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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, What recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Ukraine.

    Mr David Lidington

    The situation in eastern Ukraine is of grave concern. As the Prime Minister recently discussed with President Obama, Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande, Russia still needs to take steps towards de-escalation including support for a ceasefire; release of all hostages; and preventing the transit of weapons and fighters across the Russia-Ukraine border.

    The tragic incident involving Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 underlines the seriousness of the situation. The reason violence continues in eastern Ukraine is because Russian-backed armed separatists refused to respect a ceasefire and have continued to intimidate, mount attacks and disrupt the lives of ordinary people.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what data his Department gathers on the number of patients with diabetes who are admitted to hospital each month as a result of a hypoglycaemic episode; and what estimate has been made of the overall cost of hypoglycaemia to the NHS.

    Jane Ellison

    Providers of NHS services in England are required to supply information on activity to the Secondary Uses Services (SUS) database via commissioning datasets. Each month an extract from the SUS database is taken and populated into the Hospital Episode Statistics database which is then made available for analysis.

    Diseases are classified using the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases. Codes to identify diabetes and hypoglycaemia exist, so it is possible to report activity on admissions to hospital for patients with a primary diagnosis of hypoglycaemia and a secondary diagnosis of diabetes.

    NHS England has not made an estimate of the overall cost of hypoglycaemia to the National Health Service.

  • Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England plan to take to reduce premature mortality from respiratory disease.

    Jane Ellison

    The NHS Outcomes Framework 2014-15 sets out the Department’s priority areas for the National Health Service and includes reducing deaths from respiratory disease as a key indicator. In addition to this, the Mandate sets out the requirements for NHS England to improve outcomes in a range of areas, including preventing premature deaths from the biggest killers (including respiratory) and supporting people with long term physical and mental health conditions.

    Living Well for Longer: National Support for Local Action to Reduce Premature Mortality, launched in April, sets out what the health and care system will do to achieve the Government’s ambition to be amongst the best in Europe at reducing levels of premature mortality. It brings together in one place the national actions taken by the Department of Health and wider Government, NHS England and Public Health England, in prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, focusing on the five big killers, including lung disease, and shows how they will support local leadership and interventions.

    The Department has supported a number of initiatives to help improve outcomes for people with respiratory disease. In July 2011, it published an outcomes strategy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in England, which sets out six high-level objectives to improve outcomes in these areas through high quality prevention, detection, treatment and care services. The Department has also supported the publication of a good practice guides on services for adults with asthma, which was published in 2012.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published Quality Standards for COPD and for asthma setting out the markers of high-quality, cost-effective care and the implementation of these will also raise the standard of care people with these conditions receive.

    The Department has collaborated with the National Review of Asthma Deaths which is examined the circumstances surrounding deaths from asthma from 1 February 2012 to 30 January 2013 and reported on its findings in May of this year. Lessons learnt about the factors that contribute to asthma deaths will inform the NHS about what constitutes good care, and encourage the development of appropriate services for people with asthma.

    Public Health England recently ran a local pilot campaign in Oldham and Rochdale to raise awareness amongst the public about the importance of visiting their general practitioner with symptoms of breathlessness.

  • Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to whom the NSPCC will refer cases of people (a) from EU countries and (b) who are not EU nationals, who call her planned modern slavery helpline and are identified as victims of modern slavery.

    Karen Bradley

    We are working closely with the NSPCC to pilot a Modern Slavery Helpline as part of a wider communications and marketing campaign, to raise awareness of modern slavery. The helpline will be established by the end of July 2014. We are working with a number of non-governmental organisations and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all callers to the helpline can access any additional help, advice and support they need.

    Training will be provided to all call handlers working on the helpline, which will be delivered by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre and the
    Metropolitan Police Service, building on their specific expertise and knowledge in this area. The training will include the nature of modern slavery, the information to be obtained from individuals who call the helpline as well as organisations that can provide further support and guidance. There are no specific costs to the Home Office associated with providing this training.

    Each call to the helpline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and, where an individual requires further information or advice, the helpline call handlers will provide the details of other organisations for the caller to contact, as appropriate. This is regardless of whether the caller is from an EU or non-EU country.

