Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage the clearer labelling of plants, flowers and seeds to inform consumers of the potential risk they pose to cats and dogs.
Answered by George Eustice
Many plants, flowers and seeds pose a risk to cats and dogs and I am very supportive of measures to increase awareness among the public of the dangers, including through voluntary labelling of products by producers and retailers.
Many animal welfare charities also produce advice for pet owners on the risks and help spread the message of the dangers. Pet owners should consult their vet if they suspect their pet has consumed any dangerous or toxic plant product. Vets have access to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service ( http://vpisglobal.com/common-poisons/ ).
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress the Inter-Ministerial Group on Violence Against Women and Girls has made on implementing recommendation 11 of the HMIC report Everyone's business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse into policing on domestic violence; and when she expects the further multi-agency inspection referred to in that report to take place.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
Recommendation 11 of the HMIC report relates to a multi-agency inspection on domestic abuse. The Home Secretary wrote to Ministerial colleagues seeking support to multi-agency inspections in January.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary will continue to inspect the police response to domestic abuse as part of their annual all-force PEEL (Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy) inspection programme.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Centre for the 3Rs was offered additional funding for the next financial year; and whether that body accepted that funding.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) primarily receives Government funding through the Department for Business Innovation and Skills via the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
The NC3Rs is currently undergoing its quinquennial review to which the Home Office provided evidence recognising the exceptional achievements of the Centre. As part of the outcome of the review, decisions regarding core funding for the NC3Rs will be made by the MRC and BBSRC, the core funders. The current core funding level for 2015/16 from the MRC and BBSRC is £7.62 million.
The main meeting of the Review Panel took place on 19 March 2015 and the Review Panel’s recommendations will be considered by the MRC and BBSRC. The outcome of the review will be known by the summer.
The Home Office allocated funding of £250,000 to the NC3Rs for 2014/15. Funding for 2015/16 from the Home Office is yet to be allocated.
The Government has a continuing commitment to safeguard animal welfare and advance the use of the 3Rs principles (replacement, refinement and reduction) in research and development. The UK remains at the forefront of global work to develop alternatives to animal testing.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the Government plans to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty of June 2013.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government supports the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.
As indicated by its signature of the Marrakesh Treaty on 28 June 2013, the Government intends to ratify the Treaty and hopes to see its entry into force at the earliest opportunity. The Government is currently in preliminary discussions with other European countries regarding the extent to which common action is required to ensure a coherent ratification of the Treaty across Europe. Following these discussions, the Government intends to take the necessary steps towards rapid implementation of the Treaty.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will undertake a public inquiry into the response of state agencies to victims of domestic violence.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The Government has no plans to conduct an inquiry into domestic abuse. The cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan sets out a comprehensive approach to improve the response of all agencies to domestic abuse.
The Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to review the police response to domestic abuse in September 2013. In response to HMIC’s report published in March 2014, which exposed significant failings, the Home Secretary is driving a package of measures to improve the police response. This includes the establishment of a National Oversight Group to drive delivery against all of HMIC’s recommendations. The Home Secretary also wrote to all Chief Constables making it clear that every police force must have an action plan in place. All forces have submitted plans which are now being reviewed by HMIC. In addition, the Inter-Ministerial Group on VAWG is securing cross-government support to establish a multi-agency inspection into domestic abuse.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary entitled Everyone's business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse, what steps she is taking further to inspect the performance of wider agencies that respond to victims of domestic violence.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The Government has no plans to conduct an inquiry into domestic abuse. The cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan sets out a comprehensive approach to improve the response of all agencies to domestic abuse.
The Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to review the police response to domestic abuse in September 2013. In response to HMIC’s report published in March 2014, which exposed significant failings, the Home Secretary is driving a package of measures to improve the police response. This includes the establishment of a National Oversight Group to drive delivery against all of HMIC’s recommendations. The Home Secretary also wrote to all Chief Constables making it clear that every police force must have an action plan in place. All forces have submitted plans which are now being reviewed by HMIC. In addition, the Inter-Ministerial Group on VAWG is securing cross-government support to establish a multi-agency inspection into domestic abuse.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the total amount of uncollected council tax is in each London Borough in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
In our best practice document, “50 ways to save”, we listed improving council tax collection rates and reducing arrears as a key way of making sensible savings to help keep overall council tax bills down and protect frontline services. Every penny of council tax that is not collected means a higher council tax for the law-abiding citizen who does pay on time.
