Tag: Ruth Cadbury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Secretary of State has made of the potential effects of a third runway at Heathrow Airport on the UK’s ability to meet pollution targets set at COP21.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Any decision regarding future airport capacity will take into account the Government’s obligations under the 2008 Climate Change Act.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has responsibility for addressing emissions from international aviation, rather than the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which held COP21. We are working hard through ICAO to try to secure agreement on a global market-based measure to address international aviation emissions.

For domestic aviation, which is covered by UNFCCC, emissions are already accounted for under the UK’s Carbon Budgets with the aim of ensuring overall UK emissions are less than 80% of 1990 levels by 2050.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support the Government (a) has provided and (b) plans to provide to governments in Africa for eradicating the killing of animals for the ivory trade.

Rory Stewart

The UK Government works closely with African and other countries to promote the conservation of the world’s wildlife, including through galvanising action to end the illegal trade in ivory.

We hosted the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014, and supported the Government of Botswana in its hosting of a follow-up Conference in March 2015.

The UK actively supports the African-led Elephant Protection Initiative, launched in the margins of the London Conference, which now has eleven African countries as members. We have committed over £1 million to this initiative over the last two years.

Defra’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund has made grants to 19 projects in its first round, including eight projects in Africa, worth £2.1 million, tackling the ivory trade. Projects to be funded under a second round will be announced shortly.

The UK is also providing training in counter-poaching activity in Gabon, through the Ministry of Defence, and has provided support for judicial capacity building in skills related to tackling the illegal trade in wildlife products in Kenya and Tanzania.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public and private hospitals lie under the Heathrow final approach flight paths; and how many such hospitals would lie under the proposed flightpaths should the third runway be approved.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government continues to consider the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report, including on flight paths, before taking any decisions on next steps. Ultimately, any proposals to alter the airport’s flightpaths would be subject to the Civil Aviation Authority’s Airspace Change Process which includes the need to consult those local communities affected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to further investigate the deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital; and whether any future inquiry will be statutory in nature.

Ben Gummer

On 10 July 2014, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced the establishment of the Gosport Independent Panel, chaired by Bishop James Jones, set up to review documentary evidence held across a range of organisations concerning the initial care of families’ relatives and the subsequent investigations into their deaths in Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

The terms of reference for the Gosport Independent Panel, agreed with the families of the deceased and those treated, were published on 9 December 2014. In summary the terms of reference are to:

― consult with the families of the deceased and of those treated to ensure that the views of those affected are taken into consideration;

― obtain, examine and analyse documentation from all relevant organisations and individuals (governmental and non-governmental); and

― produce a report which will provide an overview of the information reviewed by the Panel and will illustrate how the information disclosed adds to public understanding of these events and their aftermath.

The review by the Independent Panel is expected to complete by the end of 2017. Until such time as the findings of the Panel are published the Government does not intend to conduct any further inquiries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had on (a) ending the role of GPs in (i) assessing eligibility for bus passes, parking badges, housing and gym membership and (ii) other non-NHS work and (b) ensuring that such work is commissioned from other sources by the requesting organisation.

Alistair Burt

General practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors who hold contracts with NHS England to provide primary medical services for the National Health Service. Under the terms of their contract, GPs are required to provide certain medical reports or complete certain forms, such as those required to support a claim for incapacity benefit, free of charge to their registered patients.

Outside of contractual requirements, GPs also provide a variety of other services which successive governments have regarded as private matters between the patient and the GP providing these services. Whether or not to provide these services is a matter for individual GPs. They may decline to provide them or charge a fee for doing so. Where GPs intend to charge for services to patients, the British Medical Association advises them to forewarn patients, at the earliest opportunity, of the likely level of fees.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of relocation of Ofcom departments from London to other areas of the country on Ofcom’s ability to maintain its service standards.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The location of Ofcom departments and its offices is a matter for Ofcom, who are independent from Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she received from religious organisations on steps to prevent civil society organisations from objecting to school admission arrangements prior to her announcing proposals to limit such objections to local parents and councils.

Nick Gibb

The Department’s proposed changes are intended to ensure that the Adjudicator is able to focus on the concerns parents may have about the fairness of the admission arrangements of their local school, and is not held up by the need also to consider objections referred by interest groups from outside the area.

We do not believe that preventing other organisations from submitting objections will have a detrimental impact.

A full public consultation will be conducted in due course and careful consideration will be given to all the views expressed in that consultation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Heathrow Hub runway extension is being considered as an alternative to a third runway.

Mr Robert Goodwill

On 14 December 2015, the Government formally announced that it accepted the Airports Commission’s case for new runway capacity in the South East, as well as the Commission’s three shortlisted schemes – namely additional runways at Gatwick or Heathrow, or an extension to the existing northern runway at Heathrow. The Government will not be considering any other options.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups and local authorities are jointly commissioning children’s palliative care as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.

Ben Gummer

The Department does not collect information centrally on commissioning of children’s palliative care by clinical commissioning groups. Clinical commissioning groups have responsibility for ensuring that they are meeting the needs of those requiring children’s palliative care services, considering the full range of local provision, both statutory and voluntary sectors and the wishes of children and young people and their families.

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires joint commissioning arrangements between local authorities in England and their partner commissioning bodies for children and young people with special educational need and disability. It does not require clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to jointly commission children’s palliative care.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to reduce indemnity costs on general practice.

Alistair Burt

The Department and NHS England committed in the recently published General Practice Forward View to review the current arrangements for indemnity cover for general practitioners. To take this review forward, a General Practice Indemnity Steering Group has been established by the Department with NHS England to look at the rising cost of indemnity, and to bring forward proposals for discussion by the end of July 2016.