The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many active medical practitioners are directly employed by Circle Holdings; how many of those practitioners provide musculoskeletal services in Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
The information requested is not centrally held.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the Extra Costs Commission, initiated by the disability charity Scope in July 2014.
Andrew Jones
The Government is committed to improving the rights of disabled people when accessing and using transport. Though Government cannot currently comment on the Law Commission’s proposals as it continues to scrutinise the report, we are implementing measures to improve the transport rights of disabled people. These include sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010, and a strengthening of Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Best Practice Guidance for local authorities, both of which are expected in 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there has been a review of the transport provision on the A5225 in Bolton West constituency since the proposals for the Westhoughton bypass were cancelled.
Andrew Jones
The revised version of the A5225 Wigan to Westhoughton Bypass scheme was considered by the Labour government in 1997-98 which concluded that this proposed M6 to M61 link was not of strategic national importance to merit inclusion in the core national trunk road network. The relevant local highway authorities – Bolton MBC and Wigan MBC – were therefore invited to consider the best way forward.
Transport provision in the A5225 area is now a matter for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and its constituent local highway authorities. The Combined Authority has well established mechanisms for identifying and promoting local transport investment priorities to support its strategies. These resulted, initially, in the Greater Manchester Transport Fund programme and have subsequently informed City Deal, Growth Deal and Devolution Deal agreements since 2010. This scheme has not formed part of any priority programme put forward by Greater Manchester. The Combined Authority is currently undertaking a review of the local highway network as part of its proposals for establishing a Key Route Network and this will look at current performance to inform possible future investment priorities. This assessment will include primary routes between Wigan and Bolton.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in the review of countries designated under section 94(5) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 following the Supreme Court judgment in R (JB (Jamaica)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] UKSC 8.
Lord Bates
The process of reviewing all the designated countries is nearing completion. Any proposals for changes to the designation of countries must be made by order and so will be put to Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of HM Revenue and Customs’ strategy to enforce the national minimum wage.
Nick Boles
The Low Pay Commission publish an annual report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) which includes a full assessment of the Government’s NMW compliance and enforcement strategy. The 2015 report is available here – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-minimum-wage-low-pay-commission-report-2015 – the next report is due to be published in February 2016.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Coussins on 2016-02-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the BCG vaccine treatment of bladder cancer.
Lord Prior of Brampton
We have made no such assessment.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing best practice guidance for the National Health Service.
NICE published a clinical guideline in February 2015 on the diagnosis and management of bladder cancer which outlines the circumstances in which the Bacille Calmette‑Guérin (BCG) vaccine should be used to treat bladder cancer. A copy of the clinical guideline is attached.
A bladder cancer quality standard was also published by NICE in December 2015 which refers to BCG treatment for bladder cancer. A copy of the quality standard is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars his Department has issued since August 2012; and what the title was of each such publication, consultation document or circular.
Joseph Johnson
My Department does not hold a central list of publications, consultations or circulars.
All publications, consultations, press releases and statistics are published on the GOV.UK website and can be found listed there:
Publications: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills
Press releases: https://www.gov.uk/government/announcements?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills
Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-03-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to include non-prescription incontinence pads, maternity pads and breast pads used by breastfeeding mothers in the definition of sanitary products for the purposes of zero rating under VAT.
Mr David Gauke
The zero rate of VAT will apply to any sanitary protection product that is designed and marketed solely for the absorption of collection of menstrual flow or lochia, including:
Eligible incontinence products, for sale to disabled people, are already zero rated.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last had discussions with the Chief of the Defence Staff on the need to improve response times to complaints from serving officers; and what was agreed in that discussion.
Mark Lancaster
The Service Complaints Ombudsman’s annual report for 2015 was published on 25 April 2016. Whilst there are no recommendations in this year’s report, given the introduction of a reformed complaints system and a fundamentally new Ombudsman role, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is curently considering the report in detail to see what lessons there are for the complaints process or wider policies.
The aim of the reforms introduced on 1 January 2016 is to address long-standing concerns raised by the Service Complaints Commissioner that confidence in the system has been affected by complexity which has led to delay and by a lack of strong independent and effective oversight. Such a lack of confidence can in turn leave our personnel reluctant to raise issues and so have them resolved. The new process is streamlined, and Service personnel will now be able to approach the new Service Complaints Ombudsman if they are dissatisfied, which will make a real difference for individuals. The Ombudsman has significant new powers to hold the MOD to account for fair, effective and efficient complaints handllng. The Ombudsman comments in her report that she is hopeful that the new system will make a real impact on confidence levels. The MOD shares that view, and looks forward to the Ombudsman’s 2016 report for her assessment of whether the aims are being achieved.
It is important that all Service personnel know where to get information about how to make a service complaint, as well as about the role of the new Service Complaints Ombudsman and how to contact her. We will take further steps to communicate as widely as possible through appropriate channels the role of the new Ombudsman, particularly to junior personnel, which will supplement and support the visits undertaken and communication material produced by the Ombudsman.
Bullying, harassment and discrimination are not tolerated in the Armed Forces. Tackling such behaviour depends on our Service personnel having confidence that the complaints system will deal with their concerns appropriately and will treat them fairly. The Service Complaints Ombudsman will hold the MOD to account for how it handles complaints and how it treats its Service personnel under the complaints process. It is by raising complaints and approaching the Ombudsman if they are dissatisfied that complainants can ensure that the MOD is openly held to account. It is also through the Ombudsman’s recommendations that the MOD can identify where action needs to be taken to improve.
The finding by the Service Complaints Ombudsman that proportionately more women feel moved to make a Service complaint than their male colleagues is a concern. The Ombudsman goes on to commend the work that is being done by the Army in particular, where the issue is the most acute, to tackle this. The initiatives that she sets out in the report are continuing.
It is the responsibility of all those involved in the service complaints process to ensure complaints are handled effectively and efficiently. All complaints are to be dealt with promptly but fairly, regardless of the complainant’s rank or whether they are still serving. There have been no discussions with the Chief of the Defence Staff on the issues raised.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 8 March 2007 to Question 125573 and paragraph 1.21 of the National Audit Office’s report, HC360, 1995-96, what the reasons are for the difference in the figures given in those documents for the Government’s guarantee of the Mineworker’s Pension Scheme.
Andrea Leadsom
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Easington on 8 June 2016 to Question 38958:
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