Tag: Jim Shannon

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of personal debt and household borrowing.

Harriett Baldwin

In Q3 2015 household debt fell to 142 per cent of household income, down from its peak of 168 per cent in Q1 2008. The Government’s plan for a higher wage, lower welfare society makes it easier for families and working people to save, and includes the new National Living Wage which will mean a pay boost for 1.7 million workers this year.

Nonetheless, the Government recognises that there are those who face problem levels of debt. The Money Advice Service (MAS) is responsible for the coordination of publically funded free to client debt advice and is financed by a levy on the financial services industry. MAS is currently consulting on its business plan; it has proposed levying for a constant debt advice budget for 2016/17 providing around £45 million.

The Government is currently reviewing how the public provision of free-to-client, impartial financial guidance, including consumer debt advice services, should be structured. The Public Financial Guidance consultation closed in December 2015 and the Government will report back by budget.

Additionally, we have created the independent Financial Policy Committee within the Bank of England, to ensure emerging risks and vulnerabilities across the financial system as a whole, including in relation to household debt, are identified, monitored and effectively addressed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the public purse of EU health tourism has been in each of the last three years.

Alistair Burt

Since its inception in 2013, the Department’s Visitor and Migrant NHS Cost Recovery Programme has been working to design and implement key improvements to ensure that those people who should pay for National Health Service care are identified and charged.

Achievements include:

– The launch of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) reporting incentive on 1 October 2014. All EHIC activity correctly reported by NHS secondary providers, so that the UK is able to make appropriate reimbursement claims from other member states, allows them to access an additional 25% funding;

– The revision of the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations which came into force on 6 April 2015, reducing the number of exemption from charge categories and realigning the Regulations to the principle that the NHS is a residency-based healthcare system; and

– Support and engagement with NHS providers through meetings with senior trust employees and the launch of a cost recovery support team to provide bespoke assistance to trusts to improve their processes for identifying chargeable patients and recovering funds owed, including those from Europe.

The Department is currently consulting on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England. Part of the consultation proposes to amend the residence definition for EEA nationals, by which they qualify for free NHS treatment in England. The consultation is due to conclude on 7 March 2016.

The Department does not hold information on the cost to the public purse of EU health tourism.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Reaper drones have been used in operations in Syria.

Penny Mordaunt

I am withholding operational information on the number of RAF Reaper aircraft deployed as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Nursing on the effect of sugary drinks on obesity.

Jane Ellison

There have been no such recent discussions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training his Department has given to the Cyprus National Guard in each of the last five years.

Penny Mordaunt

Details of training provided to the Cyprus National Guard personnel by British Forces Cyprus or wider UK Defence capabilities, incorporating joint training activities, are as follows:

May 2012 – Crisis response and joint Search and Rescue (SAR) training on Exercise ARGONAUT

May 2013 – Crisis response and joint SAR training on Exercise ARGONAUT

October 2013 – Public Order training with Sovereign Base Areas Police

May 2014 – Crisis response and joint SAR training on Exercise ARGONAUT

June 2014 – Joint SAR training with 84 Squadron RAF and the Republic of Cyprus SAR Squadron

October 2014 – Range administrative training

February 2015 – Small arms firing and range administrative training

May 2015 – Crisis response training and joint SAR training on Exercise ARGONAUT

July 2015 – Joint SAR training with 84 Sqn RAF and the Republic of Cyprus

November 2015 – Joint medical (clinical study) training

February 2016 – Joint Counter-Terrorism (CT) training on Exercise CHAMELEON

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to reduce carbon emissions from wood stoves.

Andrea Leadsom

Directive 2009/125/EC established a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products. In April 2015 Commission Regulation 2015/1185 was published, which provides minimum standards for efficiencies of wood burning stoves placed on the European market from 2022 that will reduce their carbon emissions.

Wood burning stoves that have a back boiler attached are supported through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The scheme applies only to Great Britain.

Wood burning stoves are treated as having zero emissions for most inventory purposes, given that the biomass combustion releases the carbon captured during the trees’ lifetime; and that this loss of carbon from the forest is already recorded in the forestry section of the emissions inventory.

Different carbon emissions figures are used for lifecycle analysis of biomass – but these often relate to the transportation of the fuel and fuel preparation. Evidence to date suggests the fuel used in wood burning stoves, such as logs, is frequently sourced very locally with minimal preparation, and therefore has a relatively small footprint.

A tool is also available from Ofgem for calculating carbon emissions from biomass. It can be found on the Ofgem website at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/uk-solid-and-gaseous-biomass-carbon-calculator .

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that most up-to-date treatments for women with pelvic floor related urinary conditions will be available on the NHS.

Jane Ellison

All treatments which are set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidelines for pelvic floor urinary conditions are available on the National Health Service.

The guidelines can be found here:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg171/chapter/1-recommendations.

NHS England published new guidance on 16 November 2015 to help improve the care and experience of people with continence issues. This includes the most up to date evidence to support commissioners and providers. The guidance can be found on NHS England’s website and accessed via the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2015/11/16/continence-care/

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with motor vehicle insurance companies on reducing the level of insurance premiums.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport has held a number of recent meetings with the motor insurance industry, for example to discuss young driver safety and technology measures which impact on the cost of insurance.

The Autumn Statement 2015 announced the Government will bring forward measures to reduce the excessive costs arising from unnecessary whiplash claims, and as the industry is competitive we expect average savings of £40 to £50 per motor insurance policy to be passed onto customers. Some insurers have already committed to pass on all savings to consumers as a result of the proposed changes.

The pricing of insurance products is a commercial matter for individual insurers in which the Government does not seek to intervene.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society on use of results from the European Accredited Laboratory Assay related to Lyme disease to inform the provision of treatment on the NHS for that disease.

Jane Ellison

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has had no discussions with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that terrorists cannot get into the UK from the Republic of Ireland.

James Brokenshire

The Government is working with Ireland to better safeguard our citizens from international terrorism by strengthening the external border of our shared Common Travel Area (CTA).

There is a high level of collaboration on a joint programme of work which includes, investment in border procedures, increased data sharing to inform immigration and border security decisions, interoperable passenger data systems, including the collection and processing of Advance Passenger Information (API) on intra and extra CTA routes, and harmonised visa policy and processes.