Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission a study of the prevalence of births of children damaged as a result of alcohol consumed by their mothers during pregnancy.

    Jane Ellison

    We recognise the fact that too many women may be unaware of the health risks and possible harmful fetal effects associated with drinking during pregnancy. The Chief Medical Officer’s review of the alcohol guidelines will include consideration to the current Government’s advice on drinking during pregnancy.

    Whilst we have no current plans to commission a study of the prevalence of births of children damaged as a result of alcohol consumed by their mothers during pregnancy the World Health Organization is starting a global prevalence study on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, recognising that this information is lacking in many countries. There are a number of challenges on the feasibility of estimating prevalence, which should be addressed in this study. We welcome this study and will consider participating.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress her Department has made on establishing a renewable power facility in Pitcairn Islands.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Energy is provided on Pitcairn through diesel powered generators. There are currently no plans to establish a renewable power facility in the near future.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 8 June (HL179), whether they will continue to deport North Korean asylum seekers to South Korea, as detailed in the United Kingdom-South Korea Readmission Agreement; and whether North Korean asylum seekers can claim asylum in the United Kingdom if they co-operate with the South Korean Embassy in London to establish that they do not seek South Korean citizenship.

    Lord Bates

    All asylum claims made by those from North Korea are carefully considered on their individual merits. A factor in that consideration will be whether the person is unable to exercise their right to South Korea citizenship and avail themselves of the protection of South Korea. Those found to be in need of international protection are provided with it. Those who have been found by the Home Office and the appeals process not to be in need of international protection and have no legal basis of stay in the UK are expected to leave. If they do not do so voluntarily they may have their removal enforced including where relevant under the terms of the United Kingdom-South Korea Readmission Agreement.

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current level of immigration into the United Kingdom across the land border with the Republic of Ireland.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office does not hold the information requested. Routine immigration controls are not conducted on the land border between the UK and Republic of Ireland. However, the Government takes protecting our border security very seriously, and there is a high level of collaboration on work with Ireland to strengthen the Common Travel Area’s external border.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the appraisal criteria upon which medicines for rarer cancers are approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has advised that it is not planning to specifically review the methods used for appraisal of medicines for rarer cancers.

  • Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rogan on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria the NHS England Clinical Priorities Advisory Group uses in making commissioning decisions.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The criteria against which NHS England’s Clinical Priorities Advisory Group considers proposed investments for specialised services are as follows:

    – There must be adequate and clinically reliable evidence to demonstrate clinical effectiveness;

    – There must be measurable benefits to patients;

    – The intervention should offer equal or greater benefit than other forms of care routinely commissioned by the NHS;

    – While considering the benefit of stimulating innovation, NHS England will not confer higher priority to a treatment or intervention solely on the basis that it is the only one available;

    – NHS England may agree to fund interventions for rare conditions where there is limited published evidence on clinical effectiveness;

    – The intervention must be available to all patients within the same patient group (other than for clinical contra-indication);

    – The intervention should be likely to reduce health inequalities and will have regard to any relevant broader equality issues;

    – The intervention should benefit the wider health and care system;

    – The intervention should advance parity between mental and physical health; and

    – The intervention should demonstrate value for money.

    The criteria are set out in NHS England’s response to a public consultation, Investing in Specialised Services, of June 2015, a copy of which is attached.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to support small businesses in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) Yorkshire & Humber.

    Anna Soubry

    We are supporting small businesses in many ways and are committed to making sure the UK is the best place in Europe to start and grow a business. Businesses in West Yorkshire and the Yorkshire and Humber region are benefitting from Government support.

    More than 900 Start Up Loans, worth over £5 million, have been issued across West Yorkshire. And more than 2,600 loans, worth over £14 million, have been issued in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

    Almost 900 West Yorkshire businesses have secured loans worth £87 million under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. And more than 2,000 businesses in the Yorkshire and Humber region have secured loans worth over £196 million.

    There have been 48 Regional Growth Fund awards across the Yorkshire and Humber region totalling £268 million.

    The Growth Deal programme is supporting growing businesses across the Yorkshire and Humber region, including £8m for growing SMEs across Leeds City Region. The Government is also funding the establishment of growth hubs which bring together local business support and advice into one place. The North Yorkshire & East Riding growth hub is now in place.

    Ambitious, high growth businesses are also benefitting from the Business Growth Service: 369 in West Yorkshire and 900 in Yorkshire and Humber.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the minutes of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments have not been published since February 2015.

    Matthew Hancock

    The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments has confirmed that it met on 21 October, when the minutes of its previous meeting on 3 June were approved. The minutes of the June meeting have now been published on the Committee’s website in the normal way at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=advisory-committee-on-business-appointments&publication_type=transparency-data

    The minutes of the October meeting will be published in due course.

  • John Baron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Baron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Baron on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures taken by local authorities in tackling loneliness; and what support the Government has provided for such measures.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my rt. hon. Friend the Minister of State for Health (Alistair Burt) on 21 October, PQ 12272

    In addition, a growing number of town and parish councils are involved in the delivery of work to support residents, in particular vulnerable elderly residents, through programmes such as village agent schemes, which can help older people feel more independent, secure, and cared for, and to have a better quality of life.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many serving members of each branch of the armed forces are in receipt of (a) child and (b) working tax credits.

    Damian Hinds

    I refer the member to the answer I provided on the 13 July 2015 to question 14259:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-08/6266/