Tag: Parliamentary Question

Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) survivability, (b) sustainability and (c) readiness of NATO forces.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Readiness Action Plan (RAP), agreed at the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, is progressing well and it will deliver enhanced NATO Response Forces, including the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), by the time of the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July 2016. The UK has played a leading role in the implementation of the RAP: we have committed to spending 2% of GDP on Defence, and 20% of that on new equipment; we will lead a capable and credible VJTF (Land) Brigade in 2017; we have increased our commitment to NATO’s Standing Naval Forces this year; and will continue to provide Airborne Early Warning, Air to Air Refuelling, Tornado and Typhoon aircraft to the VJTF (Air).

Considerable work on survivability, sustainability and readiness of NATO forces has been undertaken. The RAP includes a commitment to generate an enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF) including a VJTF. To enhance survivability, the eNRF has been designed from the outset as a Joint, Multi-National force with an appropriate quantity and balance of forces needed to effectively conduct the full range of potential operations. Integral logistic structures, which include the newly created Multi-National Corps Headquarters in Poland and a Multi-National Division Headquarters in Romania, ensure the sustainability of the enhanced NRF and VJTF. Enhanced NRF forces are designed to meet the readiness timelines that are laid down in NATO’s strategic planning documents, including the Alliance’s Graduated Response Plans.

Considerable work on Interoperability has also been undertaken since the end of combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014. This has built upon NATO’s Connected Forces Initiative to ensure that NATO’s Multi-National forces force are able to continue to operate together effectively beyond the end of combat operations in Afghanistan. For our lead of the VJTF (Land) in 2017, the British Army will operate alongside the armed forces from 13 contributing nations.

January 1, 2023
Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-05-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made in updating tax treaties between the UK and (a) Malawi, (b) Lesotho and (c) Ghana.

Mr David Gauke

The UK is not currently involved in active treaty discussions with Tanzania.

Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. The Government of Malawi have stated that they hope to be in a position to sign the new treaty in the near future.

The UK has negotiated a treaty with Lesotho and are currently seeking to arrange signature.

The UK is currently involved in negotiations with Ghana in agreeing a new tax treaty.

Nepal has approached the UK to begin negotiation of a tax treaty. We are seeking suitable dates for discussions.

January 1, 2023
Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) treatment targets and (b) care processes are for people with (i) sickle cell disease and (ii) thalassaemia in each (A) clinical commissioning group area, (B) trust area and (C) national sickle cell and thalassaemia centre area in the most recent year for which figures are available.

George Freeman

NHS England has a published service specification for haemoglobinopathy which covers the requirements of commissioned services providing specialised services for patients with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia. The specification was developed by the Haemoglobinopathies Clinical Reference Group that covers Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassaemia and other very rare anaemias requiring lifelong transfusion and chelation. The specification reflects that although these are complex disorders they are often grouped together and managed by the same specialist team. It recognises that each condition will have distinct clinical manifestations and treatments.

Specialised services for haemoglobinopathy care B08/S/a:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/b08-speci-serv-haemo.pdf

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January 1, 2023
Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote breastfeeding in the curriculum.

Edward Timpson

Where there is a demand from parents and pupils, schools can choose to teach about any topic of interest, including breastfeeding. For example, it can be covered in schools’ personal, social, heath and economic (PSHE) lessons. The suggested programme of study for teachers by the PSHE Association does not specifically cover breastfeeding, but it includes teaching about parenthood and the development of parental skills. Schools can expand on these topics if they wish, and include breastfeeding if there is a demand to cover it.

January 1, 2023
Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve the assessment of medicines for rarer cancers with small patient populations.

George Freeman

NHS England has advised that it intends to jointly consult with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund operating model. This will include the future arrangements for the evaluation of cancer drugs, including drugs for rarer cancers with small patient populations. Members of the public and any interested parties will have the opportunity to consider and comment on these proposals.

January 1, 2023
Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether governors of maintained schools are allowed to agree a budget deficit.

Lord Nash

Governors are responsible for agreeing the budget of a school under the arrangements set out in their Local Authority’s Scheme for Financing Schools, which may preclude any planning for deficits; or it may allow schools to plan for deficits only in certain approved circumstances.

January 1, 2023
Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what responsibilities Ofcom has for (a) data protection, (b) consumer rights relating to data and (c) data markets; and what plans he has to review those responsibilities.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the primary regulator in relation to the protection of personal data – its powers are set out in the Data Protection Act (1998) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (2003). Ofcom has responsibilities in relation to network security under Sections 105A to 105D of the Communications Act (2003), which place an obligation on providers of telecoms networks and services to take appropriate measures to protect their security and resilience. Ofcom and the ICO have agreed that the ICO will lead on any personal data protection issues which may also fall within the scope of s105A. As with all matters of responsibility for regulation, these arrangements are kept under review.

January 1, 2023
Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received on the timescale for the completion of the area review process in further education.

Nick Boles

Government will produce an evaluation of the area review programme and its potential to impact on groups protected by the Equality Act 2010. The reviews do not however, mandate action, and colleges are independent corporations, so it will be for each college’s governing body to assess the potential impact on groups protected by the Act, as part of its decision to accept or reject any recommendation requiring a change to their provision.

Each area review steering group will consider relevant data relating to current courses delivered within their area, assess the relevance of these courses to local learner and employer needs and determine how current and future demand can be best met through the recommendations of the area review.

Individual area reviews are expected to take about four months, the timescale being dependent on the number of colleges and complexity of the local issues involved in each area. The overall review process has been divided into five waves of area reviews and is scheduled to be completed by March 2017

We expect the costs of completing an area review to be met within existing budgets, with minimal additional costs to the colleges, local authorities or LEPs involved. The Departments and their agencies will undertake this work with no additional staffing. Additional costs will be minimal.

The costs arising from the recommendations of each review will be explored as part of the process. We expect the colleges, alongside local authorities and LEPs with devolved skills budgets, to consider how these costs can be met locally. Where there are costs that cannot be met, but which are essential to the successful implementation of the review, we have announced a facility for transitional funding to support this. We will provide more detail in due course.

January 1, 2023
Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-03-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department spent on promotional material and publicity for (a) Community Clear Up Day in 2015 and (b) Clean for the Queen in 2016.

Mr Marcus Jones

In March 2015, communities across the country rolled up their sleeves and got behind a nationwide spring clean in order to spruce up our favourite public places. The Department for Communities and Local Government spearheaded this initiative and it was a success with several hundred clear-ups arranged by grassroots activists including community and faith groups, councils and parishes, and schools and sports teams.

The Department spent £5,000 on solid, consistent branding for Community Clear Up Day which was clearly government backed, making the campaign recognisable for key stakeholders and the public alike.

It also spent £5,000 on promoting Community Clear Up Day through Facebook. Having ownership of social media ensured the Department was able to engage with the public effectively, and be proactive and responsive when necessary in its social communications.

In March 2016, the Clean for the Queen campaign, spearheaded by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by organisations including the Women’s Institute, the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, was the biggest community-led clean-up the country has ever seen. Following the success of utilising Facebook for Community Clear Up Day, the Department for Communities and Local Government, in order to support the initiative, again spent £5,000 on this method of engaging with stakeholders and local communities.

January 1, 2023
Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on applying lessons learned from statistics on low energy bill debts.

Andrea Leadsom

DECC officials have meetings with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on a regular basis to discuss market issues.

I welcome the use of smart technology, such as the introduction of keypad electricity prepayment meters in North Ireland, to help consumers manage their bills and reduce energy debt. The rollout of smart meters across Great Britain has the potential to transform customers’ experience in a similar way.

January 1, 2023