{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20", "definition" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20&_metadata=all", "first" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20", "hasPart" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20", "isPartOf" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168733", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168733/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

In England, the purpose of foster care is to provide children with the chance of a family life when they cannot be cared for by their birth parents.<\/p>

Foster care is a devolved matter and the agreement that foster carers in England have with fostering service providers, including local authorities, sets out how they carry out their role. This is, however, not a contract of employment or a contract to perform work, which would be a necessary requirement for someone to be classed as either an employee or a worker.<\/p>

The Children\u2019s Act 1989 (Vol. 4: Fostering Services) and subsequent statutory guidance sets out strong safeguards to protect foster parents from unfair treatment, including the requirement for fostering services to have a complaints procedure, whistle blowing policy, and for foster parents to have the right to review by the Independent Review Mechanism. Fostering Better Outcomes (2018) sets out the government\u2019s ambitions and commitments to improve the wider support available for foster parents in England. There are no plans to reclassify the employment status of foster carers to limb (b) workers.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "167"} , {"_value" : "168"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T16:44:32.463Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foster Care: Self-employed"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to introduce workers' rights and protections for foster carers who are classed as self-employed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martyn Day"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Linlithgow and East Falkirk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martyn Day"} ], "uin" : "333"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168734", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168734/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government has committed to increasing the number of police officers by 20,000 over the next three years. Up to 6,000 additional officers will be recruited in the first wave and will be shared among the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales. Suffolk has a recruitment target for the first year of 54.<\/p>

Targets for all forces were announced on 9 October 2019: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-office-announces-first-wave-of-20000-police-officer-uplift<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4495", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kit Malthouse"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kit Malthouse"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T12:45:42.87Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Police: Recruitment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has for police officer recruitment in Suffolk; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "338"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168735", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168735/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

On 29 September 2019 the Government announced a new Health Infrastructure Plan, to ensure that our health infrastructure is fit-for-purpose for decades to come.<\/p>

At the centre of this Plan is a new hospital building programme. To launch this programme, in September, the Government announced six new hospital schemes that are receiving funding to \u2018go ahead\u2019 now (aiming to deliver by 2025), and a further twenty-one schemes, across 34 hospitals, that have the green light to go to the next stage of developing their plans (aiming to deliver between 2025 and 2030).<\/p>

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust\u2019s scheme at West Suffolk Hospital is part of the second phase and will receive a share of £100 million seed funding, as well as guidance and support from central government, to help progress its plans to the next stage.<\/p>

Further detail on specific plans and funding will be made available in due course, as part of delivering the Government\u2019s wider commitment to build 40 new hospitals.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-09T12:08:47.373Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk Hospital"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for a complete rebuild of West Suffolk hospital; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "339"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168736", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168736/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

NHS England and NHS Improvement have confirmed that the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System is currently developing a workforce strategy that will identify the staffing levels required to deliver its patient care objectives for the next five to 10 years.<\/p>

At national level, the interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, puts the workforce at the heart of the National Health Service and will ensure we have the staff needed to deliver high quality care. The final NHS People Plan will be published in early 2020.<\/p>

The Government recently pledged to increase nurse numbers by 50,000 in England over the next five years. As part of this commitment, eligible pre-registration nursing students enrolled on courses at English universities from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 per academic year which they will not need to pay back.<\/p>

In addition, in 2016 the Government committed to an extra 1,500 undergraduate medical school places - a 25% increase taking the total number of medical school training places in England to 7,500 by 2020/21. Five new medical schools will open in England to help deliver the expansion.<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-08T12:11:15.36Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Professions: Suffolk"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to recruit more (a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) clinicians in Suffolk.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "340"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168737", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168737/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government remains committed to becoming a world leader in 5G and providing a 5G signal to a majority of the population by 2027.<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p>

Towards this aim, the Government has taken steps to ensure that we build the right conditions for commercial investment in 5G. As a part of this, we have invested in a nationally coordinated 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme which continues to build the business case for 5G in Britain.<\/p>

<\/p>

Two of the Phase 1 programmes funded through this scheme, 5GRIT and 5G RuralFirst, are specifically focussed on building a market for 5G use cases in rural areas. We are also providing funding for up to 10 rural-based 5G research and development projects over the next two years through the Rural Connected Communities initiative. We expect these projects to do important work in building the business case for 5G investment in rural areas, such as those within South Suffolk.<\/p>

<\/p>

It is important to note that the vast majority of commercial rollout of 5G services will be delivered by industry, according to their own timeframes. All four Mobile Network Operators have already begun launching their 5G offerings and coverage is expected to be available in 50 major towns and cities by summer 2020.<\/p>

<\/strong><\/p>

In the interim, Government is working closely with the Mobile Network Operators on the Shared Rural Network proposal to provide high quality 4G coverage to 95 percent of the UK. This proposal will help tackle both partial not spots - area where this is currently only coverage from at least one, but not all operators - and total not spots - areas with no coverage from any operator, ensuring good 4G signal wherever people live, work and travel.<\/p>

