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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people have applied to join the Royal Navy cadet force in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry

The number of people who made a formal application to join the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Combined Cadet Force in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Adult Volunteers 50 40 40 40 50
Cadets 300 570 1140 1720 1650

In accordance with convention these figures have been rounded.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to encourage insurance companies to set travel insurance premiums for the elderly based on their state of health rather than their age.

Andrea Leadsom

Insurers take into account a range of different factors when considering risk and decisions concerning the pricing of insurance products are a commercial matter for individual insurers. The Government does not seek to intervene in these decisions.

The insurance industry recognises that older people can face difficulties finding appropriate travel insurance and in 2012 signed an agreement, endorsed by the Government, to re-direct older customers to an alternative insurer or to a specialist insurance broker where they cannot provide insurance themselves.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people having difficulty making mortgage repayments have requested help from the Financial Ombudsman Service in each of the last three years.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government does not collect data on the number of cases referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS routinely collects and publishes statistics about the complaints referred to them, which they make publicly available on their website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to recognise the service of members of the Royal Navy in patrolling operations to tackle piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Anna Soubry

The UK contribution to counter-piracy operations is held in the highest regard by our Coalition partners and by this Government, and it is right to pay tribute to all those involved in maintaining maritime security vital to the European and global economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the EU on firearms’ control and the European Firearms’ Pass.

Norman Baker

Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of
international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public
and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of these meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis
and are subsequently published on the Gov.uk website:
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the number of women who are receiving IVF treatment who have been diagnosed with hypothelamic amenorrhea.

Jane Ellison

The information requested is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with NHS England on the potential for exercise to reduce the need for patients to have back surgery.

Norman Lamb

There is evidence that physical activity can alleviate lower back pain and can benefit musculoskeletal health. However, there have been no specific discussions between Department of Health Ministers and NHS England on the potential for exercise to reduce the need for patients to have back surgery.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that a structured exercise programme, tailored to the person, be offered as a treatment option for early management of persistent, non-specific back pain.

Public Health England is working with partners, including the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance, Arthritis Research UK and the business sector to encourage better prevention and management of back pain, particularly through the promotion of physical activity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the time taken to prescribe drugs for heart disease.

Jane Ellison

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made no recent assessment of the time taken to prescribe drugs for heart disease. All drugs should be prescribed in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people diagnosed with motor neurone disease there have been in the UK in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb

Data on the number of people diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) is not collected. However, it is estimated that there are about 5,000 people living with MND in the United Kingdom.

Information regarding the number of people with MND who are using ‘eye gaze’ technology, a type of specialised augmentative and assistive communication aid, is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that there is no age discrimination in NHS treatment of breast, prostate and bowel cancer.

Jane Ellison

The National Health Service has a statutory duty to reduce health inequalities and improve the health of those with the poorest outcomes. The NHS Constitution makes clear that a core duty of the NHS is to promote equality for all groups in society, including older people. A ban on age discrimination in NHS services was introduced in 2012, meaning that NHS services need to do everything they can to ensure that services do not unwittingly discriminate against older people.

As well as the legal and moral imperative, improving the treatment and care of older people affected by cancer can also play a significant role in improving outcomes. Tackling health inequalities and promoting equality of outcome in England is essential to achieving cancer survival rates which match the best performing countries in the world. Furthermore, cancer treatment should always be based on what is right for each individual patient, whatever their age.

In December last year, NHS England National Clinical Director for Cancer, Sean Duffy, launched a ‘call for action’ on the treatment for older people, a priority for NHS England and its partners. As part of this, NHS England is setting up an advisory group so it can identify where real improvements can be made in cancer services for older people. We are also supporting an initiative which will make sure that patients are better informed about the options available to them and they are fully involved in decisions about their treatment.