The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of removing treatments for multiple myeloma from the Cancer Drugs Fund on investment in clinical trials for that condition in the UK.
George Freeman
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 September 2015 to Question 10093.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the men who have sex with men population is aware of the availability of the HPV vaccination at sexual health clinics.
Jane Ellison
In November 2015, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the expert body that advises the Government on all immunisation matters, advised that a targeted human papilloma virus vaccination programme should be undertaken for men who have sex with men up to 45 years of age who attend genitourinary medicine and HIV clinics. They noted that this should be subject to procurement of the vaccine and delivery of the programme at a cost-effective price.
The Department is considering the JCVI’s advice and will confirm its plans in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of using adjustable furniture in schools to improve the classroom learning environment.
Nick Gibb
The Department has not undertaken its own assessment of the potential benefits of using adjustable furniture in schools.
The Department recognises the advantages and disadvantages of using adjustable height furniture detailed in research carried out by appropriate professionals and through working jointly with organisations such as the Furniture Industry Research Association.
Our jointly produced website on ergonomics highlights the option of using adjustable chairs and tables for effective management of the classroom environment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to introduce independent and impartial advice from qualified professionals into careers advice and guidance.
Mr Sam Gyimah
All maintained schools have a legal duty to secure access to independent careers guidance for year 8-13 pupils. Guidance secured under the duty must be delivered in an impartial manner.
The duty gives schools the flexibility to commission a broad range of support for pupils – from careers advisers but also from employers, mentors and coaches, who can give young people real-life insight into the world of work. This allows schools to identify their own priorities and configure their careers education and guidance offer to meet the needs of their pupils. The Careers & Enterprise Company is taking a lead role in transforming the provision of careers, enterprise and employer engagement experiences for young people to inspire them and prepare them for the world of work.
Careers professionals can play an important role in supporting pupils as one element of a varied careers programme. The careers statutory guidance is clear that schools should include consideration of the role that careers professionals can play in supporting pupils. The statutory guidance provides information about the register of careers professionals, developed by the Career Development Institute, which schools can use to search for a career development professional who can deliver a particular service or activity.
Ofsted has given higher priority to careers guidance in school inspections – and destination measures help schools and colleges to be held to account locally and inform choices by parents and students.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Consumer Council on UK ferry operators and their pricing structures.
Mr John Hayes
I have held no such recent discussions. The level of charges on ferries across the Irish Sea is a commercial matter for the companies concerned, subject to normal competition law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of expanding Heathrow Airport on Belfast International’s ability to establish its own direct international connections.
Mr John Hayes
The Government values the vital contribution airports right across the UK make to the growth of regional and local economies, and recognises that air connectivity between areas of the UK and beyond is very important.
The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work before an announcement on its preference.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms are in place to facilitate regular engagement with her counterparts in the devolved administrations on policy development.
Nick Gibb
Officials hold regular meetings with their counterparts in the devolved administrations on different policy areas. Officials discuss and coordinate international issues where policy is reserved.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to make the email and telephone inquiry service within UK Visa and Immigration more user-friendly.
James Brokenshire
UKVI Contact Centres currently handle approximately 34000 calls and 15000 emails a week from customers both in and outside the UK. We continuously review our processes and use customer feedback to inform any changes made.
UKVI Contact Centres currently answer over 90% of all calls within an average 1:18 minutes and respond to 100% of emails within the published service standards.
The latest customer survey returned a high satisfaction rating of 85%.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Attorney General, what factors the Crown Prosecution Service takes into account when assessing the reliability of evidence which is more than 30 years old.
Robert Buckland
Evidence is assessed in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors in arriving at a decision whether to prosecute a case. A prosecutor will look at whether the evidence is admissible in court, its importance in relation to the evidence as a whole, its reliability, accuracy, integrity and credibility. It is the duty of prosecutors to make sure that the right person is prosecuted for the right offence and to bring offenders to justice wherever possible. In doing so a prosecutor must be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that a prosecution is in the public interest.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when HPV vaccinations are planned to be available at sexual health clinics to men who have sex with men.
Jane Ellison
In November 2015, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the expert body that advises the Government on all immunisation matters, advised that a targeted human papilloma virus vaccination programme should be undertaken for men who have sex with men up to 45 years of age who attend genitourinary medicine and HIV clinics. They noted that this should be subject to procurement of the vaccine and delivery of the programme at a cost-effective price.
The Department is considering the JCVI’s advice and will confirm its plans in due course.