Category: Speeches

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that numbers of community children’s nurses meet future demand; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Secretary of State has delegated to Health Education England (HEE) the responsibility for delivering a better health and healthcare workforce for England. HEE plans and develops the workforce to ensure a secure workforce supply for the future, balancing need against demand. HEE’s Workforce Plan, published in December 2013, confirmed an increase of 31 (1.4%) in education and training commissions for children’s nurses for 2014-15.

    The local education and training boards, which are sub-committees of HEE, work with local providers, including employers, to contribute to HEE’s overall future workforce plan. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure they have the right staff, with the right skills to deliver high quality care, which includes supporting their continuing professional development.

  • Biography information for Chris Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Biography information for Chris Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Chris Williamson on Communities and Local Government.

    1

    Brandon Lewis

    On 23 May we published a second consultation on the draft regulations to implement the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2015. Under the scheme design a firefighter who earns £29,000 and retires after a full career aged 60 will get a £19,000 a year pension. The Department will carry out further consultations during 2014 on the governance and transitional arrangements for the firefighter pension reforms. I do not intend to consult again on the draft regulations on which I am currently consulting. The Fire Brigades Union should engage in the current formal consultation process rather than pursuing unnecessary industrial action. The consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-regulations-to-introduce-a-new-firefighters-pension-scheme-from-april-2015 and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

    “

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the overall performance of cancer services against the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Breast cancer quality standard.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Act (2012) places a duty on NHS England to have regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standards. Commissioners should have regard to them in the planning of services they commission according to their population needs.

    Whilst no assessment has been made of the performance of services against the Breast Cancer Quality Standard, compliance with Quality Standards generally could be monitored through a range of mechanisms depending on the specific Quality Standard. For example, the 30 national clinical audits funded by NHS England, the Best Practice Tariff, Commissioning for Quality Improvement Initiatives arrangements and the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator Set. These levers are designed to drive quality improvement in the National Health Service using Quality Standards where appropriate.

    At the request of NHS England, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership will shortly begin commissioning a new national breast cancer clinical audit. There is an expectation that national clinical audits, where appropriate, support the implementation of NICE clinical guidelines and Quality Standards. The new national clinical audit will be in place by the end of 2014-15.

  • Biography information for Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Biography information for Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Philip Davies on Communities and Local Government.

    1

    Brandon Lewis

    Numbers of firefighters are collected annually from each fire and rescue authority, and this includes profiles by age and by sex. The latest data are shown in the tables.

    These show that in England in March 2013 there were 1,755 female firefighters, and 1,040 firefighters over the age of 55. Separate age profiles for males and females are not currently collected.

    Firefighter numbers by rank and sex, England, March 2013

    Men

    Women

    Brigade Manager

    138

    4

    Area Manager

    176

    6

    Group Manager

    552

    13

    Station Manager

    1,453

    40

    Watch Manager

    5,111

    143

    Crew Manager

    5,782

    172

    Firefighter

    25,822

    1,377

    Total

    39,034

    1,755

    Firefighter numbers by rank and age, England, March 2013

    17-24

    25-35

    36-45

    46-55

    56-65

    66+

    Age Not Stated

    Brigade Manager

    0

    0

    29

    102

    11

    0

    0

    Area Manager

    0

    2

    55

    120

    5

    0

    0

    Group Manager

    0

    7

    185

    347

    26

    0

    0

    Station Manager

    0

    47

    534

    875

    37

    0

    0

    Watch Manager

    1

    353

    1,974

    2,651

    273

    1

    1

    Crew Manager

    11

    1,107

    2,607

    2,023

    202

    3

    1

    Firefighter

    1,389

    9,222

    9,803

    6,290

    478

    4

    13

    Total

    1,401

    10,738

    15,187

    12,408

    1,032

    8

    15

    The proportion of firefighters who are women has risen since 2010.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 120W, on haemolytic uraemic syndrome, for what reasons it was felt that further advice was needed on the overall cost implications, benefits and affordability of eculizumab; when it was first concluded that such further advice was needed; for what reasons the seeking of that advice was delayed until the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence took on responsibility for assessing highly specialised technologies; and if he will make a statement.

