Tag: Clive Efford

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of trends in the number of homes built for social rent since 2010.

Brandon Lewis

Since 2010 we have delivered 270,000 affordable homes, including nearly 200,000 homes for rent.

The majority of rented homes delivered through the Affordable Homes Programme are for Affordable Rent, delivering more homes for every pound of Government investment.

The Spending Review committed £1.7 billion to deliver 100,000 affordable rented homes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds into anti-doping in UK sport; and if he will make a statement.

David Evennett

UK Anti-Doping is an Arms Length Body of DCMS and regularly advises my Department on all anti-doping matters.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assurances he has received from Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group that the £12 million saving promised by Circle Holdings plc as part of its successful bid for the contract to provide musculoskeletal services will not affect the quality of services to patients; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

The procurement of local health services by means of competitive tendering is a matter for the local National Health Service.

We are advised that NHS Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) undertook a review of the provision of musculoskeletal (MSK) services in the area in 2014, involving local general practitioners (GPs), secondary care clinicians, other MSK clinicians and patient groups. The CCG took account of this exercise in confirming its commissioning intentions for an integrated MSK service pathway. The CCG subsequently held a GP clinical commissioner-led provider engagement event on 2 March 2016 to seek feedback on the clinical service specification and the proposed contractual model.

We understand that, as part of the procurement process, the MSK Programme Board was fully apprised of the Our Healthier South East London initiative, the predecessor to the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) in respect of elective orthopaedic centres.

We are advised that the Invitation to Tender (ITT) developed as part of the procurement exercise explicitly stated the aspirations of these two initiatives, in addition to the proposed implementation timeline. When submitting their bids, all prospective providers were required to confirm their understanding and acceptance of the planned new model of in-patient care. Patient choice continues to apply with regard to both this local procurement and the South East London STP proposals on elective care centres.

We understand that the ITT issued to potential service providers, was divided into sections, with each section allocated a weighting. The financial weighting was designed to ensure that the selection of the preferred provider was driven by clinical quality scores whilst remaining within the CCG’s published financial envelope. The detailed clinical service specification will be used to hold the provider to account within the format of the NHS national standard contract.

Health Ministers have not received any representations from local health practitioners in Greenwich with regard to the provision of MSK services in the area.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what restrictions are in place controlling flights going to and from London City Airport; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes

London City Airport’s operational hours are limited to minimise the impact on local residents. The airport is permitted to operate flights between the following hours:

• 06.30 and 22.30 hours on weekdays
• 06.30 and 13.00 hours on Saturdays
• 12.30 and 22.30 on Sundays
• 09.00 and 22.30 hours on Public or Bank Holidays
• Full closure on 25 December

The final 30 minutes of operation is solely for flights scheduled earlier which have been unavoidably delayed.

The total number of aircraft movements (take off and landings) is limited to 120,000 per annum.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will request that Southeastern Trains and Network Rail explain the reasons for disruption to services at London Bridge on 4, 5 and 6 January 2016; and if he will publish the responses of those organisations to that request.

Claire Perry

Network Rail has informed me that problems with signalling equipment caused delays to some Southeastern services via London Bridge on 4, 5 and 6 of January. On the morning of 4th January, a track circuit failed near Cannon Street. On the evening of 5th January a track circuit failed on the line to Charing Cross and Network Rail was not able to rectify the fault until the morning of the 6th.

Network Rail and Southeastern worked together to ensure the issues were rectified as quickly as possible and passenger disruption was minimised.

I remain committed to ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum while we continue the vital Thameslink Programme works to improve capacity and reliability through one of the busiest rail routes in Europe.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that bodies undertaking anti-doping investigations in UK sport have access to the most up-to-date science and technology; and if he will make a statement.

David Evennett

UK Anti-Doping’s dedicated Science and Medical team work closely with the Drug Control Centre at King’s College London and others to research new substances and methods of using performance enhancing substances, as well as provide expertise in helping to develop new detection methods.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, UK Anti-Doping can store samples for up to 10 years to allow retrospective testing of samples as new testing methods are developed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of whether the award to Circle Holdings plc of the contract to provide musculoskeletal services in Greenwich will affect the Sustainability Transformation Plan for two elective orthopaedic centres in London; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

The procurement of local health services by means of competitive tendering is a matter for the local National Health Service.

