Tag: Jim Shannon

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to tackle cyber attacks originating in Russia and China.

Matthew Hancock

For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks. The Government takes cyber security very seriously; from 2011 to 2016, we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme.We plan to almost double investment in cybersecurityto £1.9bn over the next five years.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will discuss with the Royal Colleges the potential side effects of osteoporosis drugs on (a) jaw and (b) general bone health.

George Freeman

As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Government’s independent expert advisory body the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) keep the safety of osteoporosis drugs under continual review including their effects on the jaw and on bone health. The MHRA, together with the CHM, ensures that the product information for osteoporosis medicines contains up to date information and issues updated advice as appropriate.

Warnings about the risks of osteonecrosis of the jaw (severe bone damage in the jaw) and atypical fractures of the femur (unusual fracture of the thigh bone) are included in the product information (Summary of Product Characteristics for healthcare professionals and Patient Information Leaflet for patients) for all medicines containing bisphosphonates or denosumab which are used in the treatment of osteoporosis. New information and advice on these risks have been communicated to healthcare professionals in the MHRAsafety bulletin in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 as new information has become available. A patient reminder card on the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw is currently being introduced for patients treated with denosumab and bisphosphonates given by injection and healthcare professionals have been informed of this new measure via the MHRA bulletin.

Information about the recognised risks of osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical fractures of the femur with bisphosphonates and denosumab is also included in the 2014 ‘Osteoporosis – Clinical Guideline for prevention and treatment’ developed by the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group which includes the Royal College of Physicians.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have had (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful laser eye surgery in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt

Corrective laser eye surgery (surgery to correct a refractive error) is not routinely carried out on the National Health Service other than for exceptional clinical reasons. Refractive errors can be successful corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Data is not collected on the number of corrective laser eye surgery procedures carried out in the independent sector or on the number of successful or unsuccessful procedures.

The following table, provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, shows a count of Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) for those diagnosed with disorders of refraction and accommodation who underwent corrective laser eye surgery between 2009-10 to 2013-14. This data includes a range of laser eye surgery procedures and is therefore not exclusive to corrective laser eye surgery.

Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector

Year	FAEs
2009-10	318
2010-11	241
2011-12	276
2012-13	176
2013-14	195

Source:Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle workplace bullying.

Justin Tomlinson

DWP takes any suggestions of workplace bullying in any form very seriously.

All employees are required to report instances of bullying and seek support through our internal HR Support teams. In the first instance they are directed to our dedicated HR Mediation and Investigation Service. These trained professionals are able to assist managers and employees in resolving workplace disputes including complaints of Harassment, Discrimination and Bullying.

Immediate telephone support for individuals is available through our Employee Assistance Programme. Employees contacting the service because of bullying receive extra support and counselling. This service is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Where problems have been identified we have also been able to arrange specific Bullying and Harassment awareness sessions aimed directly at managers, with positive results.

During this year’s anti bullying week all employees were reminded of the support and guidance available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the treatment of kidney disease caused by diabetes.

Jane Ellison

There have been no recent discussions with the Royal Colleges on the treatment of kidney disease caused by diabetes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential threat to national security of the involvement of Chinese government companies in the UK steel industry.

Anna Soubry

We scrutinise closely any deal that may have implications for national security.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect bird species which are red-listed on the endangered species list.

Rory Stewart

Defra has classified 85 sites as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in England under the EU Birds Directive to protect rare and vulnerable wild birds and regularly occurring migratory species. The UK is currently undertaking a review of the terrestrial and coastal network of UK SPAs, which will inform the need for any further SPA provision. The UK is also making good progress in identifying a number of SPAs in the marine environment to complete our UK network.These will be in addition to the existing 108 SPAs with marine components currently in place in the UK, providing protection for just over 11,500km² of seabird habitat.

Terrestrial SPAs are underpinned by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). SSSIs are the country’s very best wildlife and geological sites and many benefit birds. There are over 4,000 SSSIs in England covering around 8% of the country’s land area.Over 95% of our SSSIs are in favourable or recovering condition. Duties on public bodies in relation to wild bird habitat are also relevant, as set out in regulation 9A of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010.

In addition, Natural England is working with partner organisations through its Species Recovery Programme to secure the long term recovery of endangered birds and other species in England. Projects are in place for a range of birds on the red list including the turtle dove, corn bunting, curlew, corncrake, twite, willow tit, hawfinch and ring ouzel.

We are investing more than £3 billion in environmental outcomes as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (2014-2020). Biodiversity is one of the main objectives in our agri-environment schemes, such as the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, to be funded under the Programme. The Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package options within the new scheme will be of particular benefit for farmland birds in the wider countryside, providing winter feeding, nesting sites and food for chicks through appropriate management of farmland habitats. Our schemes also target specific red-listed species such as the corn bunting, black grouse and turtle dove.

The UK Government is a signatory to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, which aims to achieve coordinated conservation and management for migratory waterbirds. The UK, with other Parties, has developed action plans for endangered migratory waterbirds such as the curlew and long tailed duck.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will establish an independent inquiry to consider the costs and benefits of frozen pensions.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Any independent inquiry to consider the costs and benefits of frozen pensions for the Civil Service Pension Scheme will be a matter for the Cabinet Office.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Turkey on its commitment to (a) improving the human rights situation in that country and (b) meeting the criteria for entry to the EU.

Mr David Lidington

We continue to monitor closely human rights developments in Turkey. British officials regularly raise human rights issues in their contacts with Turkish political leaders and officials at all levels. I discussed human rights and EU accession with my Turkish counterpart when he visited my constituency in August. We strongly encourage Turkey to continue work towards the full protection of fundamental rights, especially in the areas of women’s and minority rights, freedom of religion and freedom of expression. We welcome progress made thus far, and as the EU Commission highlights, further sustained work is needed to meet EU standards. The UK Government continues to support Turkey’s EU accession process and is working closely with Turkey, EU Member States, and European institutions on this. It is a positive sign that Turkey-EU relations have been reinvigorated following the successful Turkey-EU summit in Brussels on 29 November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from Pakistan applied for asylum and requested certification under section (a) 94(1) and (b) 94(2) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire

The basis of an individual’s asylum claim is not recorded on Home Office systems. It is not therefore possible to differentiate Pakistani applicants claiming for reasons of religious persecution and discrimination from Pakistani applicants claiming for one or more other reasons in the Detained Fast Track (DFT) or the non-detained process.

Certification under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 is not requested by an applicant. It is applied by the Secretary of State in circumstances where the applicant’s claim is refused and considered to be so lacking in merit as to be clearly unfounded.

The number of initial certified refusals for Pakistan main asylum applicants, from year ending September 2013 to year ending September 2015, was 604. The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications and decisions on a quarterly and annual basis. The information supplied on certified refusals is based on initial decisions which do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.

No assessment has been made of any difference that might exist between grant rates in respect of Pakistani applicants in the DFT process when it operated, and cases entering the non-detained process at the same time. However, as the DFT process avoided claims involving particular complexity and/or vulnerability, and prioritised cases which appeared to be late or opportunistic, it is to be expected that the DFT would have fewer grants than the non-detained process.