Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Hemming on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has received about allegations of child abuse and police corruption on St Helena since May 2010; when that information was received; and what steps his Department took in response to that information.

    Mark Simmonds

    Safeguarding children in St Helena is a critical priority for the St Helena Government and the UK. There have been a number of allegations in recent years about child safety and police corruption. In response there have been several investigations and reviews into St Helena – including from independent police forces and from child safety NGO. These have resulted in detailed action plans from the St Helena Government and police service to improve their ability to protect children.

    Last week, we received further allegations of a conspiracy to cover up child abuse on St Helena from former employees of the St Helena Government. We take such allegations extremely seriously. In response, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs agreed to establish an independent panel of experts to investigate these specific allegations and related matters. We hope to be able to announce further details shortly.

  • 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 steps his Department has taken to reduce tension in the on-going conflict between Israel and Palestine.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are working to secure a ceasefire, to alleviate humanitarian suffering, and to keep alive the prospects for peace negotiations which are the only hope of breaking this cycle of violence and devastation once and for all. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke with the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on 18 July and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on 19 July. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) also spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 July.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role NHS England plays in the development of advice given by the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group to Ministers on which specialised services should be included in regulations setting out those services which NHS England must commission.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England puts forward proposals to the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG), and provides information to support the Group’s considerations chiefly via its Clinical Reference Groups. NHS England also provides expert members of PSSAG in areas such as finance, informatics, medicine and nursing. Further information about NHS England’s input to the process by which advice is prepared for ministers is set out in the publication "Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group – Recommendations to Ministers" published on 2 May 2014, which includes a complete list of PSSAG members. www.gov.uk/government/publications/specialised-service-recommendations-to-ministers In addition, as required by section 3B of the National Health Service Act 2006 (as amended), NHS England is consulted before regulations are made by the Secretary of State.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether patients and their families are entitled to receive copies of consent forms they have signed.

    Jane Ellison

    It is a general legal and ethical principle that valid consent must be obtained from an individual before starting a treatment or physical intervention. For consent to be valid it must be given voluntarily by an appropriately informed person who has the capacity to consent to the intervention in question.

    It is the responsibility of the doctor undertaking the treatment or investigation to ensure that they (or someone they delegate) obtain valid consent. The key elements of the discussion with the patient, including any specific requests by the patient, should be properly recorded in a person’s medical record or in a consent form. This might include that a copy of a consent form has been requested by, or given to, the patient or to their family should the patient agree to that.

    The General Medical Council’s professional guidance on obtaining and recording consent, Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together , can be found at:

    www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/consent_guidance_index.asp

    Other sources of guidance for healthcare professionals on obtaining consent include the Department’s Reference guide to consent for examination or treatment (Second Edition) which can be found at:

    www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/138296/dh_103653__1_.pdf

    and the British Medical Association’s consent toolkit which can be found at:

    http://bma.org.uk/practical-support-at-work/ethics/consent

  • Jonathan Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jonathan Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many infringements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were recorded in Wales in 2013; and how many such infringements led to a prosecution.

    Norman Baker

    There were no cases of non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 recorded in Wales in 2013.

  • 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 from a visa appeal being granted at tribunal to the post issuing the visa in (a) Mumbai and (b) Islamabad in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    James Brokenshire

    From 1st January to 31st March 2014, it took on average 34 days in Mumbai and 31 days in Islamabad to issue a visa after the tribunal decision was received in the respective post.

  • Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance judges will receive on settling inheritance disputes which were initially settled under the Sharia succession rules guidance issued by the Law Society.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

    The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Law Society is the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. On 13 March it published a practice note on Sharia succession rules to assist its members preparing wills for clients under the law of England and Wales. The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with The Law Society about its practice note. It is not for the Government to comment on the compatibility of the guidance with equalities legislation as the courts in England and Wales interpret and apply the law.

    The guidance does not, and cannot, change the law of England and Wales. The courts will continue to apply the law of England and Wales relating to the making of wills in exactly the same way as they did before the practice note was issued.

    The judiciary of England and Wales is independent of the Government and it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to issue guidance to the judiciary on how judges are to apply or interpret the law.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many employees of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, broken down by grade, have remained at the same grade since 2010 and in that period received pay rises.

    Mr Charles Walker

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.

    Letter from Marcial Boo, July 2014:

    As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about IPSA staffing.

    29 of our current employees have worked for IPSA since 2010. Of those 29, 17 have remained at the same grade and received pay rises of 1% in 2012 and 2013.

    Grade

    Number

    A

    1

    B

    11

    C

    3

    D

    0

    E

    2

    F

    0
  • Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the Law Society’s inclusion of Sharia succession rules in its guidance and its compatibility with existing equalities legislation.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

    The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Law Society is the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. On 13 March it published a practice note on Sharia succession rules to assist its members preparing wills for clients under the law of England and Wales. The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with The Law Society about its practice note. It is not for the Government to comment on the compatibility of the guidance with equalities legislation as the courts in England and Wales interpret and apply the law.

    The guidance does not, and cannot, change the law of England and Wales. The courts will continue to apply the law of England and Wales relating to the making of wills in exactly the same way as they did before the practice note was issued.

    The judiciary of England and Wales is independent of the Government and it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to issue guidance to the judiciary on how judges are to apply or interpret the law.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will introduce an embargo on the export of weapons to Israel.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza. We call for an immediate de-escalation and restoration of the November 2012 ceasefire, to avoid further civilian injuries and the loss of innocent life.

    The United Kingdom does not believe that imposing a blanket arms embargo on Israel would promote progress in the Middle East Peace Process. All countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend its citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and are calibrated to avoid civilian casualties.

    Export licence applications to all countries continue to be considered on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time of application. In view of the situation in Gaza, we are keeping all licence applications under review to ensure that all our decisions remain consistent with our human rights commitments and all applicable criteria. If a decision is taken to suspend or revoke licences we will announce this to Parliament, and where possible we will do this in concert with our EU partners.