The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on allegations of doping in athletics.
Tracey Crouch
Both my Department and UK Anti-Doping engage regularly with international counterparts to discuss a range of sporting matters, including tackling doping in sport.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost of enabling works required at receiving courts for them to take on additional work arising from planned court closures under his Department’s proposals on the provision of courts services in England and Wales.
Mr Shailesh Vara
An assessment of the cost of enabling works is being made and will be included in the impact assessment published with the response to the consultation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on patient access to medicines of planned reductions to the community pharmacy budget.
Alistair Burt
Community pharmacy is a vital part of the National Health Service and can play an even greater role. In the Spending Review the Government re-affirmed the need for the NHS to deliver £22 billion in efficiency savings by 2020/21 as set out in the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View. Community pharmacy is a core part of NHS primary care and has an important contribution to make as the NHS rises to these challenges. The Government believes efficiencies can be made without compromising the quality of services including public access to medicines. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive and so we are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared to others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.
Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. A consequence may be the closure of some pharmacies but that is not our aim.
We are not able to assess which pharmacies may close or the number of people who may lose their jobs, because we do not know the financial viability of individual businesses or the extent to which they derive income from services commissioned locally by the NHS or local authorities or have non-NHS related income.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Dublin III Regulation asylum process; what her proposals are for its reform and improvement; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
The Dublin Regulation is an important tool in our ability to manage asylum claims in the EU. The Government recognises that improvements can be made to the operation of the Regulation through simplification, greater flexibility and encouragement of maximum compliance. The underlying principles, however, such as claiming asylum in the first safe country, reuniting families where possible, prevention of secondary movement and assigning responsibility of a claim as soon as possible all remain sound.
We are cooperating fully with the European Commission’s review of the Dublin Regulation and will continue to make the case these long established principles should continue to be the basis for any future regulation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many nationals from other EU member states have been in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance for (a) less than one month, (b) more than one month, (c) between one and three months, (d) between three and six months, (e) between six and 12 months and (f) more than 12 months.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues on the (a) role of health visitors operating in designated children’s centres and (b) ratio of health visitors to children under five years old.
Jane Ellison
Local authorities and commissioners of local health services have statutory duties to consider providing services through children’s centres. The ‘Sure Start children’s centres statutory guidance’*, provides guidance on what local authorities and commissioners of local health services should do when fulfilling their statutory responsibilities and includes guidance on the role of health visitors. In particular it states that, “Local authorities should consider how they can use their network of children’s centres to greatest effect through links with other services, including: through links to midwifery, general practitioners and, health visitors. As a minimum, it is expected that every children’s centre should have access to a named health visitor….” Neither the Department for Education nor the Department of Health has issued guidance relating to the ratio of health visitors to children under five years old.
* published by Department for Education, April 2013:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sure-start-childrens-centres
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy not to recognise any future Dalai Lama where that person has been selected by the Chinese government.
Mr Hugo Swire
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to his question of 26 April (35532). The Government does not have a policy on the reincarnation of Tibetan Lamas, which includes the Dalai Lama.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many additional practice-based mental health therapists have been appointed to GP practices in Mid Sussex constituency since 2015-16.
David Mowat
NHS England advises that its south east regional team has not yet commissioned any additional practice-based mental health therapists in the Mid Sussex area.
NHS England’s General Practice Forward View, published in April 2016, sets out a commitment to invest in an extra 3,000 mental health therapists to work in primary care by 2020-21, which is an average of a full-time therapist for every two to three typical sized general practitioner practice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-10-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government who they recognise as the legitimate government of Syria.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK Government recognises states and not governments. We take the position that the Asad regime has lost legitimacy through having murdered, tortured, gassed and bombed the Syrian people.
The UK Government supports the Syrian moderate opposition including the National Coalition of Syrian Opposition and Revolutionary Forces and the High Negotiations Committee, the umbrella body representing the opposition in negotiations on Syria’s future, of which the National Coalition is a part. The High Negotiations Committee brings together the broadest based opposition in Syria, striving to represent all Syrians who want to build a democratic and pluralistic future for the country.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to encourage (a) the training of school children in digital skills before they enter the workforce, (b) graduate schemes on digital skills, (c) improving the digital skills of the workforce of firms in the digital technology industry and (d) other initiatives to promote existing professional training and digital skills initiatives; and whether he plans for such initiatives to be supported by the Apprenticeship Levy.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Introduced in September 2014, the new statutory computing curriculum in primary and secondary schools is providing schoolchildren with the digital skills they will need for further study and employment. It is supported by revised computer science A levels, and revised GCSEs will be introduced from 2016. In September 2015 the Higher Education Funding Council for England invited bids for pilot conversion courses in high demand computer science disciplines. This will supply industry with a new stream of graduates with in-demand digital skills from summer 2017.
Additionally, this Government back a free ‘Introduction to Cyber Security’ course raising awareness of cyber security and developing the necessary skills in the sector. This Government is also funding pilots of short courses in key digital skills areas (web design, database management and digital marketing), designed and accredited by business.