Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates reviews have been carried out of his Department’s Complaints Protocol written in 2005; and what alterations have been made to that protocol as a result of each such review.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The Ministry of Defence’s procedures when handling complaints from members of the general public is governed by the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman who issue government departments with guidance and advice on protocols when dealing with complaints from the general public, more specifically guidance around response times and handling. Since 2005, the Ministry of Defence has updated its internal instructions (Defence Internal Notice) in 2010 and 2015, both updates did not change internal protocols but made changes to points of contact and departmental structures where required.

    The Ministry of Defence also operates procedures by which civil servants and Service personnel can make complaints. These are governed by separate policies respectively. For Service personnel the independent Service Complaints Ombudsman was established in 2015. Further information can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/armed-forces-service-complaints-process .

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce health inequalities.

    Jane Ellison

    Reducing health inequalities is a priority for this Government.

    We are acting to reduce health inequalities by addressing the social causes of ill health, promoting healthier lifestyles for all and tackling differences in outcomes of NHS services, all underpinned by legal duties.

    We have taken an evidence-based, strategic approach to reducing health inequalities, based on sound governance, accountability and good partnership working and are moving towards greater use of metrics and measurement taking more account of the action taken to respond to the latest evidence, data and trends. This approach is reflected across the health system and beyond with NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) playing their part.

    Achieving measureable and sustained reductions in health inequalities is integral to the Department’s Shared Delivery Plan 2015-20, and reflected in the Government’s mandate to NHS England, the NHS Constitution, NHS England’s Five Year Forward View, PHE’s Evidence into Action and supporting strategic and business plans at national and local level. NHS England’s Business Plan for 2016/17 prioritises closing the gap for groups experiencing poorer health outcomes, a poorer experience of, and access to, healthcare. PHE is supporting local and national efforts to address health inequalities by providing knowledge and intelligence, and evidence-informed tools and advice.

    The 2012 Health and Social Care Act introduced new duties on the Secretary of State, NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and Monitor to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities in decision-making and carrying out functions. We have also made having regard to the need to reduce health inequalities a condition of the public health grant to local authorities.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Philippines concerning drug trafficking.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK has a regular and productive law enforcement dialogue with the Philippine authorities relating to serious crime, including drug trafficking, though we have no intelligence to suggest that drugs are being trafficked from the Philippines to the UK or vice versa. All of our engagement in this area is subject to scrutiny under the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessment process.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to implement the family test.

    David Mundell

    The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. It is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in the development of all new policy. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the government of Romania on (a) improving media freedom and media pluralism in that country and (b) the activities of (i) Central Media Enterprise, (ii) Adrian Sârbu and (iii) Ronald Lauder.

    Mr David Lidington

    The British Embassy in Bucharest continues to follow the issue of media freedom in Romania, given its impact on the quality of democracy and on the rule of law. As part of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), to which Romania has been subject since its EU accession, the European Commission has called on Romania to “review existing standards to safeguard a free and pluralist media”. We have worked closely with the European Commission and the Romanian government in encouraging full implementation of CVM recommendations including on the relationship between the media and state institutions. The Department has had no recent discussions with the government of Romania on the activities of Central Media Enterprise, Adrian Sarbu or Ronald Lauder.

  • Angela Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Angela Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Crawley on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans the Government has to seek legislative consent from the Scottish Parliament for the proposed repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998.

    Dominic Raab

    This Government was elected with a clear mandate to replace the Human Rights Act with a Bill of Rights. We will bring forward proposals for consultation in due course, and will fully engage with the Devolved Administrations.

    It would be premature to comment on the application of the Sewell Convention until the package of legislation is settled.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the smoking rate in (a) local authorities in which it is above the English average and (b) other local authorities.

    Jane Ellison

    Local authorities, funded by the Government’s public health grant, have responsibility for providing a programme of tobacco control that meets the needs of their populations. Public Health England provides local authorities with a range of data and tools including the Local Tobacco Control Profiles for England and a local youth smoking mapping tool, to assist local priority setting and support delivery.

    This Government has committed to publishing a new tobacco control plan to further reduce the prevalence of smoking in England. Addressing health inequality and local variation will be a priority of the new strategy. We are working with local authorities to develop this element of the plan to support and empower local action, where tobacco control can be tailored to the unique needs of local populations.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28947, how many referrals the helpline has made to which relevant bodies in each year it has been in place, which relevant, on what date it is planned that the new modern slavery helpline will begin to operate; and how much funding the Government has allocated for the operation of that helpline.

    Karen Bradley

    I refer the Hon. Member to my response of 2 March. Between 31 July 2014 and 31 July 2015, 849 contacts were made to the NSPCC-run modern slavery helpline. Of these in total, 403 referrals were made to the police, 106 referrals were made to children’s services, 1 to the armed forces and 81 to other agencies. For the period 1 August 2015 to 31 January 2016 74 referrals were made to the helpline. Of these 49 referrals were made to the police, 14 referrals were made to children’s services and 11 to other agencies. A referral may be made to more than one agency and may include update referrals.

    No funding has been allocated for the NSPCC helpline for the financial year 2016-17. Polaris, a US-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is establishing an enhanced UK helpline in collaboration with a UK-based NGO, which will supersede the current NSPCC helpline. The NSPCC helpline will remain in operation until the enhanced helpline is up and running. Start up funding of up to £1 illion has been provided by Google.org. The new helpline is expected to be in operation later this year.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-04-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to fulfil their commitment in the 2015 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review to regard UN Peacekeeping as one of its most important roles.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    As set out in the Strategic Security and Defence Review, the UK attaches great importance to UN Peace Operations. The Government is committed to working with partners to further strengthen the UN’s capability to support global stability and end conflict. In the Security Council, we champion reforms that increases the efficiency and impact of UN engagement on conflict prevention and mediation, peace building and human rights.

    We are working with the UN to finalise the new military deployments announced by the Prime Minister in September 2015. The UK will deploy up to 70 personnel to UN peace operations in Somalia, and 250-300 to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. We will continue to identify and offer policing expertise where UK skills match UN missions’ requirements with the objective of steadily increasing the number of officers the UK deploys. We will also continue to support British candidates for senior positions in the UN, and deploy civilian staff with relevant expertise to key roles in UN missions and at UN headquarters.

    The UK will be hosting an international conference on UN peacekeeping which is part of a sustained effort to increase the capabilities available to UN peacekeeping. The Government is also in the process of forming a cross-Whitehall joint UN Peacekeeping Policy Unit to bring further focus to our efforts on peacekeeping.

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-05-05.

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

    Mr David Lidington

    We share the concerns of the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the EU over freedom of the expression in Turkey, including the arrest and detention of a number of journalists. As a friend and ally we strongly encourage Turkey to continue work towards the full protection of all fundamental rights, especially in the areas of minority rights, freedom of religion and freedom of expression – and will continue to do so.