The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) health and (b) economic effects of the UK withdrawing from the European Medicines Agency.
David Mowat
The Government is undertaking work to understand in full the impacts of withdrawing from the European Union including on public health. This is ongoing and will inform the Government’s approach to future negotiations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution by the Home Secretary of 10 October 2016, Official Report, column 38, if she will write to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North about reports that her Department has announced the doubling of asylum experts in France working on the Calais cases.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Home Office has deployed teams of officials to work alongside French officials in Calais to assist with speeding up the Dublin process and to identify and prioritise children who will be brought to the UK under the terms of the Dubs amendment to the Immigration Act 2016. Staff have been deployed flexibly to meet demand on the ground. We have also seconded an expert on Dublin cases to the French Interior Ministry – the second time we have done so this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to increase the number of educational programmes on cancer screening.
Jane Ellison
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy. The UK NSC reviews its recommendations on a three year basis or earlier if any new peer reviewed evidence emerges.
The UK NSC is currently reviewing the evidence on whether human papillomavirus testing as primary screening for cervical disease should replace the currently used cytology test and whether faecal immunochemical testing could be used as the primary screening marker in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. Public consultations on both reviews have just closed and the UK NSC is expected to make a recommendation to ministers later this month.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme is currently carrying out a long-term trial to investigate extending current screening eligibility to women aged 47-49 and 71-73. Over two million women have taken part in a randomised control trial, with the impact on breast cancer mortality rates due to be reported in the early 2020s. The UK NSC will consider the research evidence when it is published.
We are not aware of steps being taken by employers to enable staff to take time off work to attend cancer screening appointments. However, Macmillan has produced, “Your rights at work” an information leaflet on reasonable adjustments in the workplace for people who have or have had cancer.
In 2011, the UK NSC recommended that bowel scope screening could be offered in addition to the homes testing kit as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. Currently 76% of bowel scope screening centres in England are operational, and the Secretary of State’s commitment is to have this programme rolled out to all screening centres in England by the end of 2016. Health Education England has commissioned a training pilot for non-medical endoscopists (NMEs) to provide accelerated training in certain diagnostics procedures, with the aim of providing additional screening capacity. The pilot will commence in January 2016. A framework has also been developed to help NMEs demonstrate that they have achieved the competency levels required for their role.
The NHS Screening Programmes have a dedicated team who oversee education, training and stakeholder information. This involves working closely with Royal Colleges, Professional bodies, stakeholder groups, NHS England, Health Education England and the Public Health England campaigns team. A vast range of educational resources exist which are free to NHS staff and cover all screening programme plus the theory and practice of screening. The team is currently expanding the range of taught courses and e-learning resources to make learning more accessible. Accessible patient information is available to educate users of the service and enable informed choices regarding screening. This is complemented by a comprehensive set of material on NHS Choices regarding all 11 NHS Screening Programmes. Patient information is constantly updated and users are involved in the reviews and evaluation of all materials.
To increase rates of cervical screening in young women, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake amongst women who are receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The study began in November 2011 and reports can be expected in spring 2016.
In addition, the Department of Health Behavioural Insight team is developing a trial to investigate the use of behavioural insights to optimise the content of the invitation letter for cervical screening.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2015-12-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the EU directives on asylum into which they have opted, and what are those from which they have opted out.
Lord Bates
Between 1999 and 2005, several measures harmonising common minimum standards for asylum were adopted. The six measures were the Dublin II Regulation, the EURODAC Regulation, the Temporary Protection Directive, the Reception Conditions Directive, the Qualification Directive and the Asylum Procedures Directive. The UK opted into all of these Directives.
The Reception Conditions Directive, the Qualifications Directive and the Asylum Procedures Directives were later revised but the UK did not opt into the revised versions and remains bound by the original Directives.
The Dublin II Regulation and EURODAC Regulation were also revised and the UK opted into the revised versions.
The Temporary Protection Directive has not been revised and the UK remains bound by the original Directive.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Turkish government on access to the Black Sea for merchant shipping.
Mr David Lidington
No discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and the Turkish government on access to the Black Sea for merchant shipping.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will increase aid to Jordan in order to help that country cope with the inflow of Syrian refugees.
Mr Desmond Swayne
At the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will more than double our total pledge to the Syria crisis from £1.12 billion to over £2.3 billion. This funding will support those in need inside Syria and in the surrounding region which is dealing with the impact of the crisis, including Jordan. Final country allocations are still being decided but it is clear that aid from the UK in Jordan will rise compared to previous years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the political and security situation in Yemen since the recent airstrikes by the Saudi Military; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Saudi Arabia and the Coalition have played a crucial role in reversing the military advance of the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Saleh. Coalition and Government of Yemen military gains must now be used to drive forward the political process. We welcome the reports of calming along the Saudi/Yemen border and prisoner releases. A political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the conflict. We are working closely with the UN to encourage parties to meet again and engage in good faith, without preconditions, and to respect future ceasefires.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the introduction of the next BBC Royal Charter; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government will set out its plans for the future of the BBC in a White Paper in May.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place in the Library copies of all letters, leaflets and other material from her Department circulated to (a) stakeholders and (b) members of the public on the EU referendum; what the costs of the production and distribution of that material has been since 1 January 2016; and what she estimates the cost of any further production and distribution of such material will be between 6 May 2016 and 23 June 2016.
Mr Nick Hurd
Copies of the Government’s published documents on the Referendum are available in the Libraries of both Houses. It is not normal practice to publish letters to members of the public and stakeholders. Costs relating to the Referendum will be accounted for in the usual way in Annual Report and Accounts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the cancellation of the care.data scheme; and what plans he has for the deletion of all constituent information under that scheme.
Nicola Blackwood
NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre are not in a position to provide a final statement of expenditure at the present time. No data has been extracted from general practitioner practices under the care.data programme.
However, NHS England has been clear that the evidence and groundwork from the care.data programme will be incorporated into the health and care system’s Paperless 2020 programme on technology and improving patient care, as overseen by the National Information Board, in close collaboration with the primary care community, in order to retain public confidence and drive better care for patients.