Tag: 2014

  • Liz Kendall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liz Kendall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of people who received telehealth and telecare services in each of the last four years.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England does not currently collect data about the number of people receiving telehealth or telecare services. The latest information held is from the Telehealth Services Association (TSA), which is the industry body for telehealth and telecare. In 2011 the TSA stated that in 2011 there were an estimated 1.37 million telehealth, telecare and telecoaching connections in England.

    NHS England is establishing a regular survey to gather data on the number of individuals who benefit from telehealth and telecare, and is also developing a set of consistent measures for commissioners which will be more meaningful and demonstrate the impact of these technologies on health outcomes.

    NHS England recognises the potential of these technologies to empower patients to take greater control over their conditions and provide care that is convenient, accessible and cost-effective. The ambition is to create the right commissioning environment that supports and encourages the use of technology that can improve care and outcomes for patients.

  • Stewart Jackson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stewart Jackson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding will be designated for basic and applied research into respiratory disease in 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a range of applied clinical research, but does not fund fundamental laboratory-based research, which is funded by other organisations including the Medical Research Council (MRC) and medical research charities.

    The usual practice of the NIHR and of the MRC is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available.

    The Department’s NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including respiratory disease. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and the National Health Service, value for money and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.

    Spend on research funded directly by the Department’s NIHR from 2010-11 to 2012-13 in respiratory disease is shown as follows. The complete information on NIHR spend in 2013-14 is not currently available. These figures do not take account of NIHR expenditure on research infrastructure and systems where spend cannot be attributed to health categories.

    Health category

    2010-11

    £

    2011-12

    £

    2012-13

    £

    Respiratory

    18,192,188

    20,234,850

    24,692,314
  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is offering countries in West Africa affected by the ebola virus to remedy the situation.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The UK government has contributed £683,601 to the Ebola Virus Disease in the West African Region. Through the UK’s global multilateral contributions we are supporting a regional containment strategy and in addition, strengthening the outbreak response in Sierra Leone and Liberia through bilateral assistance.

    In Sierra Leone, DFID funds will be used to support improved coordination at the national level; training and equipping of health workers to competently manage Ebola cases; improved EVD case detection and supporting appropriate radio messaging and community mobilisation activities on EVD prevention and control in affected districts. In Liberia, DFID has provided chlorine and other materials for hygiene and sanitising; and training in their appropriate use. DFID programmes are ready to respond to further requests from implementing partners as appropriate. We are closely monitoring the outbreak from Sierra Leone and Liberia and internationally through DFID headquarters. We are working with WHO and national government agencies to improve our understanding of the outbreak and help to guide the response in-country and regionally.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for personal independence payments submitted by people in Preston in 2013 have yet to be determined.

    Mike Penning

    Figures on the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims outstanding are not available.

    However a breakdown of the statistics published on 5th June 2014 show that during April to December 2013, 820 PIP new claims were registered and 250 decisions were made for individuals living in Preston Local Authority.*

    There are several reasons why a new claim could be registered and awaiting a decision. For example, the claimant is waiting to receive or has not yet returned their PIP 2 How your disability affects you form, the claimant is awaiting their assessment appointment date, the DWP have not yet made a decision on the claim, or the claimant has told DWP that they wish to withdraw their claim.

    *Source: PIP Computer System claimant records

  • Lord Lipsey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Lipsey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lipsey on 2014-06-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what grounds they consider that the Horseracing Betting Levy is compatible with articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Horserace Betting Levy is an existing state aid which predates the UK’s accession to the EU. It is on that ground that the Government considers the Levy to be compatible with the UK’s obligations under European Union law and state aid rules.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-06-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to transfer responsibility for economic regulation and railway safety within the Channel Tunnel from the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission to the United Kingdom and French rail regulators; if so, by what date; and, if not, why not.

    Baroness Kramer

    The British and French Governments will move economic regulation of the Tunnel from the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and its French equivalent, and put in place a charging framework by 31 March 2015. We are working with the French Government and anticipate that those commitments will be resolved by March next year. There are no plans to transfer railway safety from IGC.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Debbie Abrahams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to promote access to justice.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government’s overall reform programme to promote access to justice aims to deliver a simpler justice system that is more accessible to the public; limit the scope for inappropriate litigation and the involvement of lawyers in issues which do not need legal input; and support people in resolving their disputes through simpler, more informal remedies.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.22 of Delivering Tax-free childcare: the Government’s response to the consultation on design and operation, when the decision to make National Savings and Investments HM Revenue and Customs’ delivery partner for tax-free childcare was made.

    Nicky Morgan

    I refer the Honourable Member to the answer that I gave on 18 June 2014, Official Report, column c625W.

  • Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alun Cairns on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to which geographical areas the roll-out programme for smart meters will extend; and when their programme will happen in each area.

    Gregory Barker

    In Great Britain, we are adopting a supplier-led approach to the roll-out of smart meters. Energy suppliers are required to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to install smart meters to all of their domestic and smaller non-domestic customers in Wales, England and Scotland by 2020.

    There is no centralised roll-out strategy and suppliers are free to plan the roll-out in a way that suits their business and the needs of their customers, subject to the requirement to complete the roll-out by 2020. They are considering a range of factors in developing their strategies for this, such as the geographical location of their customers, the age of the current meter stock, and the extent to which they wish to respond to customer demand.

  • Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of the masterplans funded by her Department in Area C of the Occupied Palestinian Territory have received full approval by the Israeli government; and how long the approval process took in each case.

    Mr Alan Duncan

    Only two of the 32 UK-funded masterplans have received full approval so far. The process to gain approval took approximately 27 months for each. We are urging the Government of Israel to accelerate the approval of the other plans in order to allow the development of Palestinian communities in Area C without the risk of demolition.