Questions - March 2012

Work in Prisons - 13th March

16. Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): What plans he has to promote work in prisons. [99272]
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Kenneth Clarke): We have ambitions to deliver a step change in the amount of work done in prisons. By making use of the lessons learned from the prisons that are already delivering full working weeks, we will work with the public and private sectors—including commercial customers and partners—and through the prison competition system to make our ambitions real.

Malaria -  14th March

6. Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): What steps his Department is taking to tackle malaria in developing countries. [99633]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Stephen O'Brien): The UK Government are committed to helping halve malaria deaths in at least 10 of the worst affected countries by 2015. We will achieve that through support to country programmes and through multilateral channels. I recently visited Kenya, a country where DFID has provided 20 million bed nets. Those nets have played a part in the 40% reduction in child deaths over the past five years.
Fiona Bruce: I thank the Minister for that reply. Will he consider a discrete programme to support malaria treatment in a hospital in Kaesong in north Korea, where a remarkable South Korean doctor, Dr Kim—who spoke in Westminster recently—and his team attend the medical needs of thousands of North Koreans and have identified malaria as one of their most pressing problems?

Topical Questions - Business - 15th March

T4. [100046] Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): There are almost 4,000 small businesses in my constituency, in towns such as Alsager, Congleton, Sandbach and Middlewich, and many of them are micro-businesses. What are the Government doing to support micro-businesses and to enable them, when they want to, to develop and grow?
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Mr Mark Prisk): Alongside helping with things such as bank lending and the new equity schemes, I would point most obviously to the business angel co-investment fund, which is crucial to plug that equity gap for micro-businesses—not the larger equity businesses but the ones looking for funding of between £200,000 and £2 million. It is a £50 million package, and I commend it to my hon. Friend.

Metal Theft - Home Department -19th March

19. Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): What steps she is taking to tackle metal theft. [100235]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Brokenshire): As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in a statement to the House in January, we are taking legislative action to tackle metal theft, including raising the financial penalties for rogue dealers, banning cash payments for scrap metal and giving the police powers to enter unregistered scrap yards. That is part of a coherent package of measures, which includes enhanced enforcement through the funding of a £5 million national metal theft taskforce.

Water and Sanitation - Westminster Hall -21st March

Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): I congratulate the hon. Lady on introducing this debate and on her continuing work. Does she agree that if we are to make real progress, the key is partnership working by voluntary organisations and Church groups, which have been mentioned, and substantial Government resources? We are delighted that the Secretary of State is to attend the high-level WASH—water, sanitation and hygiene—meeting in Washington. At that meeting, should he not focus on partnership working between countries globally, and ensuring that resources across the piece are shared and co-ordinated more effectively?
Naomi Long: I agree entirely with the hon. Lady. It is hugely important to maximise the benefit of our investment.
Lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene also carries with it significant gender implications that can, in turn, impact more widely on communities.

Raynaud's and Scleroderma - 27th March

Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): What steps he is taking to provide services for people diagnosed with Raynaud’s disease and scleroderma. [101884]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Paul Burstow): Routine commissioning is a local responsibility, which in future will be led by clinicians, who best understand patients’ needs. From April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will have a clear focus on commissioning services for people with rare, specialised conditions. The commissioning of those services directly through one national commissioner to a national standard should ensure better planning and co-ordination of services, which will be of benefit to patients. The scope of this commissioning, and the extent to which it will cover complex rheumatology services, is still being considered.
Fiona Bruce: I thank the Minister for that reply. I am very proud to have the headquarters of the Raynaud’s and Scleroderma Association based in my constituency. It was founded 30 years ago by a remarkable lady, Anne Mawdsley. It is still run from a terraced house in Alsager, and she has raised £12 million through undertaking some remarkable feats, including, I think, swimming with dolphins. Will the Minister commend her work and assure her that scleroderma patients will be able to access the best specialist centres for diagnosis and treatment?