The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the new annual payments to infected individuals with stage 1 hepatitis C will be backdated to April 2016.
Jane Ellison
Under the reformed scheme, annual payments to the hepatitis C stage 1 cohort will be backdated to 1 April 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will ensure that people with coeliac disease can continue to get prescriptions for gluten-free foods.
Alistair Burt
Gluten-free foods are available on National Health Service prescription to patients with established gluten-sensitive enteropathies. The Department provides general practitioners (GPs) and other prescribers with a list of recommended gluten-free products to help patients, including those with coeliac disease, to manage their condition.
Prescribing decisions are a matter for GPs and other prescribers. They should always satisfy themselves that the medicines or other substances they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and that patients are adequately monitored.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Featherstone on 2016-07-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to call in the decision by Northumberland County Council to approve plans for an opencast coal mine at Highthorn in the light of recent government commitments to phase out the use of coal.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Members of the public and MPs have requested that this application is called in, and we are currently considering that request.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects NICE to publish guidance on the use of bisphosphonates for the indication of preventing secondary breast cancer.
Nicola Blackwood
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline on early and locally advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and management (CG80) recommends the use of adjuvant bisphosphonates for the management of breast cancer treatment-induced bone loss in specified clinical circumstances. This guideline is currently being updated and the use of adjuvant bisphosphonates has been identified as one of the key areas that will be covered in this update. NICE expects to publish its updated guideline in July 2018.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to ensure that there will be sufficient childcare places in place by April 2017 for pre-school aged children of parents who will be expected to seek work from that date under the provisions of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.
Priti Patel
We expect the childcare market to adapt and expand as it has done so successfully in the past. There has been an increase of 230,000 places since 2009 and a significant increase in the take up of childcare provision in low and middle income areas. To support that continued growth and build capacity in the sector, the government has made capital funding available to create nursery provision as part of new Free Schools which will create at least 4,000 places. This government has supported existing providers to expand by reducing bureaucracy and making it easier for providers such as childminders and schools, to provide places and will continue to do so. In addition, we are trialling innovative ways of providing the extended entitlement next year, in particular to look at how the childcare can be provided more flexibly to suit the needs of working parents and increase choice. So far, there have been over one thousand expressions of interest to take part in the early implementation of the extended entitlement.
There is an extensive menu of childcare support in addition to the Department for Education offer including: the Universal Credit Childcare element; Tax-Free Childcare; and help with childcare costs under the Jobcentre Plus Flexible Support Fund to enable parents to undertake training, attend interviews or start work. Work related requirements should be tailored to individual circumstances and compatible with child care responsibilities. Parents should not be asked to undertake work related requirements which they cannot fit around their childcare responsibilities if suitable childcare is not available in their local area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the fitness-for-purpose of the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2007 and their applicability to technical developments for unmanned aerial vehicles since their coming into force in 2007.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The airspace over UK nuclear licensed sites is restricted by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) regulations 2007. These impose restricted airspace of a radius between 0.5 and 2 miles to a height of between 1000 and 2400 feet around the centre of all nuclear sites. Airspace usage in the UK is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Therefore it is a criminal offence to fly in the vicinity of nuclear sites without the permission of the CAA. The CAA and nuclear sites work closely together on this.
All of Britain’s nuclear power stations are robust and designed with safety in mind and are stress-tested to withstand a vast range of potential incidents. The independent regulator continuously monitors and evaluates the safety of each plant alongside the operator to protect it from outside threats.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research his Department has undertaken on the social costs of fixed odds betting terminals; and if he will make a statement.
David Evennett
On 21 January the Government published its evaluation of the £50 regulations introduced in April 2015. You can find it here:
The evaluation indicates that a large proportion of players of FOBTs may now be making a more conscious choice to control their playing behaviour and their stake level. We will now consider the findings of the evaluation before deciding if there is a need for further action.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Suella Fernandes on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 on the Royal Navy’s global reach.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Strategic Defence and Security Review provides the investment necessary to deliver the most modern Navy in the world, capable of supporting the UK’s interests around the globe and keeping our seas safe.
Both the capability and manpower of the Royal Navy will grow, including a renewed strategic deterrent; 100% aircraft carrier availability; a fleet of at least 19 frigates and destroyers including new general purpose frigates; new offshore patrol vessels, and new tanker support ships.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to develop a strategy to support BAME specialist domestic violence charities.
Karen Bradley
The Government published a new Violence Against Women and Girls strategy on 8 March committing £80 million between 2016 and 2020 to protect women and girls from violence and abuse. The strategy sets out how we will support local areas in implementing tailored services for victims who experience different forms of discrimination or additional barriers to accessing support. This includes the launch of a Service Transformation Fund from 2017 which will help to meet the needs of women and girls experiencing multiple disadvantage including victims from black and minority ethnic communities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of mobile financial services on levels of extreme poverty in developing countries.
Mr Nick Hurd
Mobile financial services have a key role to play in connecting people to basic services, supporting economic empowerment and building resilience of individuals and families. DFID operates a number of financial inclusion programmes, many of which include elements to promote the development of mobile financial services, and all are required to undertake a formal Annual Review process to measure progress towards their expected impact. Our most significant programme in this area to date has been the technology programme for branchless banking, which at completion had provided access to financial services for just over 59m people globally.