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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence his Department holds or has assessed on the effects of conversion to academy status on the test results of children in primary schools.

    Michael Gove

    In 2013, the percentage of pupils in converter academies that achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing (teacher assessment) and mathematics was 81%.[1] This was an improvement of one percentage point from 2012, and compares with 76% of pupils that achieved the same threshold in local authority maintained mainstream schools. Furthermore, the percentage of pupils in converter academies that exceeded this threshold was 25%, compared with 21% in local authority maintained mainstream schools.

    [1] Table 5, National Tables, SFR51/2013: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-2-2012-to-2013

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  • Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department takes to record and identify instances where non-pharmacological treatments have caused adverse reactions in patients.

    Norman Lamb

    Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Commission for Human Medicines through the spontaneous reporting scheme; the Yellow Card Scheme. The scheme has been in place since 1964 and collects ADR reports from across the whole United Kingdom and includes all medicines, including non-pharmacological treatments such as herbal and homeopathic medicines.

    Reports are received from healthcare professionals and members of the public on a voluntary basis. However there is a legal requirement for pharmaceutical companies to report suspected ADRs to their products. The MHRA receives approximately 30,000 ADR reports per year. All reports received are rapidly entered onto the MHRA’s ADR database for assessment by a team of medical, pharmaceutical and scientific assessors. The purpose of the scheme is to provide an early warning that the safety of a product may require further investigation and the scheme has a proven track record of identifying safety issues.

    National Health Service organisations will also record details of adverse incidents in local risk management systems and other datasets such as the Hospital Episodes Statistics datasets. Many of these systems rely on accurate coding to enable data extract and analysis, and codes specific to non pharmacological treatments may not always be available.

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

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

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the European Commission in respect of petitions from the government of Gibraltar for a representative to monitor the border crossing.

    Mr David Lidington

    The delays imposed by the Spanish authorities at the border with Gibraltar continue to have a significant impact, resulting in significant changes in behaviour at the border: visitor arrivals in Gibraltar are down and vehicle traffic has fallen. The Government is concerned about the impact that border delays are having on businesses in both Spain and Gibraltar.

    Since the beginning of the disruption last summer, the Government has raised this issue regularly with the European Commission. We recently sent detailed information on the delays, supplied by Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, to the Director General for Home Affairs, together with an update on the steps taken by Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar to address the recommendations made to them by the Commission. Ministers have also been in direct contact with the Commission, including the Commissioner for Home Affairs. In our conversations we stressed the need for the Commission to make follow-up visits to monitor the continuing delays. We continue to request that the Commission urge Spain to act on their recommendations and return border checks to reasonable and proportionate levels.

  • Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the suitability of HM Prison The Verne for detaining individuals for immigration purposes.

    James Brokenshire

    HMP The Verne has been assessed for detaining individuals for immigration purposes in terms of its size, location, facilities and level of security.
    Alterations are being carried out to make it suitable for use as an Immigration Removal Centre including provision of facilities for detainees and their
    visitors. Once formally re-roled it will be used to assist removal of those who have no right to remain in the UK.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

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

    To ask the Prime Minister, what recent representations (a) he, (b) other Ministers and (c) officials of (i) 10 Downing Street and (ii) the Cabinet Office have made to the (A) Chairman and (B) secretariat of the Chilcot Inquiry on delays in publication of its report due to responses from officials of the US administration; what response was received to these representations; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Iraq Inquiry is independent of government, and should be allowed to complete its work without interference.

    Neither I nor Ministers have had any discussions with or made any representations to the Inquiry. Nor have I discussed the Inquiry with President Obama.

    The Inquiry has sought the declassification of material for inclusion in its report from many thousands of documents, some of which have been or will be published. Government does not, as a rule, comment on any discussions between officials and the Inquiry.

    The Maxwellisation process is a matter for the Inquiry.

    The Government remains committed to ensuring that the Inquiry’s final report will be able to disclose all but the most sensitive information which will be determined in accordance with the protocol governing the disclosure of documentary evidence which is available through the Inquiry website.

    Timing of the delivery of the report to me is a matter for the Inquiry, but it is my hope that the Inquiry can complete its work before the end of the year. Upon publication, copies of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were accommodated in (a) hotels and (b) bed and breakfasts, hostels and other establishments that provide lodging paid on a short-term basis in (i) Barnsley, (ii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iii) the UK in each year since May 2010.

    James Brokenshire

    The department does not collect specific data on asylum applicants accommodated
    in contingency accommodation. COMPASS providers have a responsibility to
    provide suitable accommodation to asylum applicants. The COMPASS contracts
    allow providers to use alternative or temporary initial accommodation (IA) as
    contingency in exceptional circumstances, for example when the existing
    nominated IA is full. This may include the use of hotels for a short term
    period until such time as the asylum seeker is accommodated in the IA or
    provided with dispersal accommodation.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 180W, on Africa, whether any service personnel are embedded with host forces or otherwise stationed in (a) Niger, (b) Nigeria and (c) the Seychelles.

    Mr Mark Francois

    There are no UK service personnel embedded with host forces or otherwise stationed in Niger.

    The UK has a small number of personnel deployed to Nigeria in roles including diplomatic representation, defence engagement, liaison and training. As part of the package of support to Nigeria announced by the Prime Minister last month, an additional small team of experts has also deployed to help Nigeria establish an Intelligence Fusion Cell with French and US partners to assist the Nigerian government in locating the abducted school girls.

    In the Seychelles, a Royal Naval officer is currently serving as a Liaison officer for the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EUNAVFOR).

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many organisations hold the Help and Support for Separated Families Mark; and what the total cost to his Department has been of developing, awarding and promoting the mark.

    Steve Webb

    35 organisations currently hold the Help and Support for Separated Families Mark. The total cost for developing, awarding and promoting the Help and Support for Separated Families mark is £136,500.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish an updated cost benefit analysis for High Speed 2 in light of the decision not to link High Speed 2 with High Speed 1 and Eurostar services.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We will continue to revise and update the economic case for HS2 as new project milestones are reached, such as decisions on the preferred route for Phase 2, to ensure it is based on the best available evidence and latest understanding of the project, including taking account of the decision to remove the existing proposals for the HS1-HS2 link from the scheme.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address the current backlog of applications within the Passport Office.

    James Brokenshire

    On 12 June, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary set out to the House the
    measures HM Passport Office is putting in place to respond to the exceptional
    current levels of passport demand.
    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, columns
    693 and 694 for details.