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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Tracey Crouch on Health.

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Norman Lamb

A range of steps are being taken to encourage and support research into non-drug dementia therapies. Research spending on dementia has increased by nearly 50% since 2010/11, and is on course to meet the Government’s target of doubling public sector research funding on dementia to £66 million by 2015. During the second year of the Prime Minister’s Challenge, research funders have implemented and enhanced initiatives to generate the research evidence needed to make a step change in prevention, treatment and care. Research on non-drug therapies represents a significant part of this effort.

In December 2012, £22 million of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funding was announced for 21 successful research projects that will pioneer dementia diagnosis and ground breaking treatments. Subsequently the Government allocated £20 million for research on living well with dementia (projects commencing in early 2014) with the NIHR and the Economic and Social Research Council awarding funding research grants focused on improving quality of life for people with dementia and their carers. This research programme represents the world’s largest social science research programme on dementia and care, comprising six major research studies to support living well with dementia initiatives and identifying effective interventions, in the clinic, in the nursing home, and in everyday life.

The NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme is now also calling for further applications for research funding on dementia services, to address key priorities identified following a James Lind Alliance and Alzheimer’s Society priority setting partnership between patients, carers, researchers and clinicians (held in 2013). This was broad and included all aspects of patient experience and care.

In addition, one of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) and Units (BRUs) with dementia-related research themes, the NIHR Oxford BRC has a theme focussing on cognitive health. For this, the BRC has brought together an alliance of multi-disciplinary researchers to produce an integrated programme of translational research in cognitive health, aiming to produce benefit for patients by harnessing the lifelong adaptive ability of the brain to protect against the onset of dementia and to limit the impact of dementia on people’s lives.

Within the award of 13 new NIHR Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care there is also considerable focus on research into non-drug approaches to dementia care.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Andrew Bridgen on Health.

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Jane Ellison

Public Health England is not responsible for policy on cancer, but does ensure the delivery of several cancer related functions including NHS Cancer Screening Programmes, Be Clear on Cancer campaigns, cancer screening quality assurance, the National Cancer Intelligence Network and the National Cancer Registration Service. National strategic oversight and policy on cancer screening, early diagnosis and cancer informatics remains with the Department with 3.5 whole time equivalent posts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Virendra Sharma on Health.

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Jane Ellison

Officials from the Department, Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England are currently discussing how hepatitis C services might be strengthened, including how local Health and Wellbeing Boards can be encouraged to include hepatitis C in their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, where appropriate. The findings of the HCV Action report will help to inform those discussions.

PHE is developing local profiles that include indicators of performance for hepatitis C which are aimed at local authorities and Health and Wellbeing Boards. These profiles include a summary of the issues around hepatitis C including those most at risk, as well as questions for Health and Wellbeing Boards to ask about local provision of hepatitis C services. PHE has produced a fact sheet for the Local Government Association on hepatitis B and C to support their scrutiny and oversight role.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Fiona Bruce on Health.

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Jane Ellison

The information is shown in the following table:

Selective reduction abortions performed under ground E by gestation, residents of England and Wales, 2013

Gestation Weeks	Total
Under 13	25
13 to 19	39
20 to 23	7
24 and over	24
Total	95

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Andrew Gwynne on Health.

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Jane Ellison

NHS England is currently progressing three commissioning through evaluation (CtE) schemes relating to invasive cardiology. A maximum full year annual budget of £9 million has been allocated, but the period of budget allocation will depend on the final length of the schemes themselves, which will be tailored with the assistance of National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) to capture sufficient evaluative data over the scheme period.

NHS England has allocated funding to each of the schemes based on early estimates of patient numbers and the key evaluative questions to be answered by the end of each scheme. Patient numbers will need to be contained within these parameters.

NHS England is currently assessing a significant number of applications from providers who have expressed an interest in acting as a participating centre in each of the three schemes. Once this process is complete, and the selected centres are confirmed, we will be able to complete contractual arrangements and confirm a ‘go live’ date with each centre. Unfortunately we are therefore unable to give a specific date for patient recruitment to start at this stage.

NHS England expects CtE schemes to typically run for two to three years but the final length of each of the invasive cardiology schemes is not yet finalised as they are being tailored with the assistance of NICE to capture sufficient evaluative data over the scheme period. The length of the schemes may also be influenced by early findings from the evaluation or by the publication of research data exploring similar parameters. The numbers of patients to be seen by each of the schemes is not yet finalised since it will depend on the final tariff negotiated with participating providers, and the length of each scheme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Nicholas Brown on Health.

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Norman Lamb

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces evidence-based guidance and advice for health, public health and social care practitioners on both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. All work undertaken by NICE is subject to the same high level of scrutiny consideration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Simon Burns on Health.

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Norman Lamb

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published technology appraisal guidance in June 2012 which recommends abiraterone (Zytiga) in its licensed indication for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen, subject to a patient access scheme agreed between the Department and the drug’s manufacturer.

NICE is currently appraising abiraterone for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy and has not yet published final guidance for the National Health Service. We understand that NICE has recently consulted on its draft guidance for this indication, which can be found at:

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TAG/434/Consultation/Latest

NHS commissioners are legally required to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.

In the absence of NICE technology appraisal guidance it is for the relevant NHS commissioner to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence. The NHS Constitution states that patients have the right to expect local decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments ‘to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence’.

We understand that abiraterone as a first-line treatment is available through the Cancer Drugs Fund to NHS patients in England who could benefit from it.

We are unable to provide copies of the correspondence requested in the time available and this information will be placed in the Library in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Jim Dobbin on Health.

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Jane Ellison

The information requested in shown in the following table:

Years	Licensable treatment cycles where at least 20 eggs were collected
2008	2,910
2009	3,095
2010	3,435
2011	3,466
2012	3,464
20131	1,764

Note:

¹The year 2013 only covers the period 1 January to 30 June 2013.

Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Eilidh Whiteford on Transport.

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Mr Robert Goodwill

In England, the Highways Agency has the following 6 Average Speed Camera systems on its network:

M3 (Junction 2) (South East Region)

M3 (from the M25) (South East Region)

M25 (J12) (South East Region)

A14 (East of England)

A38 Saltash Tunnel (South West Region)

A3 Hindhead Tunnel (South East Region)

Average speed cameras are also used in road works as a temporary measure.

The Department for Transport does not hold this information for cameras on local authority roads. Local authorities have statutory duties related to road safety and decisions about whether they operate speed cameras are a matter for them.

This is a devolved matter so the Department does not hold information on average speed cameras in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Greg Knight on Transport.

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Stephen Hammond

We have been involved in negotiations on the Commission’s proposal to amend the General Circulation Directive (maximum weights and dimensions) since they commenced in January, in which we have supported the proposals to enable the introduction of more rounded front designs of HGV lorry cabs to increase fuel efficiency.

Political agreement on the Presidency text was reached in the Transport Council on 5 June.