Tag: Roger Godsiff

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure the NHS is not charged a premium price by pharmaceutical companies for general prescription drugs.

Alistair Burt

In the main, the National Health Service obtains value for money from the purchasing of medicines through the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and the statutory scheme for branded medicines and through competition in the generic medicines market.

Where we suspect that price rises are excessive, we can, and do, alert the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and ask it to investigate.

My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, has asked the CMA to urgently look at the issues raised in the media recently as part of its continuing investigations into excessive drugs pricing.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department will commit to maintaining or increasing funding that is allocated to eradicating violence against women in armed conflict, facilitating universal access to reproductive healthcare and supporting equal rights and opportunities for women and girls.

Rory Stewart

The UK has put the empowerment of women and girls at the heart of our international development work, and is delivering significant results for women and girls. We played an instrumental role in influencing the global agreement for Sustainable Development Goal 5 ‘to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’. We also made firm commitments to support women and girls in the 2015 UK Aid strategy, underpinned by the 2014 International Development (Gender Equality) Act legislation, which ensures that UK Aid development and humanitarian work considers gender issues as a core part of everything they deliver. The UK is a global leader in promoting, protecting and supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including neglected and difficult issues. The 2012 London Summit on Family Planning put the issue firmly back on the international agenda, and the UK is a core convenor of the FP2020 movement established at the Summit to drive forward progress.

Full attainment of political, social and economic rights for women and girls is a UK priority, recognising its centrality to greater peace and stability. Violence against women and girls is one of the most systematic, widespread human rights violations worldwide. Globally, 1 in 3 women is beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime. DFID has made significant progress in scaling up efforts to address violence against women and girls, nearly doubling our programming from 64 programmes in 2012 to 127 in 2016 (including the £25 million ‘What Works to Prevent Violence’ programme). The UK and the new Secretary of State will continue to lead the global effort to improve the lives of women and girls, promoting gender equality and women and girls empowerment in all contexts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to ensure that regulatory standards on clean beaches and seas, marine wildlife protection and fish population levels will not be lowered after the UK leaves the EU.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

In the 2015 Manifesto, we set the goal of being the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than that in which we found it. This is a big ambition to which the Government remains committed to today.

We also have a manifesto commitment to produce a 25 Year Plan for the environment which will be the basis of our approach to the environment.

As we start the process of leaving the EU, we will aim to deliver a stable and clear legislative framework for the environment, including maintaining standards that underpin trade and deliver on our international commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to maintain or enhance the UK’s environmental protection standards following an exit from the EU.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

We remain fully committed to delivering our manifesto commitment to be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than we found it. We are developing a 25 Year Environment Plan to deliver this.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister announced our plans for a Repeal Bill that will convert current EU law into domestic British law. This will give consumers, workers and businesses as much certainty as possible by maintaining the existing laws wherever practicable and desirable. Any future changes in the law will be subject to full scrutiny and proper Parliamentary debate. The decision to leave the EU means we now have a unique opportunity, in future, to design a set of policies tailored to the needs of the UK, its species and habitats.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the UK will take to safeguard children and other civilians in any assault on IS in Mosul; what steps she will take to put in place safe routes out for children and families; and if she will ensure that screening procedures take care not to separate families.

Rory Stewart

On 21 September, the UK announced an extra £40 million of humanitarian funding to Iraq, taking our total commitment to £90 million this financial year and £169.5 million since June 2014. This new assistance will be targeted specifically to enable a scale up of humanitarian assistance ahead of the Government of Iraq-led Mosul operations. It will include support to efforts aimed at ensuring the protection of civilians, including children.

The UK will continue to lobby all parties to adhere to International Humanitarian Law and for screening to take place in a transparent manner, under a fully accountable chain of command, and to be monitored independently by the UN and other neutral and impartial humanitarian actors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the consultation on whether to introduce a new online system for disability benefit appeals, whether the Government (a) took steps to ensure claimants were aware of that consultation, (b) plans to consult with groups representing disabled and ill people and people who claim employment and support allowance, personal independence payment or disability living allowance and (c) will take steps to ensure that the views of claimants are given sufficient weight when deciding whether to proceed with those proposals; and when she plans for the results of that consultation to be released.

Sir Oliver Heald

The Government is investing £1 billion to modernise our world-leading justice system. That means creating a system that is just, proportionate and accessible.

Technology will be at the forefront of our reforms but specific support will be provided to ensure tribunals remain accessible to all and physical hearings will be used to resolve many cases.

The ‘Transforming our Justice System’ consultation is about the administration of justice across all courts and tribunals and not one specific area. My officials are engaging with appropriate stakeholders, including disability groups, on relevant matters. We will consider all submissions before issuing a response in the coming months.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans for the public consultation on the Cancer Drugs Fund to begin.

George Freeman

The Government remains committed to the Cancer Drugs Fund and is working with NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the future arrangements for the Fund.

NHS England has advised that its plans for a public consultation on its proposals for the Fund are being finalised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken for a disability benefit appeal to reach a tribunal in Birmingham.

Mr Shailesh Vara

HMCTS is unable to provide the information requested as it is not held centrally.

Information about the timeliness of SSCS appeals is published by the Ministry of Justice in the Tribunal and Gender Recognition Certificate Statistics Quarterly. The most recent report (for the period April to June 2015, published on 10 September 2015) can be viewed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2015.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she plans to take to improve home energy efficiency.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government is committed to meeting its legally binding target to help as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030, with interim targets on Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025.

This Government has also set a specific goal of insulating 1 million homes by the end of this Parliament, in line with our commitments on fuel poverty.

A reformed domestic supplier obligation (ECO) from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year. This will help to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty and continue to deliver on our commitment to help 1 million more homes this Parliament. We are providing support for households to improve their energy efficiency through the new supplier obligation, which will run for 5 years.

Our extension of the Warm Home Discount to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m pa will alsohelp households who are at most risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing penalties levied on employers who do not pay staff at least the national minimum wage.

Nick Boles

From April 2016, we are increasing the calculation of penalties from 100% to 200% of the arrears owed. The penalty is reduced by half if employers pay within 14 days.

By increasing the penalties for underpayment of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) we intend to deter employers from breaking the law so that working people receive the money they are legally due.

This new calculation ensures a tougher penalty for employers found to have underpaid the NMW.

The fast track Impact Assessment for increasing the penalties has been validated by the Regulatory Policy Committee and published here – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/324

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