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  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the government of (a) Italy and (b) Egypt on the case of Giulio Regini.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of the tragic death of Mr Regini, an Italian national, following his disappearance on 25 January and pass our condolences to his friends and family at this difficult time. We support Italian and Egyptian efforts to investigate into the circumstances of his death.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the 24 trade unionists killed in Colombia in 2015.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Our Embassy in Bogotá takes every opportunity to urge the Colombian government to take further measures to prevent violence and threats against human rights defenders and trade unionists. Our Ambassador in Bogotá raised concerns about human rights defenders with the Colombian Interior Minister on 1 February and with the Presidential Advisor for Human Rights on 4 February. Furthermore, this year we are funding a Colombian NGO to develop protection measures for human rights defenders in rural areas. Our Embassy will continue to raise these issues in regular meetings with the Colombian government.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the advancement of democracy in Colombia of ongoing killings by paramilitaries there; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Government of Colombia has made significant progress on peace process negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Both sides have committed to sign a final agreement by the end of March 2016. This agreement has significant potential to advance democracy for all Colombians.

    However, I am concerned about the continued influence of organised criminal gangs and resulting violence in Colombia, which challenges the implementation of the peace process. I am pleased to see that, on 1 February, President Santos launched a committee to tackle organised criminal groups.

    Our Embassy officials regularly discuss the challenges posed by armed criminal groups (so called ‘Bandas Criminales’ or BACRIM) in their meetings with the Colombian government. Our Ambassador to Colombia met with the Minister of Interior on 1 February when they discussed security challenges, including those posed by the BACRIM. In forthcoming meetings with the Minister of Defence and Minister of Post-Conflict, our Ambassador will seek to raise these issues again. The UK is also contributing £1m to the Organisation of American States’ Peace mission (also known as MAPP-OAS) which is monitoring demobilisation.

    A peaceful Colombia, where authorities effectively tackle organised crime and promote democratic practices nationwide, will bring about real change for all Colombians.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the potential future savings to the public purse of reducing (a) hepatitis C related end-stage liver disease and (c) liver cancer.

    Jane Ellison

    No such formal assessment has been made, although the potential benefits of new treatments becoming available are widely recognised.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2016 to Question 25603, on NHS: finance, with which seven trusts Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority have met since 15 January 2016.

    Ben Gummer

    Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority are unable to disclose the seven trust names that they have met since 15 January for commercial-in-confidence reasons.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the proposed hepatitis C improvement framework has not been published.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England’s work to deliver a framework for hepatitis C services has been progressed so far through the formation and implementation of operational delivery networks providing clinical leadership which has progressed in parallel with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence assessment of new drug therapies. NHS England and Public Health England are currently considering the best approach to build further development of hepatitis C services which cuts across a number of commissioning organisations and that NHS England will be publishing an update shortly.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent finding by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that pre-exposure prophylaxis could reduce HIV rates in men who have sex with men by between 40 and 60 per cent; and what steps he is taking to make pre-exposure prophylaxis available to people in this group.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is working with local authorities, clinicians, patient representatives and Public Health England to consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing Pre-exposure prophylaxis to at-risk groups to prevent them acquiring HIV. This includes a full review and analysis of published literature in this area.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in the UK have been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in each of the last five years.

    Alistair Burt

    We do not have information on the numbers of people diagnosed with age related macular degeneration in each of the last five years.

    What we do have is the number of finished admission episodes, for England, for the last five years, where the primary diagnosis was ‘degeneration of the macular and posterior pole’.

    Age group

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    0-4

    2

    2

    3

    2

    3

    5-9

    1

    2

    7

    3

    6

    10-14

    6

    9

    8

    8

    3

    15-19

    9

    18

    10

    11

    9

    20-24

    43

    32

    21

    36

    20

    25-29

    51

    29

    33

    47

    45

    30-34

    61

    42

    57

    56

    58

    35-39

    95

    73

    101

    100

    73

    40-44

    162

    156

    162

    229

    148

    45-49

    256

    254

    319

    377

    386

    50-54

    417

    439

    477

    636

    603

    55-59

    980

    812

    973

    1,216

    1,283

    60-64

    2,617

    2,589

    2,647

    2,833

    2,767

    65-69

    4,740

    5,153

    5,982

    6,427

    6,729

    70-74

    8,685

    8,937

    9,770

    9,847

    10,671

    75-79

    12,998

    14,051

    15,347

    14,506

    16,069

    80-84

    16,568

    17,083

    18,765

    17,747

    18,847

    85-89

    13,114

    13,960

    15,550

    14,262

    15,497

    90+

    5,382

    6,179

    7,320

    7,318

    8,580

    Unknown

    8

    6

    7

    11

    18

    TOTAL

    66,195

    69,826

    77,559

    75,672

    81,815

    This would include age related macular degeneration, as well as other conditions. It also only relates to people admitted to hospital not those seen in outpatients or primary care.

    Notes:

    A finished admission episode is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider.

    Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the same period.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when electrical impulse equipment for spinal injuries will be available on the NHS.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department is aware of a number of recent newspaper articles about research into the use electrical impulse devices for the treatment of spinal injuries. This research is at a very early stage and the technology has yet to demonstrate its efficacy and safety in clinical trials in humans.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been provided for (a) set-up costs and (b) ongong running costs of the Operational Delivery Networks established to support access to hepatitis C medicines.

    George Freeman

    NHS England initially allocated £1.2 million and is working with local commissioners to ensure that the necessary infrastructure and running costs are provided to the operational delivery networks.