    Stakeholders, including NGOs, have been engaged in the communications and marketing campaign which underpins the helpline.
    The NSPCC is ideally placed to deliver what we need given their existing infrastructure and expertise in safeguarding issues. The NSPCC runs a number of helplines, including Childline, FGM helpline and the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) line. We have engaged NSPCC by means of a formal Grant Agreement, not a Contract, which will be managed using standard Home Office grant terms and conditions in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.

  • Mike Wood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mike Wood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Wood on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken was for a spouse visa appeal to be heard from the time of being refused to a decision by the tribunal in each of the last five years.

    James Brokenshire

    The information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department paid to (a) G4S, (b) Serco, (c) Sodexo, (d) GEOAmey, (e) Capita, (f) Atos, (g) Mitie, (h) Working Links, (i) A4E, (j) MTC Amey, (k) GEO Group and (l) Carillion in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The table below details the amounts paid by DFID to the suppliers listed above, over the periods specified.

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    £

    £

    £

    £

    G4S

    509,960

    711,440

    595,279

    755,681

    Serco

    1,765

    Nil

    Nil

    Nil

    Capita

    4,208,938

    3,397,155

    2,305,454

    1,415,700

    Atos

    6,315,202

    11,141,720

    16,399,297

    19,381,683

    Mitie

    1,026,152

    2,448,793

    2,838,096

    4,256,290

    GEO Group

    963

    Nil

    Nil

    Nil
  • Joe Benton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joe Benton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joe Benton on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, With reference to the findings of his Department’s Abortion Statistics 2013, published in June 2014, paragraph 2.4, that 81 per cent of abortions in that year were carried out for single women, if he will take steps to reduce the abortion rate by encouraging couples to stay together.

    Jane Ellison

    51% of the women classified as “single” in Abortion Statistics 2013 were in a relationship but not married or in a civil partnership.

    More broadly, the Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (March 2013) highlights the importance of building knowledge and resilience amongst young people so they have the confidence and emotional resilience to understand the benefits of loving, healthy relationships and delaying sex.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department paid to (a) G4S, (b) Serco, (c) Sodexo, (d) GEOAmey, (e) Capita, (f) Atos, (g) Mitie, (h) Working Links, (i) A4E, (j) MTC Amey, (k) GEO Group and (l) Carillion in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14.

    Stephen Crabb

    As part of my Department’s transparency programme, any spend over £500 is available on the Department’s website. Since January 2011, all contracts over £10,000 in value are published on Contracts Finder: http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk/.

    “

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that secondary ticketing websites abide by the requirements of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

    Jo Swinson

    My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not received any direct representations from representatives of the secondary ticketing websites on amendments tabled to the Consumer Rights Bill or about the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills’ guidance on them.

    Neither my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State nor other Ministers in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have had meetings with the secondary ticketing websites about the implementation of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 or the Department for Business Innovation and Skills’ guidance on them.

    The draft Regulations and the contents of the Bill were widely consulted on and the Department received a range of comments in response. Officials from the Department have also had discussions with a wide range of stakeholders (including with secondary ticketing websites) on the implementation of those Regulations and the guidance on them.

    Following a consultation on the draft regulations, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has produced guidance on the requirements of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. This guidance is easily accessible on the gov.uk website. Officials have also worked with the Business Support Helpline, which offers free advice to business on a wide range of issues, including regulation, and with the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), as the primary body responsible for educating businesses on consumer law. TSI has also produced guidance which is available on their website. Consumers themselves are important in driving compliance and officials have worked with Citizens Advice to raise consumer awareness so that they can see when businesses are not abiding by the requirements of the regulations.

    The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has also actively promoted the changes in the Regulations across all sectors through seminars, presentations and communications to businesses.

    Ministers in the Home Office, Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have discussions and correspond together on a wide range of issues, and this has included agreeing the content of the Consumer Rights Bill. Officials from those Departments are in regular contact, including regarding the issue of resale of tickets.

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the value of pay outs under the War Pensions Scheme to forces personnel and veterans on the grounds of mental ill health has been in each year since 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    It is not possible to provide the total value of payouts under the War Pensions Scheme to forces personnel and veterans on the grounds of mental ill health as the information is not held in a format that would enable us to easily answer the question and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    However, between 2011-12 and 2013-14 there were a total of 1,655 awards made under the War Pension Scheme for a mental health condition related to Service.