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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Mann on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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George Eustice

The UK is committed to the protection of endangered species, including through playing a leading role in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES promotes the sustainability of endangered species through either prohibiting trade or strictly controlling any trade through a licensing system. The breeding and ranching of endangered species for commercial gain can be permitted under CITES. The UK fully supports the aims of CITES and works to ensure that assessment of whether trade should be permitted for any particular species is based on robust scientific evidence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for James Clappison on Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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Hugh Robertson

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office receives daily updates from our posts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We have offered practical support. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to the Israeli Foreign Minister on 17 June about this issue. I also discussed this issue with both Israeli and Palestinian authorities during my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories between 18-19 June.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Anas Sarwar on International Development.

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Lynne Featherstone

The roots of the conflict in Central African Republic (CAR) are complex and whilst the recent inter-communal violence is primarily targeting Muslim inhabitants, Christian communities have also fallen victim to sectarian killings. Much of the Muslim population of CAR has fled, including traders who were overwhelmingly Muslim.

DFID is funding agencies such as UNHCR, Mercy Corps and the ICRC to implement protection programmes in CAR, including conflict resolution and social cohesion activities. DFID has contributed £18 million in 2014 towards the crisis. The UK is also supporting the international efforts to restore peace and security and has welcomed the adoption of UNSCR 2149 authorising the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission (MISCA).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford on Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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Mr Hugo Swire

The UK is giving £12m in aid to Rakhine State to support shelter, water sanitation and hygiene programmes, nutrition and protection activities, as well as non-food items for 115,000 people. We are also funding £4.5m towards livelihoods projects in Rakhine and support to the UN’s coordination of the international humanitarian response.

We remain one of the most vocal and active members of the international community in supporting those calling for human rights and democracy in Burma. I was the first Western Minister to visit Rakhine State in December 2012. I raised concerns again with the Burmese government during my second visit to Burma in January this year, and I again saw Rohingya leaders to hear from them about the many issues they are facing.

The plight of the Rohingya was also at the top of the agenda during the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron’s) meeting with President Thein Sein in London in July 2013. In March this year, I summoned the Burmese Ambassador and called on the Burmese government urgently to restore humanitarian access to all communities in need, and to ensure the security of humanitarian aid workers and all communities in Rakhine State. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks), again raised our concerns in a call with his Burmese counterpart in April, and I most recently discussed the situation with the Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister on 12 June.

We will continue to urge the Burmese government to take swift and decisive action to protect the lives and rights of Rohingya and other minorities in Rakhine State, and to address the underlying causes of ethnic and religious discrimination and violence.

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.