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  • Paul Uppal – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Uppal – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of endometriosis.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Information on endometriosis is readily available to healthcare professionals and the public. Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and NHS Choices have published information for the public on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Further information can be found on the RCOG website:

    www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/endometriosis-what-you-need-know

    and NHS Choices website:

    www.nhs.uk/conditions/Endometriosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

    To support women with endometriosis all obstetricians and gynaecologists have been trained in the diagnosis, investigation and management of the condition, which is specifically listed as a topic in the core curriculum for obstetrics and gynaecology. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has published clinical guidelines on the management of women with endometriosis to assist clinicians.

    In addition, NHS England has developed a service specification for severe endometriosis under the specialised commissioning area of complex gynaecology. NHS England expects all units providing a service to women with severe endometriosis to provide care which meets the standards laid out in a specification which can be found on their website:

    www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/e10-comp-gynae-endom-0414.pdf

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Health and Social Care Information Centre takes to ensure that all its registers are complete and can be easily cross-referenced.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    As part of continuous improvement, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) will continue to review the completeness of all the registers that are being released. The HSCIC has committed to publishing details of all approved data releases including the purpose for which data was released, on a quarterly basis and continue to welcome scrutiny of these registers and feedback and will ensure that any genuine omissions are incorporated within these updates.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 330W, on medical records: data protection, for what reason the Health and Social Care Information Centre’s register of approved data releases does not contain entries on the Data Access Advisory Group (DAAG) register of approved applications for (a) Department of Health Dental and Eye Care Analytical Team DAAG application reference 240413-a, (b) HCV Research UK DAAG application reference MR1316, (c) Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust section 251 notification DAAG application reference MR1320 and (d) UK Biobank DAAG application reference MR1109.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) register as published on 3 April 2014 only covers data releases approved and data released by the HSCIC within the period 1 April 2013 to 31 December 2013.

    The applications the hon. Member refers to have been approved by the Data Access Advisory Group’s (DAAG) but are not included on the HSCIC Register of Approved data releases as they are not within the scope outlined for the following reasons:

    (a) Department of Health Dental and Eye Care Analytical Team DAAG application reference 240413-a, this request was for additional access for an individual field by Department of Health through the Business Objects on-line system, access to which was approved prior to 1 April 2014. This means of access has subsequently been replaced, and the Department’s access to the new system is covered by row id 373 in the approved release register;

    (b) HCV Research UK DAAG application reference MR1316 – the release of data to this customer has not yet been approved by the HSCIC;

    (c) Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust section 251 notification DAAG application reference MR1320 – the applicant has received no data from the HSCIC within the time period; and

    (d) UK Biobank DAAG application reference MR1109 – this was approved prior to 1 April 2013.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of the General Dental Council’s fitness to practise regime.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department has made no recent assessment of the efficacy of the General Dental Council’s fitness to practise regime.

    It is the role of the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) to independently review the performance of the regulators on an annual basis, to check how effective the regulators have been in protecting the public and promoting confidence in health and care professionals.

    Further information on the PSA reviews can be found on their website using the following link:

    www.professionalstandards.org.uk/

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what salary the Chair of NHS Property Services receives for (a) that role and (b) his other roles in the Department of Health and the NHS; and for what hours he is contracted to work in each of his roles.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Mr Robin Williams holds the following positions within Department/National Health Service organisations:

    Chair of NHS Property Services Limited (NHS PS)

    He receives a directors’ fee of £60,000 per annum, less any tax and/or National Insurance contributions payable monthly in arrears for this role. He is required to devote 10 days a month to this role. He was appointed in April 2014.

    Non-Executive Chair of NHS Professionals Limited (NHSP)

    He receives a directors’ fee of £60,000 per annum, less any tax and or National Insurance contribution payable monthly in arrears for this role. He is required to devote 8 days a month to this role. He was appointed in January 2010.

