Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of the 15 per cent reduction in central government funding for English fire services over the period 2016-17 to 2019-20 on the ability of those services to respond to high-rise fires.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Nothing is more important than keeping the public safe and the Government recognise the vital role firefighters continue to play in protecting communities. All fire and rescue services have a capability to fight high rise fires. Regular engagement takes place with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) which represents the fire and rescue sector to Government.
They are also required to have integrated risk management plans, which target resources to best protect their communities. Fire & Rescue Authorities have a statutory requirement to have mutual assistance arrangements in place to provide additional support in the event of a major incident occurring. This is augmented by Home Office supported national resilience capabilities.
Fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work and will receive around £2.3 billion in 2019/20. Single purpose fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of 2.3% in cash terms in 2019/20 and an overall increase of 0.3% from 2015/16 to 2019/20.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response his Department has had from the Omani authorities since raising the case of the Shuhuh 6.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I raised the allegations with the Omani Ambassador on 21 May who gave assurances that there is no discrimination against members of the Shihuh tribe. Our Ambassador in Muscat has also raised the arrests with the Omani authorities, most recently on 27 May with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have also confirmed that there is no discrimination against any tribe or community in Oman. They have also conveyed assurances from the Oman Human Rights Commission that the individuals arrested in Musandam were treated with respect for their human rights and given full access to legal assistance.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to increase ethnic diversity in the fire and rescue service.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Diversity in fire and rescue services is not an optional extra and Government has been active in driving reform in this vital area.
As well as publishing workforce diversity data, we have established a new inspection regime which is shining a light on local fire and rescue services. In August 2018 the Home Office launched a national campaign to highlight fire and rescue as a career for underrepresented groups, working with sector leaders who are ultimately responsible for recruitment.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the planned closure of Skellingthorpe Health Centre on local provision of health services.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group has received an application from the Glebe Practice regarding the proposed closure of its branch surgery in Skellingthorpe. It will be carrying out a public consultation and an equality impact assessment will be presented to the Primary Care Commissioning Committee prior to any decision being made.
When a general practitioner practice closes, patients are informed and advised to register at other local practices of their choice within the catchment area in which they live. In some instances, and in consultation with patients and patient groups, patients are allocated to other neighbouring practices with adequate capacity. Commissioners locally will work with their practices to ensure they are only allocated a volume of patients which they have capacity to manage appropriately and effectively.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on awarding the Long Service and Good Conduct medal to firefighters working for the Ministry of Defence who are contracted to an external organisation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Hurd
No discussions on this specific issue have taken place.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on their decontamination of the Grenfell Tower Fire site.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is leading a programme of additional environment checks to be carried out in and around the Grenfell Tower site. This is to reassure the bereaved, survivors and wider community that any environmental risks to public health will be fully assessed and appropriate action taken. The programme is being coordinated by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, who have established a Multi-Agency Partnership to provide the relevant expertise to oversee the design and delivery of the additional environmental checks, assess risks to public health and advise health partners on any additional health monitoring and treatment options for residents, should these be required. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a member of the Multi-Agency Partnership.
The environmental checks programme is regularly discussed with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and other Government departments, at Ministerial Recovery Group meetings, chaired by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a statutory requirement for industry to quantify the carcinogenic contents of combustible materials used in construction.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
My Department issued a call for evidence to inform potential changes to fire safety guidance, which included asking for evidence on the issue of the release of toxic fumes from building materials as a result of fires. That call for evidence closed on the 15 March 2019, and we are currently analysing the responses.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of health screening procedures to protect firefighters from carcinogen-related diseases.
Answered by Nick Hurd
It is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities, as employers, to ensure that health screening and blood tests, suitable for the risks faced, are available to their firefighters.
There have been no discussions between the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the inclusion of effluents and carcinogens in public health checks after large-scale fires.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the ability of firefighter health screening to detect cancers at an early stage.
Answered by Nick Hurd
It is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities, as employers, to ensure that health screening and blood tests, suitable for the risks faced, are available to their firefighters.
There have been no discussions between the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the inclusion of effluents and carcinogens in public health checks after large-scale fires.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regularity of blood tests for firefighters.
Answered by Nick Hurd
It is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities, as employers, to ensure that health screening and blood tests, suitable for the risks faced, are available to their firefighters.
There have been no discussions between the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the inclusion of effluents and carcinogens in public health checks after large-scale fires.