Tag: Ian Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the committee of legislative reform in Egypt on the proposed new parliamentary elections law in that country.

Hugh Robertson

The new parliamentary elections law was enacted by decree of the former interim President Adly Mansour on 5 June. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not have direct discussions with the committee of legislative reform in Egypt.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the predicted cost of the implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security is in each of the next three years.

Mark Simmonds

The National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security was launched at the Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit and builds on lessons to date, and address some of the challenges in the previous NAP. The NAP’s Implementation Plan will be launched later this year.
In line with our UN commitments on women, peace and security we will continue to address violence against women and support women’s role in building peace and promote their participation, with a particular focus on Afghanistan, Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Somalia and Syria.

The aims of the NAP and Implementation Plan are to ensure a more coherent and effective approach to the work on Women, Peace and Security. They provide the frameworks for activities which are funded through existing departmental budgets. Those budgets include: the Conflict Pool (the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund from 2015-16), the Human Rights and Democracy Fund, the Arab Partnership Fund and Official Development Assistance – all of which help to fund the work on women, peace and security across the world.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implementation of each of the recommendations in the report, Children in Military Custody, published in June 2012.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK has made repeated representations to Israel on their treatment of Palestinian prisoners, including child detainees. Since the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody, there has been some limited progress. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. My predecessor wrote to the Israeli Attorney General on 31 March to welcome the steps taken to date and to call for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. The British Government has been working with the delegation who compiled the Children in Military Custody report to make a return visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the near future.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds in each UK spinal cord injury centre are ring fenced for the exclusive treatment of spinal cord injured readmissions or outpatients.

Jane Ellison

NHS England’s Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) service specification clearly sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. It sets a core requirement that each specialised SCI Centre (SCIC) can demonstrate they have a minimum of 20 beds dedicated exclusively for the treatment and rehabilitation of SCI patients. Specialised SCI Services encompass all activity for SCI patients provided by the host trust of the SCIC, including any readmission or attendance for SCI-related care, wherever the treatment is located in the trust. A copy of the specification can be found at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/d13-spinal-cord-0414.pdf

NHS England is aware that a number of beds in one ward at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit are being used as escalation beds by medical specialties to assist with patient flow. It is planned for these beds to re-open as specialist spinal beds from September 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds in each UK spinal cord injury centre have been ring fenced for the treatment of spinal cord injured readmissions or outpatients in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

NHS England’s Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) service specification clearly sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. It sets a core requirement that each specialised SCI Centre (SCIC) can demonstrate they have a minimum of 20 beds dedicated exclusively for the treatment and rehabilitation of SCI patients. Specialised SCI Services encompass all activity for SCI patients provided by the host trust of the SCIC, including any readmission or attendance for SCI-related care, wherever the treatment is located in the trust. A copy of the specification can be found at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/d13-spinal-cord-0414.pdf

NHS England is aware that a number of beds in one ward at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit are being used as escalation beds by medical specialties to assist with patient flow. It is planned for these beds to re-open as specialist spinal beds from September 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will investigate the alleged misallocation of the specialist spinal injury beds at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and the use by non-spinal cord injury patients.

Jane Ellison

NHS England’s Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) service specification clearly sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. It sets a core requirement that each specialised SCI Centre (SCIC) can demonstrate they have a minimum of 20 beds dedicated exclusively for the treatment and rehabilitation of SCI patients. Specialised SCI Services encompass all activity for SCI patients provided by the host trust of the SCIC, including any readmission or attendance for SCI-related care, wherever the treatment is located in the trust. A copy of the specification can be found at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/d13-spinal-cord-0414.pdf

NHS England is aware that a number of beds in one ward at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit are being used as escalation beds by medical specialties to assist with patient flow. It is planned for these beds to re-open as specialist spinal beds from September 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he had with his Libyan counterparts about violence in Tripoli.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Since assuming office on 15 July, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has yet to have direct discussions with the Libyan Foreign Minister. However, through our Embassy in Tripoli, we remain in direct contact with the Libyan Government at the highest levels. We share their concern at the attacks in and around Tripoli International Airport, and condemn all actions which put lives in danger whether in the East or West of the country. We support the Libyan Government’s call for a ceasefire and urgent dialogue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Tripoli.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We continue to monitor carefully the ongoing security situation in Tripoli and across Libya. We are deeply concerned at the attacks in and around Tripoli International Airport, and condemn actions which put lives in danger whether in the East or West of the country.

We support the Libyan Government’s call for a ceasefire and urgent dialogue. Violence and the threat of violence are unacceptable, and should not be used to pursue political goals. The situation in which armed groups operate outside government control, and without respect for either Libyan or international law, threatens the stability of the state and Libyan people’s aspirations for a secure and prosperous future.

Our travel advice remains current, and is updated as necessary to reflect the situation on the ground.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the newly elected President of the Syrian National Council.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We are in constant contact with the Syrian opposition, including with the newly-elected President of the National Coalition, Hadi al-Bahra. We are increasing our support for them, as they counter the threats from extremists and Assad’s regime. UK Special Representative to Syria, Jon Wilks, met President al-Bahra on 10 and 15 July. In these discussions Mr Wilks stressed the UK’s strong support for the National Coalition’s goal of a transition to peaceful, democratic and inclusive Syria. I look forward to meeting and working with President al-Bahra in due course.