Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on tackling fraud and money laundering of the findings by Kroll in a report prepared for the National Bank of Moldova in April 2015 on fraud and money laundering in that country, that all but one of the limited partnerships involved had a registered place of business in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    We are aware of the findings of the Kroll report which makes general observations based on publically-available records. We have not corroborated the accuracy and completeness of the report, but it raises broad issues we were aware of and are currently considering.

    The Government takes the misuse of all UK business entities extremely seriously. This is why under the UK Presidency in 2013, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister secured agreement from the G7 countries to sign-up to ambitious proposals to tackle the abuse of companies and legal arrangements. Increasing transparency about who owns and controls UK companies is a vital step in creating an environment of trust and accountability.

    From April 2016, UK companies and other entities will be required to create a register containing information of the people with significant control, including their name, month and year of birth, and service address. From June 2016, this information will be provided to a central register at Companies House and will be publically available.

  • Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Brimstone missiles have been used by the RAF in Syria since 2 December 2015.

    Michael Fallon

    Between 2 December 2015 and 18 January 2016 there have been five Brimstone missiles used against Daesh targets by the RAF in Syria. There have also been 32 Paveway IV and 6 Hellfire missiles used for the same period in Syria.

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with Public Health England on steps to increase cervical screening uptake among women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England closely monitors the coverage rates for cervical screening in all age groups and is committed to improving coverage and reducing variation between all groups including black and minority ethnic women, women with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    Local NHS England commissioners analyse coverage rates within their area and work with general practices to improve coverage by sharing best practice. For example, commissioners in London have developed a screening coverage strategy and delivery plan, including:

    ― Increased public awareness and engagement with screening programmes across all communities;

    ― increased engagement with primary care and improved reliability of data; and

    ― working with screening providers to optimise coverage.

    In addition to this:

    ― A primary care cancer screening best practice guide has been developed jointly with the transforming cancer services team, clinical commissioning groups and local authority public health representatives;

    ― linking with Cancer Research UK facilitators and Macmillan Cancer Support general practitioners to support best practice for screening in general practice; and

    ― imperial College is conducting a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of texting non-responders on improving coverage.

    NHS England is working in partnership with Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support on the ACE (Accelerate, Coordinate, Evaluate) Programme aiming to generate knowledge about effective approaches to achieve earlier diagnosis. A number of ACE test sites are evaluating approaches to increase screening rates in a range of groups, including black and ethnic minority women, women with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    To explore the potential to increase rates of cervical screening in young women, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake amongst women aged 25 who are receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The study began in November 2011 and reports can be expected later in 2016.

    In addition, the Department of Health Behavioural Insight team has undertaken a trial to investigate the use of behavioural insights to optimise the content of the invitation letter for cervical screening. Results are due in summer 2016.

    A routine human papillomavirus vaccination programme has been available in England since 2008, and offers immunisation to girls aged 12-14 years. It is expected that the vaccine will reduce the already low rates of cervical cancer in these young women and allow them to be protected for years to come.

  • Lord Clement-Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Clement-Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Clement-Jones on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the decision that any overspend in the Cancer Drugs Fund is subsequently paid for entirely by the pharmaceutical industry and not shared between industry and the NHS.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England plans to invest in a new £340 million Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) to provide early access to cancer drug indications. Under the new process, any drugs that receive either a draft recommendation for routine commissioning or, where uncertainty exists, a recommendation for use within the CDF, will receive interim funding from the CDF from the point of marketing authorisation.

    This earlier access to cancer drugs will benefit both patients and the pharmaceutical industry and NHS England believes it is only fair that the pharmaceutical industry makes a contribution if any overspend occurs.

    NHS England’s impact assessment will not be completed until the detailed outcomes from the current consultation on the future of the CDF are confirmed.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to commemorate the First World War in 2016.

    David Evennett

    Since the Prime Minister set out plans for the Centenary in October 2012 the Government has delivered highly successful commemorative events for the start of the First World War and the Gallipoli Campaign.

