Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GPs were recruited to the NHS under the GP International recruitment scheme in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019; and what the cost to the public purse has been of that scheme.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The International GP Recruitment (IGPR) Programme was announced in August 2017 and recruitment began from April 2018. Prior to this, four pilot schemes were established between May 2016 and November 2017. The IGPR programme has now recruited over 150 doctors from overseas through the extended national programme and the pilots. These are part of the pipeline of over 350 doctors who are currently working through the Induction and Refresher scheme aimed at supporting both international general practitioners joining general practice in England and domestically trained doctors wishing to return to practice.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government plans to take to ensure that the EU’s anti-dumping tariffs against ceramic tableware from China will be maintained if the UK leaves the EU without a deal before the EU has concluded its anti-circumvention case in December.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Government has committed to transition the current EU measures on tableware and kitchenware, once the UK begins operating an independent trade policy.
We have also been clear that any ongoing investigations, including the current circumvention review, that have not resulted in a definitive measure by that time will not be transitioned. Industry will be able to apply to the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate for a circumvention review.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many referrals have been received by his Department under sub-section 244 of the National Health Service Act 2006 since the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 by (a) local authority and (b) clinical commissioning group where such a request has been passed to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel; and what the outcome was of any decision.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Since the commencement of the Health and Social Care Act in 2012, the Department has received 23 referrals from local authorities and none from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). CCGs are the bodies that propose service change and do not have the power to refer such changes to the Secretary of State.
Findings and final advice on each of the 23 cases are set out in detail on the Independent Reconfiguration Panel’s website.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether a central register of back-up generators at NHS hospitals is maintained by his Department.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
A central register of back-up generators at National Health Service hospitals is not maintained centrally.
NHS trusts are responsible for ensuring their estate and services are resilient against emergencies, hazards and threats and their impacts and consequences.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what back-up power generation systems are in place for NHS Digital; and when they were last tested under load.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
NHS Digital has advised that back-up power generation systems are in place at the following locations:
- Leeds - last load bank test carried out on 6 March 2019; and
- Exeter - last load bank test carried out on 25 June 2018.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence he has had with Stoke-on-Trent City Council on the potential for bus franchising within that city; and whether he will place copies of that correspondence in the Library.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.
We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.
Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.
We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities that are not part of Mayoral Combined Authority areas, run franchised bus services under the Bus Services Act 2017.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.
We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.
Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.
We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which local authorities have submitted proposals for franchising services to his Department under the provisions of the Bus Services Act 2017.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.
We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.
Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.
We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria his Department uses to assess the (a) capacity, (b) track-record and (c) economic geography of a local authority to undertake bus franchising; and whether Stoke-on-Trent City Council has complied with that criteria.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.
We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.
Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.
We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to respond to the recommendations of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Review: Second Interim Report, published on 22 January 2019, and whether he intends to accept the findings in the report.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Home Office will formally respond to the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act, following submission of its final report and recommendations to the Home Secretary by the end of March 2019.