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Tag: 2015

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who are the members of, and what are the terms of reference for, the Department of Health’s Appraisal Alignment Working Group.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The current membership of the Appraisal Alignment Working Group is as follows:

    Department of Health

    Keith Derbyshire (Chair) Chief Analyst and Chief Economist

    Danny Palnoch Senior Economic Adviser

    Peter Bennett Senior Operational Research Scientist

    Dr Mark Bale Deputy Chief Medical Officer

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

    Leeza Osipenko Associate Director

    Meindert Boysen Associate Director

    Public Health England

    Prof Brian Ferguson Director for Knowledge & Intelligence

    Dr Anne Mackie Director of Screening

    Monitor

    John Curnow Economics Project Director

    Zephan Trent Impact Assessment Lead

    NHS England

    Dr Donald Franklin Senior Economic Adviser NHS England

    Amy Lee Economic Advisor

    Brunel University

    Prof Martin Buxton Emeritus Professor of Health Economics

    London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Representing Joint Committee for Vaccines and Immunisations and Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs

    Prof John Cairns Professor of Health Economics

    The current Terms of Reference (agreed with ministers in February 2014) is replicated below:

    Appraisal Alignment Working Group [AAWG] Terms of Reference & Objectives

    The Appraisal Alignment Working Group (AAWG) is comprised of policy and analytic staff who work in, or give advice to, DH and its ALBs on the cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness of programmes, technologies and policies.

    The purpose of the group is to share knowledge on the various techniques employed across the Health and Care sector, to discuss and debate the pros and cons of different approaches employed, to consider ways of rendering results comparable, and to understand the reasons for differences in approaches.

    The working group is not a decision making body. Rather it is advisory. Individual members representing different organisations will take back recommendations and questions to their parent bodies for consideration.

    It is proposed to have meetings every six to eight weeks to achieve the ‘Must Do’ (e.g. primary) objective described below.

    The ‘Must Do’

    Before the next Spending Review, (pencilled in for June to October 2015), it is essential the Department of Health (DH) and its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) can present a consistent approach o HM Treasury (HMT) on the cost benefit of different programmes (e.g. vaccinations, screening new technologies). The cost benefit case for spending presented to HMT should follow public sector best practice as set out by HMT, in its Green Book. Therefore results of appraisals need to be capable of being expressed in HMT Green Book methodology terms (ie using the Green Book methodology as a “reference case”).

    Having successfully achieved that, the Working Group will take stock and decide if the group (or some other forum) should continue and progress on three desiderata:

    1. economic justification for methods employed in each area and clear rationale for when methods differ and/or diverge from HMT’s Green Book.
    2. achieve greater alignment of techniques between the different sectors and organisations
    3. serve as an expert panel to advise on the development and application of new techniques on an on-going basis.

    This work would be less time critical and could be pursued by meetings every eight to twelve weeks.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the size of his Department’s Rapid Deployment Teams in terms of personnel was in each year since 2010.

    James Duddridge

    The Foreign & Commonwealth Office Rapid Deployment Teams are a volunteer cadre of Foreign & Commonwealth Office staff trained to be deployed to augment crisis response overseas. Since 2010 we have had Rapid Deployment Teams based in London, Asia Pacific and the Americas. A fourth Rapid Deployment Team covering the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) was introduced in 2012. In total, we have 185 active members of the Rapid Deployment Team globally consisting of 64 in London, 36 in Asia Pacific, 48 in the Americas and 37 in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia area. On call each week we have 12 London-based staff, 8 Middle East, North Africa and South Asia based staff, 10 Asia Pacific based staff and 11 Americas-based staff. These can be supplemented by additional specialists from the military, Police or British Red Cross. Around 72 new Rapid Deployment Team volunteers are trained each year.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish their response to the report of the coroner David Hinchcliff, Inquests Touching the deaths of Christianne Shepherd and Robert Shepherd(Deceased), published on 18 September.

    Lord Faulks

    The decision whether or not to publish any responses is a matter for the Chief Coroner.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the applicability of new care models in the Five Year Forward view to inflammatory arthritis services.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is working to support and stimulate the creation of a number of major new care models, led by the vanguard sites, which can be deployed in different combinations locally across England. These models are designed to overcome the traditional divide between primary care, community services and hospitals, as well as social and mental health care, which is increasingly a barrier to the personalised, coordinated and integrated services patients need.

    Improving continuity of care in this way is particularly relevant for patients with long term conditions (LTCs), such as inflammatory arthritis. A number of the vanguard sites (such as those introducing multispecialty community provider models and integrated primary and acute care system models) are focusing on the care of patients with LTCs. More information can be found at the following link:

    www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/futurenhs/new-care-models/

    “

  • Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans the Government has for potential financial proceeds from the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank.

    Anna Soubry

    The government has put paying down our debt while investing in infrastructure at the heart of our long term economic plan. The sale proceeds will therefore help us deliver on both those objectives.

  • Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wayne David on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what security checks her Department carries out on refugees from Syria who are admitted to the UK.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Syrian nationals admitted to the UK under the UNHCR Resettlement Programme are some of the most vulnerable displaced people and they are taken directly from the region.

    We take security extremely seriously in cases referred to us for resettlement, working closely with the UNHCR who have their own robust identification processes in place. When refugees arrive in the UK they have been through a thorough two-stage vetting process to ensure we know who is entering the country. This includes the taking of biometric data, documentation verification and interviews. Potential resettlement cases are screened and considered by the Home Office for suitability for entry to the UK: we retain the right to reject individuals on security, war crimes or other grounds. For reasons of national security, we cannot provide further information on the details of the screening process itself.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of how many low and middle income earners save and invest in a save-as-you-earn employee share plan.

    Mr David Gauke

    The tax-advantaged Save As You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP) limits were significantly increased from April 2014. The increases the Government have made are reasonable, given the average monthly SAYE savings and the value of awards currently made to employees under SIP, and they represent the best use of resources. The Government will continue to keep the SAYE and SIP limits under review.

    In addition to increasing the SAYE and SIP limits, the rules of the schemes were substantially reviewed and simplified following the recommendations made by the Office of Tax Simplification in March 2012. Last year, the requirement that these schemes must be approved by HM Revenue and Customs to qualify for favourable tax treatment was replaced by self-certification. Coupled with other changes to simplify some technical aspects of the rules, this will make these schemes more attractive to businesses and employees.

    No data is collected and no estimates are made of the income levels of the participants in SAYE schemes.

    Permitting private equity backed companies to offer all-employee tax advantaged schemes would be likely to involve significant changes to the rules of the schemes, and there would be a number of other factors to consider carefully, including the increased cost and complexity of any extension.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training his Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps he has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Caroline Dinenage

    This department has liaised directly with DWP for advice and guidance on applying the Family Test in policy development. Policymakers in this department have been encouraged to attend Family test training on applying the Test and have been made aware of best practice.

  • David Nuttall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Nuttall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available to assist the development and promotion of long distance walks.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Government is investing over £68 million through Sport England for outdoor recreation sports. The Ramblers and Long Distance Walking Association are recognised by Sport England as National Governing Bodies, and can apply for Sport England funding.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many assaults there have been on staff working for (a) London Underground, (b) London Overground, (c) London buses, (d) Docklands Light Railway and (e) Tramlink in October of each year between 2010 and 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport does not collect this information.

    However, I am able to say that the British Transport Police will shortly be launching Project Servator, which aims to detect and deter crime on the railways. It deploys highly visible and unpredictable police patrols to prevent a range of criminal activity, from pickpocketing and theft to more serious crimes including terrorism.