Category: Speeches

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department has received from NHS employers on the number of junior doctors who have worked weekends in the last six months.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not routinely collect this information. However NHS Employers conducted a survey of employers in January 2016, which asked what percentage of junior doctors worked 1 in 4 weekends or more frequently. The data returned reflected a snapshot (rather than the last six months).

    Based on a response from 14 employers in England, 40% worked more frequently than 1 in 4 Saturdays.

    Our manifesto commitment, which was translated into the mandate that shaped the contract negotiation, was for the National Health Service to standardise urgent and emergency care, it is not about elective care. It is true that some hospitals do elective work at weekends. That is part of the trust’s local decision-making and it is right for the hospital to make that decision.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether every assessment and treatment unit has access to autism-specialist services.

    Alistair Burt

    Access to an independent mental health advocacy (IMHA) is a statutory right for people detained under most sections of the Mental Health Act, subject to Guardianship or on a community treatment order. We would expect Assessment and Treatment Units to follow their statutory obligations to ensure patients have access to an IMHA where appropriate.

    The Learning Disability Assuring Transformation statistics data shows that of the 2,565 inpatients at the end of April 2016, 600 patients had a main diagnostic category of mental illness on admission.

    Data on the numbers of formal complaints made about patient care; the management of assessment and treatment units; access to autism-specialist services and access to occupational and speech and language therapy are not held centrally. However, NHS England, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Local Government Association, published in October 2015, a Service Model for commissioners of health and social care services. This model sets out that when people are admitted to inpatient settings services should seek to minimise their length of stay and any admissions should be supported by a clear rationale of planned assessment and treatment with measurable outcomes. We would therefore expect all patients, irrespective of inpatient setting, to have access to the treatment and therapeutic interventions they require.

  • Lord Wills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Wills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have applied to study Design and Technology in teacher training colleges.

    Lord Nash

    The latest published data, from 30 June 2016, shows that 1,370 applications have been submitted for Design and Technology ITT courses, either to a university or a school-led route.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many non-UK citizens are employed by his Department.

    David Mundell

    The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly; all staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other Government bodies, who remain the employers.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will hold discussions with motor trade associations on steps to ban the sale of devices that are used to illegally reduce car mileages on vehicles for resale.

    Nick Boles

    The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has no plans to hold such a meeting.

    It is illegal to reduce the mileage on a car and advertise or sell it on that basis. This is the case regardless of the availability of devices that can reduce vehicle mileage. For advice on alleged offences of misleading advertising or fraud, consumers should approach Action Fraud or Citizens Advice, who may refer cases to Trading Standards.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is taking to ensure that registered nurses in its employment are able to comply fully with the requirements of revalidation with the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and what training is being provided to such nurses for that purpose.

    Ben Gummer

    Information on support provided by individual National Health Service providers is not collected centrally and may be obtained from the organisations themselves.

    All nurses and midwives practising in England are required by law to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. From April 2016, nurses and midwives will have to revalidate every three years, when they renew their registration.

    It is the responsibility of nurses and midwives to register and undertake revalidation.There is no specific requirement for employers to help nurses and midwives through revalidation but it is in their interests and a matter of good practice, to support nurses and midwives to provide safe and effective care.

    As part of its inspection process, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) considers staff access to training and related support. Where nurses are employed, the CQC makes enquiries about the maintenance of continual professional development and the levels of support offered by the provider.

  • John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans the Government has to (a) provide financial support and (b) conclude and sign long-term contracts prior to construction in order to achieve the capital investment in energy storage technology necessary to reach the 27.4 gigawatts identified in the Technology Innovation Needs Assessment.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Technology Innovation Needs Assessment Summary Report on Electricity Networks and Storage, published by the Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group in 2012, included an estimated range of 7 – 59GW for the potential level of energy storage which might be deployed in the UK by 2050.

    The Government recognises the potential for storage to help use energy more flexibly and to decarbonise the UK energy system cost effectively, alongside other flexible solutions such as interconnection and demand-side response (DSR). In light of this, more than £80m public sector controlled support has been committed to energy storage research, development and demonstration activities since 2012. Innovation is expected to help drive storage costs down further.

    DECC is investigating the potential barriers to deployment of energy storage and possible mitigating actions, focussing in the first instance on removing regulatory barriers but also considering whether more needs to be done to stimulate investment in energy storage. DECC will be publishing a call for evidence on this area shortly.

  • Lord Donoughue – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Donoughue – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Donoughue on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extra electricity cost to steel producers related to climate change policies in financial terms per tonne, and as a percentage, (1) in the UK, (2) in Germany, and (3) in France.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government assessed, and published a report about, the impact of energy and climate change policies on industry and how this compares to other countries. That report was published on 11 July 2012. Based on this data the projected cost per MWh of energy and climate change polices for industry for 2015 (expressed in 2010 prices) was £18.50 in the UK, £5.80 for France, and £13.10 for Germany. However the Government has since taken action to mitigate most of the indirect costs arising from energy and climate change policies for industry, specifically by compensating for the indirect costs of carbon taxes and now by implementing relief from the costs of renewables policies passed through in bills. These measures will save the steel industry around £100m over the financial year – roughly 30% of their electricity bills.

  • Corri Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Corri Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Corri Wilson on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the financial implications of caring for people with cancer and their families.

    Alistair Burt

    The Government recognises the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers and the importance of supporting them in their caring roles. We are also aware that caring for people with cancer and other illnesses or disabilities can have significant financial implications both for those involved and wider society, for example, the Government, Carers UK and business representatives worked together to produce the Supporting Working Carers report of 2013, which estimated the costs to the exchequer of carers being unable to continue working at £1.3 billion a year.

    That is why we continue to support implementation of the improved rights for carers that were enshrined in The Care Act 2014. On the appearance of needs for support, carers have a right to an assessment that will look at a carer’s wellbeing and what support they may need in their caring role. The Department has provided £104 million of funding to local authorities for these rights in 2015/16.

    We also made an additional £400 million available to the National Health Service between 2011 and 2015 to provide carers with breaks from their caring responsibilities to sustain them in their caring role. The Better Care Fund includes £130 million of funding for carers’ breaks in 2015/16.

    In 2015 the Government extended to carers a right to request flexible working arrangements, and this helps those carers who wish to balance work and care. We are also funding a £1.6 million pilot project to explore how technology can be combined with professional support from the local authority and the assistance of informal networks to ease the pressure of caring.

    The Department is also leading the development of a new cross-Government National Carers Strategy that will look at what more we can do to support existing carers and future carers.

    We are also aware that the right support for the person they care for is crucial to improving outcomes for carers. The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, in July 2015. It recommended improvements across the cancer pathway, including on patient experience, support, and quality of life. NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward these recommendations.

    As part of our approach to support people living with and beyond cancer, we announced in September 2015 that, by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. These recovery packages, developed in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, will be individually designed to help each person live well beyond cancer, including elements such as physical activity programmes, psychological support and practical advice about returning to work.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people had retrospective claims for winter fuel payments agreed for 2013-14.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    The majority of Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically from information already held by the Department. We invite claims mainly from men under 65 who meet the eligibility criteria, as the largest group not identified and paid automatically. Claims can be made up to and including 31 March and are not accepted after that date.