Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has in place to support the recruitment of employees by health services in Sheffield in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
We do not want or expect a no deal scenario. As a result of the significant progress made in negotiations, we remain confident we will agree a mutually advantageous deal with the European Union. We are not, however, complacent, and have plans in place in the event the United Kingdom leaves the EU with no deal. These plans are comprehensive, thorough and continuously updated.
We have been clear from the beginning of this process that we want EU nationals currently working in the National Health Service, to stay after we leave the EU. We will be working with NHS and social care employers across Sheffield as well as the whole of England to ensure their EU employees are aware of the straightforward and user-friendly EU settlement scheme which will allow them to secure settled status in the UK and enjoy broadly the same rights and benefits as they do now. This offer will stand irrespective of whether a deal is reached by the time the UK leaves the EU.
We have also introduced a range of measures to support increased recruitment and retention across the health and care system, including national recruitment campaigns that illustrate the diverse and fulfilling career opportunities available in the NHS and social care.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the proposed average payments to community pharmacies were in Sheffield Hallam constituency under the Pharmacy Access Scheme in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.
Answered by Steve Brine
The average payments for community pharmacies located in the Sheffield Hallam constituency made through the Pharmacy Access Scheme were:
£8,007 per year in 2016/17; and
£15,173 per year in 2017/18.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average payments to community pharmacies were in Sheffield Hallam in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.
Answered by Steve Brine
The average payments to community pharmacies in the Sheffield Hallam constituency were:
£632,488 per year in 2016/17; and
£628,579 per year in 2017/18.
These payments to pharmacies are to reimburse them for the cost of dispensed products and to remunerate them for the provision of nationally commissioned, advanced and enhanced services under the community pharmacy contractual framework, and some local services commissioned by NHS England.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the closure of community pharmacies.
Answered by Steve Brine
There remains good access to community pharmacies with 88% of the population able to access their local pharmacy on foot within 20 minutes. To help maintain access to face-to-face National Health Service pharmaceutical services in areas with fewer pharmacies the Government introduced a Pharmacy Access Scheme (PHAS), under which pharmacies eligible for the scheme receive a ‘top-up’ payment, thus requiring them to make smaller efficiency savings than other non-PhAS pharmacies.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will revise upwards the level of compensation paid to people who experienced financial loses as a result of the mismanagement of Equitable Life.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Around £1.5bn tax free has already been allocated to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme, which closed to new claims in 2015. There are no plans to reopen the Payment Scheme or to allocate further funds to it.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Equalities Act 2010 so that the provisions of that Act on the public sector equality duty apply to Parliament and to hon. Members.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
As the honourable Member notes, the functions of Parliament are currently exempt from the Public Sector Equality Duty. Making the functions of Parliament and of individual Members subject to the duty would make Parliamentary functions subject to compliance requirements by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the control of the Courts, raising constitutional questions.
Ministers of the Crown, when formulating policy, are acting as part of the Government and are therefore subject to the duty, as are Government Departments when preparing the policies behind primary legislation.
The Government has no plans to change this position.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Emir of Qatar on improving working conditions and valuing the human rights of workers in Qatar.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Ministers were able to discuss a range of issues with His Highness the Amir of Qatar during his visit in July. Qatar has made significant progress to improve the situation for its migrant workers since it won the right to host the World Cup. The International Labour Organisation opened an office in Doha this year to work with Qatar on migrant workers’ rights. The issue of conditions for migrant workers in Qatar is one we regularly raise with our counterparts and we are ready to offer further support to Qatar in its efforts.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Nicaraguan Government on recent protests in that country.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The UK has been very clear with the Nicaraguan Government that they must take responsibility for ending the current violence and protecting human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
These messages have been delivered in two meetings between the Head of Latin America Department and the Presidential Advisor on International Relations, and in a public statement by the British Ambassador to Nicaragua on 5 June that was featured by the Nicaraguan press. We also raised our concerns at the Organisation of American States General Assembly on 5 June in Washington where the UK is a Permanent Observer.
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and raise our concerns with the Nicaraguan Government at every opportunity.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he raised the case of the chair of Amnesty International Turkey, Taner Kılıç, during the recent visit of President Erdogan to the UK.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We have raised the detention of Taner Kilic with the Turkish Government at all levels. Most recently the Prime Minister discussed the case with President Erdogan during his recent visit to the UK. We urge Turkey to ensure Mr Kilic's release from pre-trial detention and to bring his case to a transparent, fair conclusion.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any representatives from her Department plan to attend the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis and Anti-Microbial Resistance in September 2018.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis at the September United Nations General Assembly will be an important moment to galvanise international political commitment to tackling TB and anti-microbial resistance. The government will have appropriate representation at this meeting.