The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many responses were submitted to the Chief Medical Officer’s consultation on the Alcohol Guidelines Review.
Jane Ellison
We have received 1,017 responses to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ alcohol guidelines consultation including campaign and general responses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they now expect the new airport on St Helena to be opened.
Baroness Verma
There is no confirmed date for the commencement of scheduled services into St Helena airport. DFID is working closely with all interested parties to open the airport as soon as possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the feasibility of banning the advertising of junk food before the 9pm watershed; and if she will make a statement.
Karen Bradley
The Government’s Childhood Obesity Strategy, will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. It will set out what more can be done by all. We cannot comment on the contents of the strategy at this stage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the international coalition is making in its work to defeat Daesh.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
As recent progress in Qayyarah in Iraq and Manbij in Syria demonstrates, our strategy of supporting local forces, including with airstrikes is working. The Coalition assesses that Daesh has been driven out of around half the territory it once occupied in Iraq and over 20 per cent in Syria. Thousands of people have been freed from Daesh’s rule and many of those who have escaped have now been able to return to their homes. The next major challenges are driving Daesh out of Raqqa and Mosul.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department’s primary objectives are at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
Mr Hugo Swire
The 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an opportunity to demonstrate the continued relevance of the organisation in the 21st century. The British Government will pursue its commitment to strengthen the Commonwealth’s focus on promoting democratic values and development. We will also use the Heads of Government Meeting to shape a Commonwealth role in implementing the new Sustainable Development Goals, and consider how the organisation can help address other global challenges. A new Secretary General will also be announced at this meeting.
The Heads of Government Meeting also takes place the week before the Paris Climate Conference. The British Government will therefore use the meeting as an opportunity to build support amongst Commonwealth members for an ambitious agenda and targets.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what account the Airports Commission took of the concern raised by its expert advisors that the failure to account for high value-added international sectors in measuring the agglomeration benefits of the three shortlisted projects was a significant limitation.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.
The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-01-04.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of debt was in each arms-length government body in each of the last six years.
Greg Hands
HM Treasury publishes the total level of public sector liabilities for previous financial years in the Whole of Government Accounts (WGA). This sets out the total level of central and local government liabilities, which includes any debt owed by their arm’s length bodies (ALBs).
HM Treasury does not however hold information on the specific levels of debt attributable to each ALB.
This information can be found in the individual accounts of each body, and is aggregated in the accounts of the ALB’s parent department. WGA contains a list of all such bodies consolidated into the account.
Where ALB’s are permitted to borrow, they must do so in accordance with the restrictions and controls set out by HM Treasury in Consolidated Budgeting Guidance and Managing Public Money.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-28.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government’s proposals to cap public sector exit payments will explicitly exclude those workers who are retiring due to ill-health.
Greg Hands
The Government consulted on implementing a public sector exit payment cap in July 2015. The Government response to this consultation was published on 16 September 2015. This response provides detail on which organisations and types of payments the Government intends to capture within the scope of the public sector exit payment cap. This accords with the Government’s manifesto commitment to end tax payer funded six figure payoffs for public sector workers.
The response document can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464367/Public_sector_exit_payments_response.pdf
The exit payment cap will apply to payments made as a result of an employee leaving their employment. It will not affect any pension a person has earned through their years of service or have any impact on accrued pension rights or pension lump sum entitlements on retirement. It will capture contributions, made by the employer, to fund early access to an unreduced or partially reduced pension. This is because such costs are ultimately funded by the tax payer.
The Government has been clear that early retirements relating to ill health are outside the scope of the cap and will not be affected. Additionally, any payments directed by a Court or Tribunal will not be included in the scope of the cap.
Exits on compassionate grounds are not such a clearly defined concept as exits related to ill health or redundancy. There will generally be a large degree of employer discretion on the terms of such exits, and on any payments. In these cases there will be discretion available to relax the cap in individual cases, subject to relevant Ministerial or local council approval, as will be set out in further detail in forthcoming Treasury guidance and directions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 27033, which governments within the EU support further political integration.
Mr David Lidington
As I said in my response of 23 February 2016 (PQ 27033), there is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices too. The recital in paragraph one of section C makes clear that “the United Kingdom, in the light of the specific situation it has under the Treaties, is not committed to further political integration into the European Union”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawhinney on 2016-03-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how information is (1) collected, and (2) managed, to protect the dignity of patients who receive pharmacy services in retail outlets, under the Standards for registered pharmacies, Principle 1.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Pharmacy owners and superintendent pharmacists of bodies corporate are responsible for meeting the General Pharmaceutical Council’s standards for registered pharmacies and must decide how best to do so, including managing information to protect the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of patients and the public, within their pharmacies.
There are a number of different ways in which pharmacy professionals and the wider pharmacy team may receive patient information. Information is included on prescriptions, or may be shared by patients when seeking care from a pharmacy. In addition, information may be stored in patient medication records or other records.
Through its inspections, the General Pharmaceutical Council seeks assurance from the pharmacy team about how they maintain the confidentiality, privacy and dignity of patients and the public. These assurances can be provided through a number of different means, for example restricted password access to patient information, appropriate training of staff or making sure patients can have conversations with members of the pharmacy team in private.
All National Health service providers, including community pharmacies, also need to provide information governance assurances to the NHS on an annual basis.