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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is planning to give to countries affected by the Zika virus.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    British officials across the Americas have been working closely with their counterparts on steps to understand and prevent the spread of the disease. We have focused particularly on Brazil, which has seen the highest number of cases in the region. On 26 January, the UK announced a new Zika research project between Glasgow University and Fiocruz, a leading biomedical research centre in Brazil. The following day, a scientist from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine arrived in Recife to support Zika research led by the Pan American Health Organsation. Discussions are also ongoing between FCO officials and the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency with regards to combating this virus. On 1 February, the World Health Organisation (WHO) categorised the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This declaration by the WHO allows for the immediate allocation of emergency funds to support their necessary medical research. The United Kingdom is already the WHO’s second largest donor, providing a £15 million assessed contribution in 2015 in addition to a further, voluntary, contribution from the Department For International Development (DFID) of £14.5 million.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) more cases of chronic lyme disease are correctly diagnosed and (b) more people with chronic lyme disease receive the appropriate treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    Our aim is to ensure that cases of Lyme disease at all its stages and manifestations are recognised and treated appropriately. The National Health Service provides medical care following international guidance and most cases are dealt with by general practitioners (GPs). To help ensure people receive the appropriate treatment Public Health England has published a referral pathway for GPs to follow. Where additional investigation is required, specialist referral may be necessary and a small number of NHS clinics will see complicated cases. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has been commissioned to develop guidelines for the recognition and treatment of Lyme disease; this is expected in June 2018.

    Public Health England PHE) regularly review new tests for Lyme disease and participate in a Europe wide Quality Assurance programme to ensure that the most suitable tests available are used.

    In addition, PHE provide information on Lyme disease and tick awareness to the medical profession and the public, and holds regular medical training days, and works with Lyme Disease Action to support the needs and interests of patients.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23886, which UK representatives attended the meeting of the Reaper User Group between 14 and 18 March 2016.

    Penny Mordaunt

    UK attendance at the MQ-9 User Group was limited to representatives from the Royal Air Force, led by the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Force Commander.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has received a reply to his letter of 4 April 2016 to the European Commission Vice President for the Digital Single Market on online platforms.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    A reply to our letter was not expected. Instead the letter on online platforms was designed to influence the Commission’s thinking ahead of the release of the package before the summer. Ministerial colleagues have engaged closely with EU Commissioners as well as a number of Member States about online platforms policy and will continue to do so.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of how long a person with HIV will have to wait to access psychosocial support in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health authority area following implementation of the proposed reduction in specialist HIV support services.

    Jane Ellison

    Support services for people living with HIV are commissioned by local authorities.

    We are advised by NHS England that the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham are currently consulting on a new service model, under which advice and advocacy, counselling and assessment and signposting services for people living with HIV would be provided by local non-HIV specialist services.

    We understand that the consultation exercise commenced on 9 May 2016 and is due to end on 28 June.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will publish a list of all secondees to his Department from (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms in the last three financial years; and what the role was of each of those secondees.

    Guto Bebb

    The Wales Office had no secondees from PwC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young and KPMG or other consulting firms in the last three financial years.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many people were (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of offences under the Hunting Act 2004 in 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of people who have been charged with, and prosecuted for, offences brought by way of the Hunting Act 2004. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

    Although it is not possible to identify the number of people charged with particular offences, records are held showing the overall number of offences in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ courts. The table below shows the number of offences, rather than defendants, charged by way of the Hunting Act 2004 during 2015. A single defendant may be charged with more than one offence.

    2015

    Hunting Act 2004

    88

    Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System

    “

  • Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans Ofqual has to allow visas to be obtained for foreign students from countries in the emerging markets wishing to train for a professional pilot’s licence in the United Kingdom.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office is responsible for UK visa policy.

    Flight training organisations can teach courses lasting up to six months to international students, under the short-term study visa route.

    Alternatively, they may use the Tier 4 visa route where the course lasts longer than six months and they hold a Tier 4 sponsor licence. To qualify for a Tier 4 sponsor licence, an institution must have a track record of teaching UK or EEA students, and be teaching courses which meet Tier 4 requirements. To meet Tier 4 requirements, a course must lead to an approved qualification, as defined in the Tier 4 Guidance for Sponsors.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the future of the mandated universal elements of the Healthy Child Programme for children aged 0 to five.

    Jane Ellison

    The commissioning of 0 to 5 years public health services transferred from NHS England to local authorities on 1 October 2015. Prior to transfer, Regulations were made to mandate the delivery of five universal health visitor reviews as set out in the Healthy Child Programme. The Regulations have a sunset clause that ends their effect on 31 March 2017, 18 months after coming into operation.

    The Regulations make provision for a review, by the Secretary of State, of the operation of the mandated elements. This will help inform future arrangements.

    In the interim, the Department is working with Public Health England, (as the strategic and professional lead for health visitor services), to monitor progress of the new arrangements.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to personal injury law and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 on the number of litigants in person in personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government received and analysed data from numerous sources when formulating the announcement in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. We will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders including other Government Departments, solicitors and insurers in taking forward the new reform package. The Government will consult on the detail of these measures in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.