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Tag: 2015

  • Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is considering a ban on all night flights at Heathrow Airport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Airports Commission’s final report recommended noise mitigation options such as a ban on night flights, in the event of a decision to expand Heathrow.

    The Government’s position on airports capacity has not changed since the Airports Commission published their final report on 1 July 2015. Government is still reviewing all of the evidence before coming to any decisions.

    The Prime Minister has said a decision will be made by the end of the year.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to define national standards for the creation of Low Emission Zones so that in future most vehicles are able to enter such zones.

    Baroness Kramer

    Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are one of a number of measures that can help improve air quality, particularly in urban areas. Introducing LEZs is a decision for local authorities. Government has already provided guidance to local authorities on the design of LEZs, such as which vehicles should be covered and what emissions standards they should meet. The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs is currently working with a small number of local authorities who are examining the value of introducing such schemes.

    Government is revising its air quality plans in relation to compliance with EU air quality standards. As part of this we are reviewing all feasible measures including the role of a national framework for LEZs. We will be consulting on revised air quality plans later in the year.

  • Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is routine policy for the Cabinet Office to contact HM Revenue and Customs to consult it prior to the appointment of a non-elected Minister.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    As was the case under previous administrations, ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister, in line with the Ministerial Code.

    For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a life peerage, the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission vets nominations. For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a peerage in order that they might sit in the House of Lords to take up a ministerial role, the Commission consults the main regulatory authorities, including HMRC, before giving advice.

  • Lord Mawson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Mawson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what impact assessments have been carried out regarding the implementation of the Union Customs Code and its impact on micro and small businesses’ access to simplified procedures, the requirement to provide a six-digit Harmonised Tariff Code and changes to existing transit procedures.

    Lord Deighton

    HM Revenue and Customs has been formally consulting with UK trade bodies and businesses about the impact of the European Commission’s draft proposals for regulations to enable implementation of the Union Customs Code. Discussions have considered the impact of requirements to provide a six-digit commodity code that is needed for enhanced safety and security purposes and changes to existing transit arrangements which have enabled us to preserve a valuable simplification for movement of goods albeit in a different form. Trade views have been invaluable in informing the UK position, helping us to influence negotiations with the Commission and Member States and in securing agreement to necessary changes where possible. The UCC represents a package of measures to modernise and simplify customs procedures and requirements while also addressing the need to tighten safety and security and fight against fraud measures and its impact is being assessed in this overall context.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has sought a meeting with Hervé Falciani to discuss the details of unregistered bank accounts held by UK citizens in HSBC Private Bank in Switzerland.

    Mr David Gauke

    How operations are conducted is a matter for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) under the long standing principle of operational independence.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether UK Export Finance has provided (a) loan guarantees and (b) low interest loans to Rio Tinto plc to support any of its investments or operations overseas in the last five years.

    Matthew Hancock

    UK Export Finance has not provided loan guarantees or low interest loans to Rio Tinto plc in the last five years.

  • Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the declaration by the African Union that the Crans Montana Forum in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara, should be cancelled.

    Dan Rogerson

    Having received no invitation, no assessment has been made.

  • 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 colon 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.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review the capacity of NHS trusts to provide specialist mammography services; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has been working with Public Health England, the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) and the British Society of Breast Radiology on this matter. The RCR is planning to undertake a survey this spring of all breast imaging services to evaluate the current and future work force and service needs. We will work with Health Education England to support workforce development and change as needed for this area of radiology.

  • Margaret Curran – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Curran – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many children in Scotland are living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty.

    Mr Alistair Carmichael

    Estimates of the number and proportion of children in relative and absolute low income are published in the National Statistics Households Below Average Income series. These estimates are available as three-year averages to 2012/13, and show that in 2010/11-2012/13 the number and percentage of children in relative and absolute low income was 0.2 million (17%) and 0.2 million (18%) respectively.