The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the administration of changes to migrant benefits proposed under the planned emergency brake on in-work benefits for EU citizens in employment in the UK.
Priti Patel
These details are a matter for the implementation of the proposal, and further announcements will be made in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what process he is following to develop the Apprenticeship Levy Digital Voucher.
Nick Boles
The digital apprenticeship service is being built by the Skills Funding Agency in accordance with Cabinet Office best practice.
To ensure that the service is focused on employer and training provider needs we are performing extensive user research. The service will build on insights gathered from over 2000 employers and around 400 training providers. To make sure that the service is ready for the levy in April 2017, we plan to launch a substantial pilot with employers and providers later this year.
Further details on the apprenticeship levy and the digital apprenticeship service will be available in the guide for employers which will be published shortly on gov.uk.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to investigate the handling of recent protests in Oromia, Ethiopia.
James Duddridge
We remain deeply concerned about the handling of demonstrations in Oromia, including the reported deaths of a number of protestors, and about those detained under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. We have repeatedly made representations to the Ethiopian Government over the situation in that region. Justine Greening, the Secretary of State for International Development, raised our concerns with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on 21 January and Her Majesty’s Ambassador last raised the issue with Prime Minister Hailemariam on 26 April.
I met with Dr Tedros at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on 27 January. I raised the UK’s concerns with regards to the human rights situation. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Ethiopia both through our bilateral engagement, most notably through our ongoing Human Rights Dialogue, as well as jointly with our international partners.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been appointed to look into the handling of the protests in Oromia. We will not pre-judge the outcome of their investigation and we await the publication of their report. We will continue to urge the EHRC and the Government of Ethiopia to ensure that their report is credible, transparent and leads to concrete action. We will take a view on what further lobbying, if any, might be appropriate following the publication of the EHRC report.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-07-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 11 July (HL859), why they do not routinely monitor the timing of the publication of any scientific papers describing the derivation of stem cells; and what assessment they have made of what the maximum time interval should be between publication of any scientific papers describing the derivation of stem cells and the deposit of corresponding samples in the UK Stem Cell Bank.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The UK Code of Practice for the Use of Human Stem Cell Lines does not require monitoring of the timing of scientific publications arising from the derivation of stem cell lines. A copy of the Code of Practice is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Foster on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the new junior doctors’ contract on the average pay of junior doctors.
Mr Philip Dunne
The average pay of junior doctors will not change. The cost neutrality of the new contract means that the contract cannot in anyway be used to save money – it maintains the current spend for the current number of full-time equivalent doctors working the current average working week. The British Medical Association itself acknowledged this commitment and communicated it to its junior doctor members before the vote on the contract. Any growth in the junior doctor workforce/commitment will be funded from outside that envelope and the same average pay would apply to new juniors working the same working patterns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make available on the NHS the treatment of lymph nodes to ease the pain of women with breast cancer.
Jane Ellison
Lymph nodes are often one of the first sites to which cancer spreads. Therefore, treatment and, in some cases, removal of lymph nodes is standard practice across the National Health Service to treat cancers which have spread locally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-12-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take in response to the judgment of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in Hirst v The United Kingdom (No. 2) Application 74025/01, and the interim resolution of 9 December of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe expressing profound concern that the blanket ban on the right of convicted prisoners in custody to vote remains in place.””
Lord Faulks
We have consistently made clear that prisoner voting is a matter for parliament to determine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2015 to Question 12819, what progress he has made on introducing independent medical examiners to the death certification process.
Ben Gummer
We remain committed to the principle of medical examiners and will be setting out further information in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Southwark on 2016-02-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the conditions facing Iraqi refugees in Jordan.
Baroness Verma
The situation for many refugees in Jordan is challenging, irrespective of nationality. Services are provided by the international community and the Government of Jordan based on a system of prioritisation of the most vulnerable and Iraqi refugees are included in this system. Like all refugees, Iraqis are registered by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and access assistance from UN agencies, international NGOs and national NGOs. Partners assess vulnerability in Jordan at individual, community and household levels. These vulnerability assessments take into account positive coping strategies and support networks, which are understood to be better established among the Iraqi community, including through religious institutions such as mosques and churches.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chadlington on 2016-03-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to educate the 2.5 million people who consume more than the new weekly recommended limit for alcohol in a single day, in the light of the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Public Health England’s ‘One You’ adult health campaign (launched this month) aims to help adults understand their alcohol consumption and take appropriate action. It also focuses on quitting smoking, healthier diets and exercise. The campaign provides information online, including tailored advice and, for example, a Drinks Tracker app.