Tag: Ben Bradshaw

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on the solar power industry of the proposed 2017 business rate rise for organisations investing in rooftop solar power for their own consumption.

Mr Marcus Jones

Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who will be consulted during the review of blood donations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

Jane Ellison

The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is carrying out a review of blood donor selection criteria. Currently a working group is being formed. The process will fully involve stakeholders, similar to the previous 2011 SaBTO review, and contacting stakeholders inviting their contribution to the review will begin imminently. The terms of reference will include input from stakeholders and be published once approved by SaBTO which will be at their next meeting. The review will be holistic and evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex will be included. The review will be incremental, with published progress reports and any intermediate advice.

It is anticipated that the group will publish its final report in 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-03-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26471, whether the UK cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme plans to assess the potential link between oil and gas activities and related seismic testing and the movement of sperm whales to North Sea waters.

George Eustice

The UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme is currently working with experts from Germany and The Netherlands to carry out an assessment of all the potential factors, natural and/or human-induced, that may have contributed to the recent sperm whale strandings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices were issued by the police to motorists who use mobile telephones while driving in the last five years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis

The number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued to motorists for the use of handheld mobile phones while driving in each of the years from 2010 to 2014 is published in the annual “Police Powers and Procedures” statistical bulletin, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress the sentencing council has made on producing guidelines for sentencing serious motoring offences; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Selous

Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones, which is why tough sentences are available to the courts. Further information about the driving review will be available in due course.

As a result of this review, the independent Sentencing Council have paused their review of sentencing guidelines.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) ex-intravenous drug users and (b) former-sex workers will be included in the review of blood donations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

Jane Ellison

The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is carrying out a review of blood donor selection criteria. Currently a working group is being formed. The process will fully involve stakeholders, similar to the previous 2011 SaBTO review, and contacting stakeholders inviting their contribution to the review will begin imminently. The terms of reference will include input from stakeholders and be published once approved by SaBTO which will be at their next meeting. The review will be holistic and evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex will be included. The review will be incremental, with published progress reports and any intermediate advice.

It is anticipated that the group will publish its final report in 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the potential change in the prevalence of genital warts following the award of the contract for supply of human papillomavirus vaccine to the bivalent vaccine.

Jane Ellison

The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme was introduced in 2008, when the bivalent vaccine Cervarix was administered. From September 2012, following a competitive tender exercise, the quadrivalent vaccine Gardasil was introduced.

Both protect against the two strains of HPV (HPV16 and HPV18) that cause 70% of cervical cancer. Gardasil also protects against the two HPV types that cause around 90% of all genital warts (HPV6 and HPV11).

A decrease in genital warts was not anticipated for the bivalent HPV vaccine, Cervarix. An estimate of the change in prevalence of genital warts has not been carried out.

However, rates of genital warts in genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics have declined significantly amongst the population vaccinated. Data reported to Public Health England from GUM clinics shows a reduction in rates of genital warts diagnoses at GUM clinics between 2009 and 2014 of 30.6% in 15-19 year-old females and 25.4% amongst same age heterosexual males.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects the consultation on the review of driving offences will be launched.

Andrew Selous

Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones, which is why tough sentences are available to the courts. Further information about the driving review will be available in due course.

As a result of this review, the independent Sentencing Council have paused their review of sentencing guidelines.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how long the review on blood donations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs is expected to take.

Jane Ellison

The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is carrying out a review of blood donor selection criteria. Currently a working group is being formed. The process will fully involve stakeholders, similar to the previous 2011 SaBTO review, and contacting stakeholders inviting their contribution to the review will begin imminently. The terms of reference will include input from stakeholders and be published once approved by SaBTO which will be at their next meeting. The review will be holistic and evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex will be included. The review will be incremental, with published progress reports and any intermediate advice.

It is anticipated that the group will publish its final report in 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the administrative costs as a proportion of spending were of (a) the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and (b) every other acute hospital in England in 2014-15.

Alistair Burt

As a provider of front line services, costs incurred by acute hospitals do not contribute to the Administration budget allocated to the Department. Therefore, for the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, and all other acute hospitals in England, none of the total expenditure incurred in 2014-15 was considered to be administrative cost.