Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with the Russian government on the right to self-determination of people in the North Caucasus.

    Mr David Lidington

    I have not specifically discussed the right to self-determination of people in the North Caucasus with the Russian government. However, this Government regularly raises concerns about the human rights situation in Russia with the Russian government. Concerns about the human rights situation in the North Caucasus were included in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2013 Annual Human Rights Report.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of people in (a) Pendle constituency, (b) East Lancashire and (c) the North West are registered organ donors.

    Jane Ellison

    The information requested is in the following table:

    Proportion of people in Pendle constituency, East Lancashire and the North West who are registered organ donors as at 10 June 2014

    Area

    Number on the Organ Donor Register

    Population estimate1

    % on the Organ Donor Register

    Pendle Constituency

    22,071

    89,613

    24.6%

    East Lancashire2

    137,865

    530,605

    26.0%

    North West 3

    2,083,446

    7,084,337

    29.4%

    1 Source: Office for National Statistics mid-2012 population estimates

    2 East Lancashire comprising the districts of Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

    3 This comprises:

    Ashton, Leigh and Wigan, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bury, Central and Eastern Cheshi, Cumbria, East Lancashire, Halton and St Helens, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Knowsley, Liverpool, Manchester, North Lancashire, Oldham, Salford, Sefton, Stockport, Tameside and Glossop, Trafford, Warrington, Western Cheshire, Wirral

    Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

  • Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the 90 UK personnel plan to provide mentoring and related support to the Afghan national army officer academy he expects (a) to be female and (b) to be able to provide gender-sensitive training.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The UK currently provides six female mentors to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy’s (ANAOA) female training platoon. One additional female mentor is involved in the wider training programme at the Academy.

    Many of the mentor posts at the ANAOA are reserved for male Service personnel, owing to the cultural sensibilities of our Afghan partners. We will continue to seek opportunities to deploy females into other mentoring posts to demonstrate to the Afghan National Army (ANA) that Servicewomen are exemplars and can be employed across a wide range of roles.

    In relation to gender-sensitive training, one of the ANAOA’s core training objectives is: “Comply with ANA gender integration/equality and diversity policy”. The course covers international law, human rights and women’s rights, Islamic attitudes (including towards women) and the rights of the family, focusing on the role and equality of women in contemporary Afghan society.

  • Annette Brooke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Annette Brooke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Annette Brooke on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the Demos report, Behind the Screen, to increase uptake of cervical screening.

    Jane Ellison

    We welcome the Demos report Behind the screen: “Revealing the true cost of cervical cancer…”, which we have discussed in detail with Public Health England (PHE). On the specific recommendations in the report:

    – it is NHS Cervical Screening Programme policy that general practitioners should offer ‘on the spot’ cervical screening tests to women during other appointments, as long as they are overdue. In 2012-13, more than 500,000 were taken without an immediate invitation;

    – on awareness campaigns, PHE is looking at a number of other cancers for potential local pilot tests within the Be Clear on Cancer programme, and a decision will be made later in the summer;

    – a strategy on using celebrities or religious leaders to improve coverage would need to be tied in with any overall marketing campaign, but previous experience shows that this only has a short term effect and needs frequent repetition. The publicity around Jade Goody, diagnosis, illness and subsequent death, brought in many under-screened women, but this dissipated within months following Jade’s death at the end of March 2009; and

    – PHE has funded research on the effects of mother/daughter relationships on uptake of screening and vaccination, including in lower socio-economic groups. PHE would be very happy to discuss this with Demos and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.

    We know that for a number of reasons coverage rates amongst women have fallen slightly over the last decade, as highlighted further in the report, and a considerable amount of work is underway to tackle this decline. The third annual report of our Cancer Outcomes Strategy said that a priority for 2014-15 will be to improve screening uptake amongst disadvantaged groups. PHE is undertaking analysis on local screening programmes with poor coverage, and will work with them to develop action plans to increase coverage in their local areas.

    Specifically on younger women, the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake amongst women who are receiving their first invitation from the programme. We also know that coverage rates are lower in certain communities. NHS Cancer Screening Programmes have worked with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to host two events looking at challenges to screening uptake among black and minority ethnic communities, and a third event is due to be held in Birmingham in July 2014. NHS Cancer Screening Programmes has also funded an award winning Lesbian and Gay Foundation’s Are You Ready for Your Screen Test? campaign targeting lesbian and bisexual women to raise awareness about the need to attend for regular cervical screening tests.

