Tag: Crispin Blunt

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made since the publication of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 on the Trident renewal programme in November 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

Further to the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we are investing an additional £642 million in the design of the Successor submarine and ordering additional long-lead items, including for the fourth submarine. Negotiations with industry remain on-going on options for the subsequent investment stages and their scope, time and cost. The 2016 Annual Update to Parliament, which sets out progress on the Successor submarine programme, is planned for later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government’s policy is on (a) including within Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions 1949 prohibition of the targeting of individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and (b) whether the consequences under international law of targeting individuals on the ground of sexual orientation are the same as targeting on the grounds of race, colour, religion or faith, sex and birth or wealth.

Penny Mordaunt

The Government does not target individuals based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Common Article 3 prohibits adverse distinction founded on race, colour religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what further discussions his Department plans to hold with industry and other interested parties on the decision of NHS England to end the specialised commissioning process for HIV medicines used for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis; what plans he has for the provision of such medicines before the end of the current pilot of early implementer sites over the next two years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

NHS England has agreed to carefully consider their position on commissioning pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Planning continues on the early implementer tests sites in the meantime. Irrespective of the commissioning arrangements for PrEP, decisions to fund will depend on full assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness and how it can be integrated with other HIV prevention efforts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to NHS England’s consultation on a proposed method to support investment decisions in specialised commissioning, launched on 12 April 2016, if NHS England will issue a consultation on arrangements for commissioning treatments recommended through NICE’s highly specialised technology programme.

George Freeman

As part of the work to develop NHS England’s strategic framework for specialised services, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will be working together closely to improve the adoption of highly specialised technologies. Further detail will be set out in the coming months in light of the conclusions of the Accelerated Access Review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans NICE has to consult on its methodology for carrying out evidence reviews and impact analyses to support NHS England’s specialised commissioning process.

George Freeman

As yet, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not have any plans to consult on changes to its methods and processes to support NHS England’s specialised commissioning process, but will carry out a full consultation if any such changes are considered necessary.

Following NHS England’s review of its specialised commissioning processes and the publication in the summer of the final report from the Accelerated Access Review, we anticipate NICE will want to look at its processes and methods for the assessment of drugs and treatments used in specialised commissioning.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2015-10-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last completed an assessment of the whole life cost of the Successor programme.

Mr Philip Dunne

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 10 of NHS England’s Strategic Framework for Specialised Services board paper, published in May 2016, what plans his Department has to issue directions to NICE regarding the adoption of its guidance by NHS England for treatments recommended through (a) the technology appraisal programme and (b) the highly specialised treatment evaluation programme.

George Freeman

The Department has no plans to issue any such directions to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NHS England and clinical commissioning groups are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance issued by the NICE, normally within three months of the publication of the NICE’s guidance.

Following NHS England’s review of its specialised commissioning processes and the publication in the summer of the final report from the Accelerated Access Review, we anticipate the NICE will want to look at its processes and methods for the assessment of drugs and treatments used in specialised commissioning.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with veterinary experts on the use of colistin and colistin resistance in animals, food and humans.

George Eustice

I discussed the issue of colistin resistance on 1 December with the Chief Executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate following the publication of a report on the issue in relation to China.

In November, the UK Government attended an EU workshop on the impact on public health and animal health of the use of antibiotics in animals, which included the use of colistin. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has also held initial discussions on the use of colistin and colistin resistance with other experts across government, including the Food Standards Agency, Department of Health and Public Health England, and key industry bodies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 10 of NHS England’s Strategic Framework for Specialised Services board paper, published in May 2016, what plans NHS England has to trial alternative reimbursement models for drugs and devices.

George Freeman

As set out in the NHS England Board Paper, improving the adoption of new technologies and treatments will be an important element of NHS England’s strategic framework for specialised services. As part of the work to develop that framework, NHS England will be working with a range of stakeholders to explore how alternative reimbursement models could be deployed, including in the context of the recommendations of the Accelerated Access Review due for publication this summer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with health experts on the human health implications of the veterinary use of colistin for colistin resistance in slaughtered animals, food and humans; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

The Department of Health is working closely with Public Health England (PHE), the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Veterinary Medicines Directorate to ensure that the risk assessment to public health from colistin-resistant bacteria from slaughtered animals, food and humans considers all available evidence. While PHE and the FSA judge that the public health risk of colistin-resistant bacteria from slaughtered animals and the food chain is very low, the use of colistin for animals will be reviewed following recent reports of transferable colistin resistance in China and Europe.

I regularly discuss the issue of antimicrobial resistance with the Chief Medical Officer.