    In May 2016, commemorative events will be held for the Battle of Jutland, and in July 2016, we will mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme by holding national events at the Thiepval Memorial in France, at Manchester Cathedral, and at Heaton Park. In addition, a national vigil will be held in June at Westminster Abbey, and there will also be vigils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Season Two of the 14-18 NOW culture programme has been announced and this – together with Centenary Partnership events, Heritage Lottery funded projects and local commemorative activity – will ensure people right across the UK have the opportunity to participate in commemorative events.

    Other centenary activities such as the UK Tour of the “poppies” and the national repair and conservation of War memorials also continue, more details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/first-world-war-centenary

    “

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times have mines or improvised explosive devices in the vicinity of UK military bases caused (a) minor injuries and (b) serious or fatal injuries to non-military persons visiting the base in the last 10 years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Specific statistics regarding mines and IEDs either detected or causing injuries or fatalities in the vicinity of UK military bases are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the declaration by Sir James Munby in the matter of Z (A Child) (No. 2), on 20 May 2016, that sections 54(1) and (2) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 are incompatible with rights under Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights taken in conjunction with Article 8.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.

  • Mark Pawsey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Pawsey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pawsey on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department has given to support children and young adults in social care in (a) Warwickshire and (b) Rugby constituency in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We do not provide funding specifically for children and adults in social care. Local authorities were provided with formula grant in the period 2010-11 to 2012-13, and Revenue Support Grant from 2013-14 onwards, both of which are unringfenced and it is a matter for local discretion how this is spent.

  • Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeff Smith on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average processing time was for applications to the Disclosure and Barring Service for each police force area in England for the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Sarah Newton

    In the last 12 months (1 October 2015 – 30 September 2016), the proportion of disclosure applications which took longer than 60 days was as follows: (a) the UK – 5.4%, (b) Manchester – 3.9%, (c) Manchester Withington – 2.8%. The Disclosure and Barring Service is reliant on police forces completing their checks in a timely manner and is working closely with those forces whose performance does not meet turnaround time targets. The average time taken in days to process disclosures checks in the last three years is as follows:

    Time Period

    Average waiting time – United Kingdom

    Average waiting time – Manchester Withington

    Oct-13 to Sep-14

    13.4

    12.0

    Oct-14 to Sep-15

    14.4

    12.1

    Oct-15 to Sep-16

    15.5

    12.6

    The average processing time for applications to the DBS for each police force area in England from 1 October 2015 to 30 September 2016 is set out in the table below. This shows the average number of days each application took from the point at which the application form was received to the date the certificate was issued, broken down by the applicant’s geographical police force area. This information reflects all applications sent to the DBS, of which a proportion are sent to police forces for consideration for disclosure.

    Police Force Area in which applicant lives

    Average time taken in calendar days

    Metropolitan

    28.1

    Cumbria

    11.5

    Lancashire

    11.6

    Merseyside

    12.1

    Greater Manchester

    14.1

    Cheshire

    11.1

    Northumbria

    13.9

    Durham

    11.9

    North Yorkshire

    14.1

    West Yorkshire

    12.7

    South Yorkshire

    19.8

    Humberside

    12.2

    Cleveland

    13.5

    West Midlands

    10.3

    Staffordshire

    9.6

    West Mercia

    11.9

    Warwickshire

    9.4

    Derbyshire

    14.1

    Nottinghamshire

    11.7

    Lincolnshire

    10.5

    Leicestershire

    9.4

    Northamptonshire

    17.9

    Cambridgeshire

    10.1

    Norfolk

    9.1

    Suffolk

    9.9

    Bedfordshire

    11.6

    Hertfordshire

    14.8

    Essex

    14.2

    Thames Valley

    16.1

    Hampshire

    14.2

    Surrey

    14.1

    Kent

    15.8

    Sussex

    11.9

    City of London

    11.9

    Devon & Cornwall

    11.3

    Avon And Somerset

    10.7

    Gloucester

    10.7

    Wiltshire

    10.2

    Dorset

    26.8

    For a breakdown of how long police forces take to process applications they receive; this information is regularly published on the DBS website and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-performance

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Strategic Defence and Security Review to be (1) completed, and (2) published.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    Work on the Strategic Defence and Security Review is progressing well and we expect it to be completed and published by the end of the year.