Tag: David Amess

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how NHS England evaluates service specific A3 change proposals for its five-year strategy development for specialised services; when authors of those proposals will learn the outcomes of their proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

NHS England established the specialised commissioning taskforce to make some immediate improvements to the way in which NHS England commissions specialised services, and to put commissioning arrangements on a stronger footing for the longer-term. The task force is not conducting a complete review of specialised commissioning, although there are some aspects of this work which will require some specific services or arrangements to be reviewed. The life of the task force was originally three months running from May to July 2014: this has now been extended to the end of October 2014.

The publication and application of the specialised services strategy have been paused while the task force undertakes its work. At this stage, NHS England is yet to confirm when the strategy will be published. However, many aspects of the work of the taskforce will contribute to taking the strategy work forward later in the year.

Information on the work on development of the mission and vision and service-level planning elements of the specialised services strategy, prior to the pause, is available on the following webpages:

www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/spec-services/five-year-strat/mission-vision/

www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/spec-services/five-year-strat/service-level-plan/

NHS England has advised that the A3 change proposals were a pilot process to establish how NHS England might be able to achieve multiple stakeholder involvement on future service change. Proposals that demonstrate good opportunities to increase value and contain cost have moved into the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) programme for specialised services. Other proposals which support strategic service planning continue to be considered. Authors with proposals that do not meet the objectives of QIPP or strategic services planning will be informed within the next few weeks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department (a) spent in each of the last 10 years and (b) plans to spend in each of the next three years on maintaining war graves; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

As the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War approaches, it is right that we acknowledge the important work undertaken by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to commemorate those who gave their lives during both World Wars.

The CWGC receives financial contributions from its member nations based on the number of graves it maintains on behalf of each nation. Accordingly the UK Government contributes 78.43% to the total CWGC funding.

Financial records are retained for seven years. Information held by the Ministry of Defence indicates that over the last seven financial years the UK Government has made the following payments to CWGC for the maintenance of graves of those who died during the First and Second World Wars. The figures include UK VAT:

2007-08 – £34,799,000
2008-09 – £35,153,000
2009-10 – £46,545,000
2010-11 – £43,341,000
2011-12 – £46,288,000
2012-13 – £44,636,487
2013-14 – £47,318,041

With regard to future funding, the UK will continue to meet its obligation to pay the appropriate percentage (currently 78.43%) of the total CWGC funding.

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport is discussing with the CWGC the scope for enhancing information and interpretation at burial sites as part of the centenary commemorations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how NHS England’s specialised commissioning taskforce intends to incorporate work submitted by (a) clinical reference groups and (b) other stakeholders in response to its requests for A3 change proposals to inform the development of its five year strategy for specialised services; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

NHS England established the specialised commissioning taskforce to make some immediate improvements to the way in which NHS England commissions specialised services, and to put commissioning arrangements on a stronger footing for the longer-term. The task force is not conducting a complete review of specialised commissioning, although there are some aspects of this work which will require some specific services or arrangements to be reviewed. The life of the task force was originally three months running from May to July 2014: this has now been extended to the end of October 2014.

The publication and application of the specialised services strategy have been paused while the task force undertakes its work. At this stage, NHS England is yet to confirm when the strategy will be published. However, many aspects of the work of the taskforce will contribute to taking the strategy work forward later in the year.

Information on the work on development of the mission and vision and service-level planning elements of the specialised services strategy, prior to the pause, is available on the following webpages:

www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/spec-services/five-year-strat/mission-vision/

www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/spec-services/five-year-strat/service-level-plan/

NHS England has advised that the A3 change proposals were a pilot process to establish how NHS England might be able to achieve multiple stakeholder involvement on future service change. Proposals that demonstrate good opportunities to increase value and contain cost have moved into the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) programme for specialised services. Other proposals which support strategic service planning continue to be considered. Authors with proposals that do not meet the objectives of QIPP or strategic services planning will be informed within the next few weeks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department (a) spent in each of the last 10 years and (b) plans to spend in each of the next three years on maintaining national memorials; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Helen Grant

DCMS has spent the following amounts in each of the last 10 years maintaining national memorials:

Year	Spend (£)
2013/14	529,000
2012/13	269,000
2011/12	334,000
2010/11	229,000
2009/10	230,000
2008/09	391,000
2007/08	854,000
2006/07	714,000
2005/06	130,000
2004/05	N/A

The DCMS-run Memorial Grant Scheme has a budget of £543,000 for this financial year. Grants are available to charities and faith groups, and can be used to repair and maintain war memorials. The Government has today announced that it will give the War Memorials Trust up to £3 million over the First World War centenary period to boost the funds available to local communities for the repair and conservation of war memorials. English Heritage, Imperial War Museums and Civic Voice will together be given £1.5 million over the same period to deliver better protection through Listing, a greater pool of specialist skills, a national register of war memorials, and a network of trained volunteers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle abuse of the immigration system.

