Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Paul Uppal – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Uppal – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to help women suffering from endometriosis.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Information on endometriosis is readily available to healthcare professionals and the public. Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and NHS Choices have published information for the public on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Further information can be found on the RCOG website:

    www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/endometriosis-what-you-need-know

    and NHS Choices website:

    www.nhs.uk/conditions/Endometriosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

    To support women with endometriosis all obstetricians and gynaecologists have been trained in the diagnosis, investigation and management of the condition, which is specifically listed as a topic in the core curriculum for obstetrics and gynaecology. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has published clinical guidelines on the management of women with endometriosis to assist clinicians.

    In addition, NHS England has developed a service specification for severe endometriosis under the specialised commissioning area of complex gynaecology. NHS England expects all units providing a service to women with severe endometriosis to provide care which meets the standards laid out in a specification which can be found on their website:

    www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/e10-comp-gynae-endom-0414.pdf

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training is given to driving examiners who test students in laden lorries.

    Stephen Hammond

    Potential large goods vehicle (LGV) examiners are required to hold the relevant driving licence entitlement for the category of vehicle they will be testing. In the case of laden lorries that is either category C or category CE.

    Initial training courses last five weeks with a ratio of two trainees to each trainer. Courses emphasise health and safety issues connected with working practices, test centres and vehicles. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducts regular progress checks which culminate in a final test and end-of-course evaluation.

    Since early 2010 some of the vehicles used to train examiners to conduct category C and CE practical driving tests have been loaded with independent bulk containers to simulate a lorry carrying a commercial load. Consequently during training all potential LGV examinersare trained and examined using loaded vehicles. Before 2010, some category CE training made use of concrete blocks on the trailer to simulate a load.

    DVSA also delivers refresher courses for examiners who have not conducted LGV testing for six months or more which readdress the most important elements of the initial training course.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent progress her Department has made in promoting development relating to water sanitation and hygiene; and if she will make a statement.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID aims to meet our commitments to support 60 million people to gain access to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH), through a range of programmes delivered by our Country Offices and from central teams. Details of our current WASH programmes are available on the DFID website (http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk).

    Progress made through our on-going WASH programmes is detailed in the ‘DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13. Results from the implementation of more recent commitments will be detailed in the next Annual Report.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Randall on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department has provided to (a) Serbia and (b) Bosnia-Herzegovina following recent flooding in those countries.

    Mr David Lidington

    I discussed the impact of the floods with Prime Minister Vucic of Serbia in Belgrade on 2 June and with Prime Minister Bevanda in Sarajevo on 3 June. During my visit to the region I also met the Serbian Red Cross and travelled to Maglaj in Bosnia-Herzegovina to meet the Mayor and representatives of World Vision.

    In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), between 18 and 23 May a thirty-three person water rescue team from the British Fire Service was deployed to work alongside EUFOR Operation Althea and local rescue efforts. They rescued nearly 200 people, delivered large amounts of humanitarian aid, and helped restore power in villages North of Bijeljina.

    In Serbia, the UK provided 64 radios for the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, to assist with the coordination of their response teams; and donated £280,000 worth of heavy lift and transport vehicles to the Serbian Red Cross to aid their relief distribution effort.

    A team from the UK flew out to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the week commencing 20 May to assess likely humanitarian and recovery needs. During my visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina I was able to announce that the UK had approved £250,000 to support a World Vision flood response project in the region focussing on sanitation and health and providing support for 140,000 people made homeless by the floods.

    In addition to this bilateral support, the UK provided support to BiH, Serbia and Croatia through the EU, UN and other international organisations. In BiH, EUFOR Operation Althea, to which the UK contributes troops in-theatre and in reserve, assisted the BiH Armed Forces in their response to the flooding. The First Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, who provide part of EUFOR’s intermediate reserve, and are in BiH for a routine operational rehearsal, will assist the BiH Armed Forces in this regard.

    The UK has worked closely with the EU European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), and offered advice and assistance during all phases of the flood response effort. ECHO have released €3.2m in humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable population in BiH and in Serbia (to which the UK will have contributed 15%).

    The government will work closely with the UNDP, the EU and other international organisations to assess what further help might be given to help both Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina recover from the impact of the floods.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Fabian Hamilton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of replacing live animals with simulators in armed forces trauma training; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Lord Jenkin of Roding – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Jenkin of Roding – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jenkin of Roding on 2014-05-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish drafts of the several orders and regulations implementing the electricity market reforms under the Energy Act 2013; when they plan to table motions in both Houses of Parliament to enable the drafts to be debated; and when they expect that any orders and regulations that are approved will come into force.

    Baroness Verma

    The implementing secondary legislation for Electricity Market Reform (EMR) is currently being finalised. It is the Government’s intention that these regulations will be laid before the House at the beginning of June 2014 and published concurrently.

    The regulations will then be scrutinised by both the JCSI (Joint Committee on Secondary Legislation) and the SLSC (Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee). Should the regulations be approved by the committees, then Business Managers in both Houses will be asked to schedule scrutiny debates. Once debated, approval motions will be tabled in both Houses.

    Subject to the will of Parliament, it is intended that the Regulations will come into force around 1 August 2014.