    Norman Lamb

    Ministers concluded that further advice was needed on the overall cost implications, benefits and affordability of eculizumab as, while Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS) members were convinced of the clinical effectiveness of the drug, they noted the very high costs of the drug and the increasing cost profile for the National Health Service.

    AGNSS was informed of this decision on 17 January 2013. On 7 February 2013, the Department conveyed its decision to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) so that NICE could begin preparatory work in advance of taking on formal responsibility for evaluating highly specialised technologies on 1 April 2013.

    While NICE carries out its evaluation, the current interim commissioning arrangements by NHS England in line with the ‘Clinical Commissioning Policy Statement: Eculizumab for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome’ will remain in place. The policy statement is available at:

    www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/e03-hss-a.pdf

  • col 970).” – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    col 970).” – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by col 970).” on Energy and Climate Change.

    2

    Baroness Verma

    We anticipate that some generators will seek to establish the terms of any PPA and financing arrangements before they participate in the CfD allocation round, in order to understand better their likely costs. Such conditional PPAs could take a number of forms, from indicative terms to a signed contract.

    In 2013, DECC officials established an industry Market Readiness group to prepare the market for offering CfD PPAs. There are now a number of PPA providers discussing terms with potential developers but these discussions are commercially sensitive.

    The Offtaker of Last Resort will allow generators to develop their projects using shorter-term PPAs with smaller suppliers. We are on track to introduce enabling regulations to have the OLR mechanism in place ahead of the first CfD allocation in Autumn 2014.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what levels of stock her Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Department does not centrally hold information on the levels of stock
    for (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other
    fasteners and (d) other office consumables. The Home Department has in place a
    contract under a Crown Commercial Service Framework Agreement for the provision
    of office stationery and stock management, which is managed by each business
    area.

    Stock management on (b) printer cartridges is delivered through the Department’
    s Facilities Management providers.

  • Biography information for Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Biography information for Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Paul Flynn on Defence.

    1

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The UK has made it clear that the circumstances in which any employment of nuclear weapons might be contemplated are very remote. We would employ nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances of self defence and in accordance with our obligations under international law. The UK uses nuclear weapons as a deterrent every single day as demonstrated by the Continuous At Sea Deterrence. The most recent major Government reports that explore these issues are the 2006 White Paper “The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent”; the 2010 SDSR and the 2013 Trident Alternatives Review, all of which are in the public domain.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance he has given magistrates in England and Wales on the introduction of the risk of serious recidivism tool into the National Probation Service following the introduction of the Transforming Rehabilitation model in England and Wales.

    Jeremy Wright

    The new Risk of Serious Recidivism (RSR) tool will be used to inform the allocation of cases to either the National Probation Service (NPS) or a Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC). We have begun the roll out of the tool to all Trusts, and have ensured that it is designed to minimise unnecessary bureaucracy so that staff working in the NPS or a CRC can spend more of their time managing and rehabilitating offenders.

    The RSR tool is an aid for probation staff and we have not issued magistrates with specific guidance on it. However, the Department engages regularly with the magistracy about the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms via the National Sentencer Probation Forum, as well as through other regular communication channels. Our intention is to ensure that the magistracy and sentencers more widely are fully informed about the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms. Training for the magistracy and any sentencing guidelines relating to the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 is a matter for the independent Judicial College and the Sentencing Council respectively.

  • Biography information for Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Virendra Sharma on Health.

    1

    Jane Ellison

    Officials from the Department, Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England are currently discussing how hepatitis C services might be strengthened, including how local Health and Wellbeing Boards can be encouraged to include hepatitis C in their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, where appropriate. The findings of the HCV Action report will help to inform those discussions.

    PHE is developing local profiles that include indicators of performance for hepatitis C which are aimed at local authorities and Health and Wellbeing Boards. These profiles include a summary of the issues around hepatitis C including those most at risk, as well as questions for Health and Wellbeing Boards to ask about local provision of hepatitis C services. PHE has produced a fact sheet for the Local Government Association on hepatitis B and C to support their scrutiny and oversight role.