Tag: Laurence Robertson

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on ensuring that people claiming benefits receive medical treatment that has been identified as enabling them to return to work; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has not had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health on this subject.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with food suppliers to encourage them to reduce excess packaging; and if he will make a statement.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Secretary of State has not had recent discussions with food suppliers specifically about packaging. I spoke at the Fresher for Longer conference in February this year, and the Government is working with food manufacturers and retailers to reduce food waste as part of the Courtauld Commitment, which is targeting a further reduction of 1.1 million tonnes of food and packaging waste by 2015. We encourage the use of a minimum level of packaging that protects products from damage and ensures that it maintains its quality during its shelf life.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to increase the compensation paid to Equitable Life policyholders.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government has no plans to alter the design or rules of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme, including those which relate to the level of payments. Decisions on the level of ex-gratia payments took account of the fiscal situation and wider fairness concerns across all taxpayers. The payments for different types of policyholder were made on the basis of recommendations made by the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of TB tests for Alpacas; and if he will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency undertook research sponsored by the British Alpaca Society, the British Llama Society and British Camelids Ltd. to validate ante mortem TB tests in camelids. Their report was delivered to the sponsors in 2012 and a copy can be found at: http://www.llama.co.uk/resources/Validation_of_ante_mortem_TB_tests_in_Camelids.pdf.

    The outcome of that research formed the basis of Defra’s proposals for combined skin and blood TB testing of camelids on which we consulted in April this year. They can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/bovine-tb-disease-controls-for-deer-and-camelids

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on NHS patients receiving Enterra gastric stimulator treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    Funding of gastroelectrical stimulation procedures is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). If a clinician considers that a patient in their care may benefit from this procedure, they would need to submit an Individual Funding Request to their CCG so that they can consider the case.

    In May 2014 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued new Interventional Procedure (IP) guidance on gastro-electrical stimulation for gastroparesis, which is a chronic disorder in which the stomach empties more slowly than normal. The guidance can be found at the following link:

    www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/14531/67802/67802.pdf

    NICE’s IP Programme assesses the safety and efficacy of (mainly) new procedures that are used for diagnosis or treatment that involve incision, puncture, entry into a body cavity or the use of ionising, electromagnetic or acoustic energy. Unlike NICE’s technology appraisals programme, it is not within the remit of the IP Programme to evaluate the cost effectiveness of IPs or to advise the National Health Service on whether IPs should be funded.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support he plans to give schools which have no kitchen facilities and are unable to build such facilities because of financial constraints, and which cannot have meals delivered from other local schools, to enable them to provide free school meals for infant children; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Laws

    The Government is providing £150 million capital funding in 2014-15 to support the introduction of universal infant free school meals, in addition to over £1 billion additional revenue funding over the two years 2014 to 2016. Local authorities are also free to use some of the capital they receive for general maintenance and improvement purposes to upgrade kitchen and dining facilities in schools, if that is a priority locally.

    The pilots of universal free school meal provision which ran in Newham and Durham between 2009 and 2011 showed, however, that building new facilities is not the only way to increase school meal uptake.

    To help schools to find solutions which meet their local circumstances, on 6 March we launched a national support service which consists of a telephone and online advice service for schools, local authorities and caterers, and a direct-support service for schools which need additional support. The service is being provided by school food experts, the Children’s Food Trust and the Lead Association for Catering in Education, in conjunction with a number of delivery partners. More information is available at: http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/Root/schools/schoolfoodplan

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with banks about the closure of branches; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sector as part of the usual policymaking process. It is not Government practice to provide details of all such representations.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the exporting of live horses and ponies for slaughter.

    George Eustice

    There is no ban in place on the export of live horses for slaughter. However, there is a system of inspections and checks in place to make sure that horses are healthy and fit for transport. The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) undertakes risk based inspections of equines destined for export. Local authorities also undertake inspection work and are responsible for investigating breaches of the welfare legislation with a view to prosecution.