Category: Speeches

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to provide funding to the Welsh Government until the end of the Parliament for payments under the Independent Living Fund.

    Greg Hands

    Following the closure of the Independent Living Fund, £30 million was transferred to Welsh Government budgets to reflect the ILF’s previously-forecast expenditure in Wales. The Welsh Government is responsible for the allocation of this funding, in line with its devolved responsibilities. This funding was subsequently included in the Welsh Government’s Spending Review 2015 allocation.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support NHS England’s decision to penalise providers for treating patients when numbers breach levels designated for Operational Delivery Networks, even if that treatment is in accordance with NICE guidance.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England is operationally independent, and it is for them to determine how best to deliver the objectives in the mandate to NHS England, as well as ensuring the best use of resources available to it.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) specifically requires Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) to prioritise hepatitis C patients on the basis of clinical need, as part of a progressive rollout of treatments over the next five years.

    NHS England is funding providers to treat patients at the rate outlined in NICE’s guidance, apportioned to local ODNs based on local health needs. NHS England has invested in a Commissioning for Quality and Innovation scheme to incentivise ODNs to meet their agreed rate of roll-out. If their treatment rates deviate from this agreed rate of treatment, they are no longer eligible for these incentives.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any further courts and tribunal offices are planned for closure in addition to those announced in the Government’s response to the consultation on the court and tribunal estate, published in February 2016.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    HMCTS keeps its operational estate under review to make sure that it aligns with the delivery of reformed court and tribunal services. Any proposals for further closures, should they be required, will be subject to public consultation.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the article by Marta N. Shahbazi et al, entitled Self-organisation of the human embryo in the absence of material tissues, Nature Cell Biology (2016) and by Alessia Deglincerti et al, entitled Self-organisation of the in vitro attached human embryo, Nature 553, 251 to 254, of 12 May 2016, if he will instruct the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to require prolonged culture for up to 13 days or longer of any human embryos generated by (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer prior to clinical application of either of these techniques.

    Jane Ellison

    It will be for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, as the United Kingdom national regulatory body, to determine what evidence must be provided by clinics seeking a licence to provide mitochondrial donation treatment to patients, and any conditions that are to be placed on the licence.

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, prohibits the keeping or using of embryos for longer than 14 days or the appearance of the primitive streak, whichever is the earlier.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-07-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to issue instructions to NHS Trusts to draw up doctors’ schedules that ignore the EU Working Time Directive.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government has no plans to issue instructions to ignore the Working Time Directive (WTD).

    There will be no immediate changes to our relationship with the European Union. We remain a part of the EU until negotiations are concluded, which could take up two years or more if agreement isn’t reached. While the United Kingdom remains a member of the EU, we must meet our obligations as a member of the EU, including the WTD.

    It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts to ensure service rotas are compliant with the WTD.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department will implement the recommendations of the Deane Review into Self-Employment, published in February 2016.

    Margot James

    The Government is considering all the recommendations made in Julie Deane’s independent review of self-employment and will respond in due course.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Independent Commission the Freedom of Information on the number of occasions it plans to meet in order to finalise its report.

    Matthew Hancock

    It is for the independent Commission on Freedom of Information to organise its programme of work.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the funding arrangements are in (a) England and (b) West Yorkshire hospitals for the use of Docetaxel chemotherapy medication.

    George Freeman

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body, which makes decisions on the clinical and cost effectiveness of products based on thorough assessment of the best available evidence. NICE has recommended docetaxel for the treatment of hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer (where the disease becomes unresponsive to hormone treatment). Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance.

    In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners in England to make funding decisions on drugs and treatments based on the available evidence.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department intends to expand the range of technologies available under the Renewable Heat Incentive as part of its process of reviewing the scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We intend to reform the RHI to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and explore the best way to support less able to pay households. Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider the reform of the scheme. Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes early in 2016.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of differences in the ability of the Green Investment Bank to secure investment in (a) offshore wind power generation, (b) commercial and industrial waste processing and recycling, (c) energy from waste generation, (d) non-domestic energy efficiency and (e) support for the Green Deal as (i) public and (ii) private sector organisation.

    Anna Soubry

    The Green Investment Bank (GIB) contributes to UK green policy objectives by mobilising much needed private capital into green sectors, demonstrating that green investment can be profitable.

    GIB will continue to perform that role in private ownership – increasing investment and making profits from green sectors that are relatively mature but nevertheless suffer from a lack of investment.