    The workload on both posts is such that the time commitment is the monthly average over the year. On his appointment to NHS PS, he formally confirmed his other commitments did not prevent him fulfilling his contractual obligations to NHSP.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impairment type or main disabling condition is experienced by people on a) employment and support allowance and b) job seeker’s allowance and under sanction.

    Esther McVey

    The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Government funding has been provided for tackling teenage knife crime in each year since publication of the Kinsella Review in February 2011.

    Norman Baker

    On 2 February 2011, Official Report, column 46WS, the Home Secretary announced
    £18 million funding to tackle knife, gun and gang crime. The funding was given
    to police, local agencies and the voluntary sector to tackle serious youth
    violence and prevent young people
    entering a cycle of crime. This funding addressed issues of gang and youth
    violence including knife crime.
    The two year funding supported enforcement and prevention work by police in
    three knife crime hotspot areas, alongside positive activities for young people
    and local work to bring about long-term changes in attitudes and behaviours.
    The money included up to:
    • £3.75 million (£2 million in 2011-12 and £1.75 million in 2012-13) for the
    three police forces areas where more than half of the country’s knife crime occurs –
    the Metropolitan Police Service, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands.
    • £4 million (£2 million in 2011-12 and £1.75 million in 2012-13 ) for a
    ‘communities against gangs, guns and knives’ fund – for local voluntary organisations across
    England and Wales working with young people to stop involvement in knife and
    gang violence.
    • £10 million for prevention and diversionary activities and engagement with
    young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, including knife related violence
    • £1million to support the development of anti-knife, gun and gang crime
    materials for schools and a good practice website to enable local projects to share
    knowledge and expertise. About 280 practitioners are now sharing information
    through the Knowledge Hub set up in the Local Government Association website.
    • £250,000 for 2011-12 of the Ben Kinsella Fund (in addition to the £250,000
    provided for 2010-11) for young people to run anti-knife crime projects in their local
    area.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of measures adopted following the Kinsella Review of anti-knife crime projects, published in February 2011; and if she will make a statement.

    Norman Baker

    There has been no formal assessment of the measures introduced following the
    publication of the Kinsella Review. However, we keep the current Ending Gang
    and Youth Violence programme under close review, which supports the work of the
    33 areas in England and Wales identified as having the most significant gang
    problems. This programme is aimed at tackling gang and youth violence and
    includes knife crime. Our assessment of the first year (2012-13) of the
    programme was positive, with local areas considering it to have been a success.
    We are currently finalising the assessment of the second year (2013-14).

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the abolition of the Independent Living Fund; what discussions he has held with his ministerial colleagues on this issue; and what steps he is taking to monitor the effect of this decision on disabled people at a national and local level.

    Mike Penning

    My Department is committed to working closely with the ILF and other Government Departments to support the work required to enable an effective transfer for ILF users by 30 June 2015.

    The ILF also has undertaken a dedicated programme of engagement with local authorities and is also engaging directly with all of those authorities who will be involved in the transfer of user care and support in 2015.

    This includes a local authority commitment to the Code of Practice between the ILF and local authorities in England, backed by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and the Local Government Association (LGA).

    DWP is currently developing plans for monitoring the impact of ILF closure on those groups who share protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, both on former users of the ILF and on disabled people more generally.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Freedom of Information request made by Frank Zola to his Department on 28 April 2014, on community work placements, when his Department plans to publish the names of the 70 placement providers under the Help to Work scheme; how many current placement providers there are; if he will publish the names of all such organisations providing such placements under the Help to Work scheme in (a) Brighton and Hove local authority area and (b) in the UK; and if he will publish job descriptions for those placements (i) provided to date and (ii) planned to be provided.

    Esther McVey

    The department can confirm that it holds the names of the 70 sub-contractors under the Help to Work scheme as referenced in the Freedom of Information request made by Frank Zola. However, the department cannot disclose their names as the information is intended for publication at a future date.

    In terms of names of organisations that are work placement hosts, the department wishes not to disclose the information as we believe that the public balance weighs in favour of witholding the information.