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Tag: 2015

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

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many of the pilots in the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund are not yet fully operational.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    NHS England has advised that all 20 of the pilots in wave one of the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund are delivering improved access to general practice, including additional appointments on evenings and weekends. In addition, some of the pilots continue to work on further improvements that will benefit patients such as the development of healthcare apps.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to ensure that patients who opt-out of the care.data programme are not excluded from certain NHS services before that programme is fully implemented.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The process for objecting (‘opting out’) will be communicated during the care.data pathfinder stage and will apply to the use of identifiable general practitioner data for purposes beyond direct care. The care.data Programme team is working closely with clinical commissioning group pathfinder practices to ensure that it is understood that the opt-out should not impact upon the sharing of information for direct care.

    The care.data Programme team is working closely with the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), NHS England and the Department in relation to ‘type 2 objections’. Appropriate communications will be agreed before starting communication activity in pathfinder areas.

    For those people who have made an existing ‘type 2 objection’, the HSCIC is committed to ensuring no patient suffers any adverse impact on their direct care through an inappropriate implementation of an objection. This means that information flows to support services such as cancer screening, electronic prescriptions and e-referrals are currently flowing and will continue to do so.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting times for (a) all patients and (b) patients with motor neurone disease have been at each specialised augmentative and alternative communication provider for (i) the assessment and (ii) the provision of equipment in each month since October 2013.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England has advised that information concerning the number of patients either waiting for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) equipment assessment or who have had an AAC assessment (and subsequently had equipment provided) received is not collected centrally.

    Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning AAC aids for patients with complex disability whose needs require specialised assessment.

    For 2014/15 NHS England identified an additional £22.5 million for AAC and environmental controls (devices which manage functions or appliances in a particular environment, usually the home) and the identification of providers was completed last August last year. The 13 AAC providers selected are currently recruiting the additional specialist therapy staff needed to deliver this service many now have new staff now in post or due to start in the next few months.

    All 13 of the providers have confirmed that they are accepting referrals and multi-disciplinary assessments are being offered to patients. Priority is being given to patients who have a life limiting condition and every effort is being made to clear any backlog of patients waiting for assessments and to improve waiting times.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that sufficient numbers of clinicians capable of diagnosing and treating autism are being trained in (a) Hull and (b) England.

    Norman Lamb

    It is the responsibility of local employers to ensure that they have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills available to provide a high quality service to their patients. Locally there should be specialist training for those in roles that have a direct impact on and make decisions about people with autism.

    This will be re-enforced in new statutory guidance on autism for local authorities and the National Health Service which is to be issued shortly. In addition clinical staff such as psychiatrists and clinical psychologists should be undertaking their own clinical professional development. In support of this Health Education England will provide support in raising awareness of autism. In Hull, the clinical commissioning group is working with local providers, particularly Humber NHS Foundation Trust, to recruit additional staff for its Autism Diagnosis Team.

  • Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations her Department has made to the Malawian government on the introduction of user fees for health and education services in that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID engages with both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on how to best ensure all poor Malawians can access good quality education and health care.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

    Claire Perry

    Since January 2011, as part of the Government’s transparency programme, details of procurement opportunities, tender documents and contracts worth over £10,000 are published online on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) also publishes details of its contracts on its web site (http://ccs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/).

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  • Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions representatives of his Department have met Rail North since the close of the consultation for the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises; and who represented Rail North at each such meeting.

    Claire Perry

    We have been working closely with Rail North on developing the specifications for the Invitation To Tenders, with Rail North officers embedded with the Department’s project teams for many months. In addition Rail North senior managers have attended regular meetings with the Department. Officials from the Department have also met with and presented to Rail North Leaders.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department provides on (a) the average cost of a funeral and (b) potential sources of financial support for a funeral to families of the recently deceased who are in receipt of state benefits.

    Steve Webb

    My department does not hold information on the average cost of a funeral. However the average funeral expenses payment for 2013/14 was £1,347.

    My department provides financial support towards a funeral to those on certain state benefits via Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments and Budgeting Loans.

  • David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people with limited or discretionary leave to remain have had applications for students loans or grants rejected in each year since 2008.

    Greg Clark

    The Student Loans Company does not hold information on the number of student loan and grant applicants with limited or discretionary leave to remain that have had their application rejected for the years requested.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of how much consumers of spirits paid in duty, tax and VAT in the latest period for which figures are avaiable.

    Priti Patel

    Receipts from duties on spirits that are released for consumption in the UK are published in our monthly alcohol bulletin:

    https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx

    Information on VAT paid by consumers on spirits is not available. HM Revenue & Customs do not collect data on VAT receipts by individual goods or services.

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