Tag: Rupa Huq

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children the UK has accepted from the Jungle near Calais; and what estimate the Government has made of the number of such children the UK will take as a consequence of the Dubs amendment.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Between 1 January and 1 October 2016 over 80 children from France were accepted for transfer under the Dublin Regulation on the basis of close family links, of which nearly all have arrived in the UK.

On 10 October, the Home Secretary met with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to discuss a range of issues, including the proposed clearance of the camp in Calais.

The UK Government has made clear its commitment to transfer from Europe to the UK unaccompanied refugee children under the 2016 Immigration Act, and ensure those with close links to the UK are brought here using the Dublin Regulation, where it is in their best interests. Home Office teams are being deployed to France over the coming weeks to work with the French authorities to speed up the identification and transfer of eligible cases. We continue to work with the French authorities to establish the number of children who may be eligible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Egyptian counterpart on alleged human rights abuses in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), discussed human rights issues in Egypt with President Sisi during his visit to the UK in November. He raised a number of concerns, including around the detention of political activists, mass trials and restrictions on freedom of expression. In recent months the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have continued to raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities. Most recently, Simon Gass, FCO Political Director, met the Egyptian Ambassador to London in February and raised our concerns on alleged human rights abuses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the Government’s policy is on the nature of the border controls between the UK and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.

James Brokenshire

The open border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland existed for many years before either country was a member of the European Union and it has served both countries well. There is a strong will – within this Government, among the Northern Ireland parties and in the Irish Government – to preserve the open border. We must now work closely together to ensure that as the UK leaves the EU we find shared solutions to the challenges and maximise the opportunities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made by his Department or NHS England of the effect of minor ailments services provided by community pharmacies on demand for the services of GP practices and other parts of the NHS; and what assessment he has made of the effect of planned reductions in funding for pharmacies on those services.

Alistair Burt

NHS England has taken account of the potential impact of a pharmacy minor ailments service on general practitioner services and other parts of the National Health Service. The findings of the Minor Ailment study (‘MINA’ study), conducted by the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with NHS Grampian and the University of East Anglia, on behalf of Pharmacy Research UK in 2014, were considered. In addition, evaluations of local minor ailments schemes have continued to inform decision-making about local commissioning of such schemes.

Community pharmacy is a vital part of the NHS and can play an even greater role. In the Spending Review the Government re-affirmed the need for the NHS to deliver £22 billion in efficiency savings by 2020/21 as set out in the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View. Community pharmacy is a core part of NHS primary care and has an important contribution to make as the NHS rises to these challenges. The Government believes efficiencies can be made without compromising the quality of services or public access to them. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive and so we are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared to others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.

The Government’s vision is for a more efficient, modern system that will free up pharmacists to spend more time delivering clinical and public health services to the benefit of patients and the public.

We are consulting the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, other pharmacy bodies and patient and public representatives on our proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond. An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course.

Local commissioning and funding of services from community pharmacies, such as minor ailment services, will be unaffected by these proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans for any trade agreement between the UK and EU to come into force after the UK leaves the EU to be undertaken alongside negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker

We are considering in detail the advantages and disadvantages of several different approaches. But we will not undermine the Government’s negotiating position by giving a running commentary on our position before negotiations have even started.

The Prime Minister has spoken of getting a bespoke deal for the country – what we want is the right deal, on both trade for the UK and our relationship with the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made by his Department or NHS England of the effect of minor ailments services provided by community pharmacies on demand for the services of GP practices and other parts of the NHS; and what assessment he has made of the effect of planned reductions in funding for pharmacies on those services.

Alistair Burt

NHS England has taken account of the potential impact of a pharmacy minor ailments service on general practitioner services and other parts of the National Health Service. The findings of the Minor Ailment study (‘MINA’ study), conducted by the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with NHS Grampian and the University of East Anglia, on behalf of Pharmacy Research UK in 2014, were considered. In addition, evaluations of local minor ailments schemes have continued to inform decision-making about local commissioning of such schemes.

Community pharmacy is a vital part of the NHS and can play an even greater role. In the Spending Review the Government re-affirmed the need for the NHS to deliver £22 billion in efficiency savings by 2020/21 as set out in the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View. Community pharmacy is a core part of NHS primary care and has an important contribution to make as the NHS rises to these challenges. The Government believes efficiencies can be made without compromising the quality of services or public access to them. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive and so we are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared to others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.

The Government’s vision is for a more efficient, modern system that will free up pharmacists to spend more time delivering clinical and public health services to the benefit of patients and the public.

We are consulting the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, other pharmacy bodies and patient and public representatives on our proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond. An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course.

Local commissioning and funding of services from community pharmacies, such as minor ailment services, will be unaffected by these proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to retain access for UK universities to EU research programmes after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The Government is committed to maintaining and enhancing the strength of the UK’s research base. This is why it has protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the Parliament, as well as committing to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021.

HM Treasury’s decision to underwrite the grants of competitively bid for EU research funding will give British participants and their EU partners the assurance and certainty needed to plan ahead for projects that can stretch over many years. The Government will ensure that the UK continues to be a world leader in research and innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in (a) England and (b) Ealing Central and Acton constituency have familial hypercholesterolaemia; and what the cost to the NHS was of treatment of that condition in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison

Information on the numbers of people with familial hypercholesterolaemia and the cost to the National Health Service of treating this condition is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to retain visa exemptions for PhD-level jobs after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Future immigration arrangements for EU citizens are still to be determined. However, the Government has consistently enhanced the treatment of PhD-level jobs in the immigration system.

Immigration reforms since 2010 have explicitly taken account of the needs of academics, scientists and researchers and will continue to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to section 5.9 of the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of Tier 2 visas, published in December 2015, whether he plans to introduce an Immigration Skills Charge for employers for all Tier 2 visa workers of £1,000 per year per worker.

Joseph Johnson

Following consideration of the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations on migration and other evidence, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Immigration has made a written statement on Tier 2 migration including the Immigration Skills Charge.

The full statement can be viewed at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-03-24/HCWS660/.

“