The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many air ambulance rescues have taken place in Cumbria in each month of the last 10 years.
Mr Philip Dunne
The information requested is not centrally collected.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the progress of audiology services achieving IQIPS accreditation; and what plans he has to ensure that audiology services in NHS trusts and communities give priority to registering with IQIPS.
David Mowat
Comprehensive data on the number of audiology services in England is not collected.
NHS England has no current plans to introduce financial incentives for the achievement of Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) accreditation.
As of 1 September, there are 39 organisations with IQIPS accreditation for audiology, covering 28 adult and 21 paediatric audiology services. If an organisation is accredited for both adult and paediatric audiology, United Kingdom Accreditation Service considers that one accreditation.
In Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A framework for clinical commissioning groups, published in July, NHS England strongly encourages clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to expect providers to have completed the IQIPS self-assessment tool and applied for accreditation with UKAS, and achieve accreditation within the duration of their contract. This is reflected in the model service specification for adults.
In the contract for Genomics Medicines Centres, Annex M requires National Health Service trusts nominated as Lead Organisations and Local Delivery Partners to be working towards diagnostic accreditation across all available schemes, including IQIPS.
NHS England is also working with the Care Quality Commission to agree the use of scientific and diagnostic schemes as an information source for inspection purposes, as set out in their latest strategy.
We currently have no plans to introduce mandatory accreditation of audiology services in England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken in the last 12 months to improve access to off-patent, repurposed drugs; and what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of those steps.
George Freeman
Our policy on generic prescribing has been in place for a number of years. The policy helps ensure that patients can access the medicine that best meets their needs and it has been a key driver in the National Health Service making maximum use of off-patent drugs which are also known as generics. We have the best prescribing rate for these drugs in Europe.
To support clinicians who may want to prescribe a product off-label for a patient to and improve the flow of research evidence into clinical practice, the Department hosted a Roundtable Event in February 2015. Attendees included the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Breast Cancer Now and other charities and discussions helped determine those non-legislative measures that could be undertaken. The Government is committed to this work and is holding a further roundtable event with charities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will reopen his Department’s consultation on the proposed NHS mandate.
George Freeman
Each year the Government aims to publish the mandate to NHS England before Christmas, in order to allow the NHS sufficient time to plan before the new financial year. The mandate to NHS England 2016-17 was laid before Parliament and published on Thursday 17 December 2015. Alongside it, the Government published its response to the consultation, explaining what we heard and how the mandate has changed as a result.
The Government is therefore unable to reopen the consultation on the mandate to NHS England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to provide assistance to further education institutions which incur financial penalties as a result of triggering break clauses in the loan agreements they hold with banks resulting from his Department’s area reviews.
Nick Boles
As independent institutions colleges involved in an area review are responsible for their own financial arrangements with banks and other creditors. Area reviews are the mechanism through which post-16 institutions have the opportunity to work together to ensure that provision best suits local educational and economic needs. We expect that the recommendations of each review will lead to institutions that are financially sustainable.
The costs including any financial penalties arising from the recommendations of each review will be explored as part of the process. We expect the colleges, alongside local authorities and LEPs with devolved skills budgets, to consider how these costs can be met locally. Where there are costs that cannot be met, but which are essential to the successful implementation of the review, we have announced a facility for transitional funding to support this. We will provide more detail in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he intends to answer the letter to him dated 5 January 2016 with regard to Mr Julian Chapman.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Thank you to the Right Hon Gentleman for his letter, which we received on February 12. He will receive a response within 20 working days from that date.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he plans to conduct an equality impact assessment on the effect of changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance.
Joseph Johnson
An Equality Analysis was undertaken as part of the consultation exercise on reforms to Disabled Students’ Allowances. This was published on 2 December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many times he has attended public meetings of the Scottish Affairs Committee since his appointment.
David Mundell
I have met and appeared in front of the Scottish Affairs Committee on two occasions since my appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland and will next be appearing in May.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether parity of esteem as established in the Belfast Agreement 1998 applies to people who live in the Republic of Ireland.
Lord Dunlop
This Government understands the concept of parity of esteem, as set out in the 1998 Belfast Agreement, as placing a general obligation on the UK Government to treat people of different traditions in Northern Ireland fairly and with equal respect. In the Agreement it is clearly expressed and defined in relation to people living in Northern Ireland.
As a general obligation there is no definition of particular circumstances in which it does or does not apply.
As I have set out in previous replies to the Noble Lord, this Government is firm in its commitment to the protection of people against any form of discrimination, and the promotion of opportunity for all, across the whole of our United Kingdom.
In respect of the Noble Lord’s question about those who might march wearing army uniforms but who are not members of an army, the concept of parity of esteem clearly does not absolve people from upholding the law. This Government has made clear many times that we will never accept any form of equivalence between members of the security forces and those who engage in terrorism or other forms of paramilitary activity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of hate crime were reported in Croydon in each of the last 12 months.
Sarah Newton
The Home Office collects information on the number of hate crimes recorded by the police at the police force area level. The Metropolitan police force recorded 13,889 hate crimes in 2014/15.
Further information on hate crime can be found in Hate Crimes, England and Wales, 2014/15, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2014-to-2015
Data for 2015/16 are due to be published in October 2016.
This Government is committed to tackling hate crime. The UK has one of the strongest legislative frameworks in the world to tackle hate crime. We are working across Government with police, (including National Community Tensions Team), the Crown Prosecution Service and community partners to send out a clear message that hate crime will not be tolerated and we will vigorously pursue and prosecute those who commit these crimes.