Tag: Stephen Kinnock

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2016 to Question 37099, if the Government will support an independent investigation into allegations of attacks on Syrian asylum seekers by Turkish border guards.

Mr David Lidington

Turkey continues to show extraordinary generosity by hosting over 2.7 million Syrian refugees. This has included granting Syrian refugees the right to work, and providing education and committing to increase access to it. Turkey also offers humanitarian support to refugees across its border with Syria. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my answer of 25 May 2016 in response to his Written Question of 18 May 2016 (37099). It remains our understanding that the Turkish government has made preparations to accept more Syrian refugees should conditions in Syria necessitate so, but that its approach is to enable humanitarian aid to be provided to affected populations in northern Syria. Turkey has confirmed that its border remains open to the most vulnerable Syrian refugees. We take all allegations about Turkish treatment of migrants seriously, and raise them regularly with the Turkish authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to apply to the EU’s Globalisation Adjustment Fund for funding for the UK steel industry.

Priti Patel

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 November 2015 to question UIN 14404

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2016 to Question 37099, if the Government will support a public call on the government of Turkey to end the closure of its border with Syria.

Mr David Lidington

Turkey continues to show extraordinary generosity by hosting over 2.7 million Syrian refugees. This has included granting Syrian refugees the right to work, and providing education and committing to increase access to it. Turkey also offers humanitarian support to refugees across its border with Syria. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my answer of 25 May 2016 in response to his Written Question of 18 May 2016 (37099). It remains our understanding that the Turkish government has made preparations to accept more Syrian refugees should conditions in Syria necessitate so, but that its approach is to enable humanitarian aid to be provided to affected populations in northern Syria. Turkey has confirmed that its border remains open to the most vulnerable Syrian refugees. We take all allegations about Turkish treatment of migrants seriously, and raise them regularly with the Turkish authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 22461, on blood: contamination, how many cases of liability have been established for people with haemophilia infected with HIV and/or hepatitis C through NHS-supplied contaminated blood or blood products.

Jane Ellison

These infections are a tragedy for those affected but they occurred before blood donor screening tests or methods of viral inactivation were available in the United Kingdom. In 1991, a case brought by haemophilia patients infected with HIV was settled out of court with no liability established. In 2001 the National Blood Authority was found liable under the Consumer Protection Act for infection with hepatitis C in relation to whole blood caused to 117 patients infected between 1988 and 1991. It is not known if any of these plaintiffs were haemophilia patients. Since 1988, ex-gratia financial support schemes have been set up for people who have been affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through treatment with National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products. To date over £390 million has been paid out to those affected through five different organisations funded by the health departments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-07-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are concurrently claiming employment and support allowance and personal independence payments for long-term and degenerative conditions.

Justin Tomlinson

In March 2016 approximately 6,600 Employment and Support Allowance claimants with a long-term and degenerative condition as their primary condition also received Personal Independence Payment.

‘Long-term and degenerative conditions’ include cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, other rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality of 20 July 2015, Official Report, column 1227, for what reasons dependent children are not included in the consultation seeking views on proposed reforms to the schemes supporting those infected with, or affected by, HIV and/or hepatitis C through NHS-supplied blood products.

Jane Ellison

Those already infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products and all bereaved partners/spouses of those infected are entitled to apply for discretionary means-tested payments of support, which could be used for dependent children. The charitable bodies make payments on the basis of need, in accordance with their specific objectives, enabling such support to be targeted to those in greater financial need. The consultation seeks views on providing discretionary payments for travel and accommodation costs relating to ill health. These payments are not guaranteed from year to year and those in receipt of these payments are informed of this. Responses to the consultation will help us to decide if this is a viable proposal and we welcome any suggestions respondents may have in relation to the proposals and what would be of benefit to them. No decisions will be made about the shape and structure of a new scheme until after the consultation closes on 15 April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-07-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of his Department’s capacity to manage the appeals and review process for personal independence payments.

Justin Tomlinson

Departmental analysts forecast projected volumes of Personal Independence Payment Mandatory Reconsiderations and appeals; these projections are used to determine staffing requirements. The assessment of the Department’s capacity to handle volumes is determined from current deployment, planned recruitment and attrition rates. The information is updated, reported and reviewed on a monthly basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral statement of 26 March 2015, Official Report, column 1423, on the Penrose Report on contaminated blood, when the Government plans to respond to the findings of that report.

Jane Ellison

Lord Penrose made one recommendation in the Final Report, to ‘take all reasonable steps to offer a hepatitis C test to anyone who had a blood transfusion before September 1991 who has not been tested for hepatitis C’ through reminding general practitioners, nurses and other clinical staff of this matter, along with the National Health Service guidance to offer a hepatitis C test to those who may be at risk. The Penrose Inquiry was set up by the Scottish Government and so there is no requirement for the Department in England to provide a formal Government response to the final report published on 25 March 2015. We have, however implemented the recommendation in the Penrose Report by issuing reminders as recorded in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 20 July 2015 (Official Record HCWS146) and addressed in the Contaminated Blood Products debate (HC Deb, 9 September 2015, c86WH).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-07-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department carried out an assessment prior to the introduction of personal independence payments for existing disability living allowance recipients of the effect of that introduction on advice services such as Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Justin Tomlinson

No specific such assessment was carried out.

Citizens Advice Bureaux have been, and continue to be, members of the Personal Independence Payment Implementation Stakeholder Forum and regularly engage with the Department on PIP issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations he has received on the effectiveness of the Pension Service helpline.

Justin Tomlinson

We have a number of pension service telephony lines including the Pension Tracing Service; International Pension Claims/Changes; International Pension Enquiries; State Pension Claims; and State Pension changes. We conduct an annual DWP Customer Satisfaction Survey which ensures that we are delivering against our customer charter.

All our Pension Service telephony services are subject to continuous improvement to improve our service delivery.