April 2015. We also highlight them publicly in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy (www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk). We will continue to pursue our concerns both privately and in public fora.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each of the last five years had Tourette’s syndrome.

Alistair Burt

Studies estimate that 200,000 – 300,000 people in the United Kingdom are affected by Tourette’s syndrome. Information concerning how many people had Tourette’s syndrome in each of the last five years is not collected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the human rights of the Bahai community in Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have repeatedly expressed our concern at the harassment faced by Baha’is in Iran and at the sentencing of seven Baha’i leaders to 20 years in prison. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised human rights concerns during his visit to Tehran in August, including lack of freedoms for all citizens. We will continue to urge the Iranian Government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are able to practise their faith freely, as required by international conventions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what restrictions are in place to monitor mobile pubs on bicycles.

Mike Penning

Licensing authorities make decisions about the sale of alcohol which is governed by the Licensing Act 2003.

Under the Licensing Act 2003, there is a prohibition on the sale of alcohol from a moving vehicle. A person would only be able to buy alcohol if the vehicle were stationary and the operator would need a premises licence at every place the vehicle stopped to sell alcohol. There is nothing to prevent the consumption of alcohol by passengers on such vehicles.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the Royal College of Nursing on the treatment of prostate cancer by high doses of radiotherapy on the first 20 days of that treatment.

Jane Ellison

There have been no discussions with the Royal College of Nursing on this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to monitor and control eye surgery.

Alistair Burt

There are currently no plans to bring forward new legislative proposals for regulating refractive laser eye surgery.

Providers of laser eye surgery are required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), as this is a regulated activity. All providers of regulated activities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 must be registered with the CQC and meet the new fundamental standards of safety and quality that came onto force on 1 April this year. The CQC has a range of enforcement actions that it can take if providers do not meet the fundamental standards.

Doctors performing laser eye surgery in the United Kingdom must also be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). All registered doctors are expected to be familiar with the GMC’s publication Good medical practice and supporting guidance, which describes what is expected of them. This document makes clear that medical doctors must recognise and work within the limits of their competence

Further work is underway to improve the delivery, safety and standards for patient information regarding these procedures and this is being led by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.