Tag: Rosie Cooper

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, why HM Courts and Tribunals Service officials based in Lancashire were not informed that courts in that county were to be considered for closure before the consultation on the proposal for a single local justice area for Lancashire.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The consultation on the merger of the Local Justice Areas in Lancashire was launched on behalf of the Cumbria and Lancashire Judicial Business Group. This consultation closed on the 10 July 2015 and is separate to the consultation on the court and tribunal estate which I announced on 16 July 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that people using mobile telephones to call 999 are put in touch with the correct police force; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The 999/112 Liaison Committee, chaired by DCMS, provides a forum for representatives from Government; Communications Providers, including BT (which provides the 999 call handling agency) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs); emergency services and Ofcom, to discuss 999 operational matters The LC’s main concern is the effective handling and transfer of emergency calls from the public, through call handling agents ,to emergency authorities.

The “Code of Practice for the Public Emergency Call Service (PECS) between Communications Providers, Call Handing Agencies and the Emergency Authorities” sets out protocols governing 999 calls. This includes guidelines for the Emergency Authorities to manage any occasional situation in which an emergency 999 call is misdirected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to (a) raise awareness and (b) prevent the prevalence of prostate cancer.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England (PHE) ran a local pilot campaign from 20 October to 16 November 2014, specifically targeting prostate cancer within Black African-Caribbean men, because of their significantly increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The campaign was delivered in partnership with Prostate Cancer UK and was designed to support their awareness raising activity.

The campaign ran in six London boroughs – Hackney, Haringey, Newham, Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham – and was delivered mainly through face to face activity, supported by posters in key outdoor locations and in salons and a programme of targeted public relations.

The campaign was delivered in partnership with Prostate Cancer UK and was designed to support their awareness raising activity.

PHE will shortly be re-running the national campaign on “Blood in Pee”. Although primarily aimed at bladder and kidney cancer, blood in the urine can also be a sign of prostate cancer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is his Department’s practice for staff not to action correspondence until six weeks after receipt; and if he will take steps to ensure that priority is given to correspondence remaining not actioned after four weeks.

Justin Tomlinson

Ministers aim to reply to correspondence from hon. Members within twenty working days. This also applies where officials are replying to correspondence to Ministers from members of the public.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in West Lancashire have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in each of the last five years.

David Mowat

This data is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department owns the site of the former Glenburn Sports College in Skelmersdale.

Edward Timpson

Ownership of the site of the former Glenburn Sports College is currently under review in the Department. The site was originally owned by Lancashire County Council, and was then transferred to the Glenburn Education Trust when the school became a foundation school.

However, when the school closed earlier this year, the governing body was required under the law to apply for a Secretary of State determination as to the future of the site. No application was made, and in the absence of a determination, the Department is considering a representation from the local authority that the land should revert to them.

Any parties wishing to express an interest in facilities on the site should approach Lancashire County Council in the first instance, though any plans for future use will be for the eventual agreed holder of the site to take forward. The land will continue to be protected under legislation against disposal without the consent of the Secretary of State. As part of considering whether to grant consent, the Secretary of State will consider if the land can be redeployed for education.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when HM Courts and Tribunals Service Delivery Director for the North West region was informed of the inclusion of courts in Lancashire on the list of courts being considered for closure under the proposals announced on 23 June 2015.

Mr Shailesh Vara

A Written Ministerial Statement announcing the consultation on the closure of 91 courts in England and Wales was laid on 16 July 2015. Until that announcement, no final decision had been made on courts being considered for closure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police forces on their emergency response to incidents reporting breaking and entering, burglary and vandalism to vehicles, and other criminal activity when the criminal act is reported as being in progress.

Mike Penning

We are clear that all crimes reported to the police should be taken seriously, but it is an operational decision for the police to decide how best to respond to an individual report of crime including where a criminal act may be in progress.

While we do expect the nature of the police response to take account of the relevant circumstances, including any vulnerabilities or aggravating factors such as where members of the public may be at risk of harm, the Home Office does not issue guidance to the police on such operational matters.

These are the responsibility of Chief Constables, in association with Police and Crime Commissioners, and guidance may be published by the independent College of Policing.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has to introduce a prostate cancer screening programme.

Jane Ellison

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recently examined and consulted upon the international peer reviewed evidence regarding prostate cancer screening. The UK NSC recommended against a systematic population screening programme for prostate cancer. This is because the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is not an accurate enough test for prostate cancer. Additionally, the UK NSC identified that there is still an incomplete understanding of which prostate cancers are aggressive and require treatment and which are safe to actively monitor. There is a significant amount of research activity underway, but currently the evidence suggests that a systematic screening programme would do more harm than good.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has issued guidance to GP practices on waiting times for patients seeking telephone consultation appointments.

Alistair Burt

There is no central guidance to general practitioner (GP) practices on waiting times for telephone consultations.

GPs can conduct telephone consultations with patients if they feel it is appropriate to do so. This could remove the need for the patient to go on to have a face to face consultation, however, it is for the GP to use his or her clinical judgement to decide if and when a face to face consultation should take place, and for the patient to decide if they wish to attend.

This Government is committed to improving access to GP consultations and the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund encourages practices in the schemes to use innovative methods to provide appointments to patients.