Tag: Colleen Fletcher

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the (a) efficiency of existing diagnostic tests and (b) effectiveness of current treatments for Lyme disease.

Jane Ellison

Lyme disease is a complex infection where challenges in understanding of disease progression, and consequently diagnosis and treatment, remain.

The National Health Service and Public Health England (PHE) use well established validated diagnostic tests for Lyme disease that are highly reproducible between laboratories. International External Quality Assurance schemes are in place to ensure consistency between different test centres. Commercial manufacturers and international academic groups have research programmes into improved tests and PHE continuously reviews new Lyme serology tests and will validate and implement new tests if appropriate.

All treatment for Lyme disease within the NHS should be evidence based, and targeted at the disease mechanisms underlying those symptoms. Most cases are diagnosed in primary care and PHE has published a referral pathway for general practitioners to follow to ensure problem cases are seen by an appropriate NHS specialist.

To further strengthen the evidence base we have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to develop a new clinical guideline on Lyme disease, for both primary and secondary care, for publication in 2018. The Department is also commissioning three Systematic Reviews by independent academic groups to cover

― diagnosis and diagnostic tests;

― treatment; and

― epidemiology/transmission routes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of personal independence payment applications were disallowed in (i) 2015 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available.

Justin Tomlinson

Data on the number and proportion of claims to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which were unsuccessful are available from Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of families with children living in temporary accommodation in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in (i) each of the last two years and (ii) the latest month for which figures are available.

Gavin Barwell

The numbers of homeless families with children in temporary accommodation for each local authority in England are published each quarter at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness#detailed-local-authority-level-responses

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) homeless people and (b) rough sleepers in (i) Coventry, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) England.

Mr Marcus Jones

One person without a home is one too many. That is why the Government is clear that prevention must be at the heart of everything we do to tackle homelessness. We have protected homelessness prevention funding for local authorities, which will amount to £315 million by 2020, to help them provide quality advice and assistance to everyone who approaches them for help. We are also exploring options, including legislation, to prevent more people from becoming homeless in the first place.

We have also increased central investment to tackle homelessness over the next four years to £139 million, including a new £10 million fund to support innovative ways to prevent and reduce rough sleeping, and a new £10 million Social Impact Bond to support rough sleepers with the most complex needs.

Statistics for each of the last five years on statutory homelessness acceptances, homelessness prevention and relief and rough sleeping are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of patients who have been denied a second allogeneic stem cell transplant following an individual funding request in each of the last three years; and what estimate his Department has made of the associated cost saving to the health service.

Nicola Blackwood

The total number of Individual Funding Requests for a second allogenic stem cell transplant that were declined during the calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015 is below NHS England’s threshold for releasing individual data, as fewer than 10 individual funding requests were declined.

Due to the complexity of such treatments, and any alternatives used, it is not possible to assess any associated cost impact to the National Health Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-10-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on insurers signing customers up to future auto-renewals without the option to opt out.

Harriett Baldwin

Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations and have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

As has been the practice adopted by previous Administrations it is not Government policy to normally release details of such meetings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-10-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of auto-renewals on competition in the private motor insurance market.

Harriett Baldwin

This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are operationally independent from Government.

The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training 101 call-handlers receive on (a) female genital mutilation (FGM) and (b) information governance relating to the handling of information about FGM.

Karen Bradley

A mandatory reporting duty for regulated health and social care professionals and teachers will come into force at the end of October. We recently published guidance to support its introduction.

The guidance sets out that reports can be made using the 101 service. The Government has opted to recommend the use of an existing cost effective, simple and clear reporting route for professionals rather than introduce a dedicated specialist police line. Calls to 101 are answered by trained police officers and staff in the control room of the local police force. All 101 call handlers are fully trained to handle all calls received and specific call-handling instructions on FGM will be issued to them by the National Policing Lead before the duty comes into force. Upon receipt of a report, the police will record the information and initiate a multi-agency response in line with local safeguarding arrangements. Police forces have responsibilities regarding the management of information, including a statutory responsibility to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.

The College of Policing will also shortly update its Authorised Professional Practice Guidance on FGM with information and advice on the mandatory reporting duty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account she has taken of the introduction of a dedicated specialist police line for professionals to report highly sensitive information about cases of known FGM under the Serious Crime Act 2015.

Karen Bradley

A mandatory reporting duty for regulated health and social care professionals and teachers will come into force at the end of October. We recently published guidance to support its introduction.

The guidance sets out that reports can be made using the 101 service. The Government has opted to recommend the use of an existing cost effective, simple and clear reporting route for professionals rather than introduce a dedicated specialist police line. Calls to 101 are answered by trained police officers and staff in the control room of the local police force. All 101 call handlers are fully trained to handle all calls received and specific call-handling instructions on FGM will be issued to them by the National Policing Lead before the duty comes into force. Upon receipt of a report, the police will record the information and initiate a multi-agency response in line with local safeguarding arrangements. Police forces have responsibilities regarding the management of information, including a statutory responsibility to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.

The College of Policing will also shortly update its Authorised Professional Practice Guidance on FGM with information and advice on the mandatory reporting duty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-10-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on insurers not giving details of no claims bonuses to customers in their renewal notice.

Harriett Baldwin

Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations and have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

As has been the practice adopted by previous Administrations it is not Government policy to normally release details of such meetings.