The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) support the provision of and (b) increase the uptake of weight-loss surgery.
George Freeman
It is for clinicians to decide when bariatric surgery is appropriate based on the need of the patient and in line with appropriate guidance, including that issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-09-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Bahraini government on the failure of the Bahrain Ombudsman to inform his Department that it had received a torture complaint regarding the case of Mohammad Ramadan; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The United Nations Convention Against Torture requires all states to conduct prompt and impartial investigations into allegations of torture within their jurisdiction. We therefore welcome the Ombudsman’s decision to conduct an investigation into the complaints regarding Mohammad Ramadan, and await the outcome of the investigation. Since the announcement of the Ombudsman’s investigation, we have received non-governmental organisation representations regarding these allegations, and are aware of similar representations made to the Ombudsman. We take all such allegations seriously. It is therefore important that investigations into allegations of torture are prompt and impartial, and we are encouraging the Ombudsman to carry out a swift investigation.
The Bahraini Ombudsman is an independent oversight institution, and we will continue to follow and support its work. I raised the case of Mohammad Ramadan with the Bahraini Ambassador on 8 March, and our Embassy Manama officials have raised the progress of the investigation several times directly with the Ombudsman’s office, the most recent being 4 August.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to improve cancer outcomes for men.
Jane Ellison
The Government’s Mandate to NHS England sets out an ambition to make England one of the most successful countries in Europe at preventing premature deaths from all cancers, including prostate cancer and other cancers which affect men. Cancer indicators in the NHS Outcomes Framework and the Public Health Outcomes Framework will help NHS England to assess progress in improving cancer survival and mortality rates.
The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July this year. NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations contained in the strategy.
As part of putting in place a governance structure for delivery of the strategy, NHS England has appointed Cally Palmer as NHS National Cancer Director. She will lead the implementation of the strategy, as well as new cancer vanguards using outcomes-based commissioning to redesign care and patient experience.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Shipley on 2015-12-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the net change in the number of homes in the UK between May 2015 and May 2020.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
My Department does not publish forecasts of net additions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to section 3.3 of his recently published British Road Safety Statement, how the incentive element of local roads maintenance funding will operate.
Andrew Jones
Well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital. Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government is introducing incentive funding to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks better and achieve greater efficiencies. I hope we reach a point where, through efficiencies and collaboration, every highway authority receives the maximum level of funding available.
The Department for Transport is providing record funding of over £6.1 billion funding to local highway authorities in England between 2015 and 2021 for local highways maintenance.
This is additional to the funding of over £4.7 billion the Government provided to local highway authorities between 2010 and 2015 for highways maintenance. Between 2010 to 2015 the maintenance funding was 27% or £1billion higher than in the previous five years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24265, when he plans to (a) assess how many further education institutions are likely to incur financial penalties as a result of triggering break clauses in loan agreements they hold with banks resulting from his Department’s area reviews and (b) publish such data.
Nick Boles
I refer the hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 24265
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether local authorities will be required to seek specific permission from Ministers in the Department for Communities and Local Government if they wish to provide an exemption from the anti-advocacy clause in a grant agreement.
Matthew Hancock
The new clause applies to all central government grants. We expect that exemptions will be rare and these will need to be approved by the relevant Minister.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures she is taking to assist humanitarian agencies in distributing food and supplies to people affected by the conflict in Yemen.
Mr Desmond Swayne
The UK is the 4th largest donor to the crisis in Yemen and has more than doubled its humanitarian support over the last year to £85 million for 2015/16. We have so far helped more than 1.3 million Yemenis who have been affected by the conflict with food assistance, medical supplies, water, and emergency shelter, as well as supporting refugees and migrants in Yemen.
We work through International Non-Governmental Organisations and the United Nations agencies, including the World Food Programme who provide emergency food to over 570,000 people, either through direct delivery of food or providing cash or vouchers to enable people to buy food. These distributions are prioritised to the areas of greatest need. We are also funding the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to improve the supply of essential commercial goods, including food, into Yemen.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35404, if he will place in the Library copies of (a) the High Speed 2 LiDAR surveys, (b) all notes of all the consultations with (i) Tata Chemicals Europe Ltd, (ii) Compass Minerals UK Ltd and (iii) all other brine and salt extraction stakeholders and (c) the details of the mining engineer commissioned to undertake a study of the saltfield including the location of known brine wells; and on what date that study of the saltfield was commissioned.
Mr Robert Goodwill
All survey and study information will be published in due course and it would not be appropriate to publish partial information at this time as this could be misleading to the public.
All meetings with individual business are treated in confidence due to commercial sensitivities surrounding the discussions.
The details of the consultant are treated as commercial in confidence. The consultant was commissioned in January 2014 to undertake this study.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for (a) the UK aviation sector and (b) his Department’s aviation policies of the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.
Mr Robert Goodwill
It is too early to assess the impacts of the outcome of the EU Referendum for any particular sector, including aviation. The Prime Minister has made it clear that at present we remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations this entails and that it will be for the next administration to determine the terms of our exit from the European Union.