Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Type 26 frigate will be able to operate across the full range of climatic conditions in which the Royal Navy operates.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be designed for joint and multinational operations from the tropics and Arabian Gulf in the summer to the sub-Arctic. The ship’s design will accommodate a broad range of environmental conditions to deliver a globally deployable ship throughout its planned life.

    I am withholding further detail as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to respond to the policy briefing from the Royal College of Surgeons on English language testing of EEA healthcare professionals, dated 17 August 2016; and what plans he has to introduce clinical language tests for EEA healthcare professionals working in the UK.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Changes to United Kingdom law introduced in April 2014 and March 2015, allow the General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing Midwifery Council, General Dental Council (GDC), General Pharmaceutical Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland to carry out language controls for European Economic Area (EEA) doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Britain. The regulators are now able to apply proportionate language controls for EEA professionals before registration and admission onto the register ensuring that only those healthcare professionals who have the necessary knowledge of the English language to do their job in a safe and competent manner are able to practise in the UK.

    Under the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (MRPQ) regulatory healthcare bodies, including the GMC and GDC, are required to recognise primary and specialist medical qualifications gained in an EEA healthcare professional’s home member state.

    The people of the UK have voted to leave the European Union, however until exit negotiations are concluded the UK remains a full member of the EU and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. This includes implementation of the MRPQ Directive.

    A number of concerns have been raised about the constraints that the Directive places on the ability of UK regulators of health professionals to carry out robust checks of both the clinical and language skills of medical professionals from the EEA seeking to practice in the UK. The Government shares these concerns and will review the checks that UK regulators are able to apply in light of the EU exit negotiations.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the future of St Helena airport.

    Rory Stewart

    DFID officials, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State and DFID Ministers, are in regular contact with FCO officials about the future of St Helena Airport.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance has been issued to Jobcentre Plus staff on the application of benefit sanctions where a parent is unable to comply with the conditions for that benefit because of lack of suitable childcare.

    Priti Patel

    This Government spent £5bn on childcare in 2014-2015 – more than any previous administration and an increase of £1bn since 2010. We are now going further still, with a new package of support designed to improve the affordability and accessibility of childcare for working families. We are extending the free entitlement for 3 and 4 years from 15 hours to 30 hours per week for working parents, from September 2017, worth £5,000 per child per year. We are also introducing Tax-Free Childcare for working parents from early 2017, with a Government contribution of up to £2,000 per child.

    Guidance for Jobcentre Plus staff makes it clear that the Jobseeker’s Allowance requirements should be tailored to the individual circumstances of each claimant and may be varied if those circumstances change.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the spend per head of population was on mental health in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Lancashire in each of the last five years.

    Alistair Burt

    We do not have comparable figures for spending on mental health for all years requested as financial information reporting systems changed after 2013 with the formation of NHS England.

    Information is available on mental health spend by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England, the North West and Lancashire for 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 only. This information has been sourced from NHS England’s financial planning and reporting systems and data weighted on CCG populations. The per head spend on mental health services is as follows:

    England wide CCG spend per head on mental health services

    2013/14

    £139

    2014/15

    £146

    2015/16

    £150

    North West CCG spend per head on mental health services

    2013/14

    Unavailable – spend data incomplete for this year

    2014/15

    £136

    2015/16

    £139

    Lancashire CCG spend per head on mental health services

    2013/14

    £135

    2014/15

    £134

    2015/16

    £137

    Source: NHS England

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement made by the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, advocating further EU integration, including the creation of an EU defence capability.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The EU already has a range of capabilities to build and promote security, which can be complementary to those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The UK is working to make these more effective and to improve NATO/EU co-operation. But the Government has consistently made clear that we will oppose any measures which would undermine Member States’ competence for their own military forces or lead to competition and duplication with NATO. Complementarity with NATO is a principle that was reinforced by the European Councils on defence in June 2015 and December 2013.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of agricultural land lost to UK farm production as a result of the construction of High Speed 2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Approximately 2,750 hectares of agricultural land is permanently required for Phase One of HS2. 4,800 hectares will be taken during the construction period, but much of this will be returned to the existing agricultural condition following construction.

    A detailed assessment of the amount of agricultural land required for future Phases of HS2 will be undertaken alongside the deposit of the relevant hybrid Bills for these phases.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether heavy goods vehicles will use access roads in Brondesbury Villas during the construction phase of High Speed 2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Brondesbury Villas is not identified in the HS2 Phase One Environmental Statement as a construction route for the purposes of the HS2 scheme. However, the Phase One Bill does included powers to enable utility protection and diversion works to be undertaken along Brondesbury Villas associated with the construction of the proposed HS2 running tunnels. The implementation of these utility protection and diversion works may involve the occasional use of HGVs along Brondesbury Villas.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much government funding has been allocated to Cornish language schemes in the last five years.

    James Wharton

    The United Kingdom has recognised seven languages under the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Cornish and Manx. Cornish is the only language in England to have this status and since April 2010 the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided £650,000 to Cornwall Council for the development of the Cornish Language.

  • David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, House of Lords Official Report, 27 April 2016, Column 1229, how many independent service police investigations have been carried out on allegations of civilian casualties during operations against Daesh in Iraq and Syria in the last five years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    None.