Tag: Simon Burns

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the development of the HIV/STI national clinical audit; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) commissions and manages the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme on behalf of NHS England. The HQIP has asked for expressions of interest from suitable providers who are able to design and complete a one year feasibility study to inform any future national clinical audit of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. The contract for the work will be awarded this summer. NHS England cannot disclose the number of expressions of interest that have been received at this stage as this is commercially sensitive information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-17.

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what the criteria were for the choice of members of the panel of selection to consider the appointment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive; and who selected those members.

John Thurso

The selection panel that will consider the appointment of the next Clerk of the House was chosen by Mr Speaker and its composition was considered by the House of Commons Commission at its meeting on 16 June. The criteria for selection of panel members included party balance, gender balance and the need for external independent input.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to improve access to and standards of primary care.

Mr Jeremy Hunt

The Government recently outlined its ambitions in ‘Transforming Primary Care’. We have invested £50 million to improve access and made changes to the general practitioner (GP) contract to help ensure that patients aged over 75 and those with the most complex needs receive more personalised and proactive care.

We have also appointed a new Chief Inspector of General Practice, and the Care Quality Commission is inspecting standards in GP practices and taking strong action wherever they find poor care.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-12.

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, who was responsible for the appointment of Saxton Bampfylde for the search for a successor to the Clerk of the House and Chief Executive; and who will monitor its progress.

John Thurso

Following a competitive tendering process, Saxton Bampfylde was appointed on 29 May 2014 to support the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, in particular by providing executive search services. Three bids were received and evaluated by Mr Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change. The fee for these services is fixed at £18,000. The contract will be monitored by the Department of HR and Change. The recruitment brief to which Saxton Bampfylde are working will be placed in the Library.

The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a panel chaired by Mr Speaker, three other members of the House of Commons Commission, a senior backbencher and an external member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-12.

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, how much Saxton Bampfylde will be paid for its work on a successor to the Clerk of the House and Chief Executive; and if he will publish their terms of reference.

John Thurso

Following a competitive tendering process, Saxton Bampfylde was appointed on 29 May 2014 to support the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, in particular by providing executive search services. Three bids were received and evaluated by Mr Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change. The fee for these services is fixed at £18,000. The contract will be monitored by the Department of HR and Change. The recruitment brief to which Saxton Bampfylde are working will be placed in the Library.

The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a panel chaired by Mr Speaker, three other members of the House of Commons Commission, a senior backbencher and an external member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-12.

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, when Saxton Bampfylde was appointed for the search for a successor to the Clerk of the House and Chief Executive.

John Thurso

Following a competitive tendering process, Saxton Bampfylde was appointed on 29 May 2014 to support the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, in particular by providing executive search services. Three bids were received and evaluated by Mr Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change. The fee for these services is fixed at £18,000. The contract will be monitored by the Department of HR and Change. The recruitment brief to which Saxton Bampfylde are working will be placed in the Library.

The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a panel chaired by Mr Speaker, three other members of the House of Commons Commission, a senior backbencher and an external member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-12.

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, who will be responsible for the appointment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive.

John Thurso

Following a competitive tendering process, Saxton Bampfylde was appointed on 29 May 2014 to support the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, in particular by providing executive search services. Three bids were received and evaluated by Mr Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change. The fee for these services is fixed at £18,000. The contract will be monitored by the Department of HR and Change. The recruitment brief to which Saxton Bampfylde are working will be placed in the Library.

The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a panel chaired by Mr Speaker, three other members of the House of Commons Commission, a senior backbencher and an external member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-16.

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, who determined the terms of the advertisement seeking applications for the post of Clerk of the House and Chief Executive.

John Thurso

Three organisations specialising in executive search services were invited to tender to provide support for the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive. Saxton Bampfylde was selected through this process.

The selection panel comprises Mr Speaker, Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP, Angela Eagle MP, John Thurso MP, Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP and Dame Julie Mellor (Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman). No confirmation hearing is envisaged. The composition of the panel for the recruitment of the present postholder was Mr Speaker, Rt Hon Sir George Young MP, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, John Thurso MP, Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP, Rt Hon Lindsay Hoyle MP and Sheila Drew Smith.

Knowledge of procedural and constitutional issues will be tested as part of the formal interview process. The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. As part of normal pre-appointment checks it will be a requirement for the next Clerk of the House to be subject to security vetting. The terms of the recruitment brief were agreed by the Commission by correspondence, and the advertisement, finalised by the Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change, was based on the agreed brief.