Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his global counterparts on cruelty in the global dog meat trade; and if he will make a statement.

    Alok Sharma

    The consumption of dog meat is legal in many countries, and the United Kingdom has no grounds to intervene or take trade measures to prevent this. We continue to make our views known to the governments of those countries where this practice continues; most recently I raised this issue with the South Korean Ambassador ahead of the Westminster Hall Debate on 12 September. Our Ambassador in Seoul has also raised the dog meat trade with the South Korean authorities, most recently on 1 September, highlighting our concerns about the treatment and welfare of animals. As I stated in the Westminster Hall Debate, it is promising that in countries where dog meat is consumed, there are signs that attitudes are changing amongst the young and emerging middle classes. We encourage that change.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Chinese counterpart on the case of Tashi Wangchuk who is currently awaiting trial in Yushu, Qinghai Province.

    Alok Sharma

    We raised the case of the Tibetan language advocate Tashi Wangchuk at the UK-China human rights dialogue, scheduled which took place on 27 October.

    I previously raised our concerns about Tashi Wangchuk with the Chinese Ambassador, in writing, on 1 August 2016.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress his Department has made on introducing loans for postgraduate study.

    Joseph Johnson

    A consultation on support for postgraduate study was launched in March of this year. The consultation sought views on the Government’s intention to introduce a new loan scheme for taught Master’s study and a review of how to broaden and strengthen support for postgraduate research. Consultation responses have been analysed and the Department is preparing its response.

  • Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue that is likely to accrue from Welsh employers as a result of the apprenticeship levy in each of the next five years.

    Greg Hands

    The apprenticeship levy will apply across the UK and will be collected from employers on a UK wide basis. An allowance of £15,000 means only those with a paybill exceeding £3million will have to pay it.

    We are already working with the Welsh Government and the other devolved administrations to ensure they can get their fair share of the revenue and, as far as possible, to develop a system for administering the levy which complements the skills and apprenticeship policies of each of the devolved administrations.

    We are committed to doing all we can to make the system work for employers wherever they are in the UK.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage schools and students to use Public Health England’s Sugar Smart app.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Department for Education fully supports Public Health England’s current campaign to encourage children to reduce the amount of sugar they eat.

    The Department’s considerable social media reach has been mobilised in support of the campaign. We have been using numerous channels to promote the Sugar Smart app and other materials related to this year’s Change4Life campaign, including the teacher toolkits distributed directly to 16,500 primary schools in England.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of private rented properties are priced above the local housing allowance in the (a) UK and (b) West Midlands.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not available.

  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to (a) reduce the number and (b) support the families of people reported as missing for more than three months; and when he expects to bring forward legislative proposals on the proposed guardianship bill.

    Dominic Raab

    The government is currently reviewing the Missing Children and Adults strategy, originally published in 2011. We are engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including the charity Missing People, to update the guidance given in relation to all cases of children and adults going missing. The refreshed strategy will be published later this year and will include measures relating to preventing people going missing and improving the responses by all agencies to the families of long-term missing persons. We will introduce legislation to create a new legal status of guardian of the property and affairs of a missing person as soon as parliamentary time permits.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.15 of Budget 2016, (a) to which organisations and (b) when the £5 million allocated to a National Mesothelioma Centre will be paid.

    Greg Hands

    The National Mesothelioma Centre will be a collaboration between four leading institutions who have a major interest in the treatment of mesothelioma: National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College; Royal Brompton Hospital; Institute of Cancer Research (ICR); and Royal Marsden Hospital. This collaboration will form the hub of the Centre which will engage with all other hospitals in the UK to which mesotheliomas are referred and treated.

    Professor Sir Anthony Newton Taylor, Head of Research & Development at the National Heart & Lung Institute, who made the application for support from LIBOR fines, is working closely with the British Lung Foundation and other charities in order to ensure that experts from across the lung and cancer research community are able to contribute to this important enterprise.

    The £5 million grant, which is intended as seed funding, has been profiled over 4 years and will be paid to the National Mesothelioma Centre, once established. The funding will be subjected to standard Grant Terms and Conditions, including a feedback and reporting mechanism, and audit.


  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2016 to Question 29900, on tuberous sclerosis, for what reasons the policy statement for the commissioning of Everolimus for treating angiomyolipomas has not yet been published; and when he plans to publish that statement.

    George Freeman

    The policy statement for the commissioning of Everolimus for treating angiomyolipomas has not yet been published owing to delays experienced when incorporating the needs of children into the policy.

    Those issues have now been resolved and the policy is due to be published imminently on NHS England’s website.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of doctor staffing levels in the emergency department at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust.

    Ben Gummer

    Patient safety remains a key priority for the Government and whilst progress has been made there is clearly much more to be done. The Department is aware of the situation at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust and the relevant regulatory bodies, led by NHS Improvement, are taking appropriate action.

    The Warning Notice, issued to North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 6 June 2016 requires the trust to significantly improve the treatment of patients attending the emergency department (ED).

    NHS Improvement has given assurance that North Middlesex University Hospital carried out immediate actions to support the staffing concerns raised by the regulators.

    A new Clinical Director and an experienced Medical Director have been appointed to provide the ED with dedicated substantive leadership. The Clinical Director will provide leadership to the department and oversee the recruitment to currently vacant posts. In addition, there is also focus on reducing the medical work load in the ED through added support from other clinical services and professionals. This includes the appointment of new matrons and a new dedicated service manager with extensive ED experience.

    Further, local general practitioners are increasing the level of support they provide to the department both to prevent admissions and to improve discharges. All of these measures will be in place by the end of June 2016.

    On staffing, the local National Health Service is working with the Trust to ensure it can provide emergency care to the required standards. NHS Improvement and NHS England have put in place enhanced oversight mechanisms to assure themselves that services remain safe at all times.

    An external specialist review of the consultant and middle grade rotas for June, July, August and September has been commissioned to provide independent assurance of the appropriate competencies within each rota.

    NHS Improvement will continue to work with system colleagues, Health Education England and the General Medical Council to assure themselves that the improvements being put in place meet the requirements that they need to see from both the Trust and the system both in the short term and the long term.