Blog

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the British Medical Association and the Royal Colleges about potential improvements to the treatment of (a) brain injury and (b) chronic fatigue syndrome.

Norman Lamb

No recent discussions have taken place between the Department’s Ministers and either the British Medical Association or the Royal Colleges to discuss potential improvements to the treatment of either brain injury or chronic fatigue syndrome.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have had intra-arterial thrombectomy treatment to reduce the risk of blood clots in the brain in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

Information on the number of people who have had intra-arterial thrombectomy treatment to reduce the risk of blood clots in the brain is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with manufacturers of fruit juice about a reduction of levels of sugar in their products.

Jane Ellison

Eight businesses have signed up to the Responsibility Deal to reduce calories, including added sugar, in the soft drinks they produce and retail. Ministers and officials are continuing to engage with soft drinks businesses to encourage greater sign up to the calorie reduction pledge. The school food standards severely restrict the provision of foods and drinks that are high in sugar in schools.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many drug trials have taken place in the UK in each of the last three years.

Norman Lamb

The numbers of applications received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s Clinical Trials Unit for clinical trials of medicinal products over the past three financial years is shown in the following table:

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of advances in the treatment of melanoma.

Jane Ellison

NHS England has published a service specification for adult skin cancer services which sets out what the National Health Service must have in place to offer high quality skin cancer treatment, care and support. Embedded in this is the best practice guidance on skin cancer published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Improving Outcomes for People with Skin Tumours, including Melanoma published by NICE in 2006 and updated in 2010, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment care and support of patients with skin cancer, including melanoma.

NICE is also planning to develop a skin cancer quality standard. Quality Standards are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers what a high quality service should look like and they play a key role in helping to drive up standards of care.

Making significant progress in ensuring people have access to the right treatment when they need it, including drugs and treatments recommended by NICE, is an objective for NHS England with regard to cancer under the mandate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of ulcerative colitis there has been in each of the last three years.

Norman Lamb

Annual incidence data for ulcerative colitis is not collected. In its guidance, Ulcerative colitis, Management in adults, children and young people, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has estimated that there are 146,000 people in the United Kingdom with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the drug pembrolizumab will be available on the NHS for treatment of skin cancer.

Norman Lamb

The manufacturer of pembrolizumab, Merck, has not yet filed an application for a marketing authorisation for use in the European Union.

Hospital doctors can arrange for the supply of any drug or other substance, even one not normally available on National Health Service prescription, provided the patient’s commissioner agrees to supply it at NHS expense. The doctor would, in those circumstances, have to retain clinical responsibility for the patient while prescribing the drug in question.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the cancer drug known as anti-PDL1; and when he expects that drug to be available for use in the NHS.

Norman Lamb

There have been no discussions with the Royal Colleges on the use of anti- PDL1 to treat cancer. In order for a medicine to be placed on the United Kingdom and European Union markets, the manufacturer must first apply to obtain a Marketing Authorisation from either the European Medicines Agency or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This medicine appears to be in early stage development and no estimation can be made of when it will be placed on the market.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of cases of vehicle insurance fraud in each of the last five years.

Karen Bradley

The Home Office holds no data on this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department gives to landowners to enable regeneration of land through the burning of heather and moorland.

George Eustice

The Department does not support landowners in England to regenerate land through the burning of heather and moorland. However, various agri-environment schemes provide financial support for the positive environmental management of the uplands, including moorland.