The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will widen the Blue Badge criteria to allow for cognitive as well as physical disabilities.
Andrew Jones
The regulations governing the scheme already apply to any permanent and substantial disability which causes very considerable difficulty in walking. We have no plans to widen the scope beyond this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of those eligible claimed winter fuel payments in 2014-15.
Justin Tomlinson
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The majority of Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically from information already held by the Department. We invite claims mainly from men under 65 who meet the eligibility criteria, as the largest group not identified and paid automatically. Claims can be made up to and including 31 March and are not accepted after that date.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the post-treatment recovery package is adapted to meet the specific needs of blood cancer patients.
Jane Ellison
The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July 2015, and recognised the need to improve care and support for people living with and beyond all types of cancer, including blood cancers. In September 2015, we announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, including those with blood cancer, live well beyond cancer. In April 2016, we also published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively. Support for patients living with and beyond cancer should be tailored specifically to the needs of every patient.
In addition the strategy called for every person with cancer to have access to a clinical nurse specialist or other key worker from diagnosis onwards. NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the Cancer Taskforce, and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE as National Cancer Director. A National Cancer Transformation Board is overseeing the implementation of the strategy, and an implementation plan will be published shortly. An independent Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK and Chair of the independent Cancer Taskforce, is advising and scrutinising the work of the Transformation Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether patients on assessment and treatment units have access to independent mental health advocates.
Alistair Burt
Access to an independent mental health advocacy (IMHA) is a statutory right for people detained under most sections of the Mental Health Act, subject to Guardianship or on a community treatment order. We would expect Assessment and Treatment Units to follow their statutory obligations to ensure patients have access to an IMHA where appropriate.
The Learning Disability Assuring Transformation statistics data shows that of the 2,565 inpatients at the end of April 2016, 600 patients had a main diagnostic category of mental illness on admission.
Data on the numbers of formal complaints made about patient care; the management of assessment and treatment units; access to autism-specialist services and access to occupational and speech and language therapy are not held centrally. However, NHS England, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Local Government Association, published in October 2015, a Service Model for commissioners of health and social care services. This model sets out that when people are admitted to inpatient settings services should seek to minimise their length of stay and any admissions should be supported by a clear rationale of planned assessment and treatment with measurable outcomes. We would therefore expect all patients, irrespective of inpatient setting, to have access to the treatment and therapeutic interventions they require.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sheikh on 2016-07-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the agreement between the governments of Sudan and South Sudan and the World Food Programme to transport humanitarian assistance to South Sudan via Sudan, in the light of that agreement’s extension.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On the basis of an agreement between the World Food Programme (WFP) and the governments of Sudan and South Sudan, the WFP have been working with relevant government authorities in both countries and the region to ensure that their planes are able to deliver much needed humanitarian supplies into South Sudan. For instance, from January to June 2016 alone WFP managed to deliver close to 21,300 metric tons of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil to Upper Nile state. With the six-month extension to this agreement, WFP plans to deliver another 10,000 metric tons of food from Sudan to South Sudan. This represents a pragmatic approach to delivering vital humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict in South Sudan, and we welcome the support of the Government of Sudan in facilitating the delivery of food assistance across the border.
DFID Sudan and DFID South Sudan are monitoring the situation in relation to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan, and will keep working closely with WFP to help maintain essential transport corridors for humanitarian assistance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with Eurotunnel on providing incentives through its access charges for increased long distance transportation of passengers and freight by rail.
Paul Maynard
Since the 15th June 2016 responsibility for Economic regulation of the Channel Tunnel rests with the independent regulators, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in the UK and Autorité de regulation des activities ferroviaires et routières (ARAFER) in France.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-12-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the effect on the public purse of replacing maintenance loans with maintenance grants.
Joseph Johnson
Replacing maintenance grants with loans will reduce grant expenditure by around £2.5bn per year by 2020-21 and therefore make a substantial contribution to reducing the deficit. From that new baseline position, entirely replacing the new, larger maintenance loans with grants would increase grant expenditure – and the deficit – by around £8bn per year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government to which body the ownership of the former railway line between Colne and the former Lancashire/West Riding of Yorkshire county boundary at County Brook transferred when BRB (Residuary) Ltd was abolished in 2013, and who now owns that line.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
This section of the former railway line is now owned by the Secretary of State for Transport following the abolition of the former British Railways Board (Residuary) limited in September 2013. The former Closed Branch Line to the north of this section was transferred to Lancashire County Council in March 1974.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21380, what recent information he has received from the Danish authorities in relation to the death of Stephen O’Malley; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Lidington
The State Attorney in Denmark has reached a decision to reopen Mr O’Malley’s case. The local authorities will now begin their investigation and consular officials will remain in contact with them for further updates.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the role of personal independence payment assessment providers in the increase in processing time between the case referral to assessment provider to return from the assessment provider to the government office since July 2015.
Justin Tomlinson
Following a controlled start from July 2015, full Personal Independence Payment (PIP) roll-out commenced in October 2015, with an increase in the numbers of existing Disability Living Allowance claimants being asked to claim PIP.
In addition and in order to improve the customer journey, the Department has made some changes to the way in which it monitors Assessment Provider performance. These changes mean that Providers now have more time in which to complete assessments and return reports to the Department and also gives them greater flexibility to obtain further evidence to support claims: this therefore allows more time for scheduling appointments that better suit claimants and Assessment Providers, increases accuracy in assessments and reports and ensures opportunities for paper based reviews are maximised thereby reducing the demand for face-to-face appointments. Although these changes may see slightly longer average clearance times, they remain within expected levels.