    Additionally at the beginning of June, the Government will publish the response to four consultations:

    · Electricity Market Reform: Consultation on Proposals for Implementation (October 2013)

    · EMR: Consultation on industry code and licence modifications (January 2014)

    · EMR: Contracts for Difference Regulations – Consultation on Directions to Offer Contracts for Difference (March 2014)

    · EMR: Consultation on Balancing and Settlement Code subsidiary documents (April 2014)

    We will also publish an accompanying handbook setting out the final detailed policy of EMR, titled Implementing Electricity Market Reform.

    The publication of this information alongside the laying of legislation provides certainty to industry on final EMR policy design and keeps EMR on track for delivery this year.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use in Northern Ireland of prize draws to increase voter registration.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the economic effects of deregulating school holidays on (a) tourism-related jobs in seaside and coastal areas and (b) seaside economies in general.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    At present, local authorities set term and holiday dates for about 30% of secondary schools and 70% of primary schools (around half of all registered pupils). The Deregulation Bill gives more schools the flexibility to make changes should they wish to, although the experience of the academies programme and voluntary aided (church) schools, suggests that only a small percentage of schools are likely to vary their term dates.

    The Department for Education has produced an assessment of the impact of the changes. Whilst there will be greater flexibility, we expect that sensible conversations between the local authority and schools on coordination will take place. Variations to term dates could also help businesses and employers, for example, in areas of high-seasonal employment where employees may welcome the chance to holiday outside of peak tourist periods. For example, Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell has a two-week half term in May/June to accommodate parents’ seasonal employment patterns.

    A separate assessment of the specific impact on tourism related jobs in seaside towns or seaside economies has not been carried out.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 515W, on Western Sahara, if the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa will also meet representatives of POLISARIO, the UN-recognised body, to discuss issues relating to Western Sahara.

    Hugh Robertson

    British Ministers do not have direct contact with the POLISARIO Front. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Officials in London regularly meet POLISARIO representatives to discuss Western Sahara. FCO Officials also undertake visits to the region, and to the refugee camps at Tindouf.

  • David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent progress he has made on ensuring that mental health has equal standing with physical health.

    Norman Lamb

    Mental health has been a priority for this Government for several years now. We made this commitment explicit in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which, for the first time, creates equal status for mental and physical health across Government and for the NHS and social care.

    The Ministerial Advisory Group brings together individuals and organisations with a specific interest in the cross government mental health strategy No Health Without Mental Health and how it is delivered.

    The Mandate to NHS England 2014-15 makes clear that ‘everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence-based services’, this will involve extending and ensuring more open access to programmes, in particular for children and young people, and for those out of work.

    Closing the Gap, our new mental health action plan, which has attracted widespread, cross-sector support, sets out our priorities for essential change in mental health, 25 areas where people can expect to see and experience the fastest changes. The document challenges the health and social care community to move further and faster to transform care and support; the public health community, alongside local government, to give health and wellbeing promotion and prevention the long-overdue attention it needs and deserves; and individuals and communities to shift attitudes in mental health.

    The Department of Health is leading an information revolution around mental health. The new national Mental Health Intelligence Network will draw together comprehensive information about mental health and wellbeing.

    The new Crisis Care Concordat, signed by more than 20 national organisations, is a commitment for all agencies involved in supporting someone in a crisis to work together to improve the system of care and support so people in crisis are kept safe and helped to find the support they need. All the signatories have pledged to work together and our expectation is that, in every locality in England, local partnerships of health, criminal justice and local authority agencies will agree and commit to local Mental Health Crisis Declarations.

    System partners are also taking responsibility for the drive for parity. Public Health England (PHE) has made a commitment to addressing parity of esteem through prioritising mental health and working to embed it throughout all PHE programmes. Greater attention is needed to mental health throughout the public health system and PHE seeks to enable and support this through its leadership and delivery of a Wellbeing and Mental Health programme. It is supporting local authorities and other partners to give greater attention to mental health within the public health system.

    PHE was established on 1 April 2013 with the mission to protect and improve the nation’s health and to address inequalities through working with national and local government, the NHS, industry and the voluntary and community sector. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health.

    PHE has made a commitment to addressing parity of esteem through prioritising mental health and working to embed it throughout all its programmes. Greater attention is needed to mental health throughout the public health system and PHE seeks to enable and support this through its leadership and delivery of a Wellbeing and Mental Health programme. It is supporting local authorities and other partners to give greater attention to mental health within the public health system.

    Their approach centres on the following five main objectives:

    1. Promoting good mental health and improving population wellbeing;

    2. Preventing mental health problems and preventing suicide and self-harm;

    3. Supporting people living with and recovering from mental illness;

    4. Tackling inequalities and improving the wider determinants of wellbeing and mental health; and

    5. Enabling and embedding wellbeing and mental health across the public health system.

    PHE has embraced the principles of Parity of Esteem and from the outset and all through transition, there has been a commitment by PHE to ensure mental health is a core part of the new public health system and PHE’s work. Even though there was no central national resource attached to mental health to be transferred into PHE, they have invested in establishing a presence for mental health across their work and they continue to embed population mental health and wellbeing across public health.

    Health Education England is developing training programmes that will enable all healthcare employers to ensure that their staff have a greater awareness of mental health problems and how they may affect their patients. This will include understanding the links between patient’s physical and mental health, so that staff know what actions they can take to ensure that patients receive appropriate support for both their mental and physical health care needs.