Blog

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 486W, on health: business, what assessment his Department makes of the annual updates; and what estimate he has made of the number of hours of officials’ time spent assessing those updates.

    Jane Ellison

    Officials review annual updates to Responsibility Deal pledges on receipt and liaise with partners directly if any clarification is required.

    The Department does not record separately the spent on reviewing annual updates to the Responsibility Deal.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS-funded cosmetic surgeries have been performed in each of the last four years; and what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of those surgeries which were not based on a mental health need.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    This information is not available in the format requested.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 486W, on health: business, whether he plans to make an assessment of the overall (a) number and (b) proportion of those companies which are meeting all of the pledges they have signed up to.

    Jane Ellison

    Details of our Responsibility Deal partners, the pledges they have committed to taking action on, their delivery plans and annual updates are all readily available on the Responsibility Deal website at:

    https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/partners/

    This information is published in full and the Department does not therefore publish an assessment of partners’ achievements under the pledges.

  • Geraint Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Geraint Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geraint Davies on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds have been provided from his departmental expenditure limit to meet the costs of (a) clinical negligence and (b) NHS litigation in this financial year.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    £1.2 billion has been budgeted by the National Health Service Litigation Authority for the current 2014-15 financial year. £1.1 billion of this is allocated to clinical negligence, by far the most significant proportion of which is funded by members’ contributions, rather than allocated directly from the Department’s expenditure limit.

  • Ms Diane Abbott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ms Diane Abbott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Diane Abbott on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of patients waiting more than six weeks for diagnostic tests through NHS England; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government has invested more than £750 million over four years to support early diagnosis in cancer and improve access to key diagnostics to make sure that everyone has access to the best possible treatment. Awareness raising campaigns such as Be Clear on Cancer are encouraging more people to come forward with their symptoms.

    Patients should receive timely care, and NHS England, the NHS Trust Development Authority and Monitor are working with providers and commissioners to ensure patients get access to tests and treatment as quickly as possible.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 293W, on sugar, what discussions he has had and what representations he has received on including sugar in the list of ingredients that companies should work with caterers to reformulate in meals as part of the H4 pledge on Healthier Staff Restaurants; and what response his Department gave in each such case.

    Jane Ellison

    There have not been any discussions or representations made to the Secretary of State for Health or any Departmental officials, on including sugar in the list of ingredients that companies should work with caterers to reformulate in meals as part of the H4 Responsibility Deal pledge on Healthier Staff Restaurants.

    There are 169 organisations currently signed up to the H4 pledge which includes a requirement for employers to work with caterers to reformulate recipes to ensure staff meals are lower in fat, salt and energy.

    In addition, 11 catering companies have signed up to take a range of actions to help people consume fewer calories, including through reformulation to reduce sugar content.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regulatory oversight his Department will apply to 24 hour helplines provided by independent abortion clinics.

    Jane Ellison

    It is a condition of approval from the Secretary of State that independent sector providers have a 24 hour helpline available. The Care Quality Commission is considering the best approach to regulating termination of pregnancy services.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of NHS Improving Quality on (a) preserving the legacy of the work of NHS Diabetes and (b) improving care for people with diabetes; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    Jonathan Valabhji, the National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes, has had no discussions with my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health specifically about Action for Diabetes.

    There have been no recent discussions about diabetes between the Secretary of State for Health and NHS Improving Quality.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes on the implementation plans for Action for Diabetes; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    Jonathan Valabhji, the National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes, has had no discussions with my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health specifically about Action for Diabetes.

    There have been no recent discussions about diabetes between the Secretary of State for Health and NHS Improving Quality.

  • Naomi Long – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Naomi Long – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will press for the immediate release of Meriam Ibrahim and her two children who are imprisoned in Sudan.

    Mark Simmonds

    Meriam Ibrahim was released on 23 June, which we strongly welcomed. She has subsequently been detained again by the Sudanese authorities. Together with our international partners we are urgently seeking clarity on the precise details of her re-arrest and to seek her immediate release.

    Before her short release, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Development and I had all issued statements calling for Meriam Ibrahim to be released immediately. We also raised our concerns directly with the Government of Sudan: my colleague Lynne Featherstone with the Sudanese Foreign Minister; and our Ambassador in Khartoum with other ministers and senior officials. We will continue to press for her freedom