Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to prevent the spread of the Zika virus in the UK.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) and the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) have been carefully monitoring the Zika virus outbreak in the Americas since it was first reported in Brazil during May 2015. PHE has reviewed evidence on the transmission of Zika virus and PHE mosquito experts have provided advice to Government and the public that neither the main vector of Zika virus Aedes aegypti, nor other species of Aedes mosquitoes, including Aedes albopictus, that may have the potential to transmit this virus, are established in the United Kingdom.

    The risk to the UK population is related to travel to countries where Zika virus outbreaks are currently ongoing, and NaTHNaC and PHE have published updated advice for travellers to South and Central America and the Caribbean, including specific advice for pregnant women. The risk of onward spread within the UK is very low and PHE has again provided this advice to government, and the public.

    PHE has also been working with appropriate professional groups to develop information and guidance on Zika for clinicians. This advice can be accessed through the PHE website and has been cascaded by organisations such as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

    Together with the Royal College of General Practitioners PHE has developed guidance specifically targeted at primary care which will be available shortly. PHE has also produced regular briefing notes for local health protection teams who have been asked to share this with the local National Health Service.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in her Department.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my rt. hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on Monday 29 February 2016 to Question 27946:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-23/27946/.

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the opportunities presented by NHS England’s Five Year Forward View to improve HIV services.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Health Service continues to offer world class Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) treatment services.

    In its role as the commissioner of specialised HIV care and treatment, NHS England has a service specification which emphasises the responsibility of commissioned providers to collaborate with other health, social care and third sector organisations as appropriate to help ensure the holistic needs of patients are met. This includes ensuring people living with HIV and other comorbidities have access and referral to appropriate services.

    The effectiveness of HIV treatment means that more people will live well with HIV in old age. As people living with HIV get older, they will require access to services for the other conditions they may experience. Good communication with their HIV provider is important and this is required in the service specification.

    In line with the Five Year Forward View, NHS England will continue to work closely with HIV organisations in order to inform its commissioning responsibilities with regard to specialised HIV care and treatment as well as ensuring primary and secondary health care services respond to the wider health needs of people living with HIV.

    The Government’s Improvement Framework for Sexual Health includes the ambition that “older people with diagnosed HIV can access the additional health and social care services they need”. A copy is attached.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Government has spent during Public Law Project v The Lord Chancellor [2015] EWCA Civ 1193, 25 November 2015.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government is disappointed with the decision of the Supreme Court in the judicial review of the civil legal aid residence test. We will now wait for the full written judgement to consider.

    To date, the Ministry of Justice has spent £152,196.50 (excluding VAT) in legal fees in proceedings in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in Public Law Project v The Lord Chancellor.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total cost, including legal fees, of converting a school to an academy.

    Lord Nash

    The costs of becoming an academy vary from school to school. Schools that become academies each receive a standard pre-opening grant relative to their particular circumstances.

    Currently, these tariffed grants contribute towards the costs of conversion incurred by schools in establishing the academy. These may include legal fees, as well as costs associated with transfer of land, transfer of software licences, Human Resources and Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations advice, setting up an Academy Trust and paying for school improvement capacity.

  • Nia Griffith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nia Griffith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote LGBT rights in Indonesia.

    Alok Sharma

    The British Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission in Jakarta have discussed this issue with a range of civil society organisations and have raised our concerns with Indonesian Ministers, including the Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection. Embassy officials will continue to meet the LGBT community and human rights activists to understand their concerns and provide support where we are able.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much revenue his Department has received from private aircraft landing at the RAF base at Leuchars.

    Mark Lancaster

    For financial year 2016-17 to date, landing fees and associated charges to the value of some £14,000 have been raised from civil aviation visiting the airfield at Leuchars Station.

  • Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to take steps to increase the number of vocational pathways in design disciplines, and if so, by how many.

    Lord Nash

    There are a variety of different options available to young people to enable them to gain the skills required to enter design related occupations. 14-16 year olds can study design related GCSEs and government approved technical awards. 16-19 year olds can study design related A Levels and government approved technical certificates or tech levels, which are supported by employers. Options beyond this include higher education or employment, and there are apprenticeships currently available in the field of design.

    We want to go further to reform technical and professional education to develop a world-leading system to deliver the skills that the economy needs. The Productivity Plan, published in July 2015, announced the government’s intention to reform technical and professional education to provide individuals with clear, high-quality routes to employment.

  • Nick Hurd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nick Hurd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Hurd on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of levels of blindness and low vision are classifiable as preventable.

    Alistair Burt

    There is a range of information already available about levels of preventable sight loss. The indicator within the Public Health Outcomes Framework brings this together in a single place. The indicator is made up of four sub-indicators which will measure the crude rates of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, and of the rate of sight loss certifications per 100,000 population. Data has been collected since 1 April 2013.

    Baseline data for 2010/11 was published in November 2012, broken down by local authority and data providing a time series up to 2013/14 has now been published. It is available to search at:

    http://www.phoutcomes.info/public-health-outcomes-framework#gid/1000044/par/E12000004

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-01-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking at EU level to make sanitary products exempt from VAT.

    Mr David Gauke

    I have, following the recent Parliamentary debate on this issue, written to the European Commission and other Member States setting out our strong view that Member States should have full discretion over what rate of VAT they can apply to these products, and that this should be considered in the context of the Commission’s Action Plan on VAT initiatives. That Action Plan is now expected to emerge in March 2016.