James Brokenshire

The Immigration Act 2014 has expedited the removal of over 1,400 foreign national offenders from this country and stopped illegal migrants having access to services such as, bank accounts, driving licences and rented accommodation.

The Immigration Bill will go further, enabling the seizure of earnings from illegal workers, further penalising rogue employers, and extend the deport first, appeal later principle to more cases.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Directorate in his Department produced guidance on the provision of non-judgemental counselling; which Directorate has policy responsibility for implementation of this guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

Departmental officials have made a number of visits and have had informal discussions with a number of counselling providers which included pro-life and pro-choice organisations; these are listed below.

Organisations visited or with which contact was made:

– Brook Advisory Centre, Brixton

– British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Richmond

– Care Confidential, Alternatives Trust, Newham

– City Pregnancy Counselling and Psychotherapy Service, Islington

– Homerton NHS Trust, Hackney

– Hull Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Partnership

– Life Care Centre, Walsall

– Marie Stopes International, Brixton and Bristol

– Norwich Contraception and Sexual Health Clinic

– Plymouth Community Healthcare

The Government produced guidance on the provision of non-judgemental abortion counselling in A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (March 2013). The Framework was produced by the sexual health policy team in the Public Health Directorate.

The Sexual Health Policy team is made up of the following staff at each grade:

1 Senior Civil Servant (who also manages policy areas other than sexual health)

1 Grade 6

2 Grade 7

1 Senior Executive Officer

1 Higher Executive Officer (.7 whole time equivalent)

1 Executive Officer

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff of each grade are employed in his Department’s Sexual Health Policy Team.

Jane Ellison

Departmental officials have made a number of visits and have had informal discussions with a number of counselling providers which included pro-life and pro-choice organisations; these are listed below.

Organisations visited or with which contact was made:

– Brook Advisory Centre, Brixton

– British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Richmond

– Care Confidential, Alternatives Trust, Newham

– City Pregnancy Counselling and Psychotherapy Service, Islington

– Homerton NHS Trust, Hackney

– Hull Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Partnership

– Life Care Centre, Walsall

– Marie Stopes International, Brixton and Bristol

– Norwich Contraception and Sexual Health Clinic

– Plymouth Community Healthcare

The Government produced guidance on the provision of non-judgemental abortion counselling in A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (March 2013). The Framework was produced by the sexual health policy team in the Public Health Directorate.

The Sexual Health Policy team is made up of the following staff at each grade:

1 Senior Civil Servant (who also manages policy areas other than sexual health)

1 Grade 6

2 Grade 7

1 Senior Executive Officer

1 Higher Executive Officer (.7 whole time equivalent)

1 Executive Officer

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) formal and (b) informal discussions officials had with (i) pro-life organisations, (ii) the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, (iii) Marie Stopes International and (iv) pro-choice organisations before the publication of guidance on the provision of non-judgemental counselling; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

Departmental officials have made a number of visits and have had informal discussions with a number of counselling providers which included pro-life and pro-choice organisations; these are listed below.

Organisations visited or with which contact was made:

– Brook Advisory Centre, Brixton

– British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Richmond

– Care Confidential, Alternatives Trust, Newham

– City Pregnancy Counselling and Psychotherapy Service, Islington

– Homerton NHS Trust, Hackney

– Hull Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Partnership

– Life Care Centre, Walsall

– Marie Stopes International, Brixton and Bristol

– Norwich Contraception and Sexual Health Clinic

– Plymouth Community Healthcare

The Government produced guidance on the provision of non-judgemental abortion counselling in A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (March 2013). The Framework was produced by the sexual health policy team in the Public Health Directorate.

The Sexual Health Policy team is made up of the following staff at each grade:

1 Senior Civil Servant (who also manages policy areas other than sexual health)

1 Grade 6

2 Grade 7

1 Senior Executive Officer

1 Higher Executive Officer (.7 whole time equivalent)

1 Executive Officer