<\/p>

It is expected that harder to reach locations, such as rural areas within Suffolk, will see the greatest benefit from this proposal.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4361", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Warman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Boston and Skegness"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matt Warman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T11:57:32.353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "5G: Suffolk"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for the roll-out of 5G in rural areas in Suffolk.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "341"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168738", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168738/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Our ambition is for every local authority and Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver a high-quality service for every child or young person with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).<\/p>

<\/p>

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission conduct inspections of SEND services in local areas. Their inspection of Suffolk published in 2017 and subsequent revisit published in 2019 found strengths and improvements over time, but there remained a number of areas of significant weakness where sufficient progress had not been made.<\/p>

<\/p>

Where we have concerns with performance, as there are with Suffolk, the Department for Education works with partners, including NHS England, to support and challenge local areas to improve. This includes regular advice and monitoring from the Department for Education and NHS England advisers as well as access to funded training opportunities and resources. Whilst there is more to be done, we welcome the progress being made and will continue to monitor the position closely.<\/p>

<\/p>

In addition, in 2020-21, Suffolk will be receiving £74.9 million for its high needs budget, an increase of 17% per head of population aged 2-18 years old.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T17:16:19.727Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Special Educational Needs: Suffolk"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to improve SEND provision in Suffolk; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "342"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168739", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168739/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Unpaid work trials that are excessive and not part of a genuine recruitment process are prohibited by National Minimum Wage legislation. It is simply wrong to exploit workers by setting up excessive unpaid trials.\u202f The law is clear that if someone is\u202f\u201cworking\u201d for minimum wage purposes, they must be paid at least the National Minimum or National Living Wage.<\/p>

<\/p>

The Government is committed to ensuring that all employers pay their workers correctly. HMRC consider all worker complaints and will take enforcement action in any cases of abuse.<\/p>

<\/p>

BEIS published guidance in December 2018 clarifying that unpaid work trials are not permissible if they are excessive or not part of a genuine recruitment process. They can, however, play an important role in helping people into work opportunities, if used correctly.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T15:53:08.563Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unpaid Work"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will make it her Department's policy to ban the use of unpaid work trials at the outset of employment in UK businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4461", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stewart Malcolm McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stewart Malcolm McDonald"} ], "uin" : "322"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168740", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168740/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The British Government and the British High Commission in New Delhi are following the human rights situation across India and raise issues with Indian officials where appropriate.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4053", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Derbyshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Heather Wheeler"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T09:39:07.44Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "India: Nationality"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the human rights of Muslims in India of that Government's recent decision to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"} ], "uin" : "282"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168741", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168741/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Grant-making charities must ensure that charitable funds are used to further their charitable purposes. The Charity Commission for England and Wales publishes guidance ("Campaigning and political activity guidance for charities (CC9)") on the extent to which charities can legitimately engage in non-party political activity as part of furthering their charitable purposes.<\/p>

<\/p>

Any concerns that charitable funds are being used inappropriately, for example for party-political activities or purposes, should be raised with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, which can investigate and if appropriate take action. There are currently no plans to bring forward legislative proposals on this subject.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T12:42:24.3Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Community Development: Grants"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that community groups in receipt of large grants from administrative charities are required to comply with the political independence provisions in the Charities Act 2011.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4135", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Morris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Morecambe and Lunesdale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "David Morris"} ], "uin" : "300"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168742", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168742/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

There are a number of specified reports and certificates that must be completed by general practitioners (GPs) for their patients free of charge, as these form part of the services they must deliver under their contracts with the National Health Service. Providing support to an employment application does not fall under part of those services. Accordingly, if a GP is asked to provide a report or certificate to certify a patient\u2019s health for the purposes of an employment application, then under General Medical Services (GMS) Regulations they are allowed to charge a fee for doing so. There is no statutory limit to the level of such a fee and this would ultimately be a matter for the practice. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement would expect the practice to charge a reasonable sum appropriate for the workload involved. The GMS and Personal Medical Services Regulations contain a list of statutory certificates that GP practices are required to provide without charge, and the British Medical Association publishes guidance to support GPs in deciding how much they should charge which is available at the following link:<\/p>

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/fees/check-your-fee<\/a><\/p>

We recognise that there are concerns about some fees GPs charge for letters to certify a patient\u2019s health and the consistency of those charges, and the additional burden this can place on GPs. We are considering how best to work with GPs and other stakeholders to look at where it is necessary for GPs to provide medical evidence and, where it is, that any charges for that evidence, where applicable, are fair and consistent.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4380", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Churchill"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury St Edmunds"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Churchill"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-13T17:44:39.35Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Doctors: Fees and Charges"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on individuals of the level of fees charged by doctors to certify health prior to offers of employment; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"} ], "uin" : "283"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=1&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-05-21T13%3A17%3A05.177Z&max-dateTabled=2019-12-20", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 21646, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }