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Tag: 2015

  • Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership on UK creative industries.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    A majority of EU Member States opposed including the audiovisual sector, including the creative industries, in TTIP, and is it not currently included in the EU negotiating mandate. However, overall TTIP has the potential to be the largest bilateral trade agreement in the world so it is clear it would bring significant economic benefits to the UK in terms of jobs and growth, as independent analysis has suggested.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on supplying arms to Ukraine’s military; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    I have discussed the crisis in Ukraine with a number of my NATO counterparts. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) set out in his statement to the House on 10 February: ‘it is a national decision for each country in the NATO alliance to decide whether to supply lethal equipment to Ukraine. The UK is not planning to do so, but we reserve the right to keep this position under review. Different members of the alliance take nuanced positions on this question and are entitled to do so.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what change there has been in access to prostate cancer treatments since 2012.

    George Freeman

    Since April 2013, NHS England has been the responsible commissioner for chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, together with a number of specialist surgical services, which include some complex urology and colorectal cancer surgeries. Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the diagnostic pathway and some surgeries for both colorectal and urological cancers.

    NHS England routinely commissions a range of anti-cancer drug treatments for both colorectal and prostate cancer. These are drug indications that have either been recommended in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal guidance, or have been considered as routine practice in the treatment of these cancers for many years.

    NICE is the independent body that assesses the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments for routine use in the National Health Service. NICE has recommended the following treatments for prostate cancer through its technology appraisal process since 1 January 2012:

    – abiraterone (Zytiga) for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen; and

    – enzalutamide (Xtandi) for metastatic hormone‑relapsed prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel‑containing regimen.

    NICE is in the process of appraising the following treatments:

    – sipuleucel-T (Provenge) for the first line treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer;

    – degarelix depot (Firmagon) for treating advanced hormone dependent prostate cancer;

    – enzalutamide for treating metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy; and

    – radium-223 dichloride (Xofigo) for hormone relapsed prostate cancer with bone metastases.

    NICE is currently reviewing technology appraisal guidance on cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and expects to publish updated final guidance on these treatments in April 2016.

    In addition to routinely commissioned treatments, the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) provides access to other treatments that would not normally be available.

    From April 2013, NHS England assumed operational responsibility for the CDF. As of 19 January 2015, the following drugs are available through the national CDF list for the treatment of prostate cancer:

    – abiraterone;

    – cabazitaxel (Jevtana);

    – enzalutamide; and

    – radium-223 dichloride.

    Cabizitaxel is due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.

    The following drugs are also available through the national CDF list for the treatment of colorectal cancer:

    – aflibercept (Zaltrap);

    – bevacizumab (Avastin);

    – cetuximab; and

    – panitumumab.

    Aflibercept, bevacizumab as a first-line treatment and cetuximab as a second- or third-line treatment with combination chemotherapy are due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.

    Since April 2013, there has been progress in meeting the Government’s commitment to increase patient access to inverse planned Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). The success of this planned expansion of access is demonstrated in the increased number of IMRT episodes (patients), which has risen from just over 8,500 per year in 2012-13 to a projected figure of over 25,000 in 2014-15 of which around 40% of these patients are treated with IMRT for prostate cancer.

    NHS England has not altered the service specification or published any commissioning policies which have altered those colorectal cancer surgical services that fall within the remit of specialised commissioning.

  • Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department disbursed to projects in (a) Pakistan and (b) Azad Kashmir in each of the last 10 years.

    Justine Greening

    Total UK ODA to Pakistan by financial year since 2005 is as follows. This includes both bilateral and multilateral spend.

    Financial Year

    Total Spend (£m)

    2004-05

    30.4

    2005-06

    65.6

    2006-07

    88.9

    2007-08

    83.3

    2008-09

    120.9

    2009-10

    138.7

    2010-11

    204.4

    2011-12

    216.4

    2012-13

    202.9

    2013-14

    253.1

    2014-15 provisional spend is currently being finalised and will be made available by May 2015.

    DFID has a bilateral programme with Pakistan, but does not have a specific programme in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), which is an autonomous administrative territory of Pakistan. AJK benefits from DFID-supported national programmes in Pakistan that promote economic growth and improve health services, and has also benefited from DFID’s humanitarian programmes.

  • Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to share information on personal independence payment claimants between his Department and social services departments in local authorities.

    Mr Mark Harper

    A key part of the personal independence payment claims process is that claimants are able to tell the Department who is best placed to provide supporting evidence. Such evidence can come from a variety of sources, including social services, as well as GPs, community nurses, family members and carers.

    As part of continuous improvement, the Department will continue to work with other areas of the public sector, including local authorities, to improve this information sharing process to ensure the best possible outcomes for claimants. The Government is also considering the recommendation by Paul Gray in his independent review of the PIP assessment to explore the potential for wider sharing of information, and will respond in due course.

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding had been drawn down by successful bidders to the Regional Growth Fund by 31 December 2014; and what proportion of the overall allocation for each round that funding represents.

    Greg Clark

    The table sets out the total amount drawn down by operational RGF awards to date and the financial years in which the remaining RGF and eRGF is committed through to 31 March 2017.

    Unless otherwise agreed, projects and programmes in Rounds 1 to 4 have until 31 March 2015 to draw down their funding and projects and programmes in Round 5 and 6 will be able to draw down funding until 31 March 2017. The Department agrees a draw down profile with each organisation when they sign their grant offer letter that matches the beneficiary’s own investment schedules and job commitments. The subsequent rate of draw down is then subject to the beneficiaries meeting these conditions.

    RGF Drawn Down by year (£m)

    Financial Year

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    Total

    Actual paid – year to date

    464

    159

    551

    875*

    2,048

    Remaining/ Planned for whole financial year

    16

    459

    305

    780

    Total

    2,829

    *This is the actual amount paid to beneficiaries and claims awaiting payment as of 24 March 2015.

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many people have applied for the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund in each year since its establishment; and what estimate she has made of the total grants from that date to May 2015.

    Jo Swinson

    The number of people who have made applications to the Access to Elected Office fund by year is in the table.

    Financial Year

    Number of applicants

    2012/13

    27

    2013/14

    34

    2014/15 (to date)

    34

    The total value of Grants awarded to date (from July 2012 to January 2015) is £399,061, and applications totalling £92,442 are currently pending. Total grant expenditure will depend on the final number of successful applications between now and the end of March 2015, after which date the fund will cease to take applications.

  • Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerry Sutcliffe on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on consumer indebtedness of decisions by banks to (a) charge consumers to receive information about their accounts online and (b) encourage consumers to receive information online.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government takes the firm view that consumers must be able to easily access clear and transparent information about their accounts. The major current account providers have previously committed to make fees and charges clearer on customers’ monthly statements, and provide an annual statement of charges for each customer.

    The Government is continuing to drive forward a wide-reaching and ambitious programme of reforms to make the banking sector more competitive, including enabling innovation in the use of bank data so that customers are able to use online information more effectively. This includes initiatives like the Midata current account tool, which will help customers switch to the best current account for them.

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is also currently reviewing cost-cutting initiatives that affect a significant number of customers, including the withdrawal of paper statements.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 220134, whether the 90 per cent 4G geographical coverage will cover the Outer Hebrides.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The agreement announced on 18 December 2014 will improve coverage throughout the UK, and we expect the Scottish Islands will see one of the greatest improvements of any area. Under the agreement each mobile network operator (MNO) will provide voice and text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017, and we understand that data coverage will improve in many areas. This will lock in £5bn of investment in UK mobile infrastructure, halving partial not-spots and cutting complete not-spots by two-thirds. The MNOs have now made the agreed coverage obligations legally binding, by requesting that Ofcom vary their spectrum licences on a voluntary basis.

  • Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to retain on the site of the Sea Mounting Centre at Marchwood (a) 73 Training Squadron, (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary Centre, (c) REME workshops, (d) Motor Transport Department, (e) Mexeflote Storage and Maintenance Facility, (f) Hardstanding for container and vehicle storage and (g) Blast Shields for incoming munitions.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Marchwood transaction has been structured as a leasehold and concession to balance the Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s objectives of ensuring continued sea mounting operational capability against increased commercialisation of the port. To this end, the MOD has committed to move facilities that are not essential to these services, off the main Port area over a three to five year ‘transitional’ period, from the start of the concession.

    After this transition only MOD facilities associated with its maritime capability will remain on site: The Mexeflote Storage and Maintenance Facility and the Shipyard Workshop with 73 Training Squadron’s Maritime Store.

    By complying with the military’s storage requirements, the new Marchwood Port Operator will provide sufficient hardstanding for all military inward and outward cargo under both routine and contingent operations.

    The Sea Mounting Centre will continue to retain the ability to store and load ammunition for the military throughout the concession.