Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the national consultation on the future of children’s centres will be launched, and what is the timetable for responses to be received and for them to announce their proposals following the consultation.

    Lord Nash

    The government is considering its future policy on children’s centres as part of the development of the cross-Government Life Chances Strategy, and plans to publish details in the summer. At that point we will make it clear how stakeholders and members of the public can contribute.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contribution his Department is making to Government steps to reduce the incidence of serious youth violence.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    Cabinet Office is committed to supporting young people from all backgrounds to make positive life choices and give back to their communities. In January 2016 Home Office published Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation which sets out how Cabinet Office programmes such as NCS and Step Up to Serve provide meaningful alternatives to gangs. Over 200,000 16-17 year olds have participated in NCS since 2011 and Step Up To Serve’s #iwill campaign aims to increase the number of 10-20 year olds participating in social action by 50% by 2020. These programmes have a powerful impact on young people at a formative time in their lives.

  • Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many post-mortems were performed in Birmingham in 2015.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Operational responsibility for coroner services, including allocating resources, is the responsibility of local authorities.

    The Ministry of Justice does not collect information about the time taken for coroner post mortem examinations, or the number of coroners’ authorisations for burial.

    Statistics for 2015 in relation to deaths reported to coroners, including the number of post mortem examinations carried out in the Birmingham and Solihull coroner area, will be published shortly at www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics

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  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the imposition of 50mph average speed limits on three stretches of M1 motorway, one in Northamptonshire and two in Leicestershire, were carried out consecutively rather than concurrently to avoid delays for motorists; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England has carefully planned the roadworks on the M1 to ensure that works are carried out as concurrently as possible. This is to reduce the impact on motorists wherever possible, whilst delivering increasing levels of investment to improve the motorway network and enable economic growth.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what budget has been allocated under the Public Duty Cost Allowance for payments to the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam.

    Ben Gummer

    The purpose of the Public Duties Cost Allowance is to assist former Prime Ministers with the costs of continuing to fulfil duties associated with their previous position in public life. Exceptionally, the then Prime Minister agreed that the former Deputy Prime Minister , the Rt Hon Member for Sheffield Hallam, should be able to have access to the allowance to recognise the special position he held in the Coalition Government. Other former Deputy Prime Ministers are not eligible for the allowance. The allowance is set at a maximum limit of £115,000 per annum. The amounts paid are a reimbursement of expenses, accounted for in the published Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts. The former Deputy Prime Minister is eligible for the allowance from the date of leaving ministerial office for the duration of this Parliament.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to give local authorities the power to issue on the spot fines to commercial vehicles that disregard weight and other restrictions on the public highway.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Police are the bodies empowered to issue fixed penalty notices for commercial vehicle offences, including for breach of weight limits.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he is having with his Russian counterpart on improving collaboration on defence affairs.

    Michael Fallon

    I am not currently engaged in any discussions with my Russian counterpart. The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russia’s continuing support to separatists in eastern Ukraine do not allow a return to normal engagement.

    However, in the interests of Air and Maritime safety, I have authorised MOD officials to undertake limited military to military engagement with the Russians, which is now in progress.

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve cervical screening rates among women with learning disabilities.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England closely monitors the coverage rates for cervical screening in all age groups and is committed to improving coverage and reducing variation between all groups including black and minority ethnic women, women with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    Local NHS England commissioners analyse coverage rates within their area and work with general practices to improve coverage by sharing best practice. For example, commissioners in London have developed a screening coverage strategy and delivery plan, including:

    ― Increased public awareness and engagement with screening programmes across all communities;

    ― increased engagement with primary care and improved reliability of data; and

    ― working with screening providers to optimise coverage.

    In addition to this:

    ― A primary care cancer screening best practice guide has been developed jointly with the transforming cancer services team, clinical commissioning groups and local authority public health representatives;

    ― linking with Cancer Research UK facilitators and Macmillan Cancer Support general practitioners to support best practice for screening in general practice; and

    ― imperial College is conducting a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of texting non-responders on improving coverage.

    NHS England is working in partnership with Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support on the ACE (Accelerate, Coordinate, Evaluate) Programme aiming to generate knowledge about effective approaches to achieve earlier diagnosis. A number of ACE test sites are evaluating approaches to increase screening rates in a range of groups, including black and ethnic minority women, women with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    To explore the potential to increase rates of cervical screening in young women, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake amongst women aged 25 who are receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The study began in November 2011 and reports can be expected later in 2016.

    In addition, the Department of Health Behavioural Insight team has undertaken a trial to investigate the use of behavioural insights to optimise the content of the invitation letter for cervical screening. Results are due in summer 2016.

    A routine human papillomavirus vaccination programme has been available in England since 2008, and offers immunisation to girls aged 12-14 years. It is expected that the vaccine will reduce the already low rates of cervical cancer in these young women and allow them to be protected for years to come.

  • Lord Clement-Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Clement-Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Clement-Jones on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the agreement that NHS England and the pharmaceutical industry would share the financial risks of cost over-runs in the Cancer Drugs Fund, why it has been decided that the pharmaceutical industry will carry all of those costs.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England plans to invest in a new £340 million Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) to provide early access to cancer drug indications. Under the new process, any drugs that receive either a draft recommendation for routine commissioning or, where uncertainty exists, a recommendation for use within the CDF, will receive interim funding from the CDF from the point of marketing authorisation.

    This earlier access to cancer drugs will benefit both patients and the pharmaceutical industry and NHS England believes it is only fair that the pharmaceutical industry makes a contribution if any overspend occurs.

    NHS England’s impact assessment will not be completed until the detailed outcomes from the current consultation on the future of the CDF are confirmed.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP appointments were available in Enfield North constituency in each year since 2010.

    Alistair Burt

    The attached table shows the total general practitioner (GP) headcount and headcount per head of population in Enfield and London between 2010-14.

    Information on the availability of GP appointments in Enfield North is not collected centrally.

    We have invested in the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund to test improved and innovative access to GP services. Across the two waves of the Fund, there are 57 schemes covering over 2,500 practices and over 18 million patients have benefited from improved access and transformational change at a local level. A wide variety of approaches are being tested through the Access Fund, including: evening and weekend appointments and better use of telecare and health apps; more innovative ways to access services by video call, email or telephone; and developing more integrated services with a single point of contact to co-ordinate patient services.