Tag: Crispin Blunt

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 October 2015 to Question 12152.

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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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 14 June 2016, Official Report, column 1617, on EU Prisoner Transfer Directive, to which EU member states the 102 prisoners transferred from England and Wales under the EU prisoner transfer agreement have been transferred.

Andrew Selous

The information requested is provided in the table below.

MEMBER STATE TO WHICH TRANSFER HAS TAKEN PLACE	NUMBER OF PRISONERS TRANSFERRED
Belgium	7
Czech Republic	4
Denmark	1
Italy	3
Latvia	5
Lithuania	1
Netherlands	44
Poland	3
Romania	15
Slovakia	13
Spain	5
Malta	1

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will raise the issue of withdrawal of marketing authorisations for veterinary use of colistin at the next EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 7 December 2015.

Jane Ellison

The withdrawal of marketing authorisations for veterinary use of colistin was not raised at the EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 7 December 2015.

The Public Health Minister has regularly discussed antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with her international colleagues and attended a meeting on AMR hosted by the Netherlands in advance of their forthcoming Presidency where the Minister raised the importance of a ‘One Health’ approach to AMR including the need for the appropriate use of antibiotics in both humans and animals.

The five year UK Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy, published in 2013 takes a ‘One Health’ approach.

Minimising the unnecessary and inappropriate use of antibiotics reduces the selective pressure that favours the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria and is an essential component of strategies to safeguard antibiotics critical for treatment of serious human infections.

PHE is working closely with Defra, Department of Health, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Food Standards Agency and Veterinary Medicines Directorate to ensure the latest evidence on colistin resistance is considered.

AMR is a global problem that needs concerted action at both a national and global level.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what payments his Department has made or is projected to make to Network Rail in respect of the rail network used by Govia Thameslink Railway for each financial year of the franchise period.

Paul Maynard

The Department for Transport does not make payments to Network Rail on a route by route basis.