Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to improve access to opportunities for people to train to become nurses while working in the NHS.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Developing new work based routes into nursing is a priority for the Department.
That is why we have developed the new Nursing Associate role and Nursing Degree Apprenticeship which will open up routes into the registered nursing profession for thousands of people from all backgrounds and allow employers to grow their own workforce.
The first 1,000 Nursing Associates were recruited to commence their training in January and the second wave of a further 1,000 Nursing Associates are due to commence training next month.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to award contracts for the Power Improvement Project for the Type 45 destroyer class.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
On current plans, we anticipate that the Ministry of Defence will be able to award the contract for the Power Improvement Project for the Type 45 Destroyer class in early 2018.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for asylum in the UK were made by people from the Occupied Palestinian Territories during (a) July and (b) August 2016.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The information requested is not held in a readily reportable format. Information on claims is published as part of the Government’s Immigration Statistics quarterly release and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016-data-tables.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for asylum in the UK were made by visiting members of the Palestine Youth Orchestra during its tour of the UK during (a) July and (b) August 2016.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The information requested is not held in a readily reportable format. Information on claims is published as part of the Government’s Immigration Statistics quarterly release and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016-data-tables.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) current deployment and (b) planned out-of-service date is for RFA Fort Austin.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) FORT AUSTIN is not currently deployed and is alongside in the Liverpool area. On current plans, she will retire from service in 2024.
It is standard practice for Royal Navy and RFA ships to cycle through different readiness states in response to our operational needs. The RFA remains integral to the Royal Navy's deployments and global presence.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of progress towards a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Boris Johnson
We continue to believe the two-state solution is the only viable long-term solution to the Arab Israeli conflict. We are concerned that ongoing settlement construction, incitement and terrorist attacks are undermining prospects for peace. We will work with the parties and our international partners to arrest these trends and encourage a return to negotiations.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 2.9 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 - First Annual Report 2016, published in December 2016, and his oral evidence to the Defence Select Committee of 31 January 2017, for what reason the expected start date of sea trials by HMS Queen Elizabeth has changed.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH is currently undertaking harbour trials as part of her test and integration phase. This phase will demonstrate the readiness for sea of the ship's on board systems and address any technical issues, which are expected in a programme of this scale and complexity.
Sea trials will begin to emerge on successful completion of this phase followed by her acceptance into service with the Royal Navy later in the year, as planned. It is too early at this stage to be specific about dates, which are also dependent on tides and weather conditions.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, during which month he expects HMS Queen Elizabeth to depart Rosyth for her first sea trials.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH is currently undertaking harbour trials as part of her test and integration phase. This phase will demonstrate the readiness for sea of the ship's on board systems and address any technical issues, which are expected in a programme of this scale and complexity.
Sea trials will begin to emerge on successful completion of this phase followed by her acceptance into service with the Royal Navy later in the year, as planned. It is too early at this stage to be specific about dates, which are also dependent on tides and weather conditions.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of patients with lung disease admitted to accident and emergency departments.
Answered by David Mowat
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and asthma emphasise the importance of avoiding emergency admissions for patients with lung diseases. The introduction of an Enhanced Service for general practitioners in 2015-16, continuing in 2016-17, is designed to help reduce avoidable unplanned admissions by improving services for vulnerable patients and those with complex health needs, who are at high risk of admission.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on engaging with groups with particular protected characteristics covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty when drawing up proposals for a combined authority.
Answered by Andrew Percy
My Department has not issued any such guidance. It is each local authority's own responsibility to ensure it fulfils its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty when making a proposal for a combined authority.