Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England is taking to ensure that autism diagnosis waiting times for (i) children and (ii) adults in Sheffield Brightside meet NICE guidance.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to gather information that can be shared between areas that have arrangements in place to meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism: support for commissioning and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the National Health Service to be working towards meeting the recommendations.
NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG is working with Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to refine their autism pathway, from diagnosis through to therapy and support if appropriate, to be in line with the NICE recommendations. In October 2013, Sheffield CCG commissioned a service to be NICE compliant. However, the service has received a higher volume of referrals than had been anticipated, and is currently the subject of a review to ensure the right model and level of service is delivered in Sheffield.We are not aware of any issues in Carshalton and Wallington.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that parties to the conflict in Yemen exercise maximum restraint and adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are aware of reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Yemen by all sides to the conflict and take these very seriously. We have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities and have received repeated assurances of IHL compliance and we continue to engage with them on those assurances. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with international human rights law.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach families in the North of Yemen despite the blockade of port Hodieda.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We remain very concerned about access for commercial and humanitarian shipping in Yemen. The UK has made clear to all parties that access for commercial goods and humanitarian aid, including via Hodeidah port, must be improved, and emphasised the importance of the non-politicisation of aid. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi Arabian-led coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient. The UK has so far announced £75 million in humanitarian aid – delivered through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs - to support Yemenis affected by the crisis.Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will make representations to all parties in the conflict in Yemen to ensure humanitarian access.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have made clear to all parties to the conflict that they must take all reasonable steps to facilitate access for humanitarian aid, and have emphasised the importance of non-politicisation of aid, as well as the need to facilitate access for commercial goods. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi-led military coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient, which should further ease access for aid. The Foreign Secretary met President Hadi on 28 September and spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Al Jubeir on 29 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly, and underlined the importance the UK attaches to finding a political solution to the current crisis as soon as possible. The Foreign Secretary also reinforced the necessity of full compliance with international humanitarian law and of facilitating access humanitarian and commercial shipping to the Saudi Foreign Minister. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) co-chaired an international meeting on the Yemen humanitarian crisis on 28 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly. This was attended by representatives of the military coalition governments and by the government of Yemen. In this meeting, she reiterated that it was critical for all parties to the conflict to facilitate immediate humanitarian access into and within Yemen, and lift any restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipping. To tackle the humanitarian crisis, the UK has so far announced £75 million – through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs - to support Yemenis affected by the crisis, including those forced to flee their homes, with emergency shelter, healthcare, water and food assistance, as well as supporting UN work to co-ordinate the humanitarian response.Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2015 to the hon. Member for East Ham to Question 9951, if she will make it her policy to include attainment at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 in the education indicator in her Department's proposed Life Chances report.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Education is important which is why we are legislating to introduce new life chances measures of worklessness and educational attainment at the end of Key Stage 4, which is the culmination of formal education, for children in England. The department will continue to publish other educational data in relation to attainment at Key Stages 1 and 2.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question
To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, whether tips paid by credit or debit cards in catering outlets on the Parliamentary Estate are passed on to staff in addition to their wages.
Answered by Tom Brake
Tips paid by debit and credit cards are passed on to permanent front-of-house catering staff in addition to their wages.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question
To ask the Rt. Hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff in catering outlets on the Parliamentary Estate are employed on zero-hour contracts.
Answered by Tom Brake
The House of Commons does not offer new members of staff zero-hours contracts, and guarantees work for all its employees. There are two members of staff currently working under casual contracts in Catering Services, whose appointments pre-date this policy. They have been offered, but have declined, guaranteed hours employment contracts.
The arrangements in the House of Lords are a matter for the Administration of that House.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on negotiations between the Government and Sheffield City region for a new City Deal of the suspension of work on the electrification of the TransPennine route and the Midland Main Line.
Answered by Claire Perry
The pausing of electrification of the TransPennine route and the Midland Main Line has no effect on negotiations between the Government and Sheffield City region for a new City Deal.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the Government will use Sure Start centres to provide additional childcare as part of its policy of extending free childcare to 30 hours per week.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Children’s centres provide a valuable service. They have the potential to make a critical difference to young families at vulnerable and challenging times in their lives. Local authorities are best placed to determine what children’s centre services best meet the needs of their local community, including the role they should play in delivering childcare provision.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had on the possible establishment of a tuberculosis control board in South Yorkshire.
Answered by Jane Ellison
I understand that a joint tuberculosis control board is to be established covering the Yorkshire and the Humber and North East regions.