Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing corrective surgery for pectus excavatum through the NHS.
Answered by Will Quince
There are a range of surgical and non-surgical treatments available through the National Health Service in England to manage the condition. Individuals with a pectus deformity may be referred to a thoracic surgical clinic for advice. Treatment options by assessment of the type of pectus deformity, degree of deformity, simple versus mixed deformity, and determination of whether the deformity is isolated or part of a syndrome.
In most cases, while surgery can correct the chest wall deformity, surgical intervention does not take place. This is because the majority of people experience only mild physical or psychological symptoms associated with having a pectus deformity. In these cases, non-surgical options include posture, exercise programmes, bracing and psychological support.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking an inquiry into historic abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government has the deepest sympathy for the men who suffered sexual or physical abuse while detained at Medomsley Detention Centre.
A judicial review claim has been launched in regard to the government’s decision not to hold a public inquiry into Medomsley. It would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many diplomatic gifts have been given in each of the last three years, by recipient country.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO fulfils the requirement, established since 2010, for government departments to publish transparency data in line with the Ministerial Code. The full set of FCDO published transparency returns, which include ministerial gifts (since the department's formation in September 2020), can be found at: FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Pre-merger transparency data for FCO diplomatic ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings to October 2020 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data#full-publication-update-history and FCDO data since October 2020 FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fcdo-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
It is recognised across HMG that the exchange of gifts and hospitality has long been an important part of building relations, particularly overseas. Purchases undergo rigorous oversight to ensure all gifts and hospitality given are appropriate, proportionate and open, recorded in line with guidance and that staff undertake mandatory anti-corruption training while delivering best value to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total value of diplomatic gifts is over the last three years, by recipient country.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO fulfils the requirement, established since 2010, for government departments to publish transparency data in line with the Ministerial Code. The full set of FCDO published transparency returns, which include ministerial gifts (since the department's formation in September 2020), can be found at: FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Pre-merger transparency data for FCO diplomatic ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings to October 2020 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data#full-publication-update-history and FCDO data since October 2020 FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fcdo-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
It is recognised across HMG that the exchange of gifts and hospitality has long been an important part of building relations, particularly overseas. Purchases undergo rigorous oversight to ensure all gifts and hospitality given are appropriate, proportionate and open, recorded in line with guidance and that staff undertake mandatory anti-corruption training while delivering best value to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to provide additional funding to further education colleges in the next 12 months.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Further education (FE) colleges can benefit from the additional £3.8 billion that the department is investing in FE and skills over this parliamentary session to ensure people across the country have access to the skills they need to build a fulfilling career in jobs the economy needs.
This includes an extra £1.6 billion for 16-to-19 education in the 2024/25 financial year, compared with 2021/22 - the biggest increase in 16-to-19 funding in a decade. This will help to fund the additional students anticipated in the system, 40 extra hours per student, and provide an affordable increase in funding rates per 16-to-19 student, including an up-front cash boost which will see the national rate of funding increase by over 8% in 2022/23, from £4,188 to £4,542 per student.
The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), with £1.34 billion of funding in the 2022/23 academic year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.
Through the National Skills Fund worth £2.5 billion over the course of the parliament, the department has made funding available to FE colleges across the country to deliver Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs. The Free Courses for Jobs offer enables learners without a level 3 qualification (or learners with any qualification level but earning below the National Living Wage) to gain a qualification for free. FE colleges will also have the opportunity to bid to deliver Skills Bootcamps next year. National competitions initially focused on digital training will be launched in the new year. Mayoral Combined Authorities and Local Economic Partnership areas had the opportunity to apply for funding to commission training providers, including FE colleges, to deliver training that addresses local labour market priorities.
The department is committed to supporting more employers in using apprenticeships to develop the skilled workforces they need, and to supporting more people to benefit from the high-quality training that apprenticeships offer. To support more employers and learners to access apprenticeships the department is increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year.
The department is also investing £2.8 billion of capital funding for skills over the Spending Review period, including to improve the condition of FE estates, create more post-16 places and support the rollout of T-Levels. In addition, following the ONS decision to reclassify FE colleges last month, in April 2023 we will be investing an additional £150 million for colleges to improve the condition of their estates.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) nurse and (b) rail strikes on patients requiring life-saving treatment.
Answered by Will Quince
NHS England is working with providers, professional bodies, trade unions and other bodies to agree the safe level of staffing during any industrial action. The National Health Service will ensure emergency care is prioritised and these services will be available. The Royal College of Nursing has announced that critical care units, such as intensive care and high dependency, are exempt from strikes.
The Department for Transport is in regular contact with other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care and industry, to mitigate impact of rail strike action on essential services.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many diplomatic gifts have been given in each of the last three years, by recipient country.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The number of diplomatic gifts that have been given in each of the last three years, by recipient countries is not held centrally by the Department for International Trade (DIT).
The department fulfils the requirement to publish transparency data in line with the Government’s transparency agenda and this can be found at DIT ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the total value of diplomatic gifts is over the last three years, by recipient country.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The total value of gifts (given) over the last three years, by recipient country, is not held centrally by the Department for International Trade (DIT).
The department fulfils the requirement to publish transparency data in line with the Government’s transparency agenda and this can be found at DIT ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many allegations of assault have been made against asylum seekers who (a) came across the Channel illegally in small boats and (b) arrived in the UK by other means since 1 January 2022.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
If Police suspect they are dealing with a non-settled person, the Police will contact Immigration Enforcement to check a person’s status and a record is made of that on our databases; however this information is not recorded in a way which is reportable
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers who (a) came across the Channel illegally in small boats and (b) arrived in the UK by other means have been arrested by police for offences other than under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 since the commencement of that Act.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
If Police suspect they are dealing with a non-settled person, the Police will contact Immigration Enforcement to check a person’s status and a record is made of that on our databases; however this information is not recorded in a way which is reportable