Tag: 2016

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the UK plans to meet its commitment to the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030 made at the 69th World Health Assembly in May 2016.

    Nicola Blackwood

    On 28 May 2016, the World Health Assembly adopted a Global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis for the period 2016-2021. Within this strategy there is a target for elimination of hepatitis C as a major public health threat by 2030. This is a very ambitious goal and requires coordinated efforts across partner agencies. Success is largely dependent on the wider availability and access to new treatments combined with effective planning and integration of hepatitis prevention, testing, diagnosis and treatment within the broader health system.

    In the United Kingdom, new, highly effective, interferon-free treatments for hepatitis C will contribute to this goal. 5,000 of those affected have already been treated with the new therapies, under the early access schemes operated by NHS England from 2014 to the start of 2016. NHS England are currently funding providers to treat more patients in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce (a) dangerous driving and (b) driving under the influence of alcohol.

    Andrew Jones

    I published the Road Safety Statement in December 2015 which sets out the measures Government is taking to improve road safety including the reduction of road traffic offences. Our award-winning THINK! campaigns have also been running throughout the year to educate drivers on the risk and consequences of a number of different type of offences. The Department is in regular contact with a range of organisations and their reports, such as the ‘RAC Report on Motoring 2016’, are provided to the Department. The Department often includes research evidence in its impact assessments, for example the Elvik ‘dose response’ model, which shows that rigorous enforcement increases the deterrent effect on offending. The Government continues to keep road safety and road traffic offences under review.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve outcomes for people with rarer cancers.

    Jane Ellison

    The independent Cancer Taskforce’s five-year strategy for cancer, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, published in July 2015, recommends improvements across the cancer pathway with the aim of improving survival rates. NHS England has appointed Cally Palmer as NHS National Cancer Director. She will lead on the implementation of the strategy, as well as new cancer vanguards to redesign care and patient experience.

    She is currently setting up a new Cancer Transformation Board to lead the roll-out of the recommendations of the new strategy, and a Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Dr Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, will oversee and scrutinise their work. Timeframes and phasing for implementation will be dependent on the final financial settlement reached as a result of the spending review.

    We announced in September 2015 that Health Education England (HEE) is developing a new national training programme for an additional 200 staff to get the skills and expertise to carry out endoscopies by 2018. The content of the next mandate from the Government to HEE is currently being determined.

    A commitment to whole-person care for patients, including those living with and beyond cancer, is embedded throughout the cancer taskforce report. In addition, the cancer vanguards have been established to explore new models of care, with a focus on delivering more person-centred care.

    Ensuring the National Health Service is able to support the availability and use of effective treatments and medicines for rare cancers is a key priority. Cancer 52, an organisation which specifically represents patients with rarer cancers, was represented on the independent Cancer Taskforce. The Taskforce’s report made many recommendations relevant to rarer cancers, focussing in particular on improving access to diagnostic testing, including fast, direct general practitioner access to key blood tests, and increasing patient access to the most advanced treatments.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on which dates the relevant (a) regional schools commissioner and (b) chief executive of the local enterprise partnership have attended steering group meetings of the area reviews of post-16 education and training in (i) Birmingham and Solihull, (ii) Greater Manchester, (iii) Sheffield City Region, (iv) Tees Valley, (v) Sussex, (vi) Solent and (vii) West Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement

    Nick Boles

    There are a range of ways in which Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) and members of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) contribute to area reviews, for instance through the Area Review Advisory Group.

    All Wave 1 Area Reviews have held a number of local steering group meetings, and RSCs and LEPs are members. In terms of specific attendance, an RSC may attend in person, or may instead send a representative. The area review guidance published in September 2015 does indicate that the LEP should be a member of the local steering group, but it does not require a particular representative to attend. LEPs do not usually have chief executives.

    RSC and LEP representatives have attended various steering group meetings in Birmingham and Solihull, Greater Manchester, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, Sussex, Solent and West Yorkshire from September 2015 to the present.

  • David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to all-weather football pitches at grassroots level.

    David Evennett

    In partnership with the Football Association and the Premier League, the government is continuing to invest significant sums in grassroots football facilities every year. In addition to the £10million we give to the Football Foundation each year, this Government has dedicated £8million per year to the new ‘Parklife’ project that will double the number of 3G pitches and enable over 3,500 community sports matches to be played per week.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when his Department plans to publish the results of the consultation into a universal service obligation for superfast broadband.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In November 2015, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s intention to introduce a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) with the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Megabits per second (Mbps), no matter where they live. We intend to publish a consultation on our approach to introducing a broadband USO shortly, and will respond to that consultation in due course.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what offers of support the Government has received from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees for the processing of take charge requests under the Dublin regulations for people resident in the camp at Calais; and what response the Government has given to each such offer.

    James Brokenshire

    There is regular dialogue with the UNHCR on a range of migration issues.

    Discussions have included Calais and the Dublin Regulation. Processing of these cases, however, remain the responsibility of the French and UK Governments.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to his Department was of commissioning and publishing the report, entitled BBC television, radio and online services: An assessment of market impact and distinctiveness, published in March 2016.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The costs ​of ​this ​piece of independent research was £98,900 excluding VAT.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2016 to Question 40147, what steps her Department takes in cases where further evidence of family links is required before asylum can be granted.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As stated in the Answer of 15 June to Question 40147 the Dublin Regulation concerns the determination of the Member State responsible for examining an application for asylum. The Dublin Regulation does not, however, concern the factual assessment of whether or not asylum can be granted in individual cases. Consideration of an asylum claim will only take place in the UK once a transfer from another Member State has been accepted, the transfer has taken place and the individual has formally lodged their claim in the UK. In any event, existence of family links is not a reason for a grant of asylum.

    The Dublin Implementing Regulation (EC) No. 1560/2003, as amended by Regulation (EU) No. 118/2004, contains two lists indicating the relevant elements of proof and circumstantial evidence to be considered. If the initial evidence does not establish the existence of proven family links referred to in the Implementing Regulation then the reasons why the Department is not satisfied about the claimed relationship are given so that the requesting Member State and/or the individuals concerned can provide further information

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all taxi and minicab drivers undergo disability equality training.

    Andrew Jones

    Government is committed to building transport networks that work for everyone, including ensuring that disabled people have the same travel choices as other members of society.

    Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) provide a particularly important service for many disabled people and it is therefore vital that their drivers have the knowledge and skills to provide appropriate assistance whenever it is required.

    I encourage local licensing authorities to consider how a requirement to undergo disability awareness training might help drivers to feel more confident in providing such assistance, consistent with the authority’s Public Sector Equality Duty.