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Tag: 2014

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve awareness of and early intervention for rheumatoid arthritis.

    Norman Lamb

    In 2009, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published clinical guidance on the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults, which set outs best practice on the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of patients. The guidance makes clear the importance of early diagnosis and is explicit that suspected cases should be referred as an urgent priority for specialist assessment and that early initiation of treatment can prevent irreversible damage to joints.

    In addition to this, information on the diagnosis and treatment of RA can also be accessed via the NICE Clinical Knowledge summaries website at:

    http://cks.nice.org.uk/rheumatoid-arthritis

    and more general information for the public can be found on the NHS Choices website at:

    www.nhs.uk/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis

    Through the mandate we have asked NHS England to make measurable progress towards making our health service among the best in Europe at supporting people with ongoing health problems, such as RA, to live healthily and independently, with much better control over the care they receive.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, columns 594-5W, on official visits, whether the six received requests for special mission status were refused or granted, by country making the request.

    Mark Simmonds

    None of the six requests for special mission status to which I referred in my answer to the House of 28 April 2014, Official Report, columns 594-5W, were refused. After consenting to the visits as special missions, two of the visits were subsequently cancelled by the country making the request.
    As I noted in my previous answer, in view of the confidentiality of diplomatic exchanges, we have no plans to make public further details about requests that have been granted or refused. But if those applying for special mission status wish to announce the details of their visit to the UK, they are of course at liberty to do so.

  • Dan Byles – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Byles – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Byles on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will recconsider the proposal to introduce Contract for Difference auctioning three years earlier than planned.

    Michael Fallon

    We have always been clear that auctions can be used to drive value for money, once the market is sufficiently developed. As set out in the Consultation on Competitive Allocation, published by the Department on 16 January 2014, we consider that market conditions are such that for some, more established, technologies this will be the case from the start of the allocation of Contracts for Difference (CfDs) under the enduring arrangements.

  • Lord Colwyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Colwyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Colwyn on 2014-05-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment Public Health England has made of whether the current number of consultants in dental public health is sufficient; and when they expect to make a decision on whether the current 12-month fixed-term contracts will be extended.

    Earl Howe

    Public Health England (PHE) has commenced a review of the number of dental public health consultants required to meet its statutory and non–statutory functions and this will report in the autumn 2014. A decision will be made on the fixed term contracts as part of the review.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make representations to the BBC Trust in support of publishing the salaries of all BBC staff earning more than £100,000 per annum.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    There are no current plans to make representations to the BBC Trust on ensuring the publication of the salaries of BBC staff. The BBC annually publishes the salaries and total remuneration for those earning £150,000 and over, and discloses the pay of all of its senior managers. Information about BBC staff, including salaries and expenses, can be found on the BBC’s websitehere.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/managementstructure/seniormanagement/

    “

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any (a) internal and (b) external reports were commissioned by Serco in relation to any steps taken by HM Prison Thameside to eliminate race discrimination in the workplace.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Government is committed to ensuring equality throughout the criminal justice system. Internal complaints procedures and the employment tribunal system enable any allegations of racial discrimination in the workplace to be thoroughly investigated.

    The Ministry of Justice conducted a routine assurance audit of HMP Thameside in 2013.

    Any internal document prepared by the contractor in relation to potential litigation is legally privileged and therefore exempt from disclosure.

  • Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the pay of community staff nurses rises in line with inflation.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    In 2012 the Chancellor announced that public sector pay awards would be capped at an average of 1% in 2013-14 and at an average of up to 1% in 2014-15.

    The National Health Service’s greatest asset is its staff who deserve to be properly rewarded for the hard work they do in looking after patients. In the NHS, incremental pay costs almost £1 billion. In our evidence to the Pay Review Bodies we were clear that the NHS is facing the most significant financial challenge in its history and that trusts could not afford to pay all staff 1% which would cost £450 million (about £350 million for non-medical staff) and increments which for most staff is over 3.5% on average. The NHS cannot afford to employ more staff, pay them more and pay for increments.

    This year, all NHS staff should receive an additional payment of 1% either through their incremental pay or via a pay award if they are no longer eligible to receive incremental pay.

    In the wake of the Francis Inquiry, our first priority must be to protect and properly staff the front line so staff are confident that they will have the right number of colleagues working alongside them in hospitals or in patient’s homes. We have to make difficult decisions in order to protect frontline patient care. Giving all NHS staff a 1% pay award is equivalent to employing around 14,000 new nurses and could result in unsafe care.

    We know that NHS staff are disappointed that they did not receive the pay award they were expecting. Our door remains open to discussions with trade unions on how consolidated pay awards for all NHS staff can be made affordable in each of the next two years.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the performance of the School Food Plan in increasing healthy breakfast provision in more deprived areas; and how much had been spent on this programme by April 2014.

    Mr David Laws

    As part of the school food plan, Magic Breakfast started work in March 2014 to set up breakfast clubs in schools where over 35% of pupils are eligible for free school meals and where there is currently no breakfast provision.

    We are currently tendering for a contract to evaluate the effectiveness of the breakfast clubs. The successful bidder will be announced shortly.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from heat-related causes in the summer of (a) 2012 and (b) 2013.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who owns data on police information notices issued by police services in England and Wales.

    Damian Green

    Data on police information notices issued by Police services in England and
    Wales is not collected centrally and is owned by the individual police force
    that issued the notice.