It is important that councils are sympathetic to those in genuine hardship, are proportionate in enforcement and do not overuse bailiffs; indeed, my Department published best guidance on this aspect in 2013.
The cumulative level of council tax arrears in each London Borough is listed in the Table, ranked by amount. Whilst total levels of arrears in London have fallen since 2010, these figures show that there is still a significant source of income for councils, which they could use to support frontline service or further freeze council tax bills.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have access to oxygen therapy when travelling abroad; for what reason the NHS contractor in England no longer provides that service; and if his Department will instruct the contractor to fully inform COPD patients about the provision of oxygen therapy when they are travelling abroad.
Answered by Jane Ellison
There are four oxygen suppliers covering England. They have never been contracted to supply oxygen for people travelling outside of the United Kingdom (UK). Oxygen for use on holiday is only available free of charge for trips in the UK, and can be arranged through the patients current oxygen provider or a general practitioner. Oxygen suppliers in the UK have leaflets that are available to patients setting out the arrangements for people wishing to go on holiday. If a patient is holidaying in Europe oxygen can be arranged through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme with a valid EHIC. The Department’s Call Centre can supply the relevant contact details of officials in European countries. The person travelling will need to contact the authorised oxygen company for the country they are travelling to in order to make the necessary arrangements required to book state-funded Oxygen Therapy equipment. If they are travelling outside Europe, they will need to contact an oxygen company that supplies the country they will be visiting. To find an oxygen provider outside the UK, the individual can contact the British consulate in the country they are travelling to, an oxygen supplier in the UK, or the British Lung Foundation.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much financial and in-kind support, including staff time, has been provided to each of the events entitled the Academies Show held in London and Birmingham since May 2010; and what the cost was of (a) venue hire, (b) catering, (c) promotion and advertising, (d) presentations, (e) work performed by officials in his Department in preparing, promoting and visiting these events and (f) other costs in respect of those events.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Department for Education does not make any financial contribution to the Academies Show. The cost of venue hire, catering, promotion and advertising is covered by GovNet Communications, a private sector publisher and events organisation.
A Minister and a director from the Department make keynote speeches to open each Academies Show, and between five and ten other senior staff give up to three one hour presentations each, during the day.
One member of staff from the Department works with GovNet Communications, for approximately one hour a week, to put together the events programme and to coordinate and manage the department’s stand at the show. This stand is provided free of charge by GovNet. Up to 40 members of staff operate the Department’s stand on a shift basis, to answer questions that delegates have about the academies programme.
The Academies Show brings together headteachers, teachers, governors, school business managers and others involved in the world of education. The show provides an opportunity for delegates to increase their understanding of the academies programme and to hear presentations and case studies from a wide range of education experts. The last Academies Show, held in London in April 2014 attracted almost 2,400 visitors.
Asked by: Jim Dowd (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many animals were used in (a) between two and five, (b) between six and 10, (c) between 11 and 15, (d) between 16 and 19 and (e) more than 20 scientific procedures in 2013; and what assessment she has made of the reasons for increases in the number of animals being used in more than one scientific procedure.
Answered by Norman Baker
The Home Office does not hold the information asked for, as it does not form part of the regular data collection.
The Secretary of State must give consent to the re-use of an animal in scientific procedures and specifically authorise the re-use in the project licence. Details of the specific conditions are in Section 5:19 of the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Home Office Inspectors will assess all project licence applications and this will include a rigorous harm / benefit analysis to ensure that the likely benefits of the work justify the expected harms that will be experienced by the animals. Work will only be authorised if it is for one of the permissible purposes outlined in section 5.3 (C) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and if the harms have been minimised.
During the lifetime of the licence the harms and benefits are continually reviewed by the Inspectorate as part of the Inspection regime and also by the licence holder and other named officials within the establishment. This is to ensure that harms are always minimised whilst delivering benefits.
The majority of re-use is where animals have been subject to mild procedures such as dosing and sampling procedures in the testing of novel treatments, or blood collection for diagnostic purposes or for further laboratory tests not involving the use of live animals.