Tag: Parliamentary Question

Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much security guards in his Department are paid.

Justin Tomlinson

DWP do not directly employ any security guards, they are supplied via our PFI contractor Telereal Trillium who subcontract the supply of all security to G4S.

G4S pay rates (as of 1 January 2016) vary on geographical location and the average pay rate for each Government Office Region (GOR) is set out below:

GOVERNMENT OFFICE REGION	HOURLY PAY RATE (Average)
GOR 1 Scotland	£7.84
GOR 2 North East	£7.84
GOR 3 North West	£7.85
GOR 4 Yorkshire & Humberside	£7.86
GOR 5 East Midlands	£7.86
GOR 6 West Midlands	£7.83
GOR 7 East of England	£8.38
GOR 8 Wales	£7.87
GOR 9 Southern	£8.39
GOR 10 London	£9.26
GOR 11 South West	£7.88

All G4S security guards/officers (irrespective of age) are already paid above the National Living Wage of £7.20/hour which will be introduced from 01-Apr-16.

01/01/2023

Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the time taken to conduct its Supported Accommodation Review on the number of beds available in the supported accommodation sector.

Brandon Lewis

We understand the importance of ensuring that those people living in supported accommodation, who are generally the most vulnerable members of our society, receive appropriate protections.

The supported housing sector provides valuable support to some of our country’s most vulnerable people.

We have commissioned an evidence review of the supported housing sector which we expect to report shortly. Building on this review, we will continue to work with and listen to providers as part of developing a long-term sustainable funding regime.

In the meantime we have put in place a one-year exception for all supported accommodation from the social rent reduction measures and the Local Housing Allowance cap, so there will be no material change in this financial year.

01/01/2023
Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote pluralism and religious freedom in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, which we supported, urges all parties to the UN-facilitated political process to adhere to the principle identified by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to protect the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination. Through our membership of the ISSG we will focus all our efforts on ensuring that Syrian minorities are included and safeguarded as the political process progresses. In our contact with members of the Syrian opposition who have signed up to the Geneva Communiqué, we have maintained a strong line on our commitment to pluralism, and the need to ensure that Freedom of Religion or Belief is enshrined as a constitutional right. A proportion of the High Negotiations Council, including members of the negotiating team, are drawn from religious minority groups in Syria’s richly diverse population. We are also supporting non-governmental efforts to promote dialogue between different ethnic and sectarian groups and education on tolerance, integration and pluralism.

01/01/2023
Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-07-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they and the UNHCR plan to take to protect Eritrean and Somali families now in Ethiopia, the Sudan, or South Sudan without legal status.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Irregular migrants in Africa are extremely vulnerable. We are working through the Khartoum Process, of which the UK is currently chair, and bilaterally to improve conditions for all migrants in the Horn of Africa. The Khartoum Process is a regional initiative bringing together the Governments of Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan and Libya and the EU, the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Malta to better manage migration in the region, including the protection of irregular migrants. The Khartoum Process is part of a plan of action agreed between African nations and the EU and its member states in Valletta in November 2015. The protection of migrant rights is a critical element of that plan.

In Sudan, we are advocating through the Khartoum Process for increased rights for refugees in national legislation, including work permits for Eritreans in Sudan. Alongside this, DFID contributes through the European Development Fund to the €100 million EU Trust Fund (EUTF) package of Special Measures for Sudan, which aims to protect and address the development needs of refugees in Eastern Sudan. The EUTF has been supporting UNHCR and local law enforcement efforts over the past 18 months to make camps in the East of Sudan more secure. With this EU support, UNHCR also hosts a unit for unaccompanied minors (UM) in Shagarab Camp, which works to return them to their families in Eritrea wherever possible, houses them separately from other migrants in purpose built dormitories, and provides free meals for all the children.

In April 2016, the UK together with World Bank and UNHCR signed up to a set of principles on programming to support long term refugees. These principles recommend increased support to a shift from relief provision for refugees towards a more sustainable approach. In line with this, DFID in Ethiopia is providing £125 million over the next five years for basic service and economic opportunities alongside protection programming, working with both refugees and host communities. Research into push and pull factors around migration also forms a part of DFID’s package of support.

01/01/2023

James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to the NHS was of (a) aspirin, (b) ibuprofen and (c) equivalent medication prescribed by GPs in each of the last five years.

David Mowat

Information on the net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community in England is provided in the table below.

Year	Net ingredient cost²: aspirin (excluding combination medicines) £000	Net ingredient cost: ibuprofen £000	Net ingredient cost: other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs¹ £000
2010	590.3	9,999.3	80,767.1
2011	443.9	9,927.1	71,045.5
2012	495.3	12,182.8	71,915.7
2013	593.0	13,788.0	63,617.2
2014	512.8	12,929.8	62,270.0
2015	499.4	12,835.7	59,922.9

Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system provided by NHS Digital

¹ All other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs included in British National Formulary section 10.1.1, using the classification system prior to edition 70.

²Net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

01/01/2023

Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the effect of macrolide antibiotics on the risk of heart failure.

George Freeman

Heart rhythm disturbances are a known potential side effect of macrolide antibiotics. Several observational studies have found a possible association between macrolide antibiotics and heart events. Product information for healthcare professionals and patients includes warnings about the risks of heart rhythm disturbances.

In 2015, European regulators concluded from a review of all available evidence that the risk of heart events was small. As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continually monitors the safety of macrolide drugs and will evaluate any new data, seeking independent scientific advice from the Commission on Human Medicines and its Expert Advisory Groups as appropriate, to ensure that the balance of risks and benefits remains positive for this important class of medicines.

01/01/2023
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of sponsored academies that were rated inadequate by Ofsted on conversion remained inadequate at their next inspection, and what percentage of maintained schools that were rated inadequate by Ofsted at their previous inspection, but remained maintained, remained inadequate at their latest inspection.

Earl of Courtown

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

01/01/2023
Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Bahraini government on Mr Hassan Mushaima receiving appropriate medical treatment while in custody.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We are aware of the case of Hassam Mushiema and we have raised it with the Government of Bahrain. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments and to appropriately address all reports of ill-treatment of detainees. We also encourage all those with concerns about their treatment in detention to report these directly to the Ombudsman.

01/01/2023
Lord Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Southern Rail does not close ticket offices until it installs ticket machines that make it possible for customers to buy the best-value ticket combinations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) which operates Southern services is developing proposals to improve the passenger experience at stations. This will include changes to the way staff work at stations and how tickets are retailed and incorporates a plan to install additional ticket vending machines.

Where the changes involve changes to ticket office opening hours there is an industry process which GTR must follow, starting with their public consultation which commenced on 22 February. We recognise that passengers can feel very strongly about ticket office opening hours and we expect GTR to take on board the views of stakeholders before taking the proposal forward.

01/01/2023
Michelle Thomson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Thomson on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that children’s right to education is protected across the world.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID is committed to the Global Goal for education which aims to make sure that every girl and boy receives a quality education, including the poorest and most vulnerable. The UK supported 11 million children’s education between 2010 and 2015. We are committed to supporting 11 million children between 2015 and 2020.

01/01/2023