Tag: Nicholas Soames

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Russian government on the Arctic.

Mr David Lidington

The UK has not recently discussed the Arctic bilaterally with the Russian government. The UK is a State Observer at the Arctic Council, of which the Russian Federation is a full member. The UK participates in all Arctic Council meetings, including the most recent senior official meeting in March 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to encourage apprenticeships in cyber studies.

Matthew Hancock

Government has supported a Cyber Higher Apprenticeship programme delivered by the Tech Partnership with Training Provider QA, creating more than 250 new roles across industry for school leavers. New Cyber Intrusion Analyst and Cyber Security Technologist Trailblazer Apprenticeships have been developed which are now available to Employers and Apprentices. We have also integrated a cyber stream into the Fast Track Civil Service Apprenticeship scheme, offering 50 new roles across government with another cohort joining this year. Additionally, GCHQ has its own apprenticeship scheme incorporating cyber security. Since 2012, over 170 new apprentices have either graduated or joined the tailored two year foundation degree course.

As announced by the Chancellor in November 2015, we are working with Employers to develop a Cyber Security Higher Apprenticeship pilot scheme that will address cyber skills gaps in three critical sectors: Transport, Finance and Energy. These apprenticeships will combine relevant cyber content, with sector-specific training. Industry in each sector will play a leading role in defining the additional course content. We will launch a targeted marketing campaign to encourage businesses and young people to consider a cyber apprenticeship with opportunities being advertised shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to expand health services in Mid Sussex to meet increased housing and population numbers.

Alistair Burt

NHS England has advised that the Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is using the predicted population data from the developing estates strategy to model health services to meet the increased demand. NHS England further advises that it is working closely with the CCG to develop an action plan for local primary care services in East Grinstead.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning of primary care in Mid Sussex. NHS England advises that only one general practitioner practice in Grinstead has closed its list to new patients and two others have applied to close their lists but are still currently being allocated patients by NHS England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of physical training provided at the Infantry Battle School in Brecon; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning

In line with the requirements set out in Ministry of Defence policy, the adequacy of the physical training provided at the Infantry Battle School is wholly satisfactory. It complies with current Defence and Army physical training policy, and is conducted within an extensive framework of existing supervisory care policy and associated duty of care legislation. All physical training and fitness training must also be conducted within a safe system of training and only by appropriately qualified and competent personnel, to ensure all potential risks have been identified beforehand and steps taken to reduce these to ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the future of the Central Sussex College in Haywards Heath.

Robert Halfon

The Post 16 education and training area review of Sussex, which involved both the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council, as well as all the colleges in Sussex, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review is expected to be published shortly. As part of the review, Coast to Capital LEP indicated the need to maintain further education in Crawley and arrangements are being taken forward to ensure that this need is met.

We are also working with West Sussex County Council to establish the future use of the Haywards Heath campus, following the Central Sussex College’s announcement to withdraw from this campus in April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how his Department plans to respond to the movement of Russian naval ships through the English channel.

Mike Penning

The current deployment of Russian ships in the waters around the UK is being carefully tracked. All NATO Allies have a collective responsibility to monitor the path and activity of non-NATO ships and aircraft passing through NATO areas of responsibility. The UK fully upholds its commitments in this regard and will act accordingly. We expect Russian activity to occur in international waters and airspace, and in accordance with international rules.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an estimate of the number of additional (a) doctors and (b) nurses that will be needed to accommodate the predicted population rise over the next 25 years; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer

Health Education England (HEE) was established and has been mandated by the Government to provide national leadership on education, training and workforce development in the National Health Service. As one of the arm’s length bodies to help improve the quality of care delivered to patients, it ensures that the future workforce is available in the right numbers with the right skills, values and competencies to meet patient needs today and tomorrow.

HEE operate a comprehensive planning process to ensure their investments meet the future needs of the population. The period they consider is dependent on the ‘lead in’ time for training. They do not extend these forecasts to a 25 year time horizon. However, HEE has published itsStrategic Framework (‘Framework 15’) focussing on the needs of future patients and the kind of workforce that will be required. This is available at:

https://hee.nhs.uk/2014/06/03/framework-15-health-education-england-strategic-framework-2014-29/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an estimate of the number of additional hospitals that will be required to accommodate the predicted population rise over the next 25 years; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer

NHS planning must be centred around the changing health needs of patients and the population. Because of this, the way the NHS delivers health and care in 25 years’ time may look very different from the way health and care is delivered today.

The NHS will take advantage of science and technology to deliver healthcare in different ways, in care settings appropriate to people’s needs. This will include hospitals but also new primary and community settings and in people’s homes, where that suits patients and their families. The NHS will of course also need to change the way healthcare is delivered as people live longer lives, with longer term, more complex, multiple health issues. Many of these needs will be best met by supporting people to live healthier as well as longer lives, in their own homes and communities, rather than admitting them to a hospital. The Government has set a priority to transform out-of-hospital care in every community.

The NHS Five Year Forward View sets out how the NHS will need to develop to deliver care in new and innovative ways. Different local health communities are being supported as part of the New Care Models Vanguard programme to develop a small number of new care delivery options and models. It is likely that the concept of distinctive health settings, such as within the hospital sector, or within community or primary care, will become less important, as healthcare is delivered in closer partnership with people and coordinated around their needs.

Allowing successful innovations to be spread throughout the NHS is integral to the design of the healthcare delivery models the Vanguard programme is developing. This will facilitate the continual development of new NHS services, working in partnership with the people using them.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many trains on the (a) Brighton and (b) East Grinstead line have been cancelled due to a lack of driver in each of the last six months.

Claire Perry

The operator is not required to supply this information to the Department. We have such figures at the franchise level, but not to the level of disaggregation required. Therefore we can provide the following:

	Cancellation Due to:-
15/16	GTR – Driver	GTR – Rolling stock	GTR – Other	Network Rail responsible	Other TOC responsible	Trains Planned
Period 1 ending 2 May*	941	468	337	2385	305	91581
Period 2 ending 30 May	725	462	333	1615	122	90926
Period 3 ending 27 Jun	1118	582	254	1574	93	91445
Period 4 ending 25 Jul	1291	775	375	1826	79	91867
Period 5 ending 22 Aug	1551	787	402	1582	76	92103
Period 6 ending 19 Sep	1741	535	489	1098	75	91303
Period 7 ending 17 Oct	1139	944	394	1537	74	91338

* The figure for period 1 was ‘normalised’ to a 28-day period as it was actually four days longer than usual to take into account the start of the financial year

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-04.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what conditionality is attached to disbursements from the Joint Security Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands

The Spending Review set out the allocation of the Joint Security Fund for the Ministry of Defence and the Intelligence Agencies totalling £3.5bn over 5 years.

The Joint Security Fund will be used to deliver the investments set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review. The allocation of funding is conditional on annual spending limits that were agreed at the Spending Review. As with all public expenditure, Managing Public Money sets out how public funds must be spent, including the principles of regularity and propriety.