Tag: Lord Moynihan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they have offered the British Olympic Association regarding the potential health threat posed by the Zika virus to members of Team GB preparing in Brazil and competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

We are in regular contact with the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association and our advice to them is in line with the Government’s travel advice. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has updated its travel advice to affected countries, referring people to the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) or to their medical professionals, if they have concerns. NaTHNaC has published specific advice for women who are pregnant to seek advice from a health professional before travel, and to consider avoiding travel to areas where Zika outbreaks are ongoing. Government continues to monitor the situation closely.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Cabinet Office Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Cabinet Committee last met; what is its membership; what is the budget of the Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Unit; and what has been the tangible output of its work in delivering a sports legacy from the London Olympic and Paralympic Games since 2012.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Government and its Arm’s Length Bodies have helped deliver a strong sporting legacy from London 2012, including 1.65 million more people playing sport regularly than when London won the bid for the Games back in 2005; over £1 billion over 4 years invested in youth and community sport; £150 million a year for primary school sport in the 2013-14 academic year and the following two years; and a 13% increase in funding for elite sport for the four years leading to Rio 2016.

The Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Cabinet Committee met during the last parliament and was not reconstituted in this parliament. Its membership covered a wide variety of government departments, reflecting the breadth of the government and Mayor of London’s legacy plans. The responsibilities and the budget of the Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Unit now fall within the DCMS sport team.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, prior to hosting the World Athletics Championships in London 2017, they intend to introduce legislation to criminalise athletes who seek to enhance their performance in sport through banned doping programmes and gain selection over other athletes who do not.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The case for criminalisation is currently being reviewed by the department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the publication in SLEEP on 1 February of the epidemiological study into the association between the 2009 pandemic H1N1 vaccine and narcolepsy in adults (Pub Med identifier 26856903), whether the Department for Work and Pensions will now reverse its decisions to refuse applications for compensation for adults under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 on the grounds of a lack of evidence of causation, and if not, on what basis they continue to dispute causation for adults.

Baroness Altmann

All claims under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme are decided on the basis of each claimant’s individual circumstances, and in light of the latest scientific evidence on the possible effects of vaccines. The Department monitors research in this area. We are aware of the latest evidence and are studying it carefully. Where new evidence comes to light which suggests that an earlier decision was incorrect, the claimant may ask the Department to look at its decision again within the statutory time limits.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether UK Anti-Doping has adequate medical, administrative and financial resources to undertake international programmes for third-party countries, including a testing programme in Russia, whilst providing a comprehensive anti-doping programme in the UK.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The payments that UK Anti-Doping receives from third party countries ensures the UK’s anti-doping programme is not compromised by its international work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-04-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long the washout time is for meldonium and whether UK Anti-Doping consider that an athlete who took meldonium when it was not considered a performance-enhancing drug and not on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list before January could have still tested positive in January, February or March.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

There is currently limited data available on excretion studies relating to meldonium and, as such, several studies are currently being conducted involving WADA accredited laboratories, which WADA will share when available. UK Anti-Doping is following the guidance of the World Anti-Doping Agency who recently issued a Notice regarding meldonium.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have sought legal advice on whether the Whereabouts” system operated by UK Anti-Doping during vacations taken by professional athletes meets the conditions of the EU Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC).”

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The Working Time Directive is a matter for employers. The UK Anti-Doping is not an employer of athletes.`

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-06-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to (1) extend the powers of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) to investigate doctors administering performance enhancing drugs to athletes outside the control of British governing bodies of sport, and (2) introduce new powers to enable UKAD to take legal action should such doctors be found to have breached the World Anti-Doping Agency Code; and if so, when.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The Government will review the outcomes of the independent review of UK Anti-Doping’s processes following allegations made in the Sunday Times. DCMS is currently undertaking a review of current legislation and, as part of this, will consider the independent review’s findings to determine whether any new powers are necessary.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current proportion of women on the Board of the British Olympic Association and on each winter and summer British governing body of sport represented in the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and how they intend to achieve their declared objective of requiring the proportion of women on each governing body to be at least 25 per cent by 2017.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The government’s recently published sport strategy ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation’ states that UK Sport and Sport England, along with the other Home Nations’ Sports Councils, will agree a new UK Sports Governance Code by September 2016 to strengthen existing commitments, including the ambition for all sports’ boards to have at least 25% female representation by 2017.

UK Sport and Sport England are already working with funded NGBs and partners to ensure best practice is adhered to when constructing job descriptions and writing adverts, and are working with expert organisations such as Sporting Equals and Women in Sport to ensure a more diverse range of people are aware of vacancies within the sector as they arise.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-06-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the independent review by Andy Ward into UK Anti-Doping’s handling of intelligence in relation to Dr Mark Bonar to be finalised, and whether they intend to lay a copy of that report before Parliament.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The review is expected to conclude during the summer. UK Anti-Doping will publish the report.