We are advised that NHS Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) undertook a review of the provision of musculoskeletal (MSK) services in the area in 2014, involving local general practitioners (GPs), secondary care clinicians, other MSK clinicians and patient groups. The CCG took account of this exercise in confirming its commissioning intentions for an integrated MSK service pathway. The CCG subsequently held a GP clinical commissioner-led provider engagement event on 2 March 2016 to seek feedback on the clinical service specification and the proposed contractual model.

We understand that, as part of the procurement process, the MSK Programme Board was fully apprised of the Our Healthier South East London initiative, the predecessor to the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) in respect of elective orthopaedic centres.

We are advised that the Invitation to Tender (ITT) developed as part of the procurement exercise explicitly stated the aspirations of these two initiatives, in addition to the proposed implementation timeline. When submitting their bids, all prospective providers were required to confirm their understanding and acceptance of the planned new model of in-patient care. Patient choice continues to apply with regard to both this local procurement and the South East London STP proposals on elective care centres.

We understand that the ITT issued to potential service providers, was divided into sections, with each section allocated a weighting. The financial weighting was designed to ensure that the selection of the preferred provider was driven by clinical quality scores whilst remaining within the CCG’s published financial envelope. The detailed clinical service specification will be used to hold the provider to account within the format of the NHS national standard contract.

Health Ministers have not received any representations from local health practitioners in Greenwich with regard to the provision of MSK services in the area.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 48022, how he monitors the performance of clinical commissioning groups and health service providers on their delivery of the Getting it right first time requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) was a recommendation in Lord Carter’s report on Hospital Productivity published in February 2016. NHS Improvement is responsible for delivering the recommendations of that report. It is accountable to the Secretary of State for Health for the delivery of the overall programme and the Secretary of State regularly reviews progress. NHS Improvement has provided an update on its plans for delivering and monitoring performance in individual clinical commissioning groups and health service providers.

The orthopaedic GIRFT pilot was led by the programme lead Professor Tim Briggs. The GIRFT team mined nationally available data sources and produced a report for each provider of orthopaedics in England that included a consolidated view of all available data and metrics pertaining to each provider’s clinical and financial performance at a service line/individual specialty level. Professor Briggs then visited every trust in England to discuss their data in order to reflect on variation in clinical practice, management approach and variations in procurement. The reports benchmark providers nationally and explore how clinical evidence is considered and informs practice. This is a highly detailed approach facilitating an extensive understanding of the links between practice, outcome and cost drivers, which in turn enabled a series of recommendations to be developed benefitting quality of care and finances of both providers and commissioners. Following the provider level reports and visits, a national report and recommendations were produced. The Model Hospital will provide a platform for an ongoing series of dashboards to track performance against key performance metrics. The GIRFT team will be working closely with NHS England’s RightCare programme which is aimed at commissioners to align their work to achieve joint objectives.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will request representatives of the British Embassy to attend the public hearing in the case of the imprisoned academic Miguel Angel Beltran scheduled for January 2016 in the city of Bogota.

Mr Hugo Swire

The British Embassy was notified by the Colombian authorities in August 2015 of the detention of Professor Miguel Angel Beltran, who is held at La Picota prison in Bogotá.

The United Kingdom cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country. We take every opportunity to encourage the Colombian authorities to allow access for all to legal representation, a fair trial without prejudice and minimise delays.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-04-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what enforcement action is being taken by (a) the police and (b) Trading Standards against secondary ticketing operators offering tickets for the UEFA European Football Championships for sale through their websites to customers based in the UK; and under what legislation such action is being taken.

David Evennett

The Police are responsible for enforcing the football ticketing provisions of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 that apply to England and Wales. Trading Standards Services are responsible for enforcing the secondary ticketing provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and other relevant consumer protection legislation. Suspected or actual breaches of such legislation should first be reported via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, following which Citizens Advice may refer cases to Trading Standards Services for appropriate action. The Government does not hold information centrally on the use of these enforcement powers or the number of penalties issued.