The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many immigration appeal hearings lost by the Government her Department failed to send a presenting officer in each of the last four years.
James Brokenshire
I will write to the Rt Hon Member.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what figures he holds on the life expectancy of men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer.
Jane Ellison
The Government’s Mandate to NHS England sets out an ambition to make England one of the most successful countries in Europe at preventing premature deaths from all cancers, including prostate cancer.
Cancer indicators in the NHS Outcomes Framework and the Public Health Outcomes Framework will help NHS England to assess progress in improving cancer survival and mortality for men with prostate cancer.
Data related to men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is not collected to permit the calculation of a reliable figure for average life expectancy.
However, Cancer Research UK has estimated that men with advanced, incurable prostate cancer treated in trials or under drug access schemes at the Royal Marsden Hospital survived on average 41 months, compared to between 13 and 16 months 10 years ago.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the applicability of the end-of-life criteria to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s appraisal of abiraterone acetate for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy.
Norman Lamb
Since January 2013, the Department has received four questions from hon. Members, including his own, regarding the applicability of end-of-life criteria in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s appraisal of abiraterone (Zytiga) for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy.
In addition, we have received one letter from an hon. Member regarding this particular appraisal more generally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Dobbin on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that her Department’s vaccination programmes reach children with disabilities.
Lynne Featherstone
The UK is a leading advocate for vaccination coverage that ensures that the poorest and most vulnerable groups, including those with disability, have access to essential vaccines. The UK funds the GAVI Alliance, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and the Measles and Rubella Initiative to conduct supplemental immunisation activities, specifically targeting children who are outside the routine immunisation service delivery system.
The UK’s goal on immunisations is that every child is fully immunised with equitable coverage of core vaccines. In 2011, the UK committed over four years to vaccinate over 80 million children against preventable diseases, including diseases which can lead to disability, through the GAVI Alliance. DFID’s 2014 Annual Report shows we are on track to meet this commitment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has further plans to expand the Public Defender Service beyond the first phase of recruits.
Mr Shailesh Vara
We are still concluding the recruitment campaign from 20 January 2014 and expect some further appointments to the PDS to be confirmed as a result of that.
In the current circumstances the Government will take the necessary steps to ensure availability of representation in Very High Cost Cases in which legally aided defendants are currently unrepresented. This could include increasing the capacity of the Public Defender Service. It remains open to the self-employed Bar to accept instructions on these cases, and we would welcome the maximum possible participation of the self-employed Bar in this regard.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how armed forces veterans are identified when making an application for jobseeker’s allowance; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
Armed Forces Veterans who claim Jobseeker’s Allowance are identified by the Work Coach at their initial Work Search interview.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the pupil premium is available for pre-school children from service families; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Laws
The pupil premium and the service children premium are additional resources provided to maintained schools and academies in England to support the education of 4-16 year-olds who meet the eligibility requirements.
The Government has announced that a new early years pupil premium, worth £50 million, will be introduced from April 2015. It will give disadvantaged three- and four-year-old children better access to quality early education which evidence shows can have a major impact on their school readiness. The Government will consult later this year on how best to implement these proposals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the pupil premium for service children is used for its intended purposes.
Mr David Laws
Headteachers are responsible for selecting the most appropriate interventions to support their service pupils, including pastoral support or interventions to improve attainment.
They are held accountable for the use of this additional funding in two ways. Firstly, through the Ofsted inspection framework where inspectors focus on the attainment of different groups of pupils, including those who attract the service premium. Secondly, schools are required to publish online how much service pupil premium funding they receive, how it is spent and the impact it has made.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Brazier on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the General Medical Council about the pre-signing of abortion certificates since January 2012.
Jane Ellison
Departmental officials have met with the General Medical Council (GMC) on several occasions since February 2012 where abortion issues, including pre-signing of abortion HSA1 certificates, were discussed. In addition, I also met with the GMC recently to discuss abortion issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Brazier on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 380W, on developing countries: family planning, how much of her Department’s budget has been allocated to achieving the outcomes in her Department’s policy paper Safe and Unsafe Abortion in each of the last two years; and if she will make a statement.
Lynne Featherstone
DFID adheres to Development Co-Operation Directorate (OACD-DAC) expenditure coding requirements to allow comparison across donor spending towards attainment of the Millennium Development Goal targets. This measures against coding titles as have been internationally agreed. Only coding titles as have been internationally agreed can be individually disaggregated by DFID systems.