    Regarding costs discussed in the report, we will ensure that the report is sent to colleagues in NHS England who are responsible for commissioning the cervical screening service. The report will also be discussed at the next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening in the autumn.

    Acceptable and achievable standards for cervical screening coverage rates are being discussed as part of the update of the cervical screening service specification attached to the NHS public health functions agreement: Public health functions to be exercised by NHS England (Section 7a agreement) for 2015-16.

    We are fully supportive of Cervical Screening Awareness Week (CSA Week) and the work Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust does, who I met recently.

    I wrote to all Members of Parliament on 11 June to draw their attention to CSA Week, update them on national and local screening statistics and ask for their support in promoting take-up of screening. In addition, the Department and PHE promoted CSA Week on social media.

  • Dan Byles – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Byles – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Byles on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the proportion of the Demand Side Balancing Reserve that will comprise of active demand reduction rather than switching on generation assets.

    Michael Fallon

    The Demand Side Balancing Reserve is operated by National Grid independently from Government. Once National Grid has concluded the procurement of the reserve in the autumn it will be possible to identify the proportion of the reserve that comprises ‘load reduction’ rather than the export of additional generation onto the grid (though initial expressions of interest to National Grid suggest that around 75% of the reserve may be provided by load reduction). However, it will not be possible to determine whether this load reduction is achieved through a reduction in demand, or by turning on local back up generation to meet local needs.

  • Roger Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Roger Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Williams on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK’s sanitary and phytosanitary rules in food production are not affected by the agreement of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

    George Eustice

    The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership could be worth £10 billion a year to the UK economy, with potential to deliver significant opportunities for the UK agriculture, food and drink sectors. Sanitary and phytosanitary issues are likely to be critical to a successful agreement. I am pursuing these in consultation with industry and other interested parties to ensure progress is made, based on sound science and consistent with our biosecurity and food safety standards.

  • David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in China.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We do have concerns about restrictions to civil and political freedoms in China, particularly around ethnic minority rights; the death penalty; and freedom of expression, association and assembly.

    The climate for human rights defenders and civil society is very difficult, and security in areas with ethnic minorities remains tight.

    Ministers regularly raise human rights issues with Chinese counterparts, and we highlight our concerns in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what comparative assessment he has made of the rates of mental ill health caused by (a) working long hours and (b) being unemployed.

    Norman Lamb

    Numerous studies, including the Marmot Review into health inequalities in England (published in 2010) draw attention to the impacts of unemployment, and particularly long-term unemployment, on mental health.

    Research also demonstrates that work related stress and mental health problems often go together. Work related stress may trigger an existing mental health problem that the person may otherwise have successfully managed.

    However, common mental health problems and stress can exist independently. For example, people can have work related stress leading to physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, without experiencing anxiety and depression. They can also have anxiety and depression that is unrelated to stress.

    Gainful employment promotes mental well-being. Unfortunately, the workplace can also be the source of nonproductive stress leading to physical and mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts and behaviours and suicide.

    A number of studies demonstrate an association between the areas of England worst affected during the recent financial crisis and increased suicide rates. Between 2008 and 2010, there were approximately 800 more suicides among men and 155 more among women than would have been expected based on historical trends. This was supported by a recent review of the international impact of the global economic crisis. A rise in poor health status associated with the recession has also been found not only for the unemployed, but also among people who remain employed.

    People come into contact with the welfare system at a time when they may be vulnerable because of unemployment and its associated consequences. The Department for Work and Pensions provides guidance and training for staff to help them identify and support people who are vulnerable, including those who may be at risk of suicide or self-harm.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Details of United Kingdom-based visits undertaken by my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and his ministerial team since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was have been placed in the Library.

    The purpose of all these visits was to meet staff and patients and learn more about the service except where denoted with an asterisk.

    Details of Ministers’ visits overseas are published quarterly and can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many parliamentary questions tabled to her Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Karen Bradley

    Seven questions did not receive a substantive reply by the time of prorogation 2014.

    The tabling date for these questions, are listed below:

    09 April – 2014

    08 May – 2014

    26 March – 2014

    24 March – 2014

    02 May – 2014

    02 May – 2014

    09 May – 2014