Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to tackle the increase in human campylobacter cases, caught from infected poultry, which are proving to be resistant to the key antibiotic ciprofloxacin.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health concern and a global challenge. The United Kingdom Government has established a 5 year AMR strategy (2013-2018) which sets out our actions to slow the development and spread of AMR. A copy of the UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013 to 2018 is attached.

    The Government supports industry initiatives on the responsible use of antibiotics, such as those implemented by the British Poultry Council, who introduced a voluntary ban on the use of cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones in poultry in January 2012. This action will in the long-term help reduce the development of resistance in bacteria including campylobacter in poultry.

    Campylobacter is the leading cause of infectious intestinal disease in people in the UK and poultry meat is considered to be the main source of these infections. To address this, the Food Standards Agency has worked closely with industry in reducing campylobacter levels in chicken and is tackling this issue throughout the food chain; this has included improved biosecurity measures on farm, interventions such as blast surface chilling or additional heat steps during processing, the introduction of leak-proof packaging at retail and advice for consumers on safe handling of raw chickens within the home. These approaches are expected to reduce the number of campylobacter infections in humans.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what specialist support is provided by his Department to vulnerable adults without family support.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department does not provide any such support directly.

    The Care Act 2014 places a duty on local authorities in England to meet the care and support needs of vulnerable people, carers and their families. Statutory guidance sets out the circumstances and services that a local authority, working with its local partner organisations, may arrange to meet people’s needs. Examples include information, advice and advocacy, care and support at home or in the community, counselling and other types of social work, goods and facilities, domiciliary care and accommodation in a care home or in suitable premises of some other type.

    Where a person has substantial difficulty in being fully involved in their care planning or lacks capacity to agree and consent to the care plan and has no family or friends who are able to support their involvement, an independent advocate must be appointed.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-07-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the collapse of the Dolmabahçe Agreement, whether they will discuss with the government of Turkey the proposal by Open Democracy of 15 steps for Turkish–Kurdish peace.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We understand that the Government of Turkey did not commit itself to specific undertakings following the talks at the Dolmabahçe Palace in February 2015. We have been very clear that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) violence must end in order to create the conditions for political resolution of the difficulties in the south east.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Carbon Plan will outline policies that ensure that the UK meets the emissions limit in the fifth carbon budget of a 57 per cent reduction in annual emissions on 1990 levels.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    We are engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and other government departments in order to meet the shared challenge of moving to a low carbon economy. The Emissions Reduction Plan will set out how we will meet our carbon budgets through the 2020s (the period covering the fourth and fifth carbon budgets).

  • Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the probability of the UK not being able to rely on electricity interconnectors to the continent as in previous years because of French and Belgian supply being limited until 2020 due to the closure of old fossil fuel plant and nuclear reactors in those countries.

    Andrea Leadsom

    National Grid makes an assessment of the extent to which all GB interconnectors can be relied upon at times of system stress. This is based on an assessment of European markets. In recent years we have, in fact, observed increased efficiency of the interconnectors and imports to the UK system at times of peak demand. As market coupling is further implemented, we expect this to continue. This is assessed on an annual basis to take into account any changing market dynamics. For this winter, forward power prices suggest net imports to GB over interconnectors with continental Europe.

    Beyond these market arrangements, should GB need additional support, it is also possible for National Grid as the System Operator to call upon interconnectors at a time of system stress.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department spent on agency workers to cover clerical agency staff in each month since May 2015; and which companies provided those services.

    Mike Penning

    The information requested is published in the department’s annual accounts. These can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/217243/moj-annual-report-accounts-2010-11.pdf

    http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/corporate-reports/MoJ/2012/moj-annual-report-accounts-2011-12.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/208728/moj-annual-report-2012-13.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/323308/moj-annual-report-2013-14.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/434016/moj-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-15.pdf

    “

  • Baroness Corston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Baroness Corston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Corston on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees when the current contract for floristry services is due for renewal.

    Lord Laming

    The floristry services contract is due for re-tender ahead of the expiration of the current contract, in September 2017.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will suspend their new policy, announced on 6 February, on charitable sector campaigning, in the light of the announcement by the Cabinet Office minister Matthew Hancock MP that the sector would face additional restrictions on such activity, so as to allow time for parliamentary debate on this issue.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The announcement on 6 February was on a new clause for all government grant agreements. It is not specific to Charities.

  • Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish a full list of the subjects for which the equivalent or lower qualifications rule will be relaxed, as announced in the 2015 Spending Review and Autumn Statement.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    Part time students studying for a second degree in subjects allied to medicine; biological sciences; veterinary sciences, agriculture and related subjects; physical sciences; and mathematical sciences will be eligible for a tuition fee loan from the 2017/18 academic year. These are in addition to the exemption for part time technology, computer science and engineering degrees introduced in 2015/16. Subject lists below these broad headings are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/component/content/article?id=1787

    “

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of damage caused to the gardens of urban and rural householders by badgers in England.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Defra is not aware of any studies that quantify the extent of garden damage by badgers. Where serious damage is, or is likely to be, caused by badgers or their setts, there is provision within the legislation for action to be taken under licence. Garden damage due to foraging alone is not normally considered sufficiently serious to warrant the issue of a licence.

    Natural England receives around 800 licence applications per year to interfere with badger setts. Of these, just over 50% relate to damage caused by badgers but not all involve residential properties or gardens. With regard to gardens, the usual action is to exclude badgers from the sett and proof the area against further damage. There is a presumption against licensing trapping and relocating badgers on disease and animal welfare grounds.