Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many never events occurred in each NHS Trust in each year since 2019.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Information on Never Events is published by NHS England. All available data on Never Events, including a breakdown for individual National Health Service trusts, is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/never-events-data/
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many physician associates have been employed in each NHS Trust in each year since 2019.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff working for hospital trusts and other core organisations, but excludes staff working for other providers such as in primary care, general practice, or social care.
A table showing the number of full time equivalent (FTE) Physician Associates working in National Health Service trusts in England, broken down by organisation, from December 2019 to December 2023, is attached. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the human resources system for the NHS. From this data, the table attached presents the number of FTE staff who have a job role recorded as being a Physician Associate.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Army Foundation College is next due to be inspected by Ofsted.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Ofsted inspected the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) 20-21 March 2024, and the report is expected imminently. The report will be published.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Ofsted inspectors are given access to the record of complaints held on the Joint Personnel Administration system relating to violent behaviour by staff at the Army Foundation College.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Ofsted were given access to all disciplinary complaints against Permanent Staff at the Army Foundation College (Harrogate).
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Army Foundation College is required to inform its independent advisory panel in the event of an allegation of staff misconduct concerning recruits.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Army Foundation College (Harrogate) regularly brief the Independent Advisory Panel on any allegations of permanent staff misconduct towards Junior Soldiers.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the two-child limit in Universal Credit applies to households caring for an additional child under a special guardianship order.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Since 6 April 2017, families can claim support for up to two children, and there may be further entitlement for other children if they were born before April 2017 or if an exception applies. One of these exceptions is any child in a household who is living long-term with friends or family who would otherwise be at risk of entering the care system, which includes a child being cared for under a Special Guardianship Order.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many never events occurred within NHS England in each year since 2019; and how many and what proportion of these incidents involved Physician Associates in each year.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Information on Never Events is published by NHS England, and all available data on Never Events is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/never-events-data/
NHS England does not collect specific data relating to Physician Associate involvement in Never Events, and as such the information is not held.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to recruit Covert Surveillance Officers to gather evidence to prove or disprove offences relating to benefits claims.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is recruiting Covert Surveillance Officers.
The Department’s Counter Fraud, Compliance & Debt directorate (CFCD) undertakes directed surveillance as part of the criminal investigation process.
All surveillance activity is applied for under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000 and is conducted in line with the surveillance Code of Practice. It is undertaken only where necessary and proportionate to the alleged offence.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the Defence AI Skills Framework.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The development of a Defence AI Skills Framework is underway, and we expect work to accelerate following the recruitment of our Capability Lead for AI Talent and Skills. We are working closely with Digital Skills for Defence (DS4D) and other key stakeholders to ensure coherence with other complimentary skills frameworks within the department, but also across government and with allies.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Artificial Intelligence Strategy, published on 15 June 2022, whether his Department has appointed a Head of AI Profession.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence AI Centre (DAIC) is currently onboarding a Capability Lead, AI Talent and Skills. They are expected to be in post in quarter 2 of this financial year.
This individual will work with colleagues across Government to advance the AI skills agenda while also exploring novel ways to attract talent into the department.