The below Parliamentary question was asked by Teresa Pearce on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to review Building Regulations Approved Document B (Fire Safety).
James Wharton
My Department is considering a number of issues related to the Building Regulations and the building control system. We will make an announcement about our plans in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff working at (a) Queen’s Hospital in Romford, (b) Whipps Cross University Hospital and (c) King George Hospital in Goodmayes are nationals of other EU countries.
Ben Gummer
The Health and Social Care Information Centre collects data on the number of staff working in National Health Service hospitals and community health services (HCHS) in England. Nationality is a self-reported field within the electronic staff record system. Data is only available for people working in NHS trusts.
The following table shows the number of HCHS staff by nationality working at Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and Barts Health NHS Trust as at 29 February 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-07-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to allow transgender athletes to compete at the Olympic Games; what consultation they have had with the British Olympic Association about that issue; what rules apply in the UK regarding transgender athletes competing in sport; and whether they consider the IOC’s ruling to be a disadvantage to non-transgender female athletes.
Lord Ashton of Hyde
We have had no such discussions with the British Olympic Association. Sports competition regulations are a matter for the governing body.
Home Nation Sports Councils published the attached guidance in 2013 for national governing bodies of sport entitled "Transsexual people and competitive sport”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much overtime was paid to NHS staff in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2013-14.
Mr Philip Dunne
The total overtime payments to National Health Service staff are estimated to have been:
– £380 million in 2015-16;
– £362 million in 2014-15; and
– £330 million in 2013-14
These estimates are based on pay information from the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR), which is the Human Resources and Payroll system for almost all trusts in England. These estimates do not include overtime payments to general practitioners or their staff.
ESR includes hundreds of payment type codes and payment figures are aggregated to high-level groupings using a mapping system. One of the high-level groupings is Overtime/Additional Duty Hours. The estimates provided in the answer above are based on this.
Overtime/Additional Duty Hours is just one way of buying extra staffing resource in the NHS. Shifts, absence and vacancies are also filled using additional activity payments (e.g. additional programmed activities and additional hours at plain time rates for part-time staff), bank contracts, and agency staffing.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England spent per head on mental health in each year since 2008.
George Freeman
NHS England was formed in April 2013.
The table below shows actual expenditure by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on mental health in 2013/14 and 2014/15 and forecast spend in 2015/16. This does not include spending on mental health services directly commissioned by NHS England.
Total actual expenditure by on mental health by CCGs across all providers for 2013/14 and 2014/15 and the total forecast expenditure for 2015/16
|
2013/14 actual spend (£ billion |
2014/15 actual spend (£ billion |
2015/16 forecast spend (£ billion |
|
9.6 |
10.1 |
10.6 |
Source: NHS England
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend, before the Scottish general election, to table a debate in the House of Commons on the decision to build the Vanguard-class replacement.
Earl Howe
Her Majesty’s Government has confirmed it will hold a debate in Parliament on the principle of Continuous at Sea Deterrence and our plans for the Successor submarine. A decision on when it will be held will be taken in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of staff employed in each secure children’s home are qualified speech and language therapists.
Andrew Selous
The information is not held centrally. However, certain roles within Secure Training Centres (STC) must be filled by qualified social workers. Qualification requirements for staff in Secure Children’s Homes (SCH) are set by the Department of Education.
All young people undergo a health and education assessment upon arrival into custody, whilst all staff undergo training in child and adolescent development and safeguarding. STC and SCH providers should ensure that they meet the needs of all detained persons including those with Special Education and Needs (SEN) requirements, and that all staff are suitably qualified to support young people and make referrals to other specialist support where this is appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-02-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to implement the second legal aid fee cut when its suspension ends on 1 April 2017.
Lord Faulks
We will review the matter in due course and any announcement will be made in the usual way.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the devolution of skills policy to local authorities on the development of British Sign Language and sign language interpreting skills.
Nick Boles
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL), lip reading and managing hearing loss provision in England through the Adult Education Budget. Providers receive funding for this provision as they do for all other courses.
In the academic year 2018/19, subject to readiness conditions being met, we intend to devolve the Adult Education Budget to certain Combined Authorities which have signed devolution deals[1]. In such areas, subject to necessary Orders being passed by Parliament, functions relating to the Adult Education Budget will transfer to the Combined Authority. The Combined Authority will assume responsibility for commissioning adult education provision, including in relation to BSL and sign language as it judges appropriate to meet local needs. Some providers, including Specialist Designated Institutions, are currently funded nationally. Their post-devolution funding arrangements will be confirmed in the coming months.
Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
[1] To date, deals have been agreed with: Sheffield City Region; Liverpool City Region; West Midlands; North East; Tees Valley; Greater Manchester; Greater Lincolnshire; East Anglia; West of England
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what procedures his Department puts in place when a person benefitting from diplomatic immunity commits a crime in the UK.
James Duddridge
In accordance with Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office expects all foreign diplomats and members of their families in the UK to abide by UK laws at all times. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office treats all allegations of criminal offences committed by those with diplomatic immunity seriously. We work closely with diplomatic missions in the UK and the police or other law enforcement agencies to ensure an appropriate response to all allegations. If an allegation requires further investigation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will request a waiver of the diplomat’s immunity for the purpose of investigation by the police from the diplomatic mission concerned. Failure to provide a waiver may result in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office demanding the withdrawal of the diplomat.
Further answers to recent questions about alleged criminal conduct by foreign diplomats based in the UK and waivers of immunity can be found in the Official Report (24113, 26534 and 26535).