Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will put in place standardised data collection and reporting measures on autism better to address the clinical needs of people diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.

    David Mowat

    NHS England has been working with NHS Digital to develop reporting from the new Mental Health Services Data Set. This mandatory data set includes provision for the diagnosis of autism to be recorded, and reporting on these data has been prioritised. Experimental data reports on the number of people diagnosed with autism are expected to be published by the end of 2016.

    The National Health Service is taking action to increase the health checks and cancer screening programmes for people with learning disabilities, including those who also have autism. In 2015, NHS England commissioned the world’s first Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to support local areas to review deaths of people with learning disabilities and to use the information to improve service provision so that physical and mental health problems can be identified and addressed. Information from the programme will help with what more can be done to support regular health monitoring to address the health care needs of people diagnosed with autism.

    In 2015, the Department reviewed and updated the autism statutory guidance for the NHS and local authorities in England. In line with this statutory guidance, local authorities and the NHS should be providing autism awareness training to all frontline staff in contact with adults with autism.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to tackle cyber attacks originating in Russia and China.

    Matthew Hancock

    For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks. The Government takes cyber security very seriously; from 2011 to 2016, we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme.We plan to almost double investment in cybersecurityto £1.9bn over the next five years.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what exemptions he plans to put in place to protect vulnerable households from restrictions to housing benefit in the social sector.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The existing exemptions that already apply to private rented sector tenants will be carefully considered prior to implementing the Local Housing Allowance cap for tenants living in the social rented sector.

    It should be noted that the policy applies from April 2018, but only where new tenancies have been taken out or renewed after April 2016.

    The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme will be available to Local Authorities to protect the vulnerable.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time a person waited after applying to a hardship fund to receive funding was in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Edinburgh in the last 12 months.

    Priti Patel

    The information is not available at the level requested and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

    The Department has, however, published information on the number of hardship applications and awards for Jobseekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance which can be accessed via the link below.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015

    “

  • 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 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many hostage situations have arisen in each prison and youth facility in each month since March 2014.

    Andrew Selous

    The vast majority of incidents are minor in nature and resolved quickly and professionally without injury, damage or disruption to the running of the prison. Each incident is investigated fully to ensure lessons are learnt and best practice in managing incidents is shared across NOMS.

    Many incidents at height are relatively short in duration, lasting less than 15 minutes, and take place on netting or over railings. Hostage incidents are relatively rare and in many cases of hostage taking collusion between the perpetrator and victim is suspected. We do not tolerate violence or disorder in our prisons. Prisoners who take part in violent incidents can be referred to the police for prosecution or receive additional time on their sentences following internal adjudication.

    The tables attached provide numbers of incidents at height and hostage incidents in each month between March 2014 and December 2015 and broken down by establishment.

    Note: These figures have been drawn from the NOMS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last case the figures may not be accurate to that level.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2016 to Question 29571, on prescriptions: learning disability, if he will make it his policy to collect that information.

    Alistair Burt

    A prescription does not record whether someone has a learning disability so a collection of the requested information would require a change in the prescribing process.

    As part of the Government’s commitment to improve care for people with learning disabilities NHS England is planning a programme of work to reduce inappropriate prescribing.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether consular assistance has been granted to Mr Lee Po; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We remain deeply concerned by the case of Lee Po and his involuntary removal to the mainland, which was a serious breach of the Joint Declaration. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised the case of Mr Lee with the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities on 8 and 9 April. We continue to call for Mr Lee’s liberty to be fully restored and remain ready to provide consular assistance. To date we have not been granted consular access to him.

  • Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2016-05-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the renegotiated tax treaty between the UK and Malawi will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny after it is agreed but before it is signed.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. The Government of Malawi have stated that they hope to be in a position to sign the new treaty in the near future.

    The current negotiations are a matter for the two governments. The UK’s starting point in negotiations is based closely on the OECD Model Double Taxation Convention, which is also the basis for most other countries’ tax treaties. Some developing countries prefer to follow the UN Model, the provisions of which differ in some areas to the OECD Model. The UK does adopt these provisions in its treaties where agreement is reached.

    This is a matter for the Government of Malawi. However, they have stated that there is no evidence that the current 1955 agreement has motivated British investors to deprive the Government of Malawi of its revenues.

    The terms of tax treaties are for the negotiators of both countries to agree. Only when both governments are content with the terms of the treaty will the treaty be signed. It would be inappropriate for draft treaties to be published in advance of signature to the treaty.

    In the UK tax treaties are published and subject to parliamentary scrutiny before they become law and enter into force. A form of approval is usually followed in the corresponding country, thus giving a further level of assurance that the terms are acceptable to both Governments.

  • Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Burmese counterpart on (a) releasing people detained for the exercise of their human rights and (b) dropping charges pending against those who are facing imprisonment simply for the exercise of these rights.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The release of some 200 political prisoners during its first few weeks in office is a strong demonstration of the new Burmese Government’s commitment to reforming human rights and the rule of law in Burma. However, we remain concerned that arrests, detentions and sentencing of political activists could continue while the military retains control of the Home Ministry, Police and Courts.

    Tackling the causes of political prisoners will require a thorough but longer-term process of legislative and judicial reform. Having an effective Political Prisoners Committee will be an important element of that process and is something we have consistently called for and will continue to do.

    The Government has long campaigned on the issue of political prisoners in Burma. We have maintained pressure through bilateral and international actions such as the two annual UN resolutions on Burma in which we have played an instrumental part. I raised this issue directly with the then Minister for the Presidency, U Aung Min, during my visit to Burma in July 2015. We will work with the new Government to help it continue to make progress.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the NHS was of prescribing (a) paracetamol, (b) ibuprofen and (c) asprin in (i) England, (ii) each English region and (iii) in each clinical commissioning group in each year since 2012.

    David Mowat

    Details of the net ingredient cost for each of these drugs dispensed in primary care in England for each English region and clinical commissioning group are given in the attached tables.

    In April 2013, the structure of the National Health Service changed and data is provided at clinical commissioning group level for the years 2013/14 to 2015/16 only.