The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department is taking to improve social care quality.
Alistair Burt
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 13 October 2015 to Question 10428.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Tania Mathias on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much central government funding was provided for (a) adult and (b) children’s hospices in the last year for which figures are available.
Ben Gummer
Adult hospices in England receive National Health Service funding locally for services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. Central Government funding of £570,951 was provided as part of the Nursing Technology Fund Grant in 2015/16 to three adult hospices in England.
In addition to NHS funding for locally commissioned services, children’s hospices received £11 million in 2015/16 through the Children’s Hospice and Hospice-at-Home Grant, which is administered by NHS England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England are taking to ensure that autism diagnosis waiting times for (i) children and (ii) adults meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.
Alistair Burt
The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to gather information that can be shared between areas that have arrangements in place to meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism: support for commissioning, and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the National Health Service to be working towards meeting the recommendations.
NHS England has also been working with the Health and Social Care Information Centre to develop the Mental Health Minimum Data Set. This will include provision for the diagnosis of autism to be recorded. This mandatory data set will, for the first time, provide data about diagnosis rates. The data will be published and available for everyone to use to support and develop services. NHS England has a commitment, over the next five years, to improve waiting times and this data will be invaluable for this. Information on average waiting times for autistic diagnosis in each clinical commissioning group area is not collected centrally.
The Department issued new statutory guidance in March this year for local authorities and NHS organisations to support the continued implementation of the 2010 Autism Strategy, as refreshed by its 2014 Think Autism update. This guidance sets out what people seeking an autism diagnosis can expect from local authorities and NHS bodies including general practitioners.
We are due to consult on how we set the mandate to NHS England prior to publication of the mandate itself. The mandate will be published following the Government’s Spending Review which is due to complete on 25 November.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department was consulted by the Home Office on the impact assessment for the proposals that Tier 2 visa immigrants from outside the European Economic Area must be earning £35,000 or more to qualify for indefinite leave to remain in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Ben Gummer
The Secretary of State for Health and the Home Secretary have discussed the Government’s policy on immigration when it has been raised at internal government meetings.
The Home Secretary asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the operation of the Tier 2 route of entry into the United Kingdom and they held a public consultation, which closed on 25 September 2015.
However, on 15 October 2015 the Home Secretary announced that the Tier 2 restrictions will be temporarily changed for nurses so that they can be recruited from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to ensure safe staffing levels across the National Health Service.
Nurses will be added to the Government’s Shortage Occupation List (SoL) on an interim basis. The temporary rule change, which will apply to applications considered from December, will mean that nurses from outside the EEA who apply to work in the UK will have their applications for nursing posts prioritised.
While nurses remain on the SoL they will be exempt from the requirement to earn £35,000. The exemption will continue to apply whilst the role is on the SoL.
The Home Secretary has also asked the MAC to carry out a review of the evidence about whether nurses should remain on the SoL and to report back to the Home Office by 15 February 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen McPartland on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 62 f the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to apply additionally to the possession of pornographic written material; and if he will make a statement.
Mike Penning
The Coalition Government created a new criminal offence criminalising the possession of material that contains advice or guidance about abusing children sexually in the Serious Crime Act 2015. The offence is subject to a 3 year maximum prison sentence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Prisk on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the additional cost of policing the Ecuadorian Embassy due to the presence of Mr Julian Assange there in each of the last three years.
Mike Penning
This is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to implement the coercive and controlling behaviour offence, as defined by the Serious Crime Act 2015; and what training the (a) police, (b) judiciary and (c) other statutory agencies will have on coercive control and the new offence.
Karen Bradley
We are aiming to introduce the offence of coercive and controlling behaviour as soon as practicable. We have been clear that before the offence can be introduced it is essential that frontline agencies receive proper training and guidance on how to use the new offence.
We have been working with the College of Policing and Crown Prosecution Service to develop statutory guidance.
New guidance on investigating domestic abuse was published by the College of Policing last month including coercive and controlling behaviour and new training for the police incorporating coercive control has been developed and piloted. In addition, every Police force in England and Wales has now published an action plan on domestic abuse and the College of Policing is reviewing risk assessment tools used by officers.
Upon commencement of the offence, a circular will be issued, including to the Lord Chief Justice, to ensure criminal justice partners are fully aware.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of weapons (a) manufactured in the UK or (b) sold by companies based in the UK being used by the government of Saudi Arabia in the military conflict in Yemen.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Munitions are supplied to the Saudi Air Force under pre-existing contractual arrangements. UK companies are providing precision guided Paveway weapons. The Royal Saudi Air Force is flying British built aircraft in the campaign over Yemen, but this does not represent a direct UK involvement in operations. The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of military and dual-use goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. We are satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the Consolidated Criteria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of smokers who have switched to e-cigarettes; and what estimate he has made of the effect of that switch on the NHS budget.
Jane Ellison
Survey data suggests the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adults in Great Britain has increased to 2.6 million in 2015, of whom 1.1 million have completely stopped smoking.
The Department recognises that e-cigarettes can help smokers to quit and the evidence indicates that they are less harmful to health than smoking tobacco. There is not yet enough evidence on which to make an estimate of the impact on National Health Service costs of smokers switching to e-cigarettes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to assist and advise all British ex-servicemen resident in the Republic of Ireland on financial support for medicines and medical aftercare.
Ben Gummer
Neither the Department nor the National Health Service commissions or provides medicine or medical aftercare for veterans in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
However, all veterans who reside overseas and are in receipt of a United Kingdom war pension, a war widows’ pension or armed forces compensation scheme payments plus their spouse/civil partner and children (under 18) are entitled to receive free healthcare from the NHS in the UK.
All UK Veterans residing in the ROI are able to access the UK Ministry of Defence Veterans UK website and helpline and the Veteran Welfare Service for any additional support. Veterans UK may meet the cost of treatment for accepted war pension condition(s) provided the treatment is:
– clinically necessary for a disability due to service; and
– not available free of charge through the health system in the country of residence.
The Ministry of Defence has a contract with Leopardstown Park Hospital Trust in Dublin that provides, through the hospital, facilities for the short and long-term care of former UK service personnel and their spouses, who are resident in the ROI and can also provide financial assistance to those who have been disabled or invalided as a result of service with the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.