Tag: David Simpson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the provision of superfast broadband to rural businesses in all parts of the UK.

Mr Edward Vaizey

In 2010 nearly half of UK premises could access superfast broadband. Current superfast broadband coverage is almost 80% of UK premises and the Government remains committed to providing 95% coverage by 2017. This will benefit rural businesses across the UK.

BDUK works with local authorities and the devolved administrations to determine how funding for broadband projects is deployed and where the roll out of superfast broadband is carried out.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Regular Forces were stationed in Northern Ireland in 2014.

Mr Mark Francois

The number of UK Regular Forces stationed in Northern Ireland in 2014 can be found in the Ministry of Defence Quarterly Location Statistics on the Gov.UK website at the following link:

www.gov.uk/location-of-all-uk-regular-service-and-civilian-personnel-quarterly-statistics-index

The information is reproduced below.

UK Regular Forces stationed in Northern Ireland in 2014 (as at October 2014)

Officers

210

Other ranks

2,130

Total

2,340

Due to the rounding methods used, figures may not always equal the sum of their rounded parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

UK Regular Forces includes all trained and untrained personnel. Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve personnel, and mobilised reservists are excluded

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many women are employed full-time in the Royal Navy.

Anna Soubry

As at 1 January 2015, there were 3,060 women employed in the Naval Service.

This figure represents trained and untrained Regular personnel and those on Full Time Reserve Service, and has been rounded in accordance with the Defence Statistics rounding policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has made of the effects of compulsory school starting ages in Sweden and the UK.

Mr Nick Gibb

The Department for Education has not made any comparative assessment of the effects of compulsory school starting ages in Sweden and the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what change there has been in access to colon cancer treatments since 2012.

George Freeman

Since April 2013, NHS England has been the responsible commissioner for chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, together with a number of specialist surgical services, which include some complex urology and colorectal cancer surgeries. Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the diagnostic pathway and some surgeries for both colorectal and urological cancers.

NHS England routinely commissions a range of anti-cancer drug treatments for both colorectal and prostate cancer. These are drug indications that have either been recommended in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal guidance, or have been considered as routine practice in the treatment of these cancers for many years.

NICE is the independent body that assesses the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments for routine use in the National Health Service. NICE has recommended the following treatments for prostate cancer through its technology appraisal process since 1 January 2012:

– abiraterone (Zytiga) for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen; and

– enzalutamide (Xtandi) for metastatic hormone‑relapsed prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel‑containing regimen.

NICE is in the process of appraising the following treatments:

– sipuleucel-T (Provenge) for the first line treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer;

– degarelix depot (Firmagon) for treating advanced hormone dependent prostate cancer;

– enzalutamide for treating metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy; and

– radium-223 dichloride (Xofigo) for hormone relapsed prostate cancer with bone metastases.

NICE is currently reviewing technology appraisal guidance on cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and expects to publish updated final guidance on these treatments in April 2016.

In addition to routinely commissioned treatments, the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) provides access to other treatments that would not normally be available.

From April 2013, NHS England assumed operational responsibility for the CDF. As of 19 January 2015, the following drugs are available through the national CDF list for the treatment of prostate cancer:

– abiraterone;

– cabazitaxel (Jevtana);

– enzalutamide; and

– radium-223 dichloride.

Cabizitaxel is due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.

The following drugs are also available through the national CDF list for the treatment of colorectal cancer:

– aflibercept (Zaltrap);

– bevacizumab (Avastin);

– cetuximab; and

– panitumumab.

Aflibercept, bevacizumab as a first-line treatment and cetuximab as a second- or third-line treatment with combination chemotherapy are due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.

Since April 2013, there has been progress in meeting the Government’s commitment to increase patient access to inverse planned Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). The success of this planned expansion of access is demonstrated in the increased number of IMRT episodes (patients), which has risen from just over 8,500 per year in 2012-13 to a projected figure of over 25,000 in 2014-15 of which around 40% of these patients are treated with IMRT for prostate cancer.

NHS England has not altered the service specification or published any commissioning policies which have altered those colorectal cancer surgical services that fall within the remit of specialised commissioning.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-15.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on golf clubs of differences in VAT rules applying to propriety-owned and member-owned golf clubs; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Upper Bann to discuss this matter.

Mr David Gauke

I refer the hon. Member to the HMRC briefing paper (25/14) of June 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what change there has been in access to prostate cancer treatments since 2012.

George Freeman

Since April 2013, NHS England has been the responsible commissioner for chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, together with a number of specialist surgical services, which include some complex urology and colorectal cancer surgeries. Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the diagnostic pathway and some surgeries for both colorectal and urological cancers.

NHS England routinely commissions a range of anti-cancer drug treatments for both colorectal and prostate cancer. These are drug indications that have either been recommended in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal guidance, or have been considered as routine practice in the treatment of these cancers for many years.

NICE is the independent body that assesses the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments for routine use in the National Health Service. NICE has recommended the following treatments for prostate cancer through its technology appraisal process since 1 January 2012:

– abiraterone (Zytiga) for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen; and

– enzalutamide (Xtandi) for metastatic hormone‑relapsed prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel‑containing regimen.

NICE is in the process of appraising the following treatments:

– sipuleucel-T (Provenge) for the first line treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer;

– degarelix depot (Firmagon) for treating advanced hormone dependent prostate cancer;

– enzalutamide for treating metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy; and

– radium-223 dichloride (Xofigo) for hormone relapsed prostate cancer with bone metastases.

NICE is currently reviewing technology appraisal guidance on cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and expects to publish updated final guidance on these treatments in April 2016.

In addition to routinely commissioned treatments, the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) provides access to other treatments that would not normally be available.

From April 2013, NHS England assumed operational responsibility for the CDF. As of 19 January 2015, the following drugs are available through the national CDF list for the treatment of prostate cancer:

– abiraterone;

– cabazitaxel (Jevtana);

– enzalutamide; and

– radium-223 dichloride.

Cabizitaxel is due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.

The following drugs are also available through the national CDF list for the treatment of colorectal cancer:

– aflibercept (Zaltrap);

– bevacizumab (Avastin);

– cetuximab; and

– panitumumab.

Aflibercept, bevacizumab as a first-line treatment and cetuximab as a second- or third-line treatment with combination chemotherapy are due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.

Since April 2013, there has been progress in meeting the Government’s commitment to increase patient access to inverse planned Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). The success of this planned expansion of access is demonstrated in the increased number of IMRT episodes (patients), which has risen from just over 8,500 per year in 2012-13 to a projected figure of over 25,000 in 2014-15 of which around 40% of these patients are treated with IMRT for prostate cancer.

NHS England has not altered the service specification or published any commissioning policies which have altered those colorectal cancer surgical services that fall within the remit of specialised commissioning.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government plans to take to support newly-qualified teachers in seeking employment.

Mr David Laws

The Department for Education has reformed initial teacher training so that schools can now play a much greater part in selecting and training new teachers, ensuring that they are well prepared for life in the classroom.

Newly qualified teachers working in the maintained school sector are entitled to a period of statutory induction, which helps to build a bridge between their initial training and a career in teaching. In 2014, the annual newly qualified teachers survey reported that 94% of both primary and secondary trainees rated their induction experience as helpful.

Overall, teacher vacancy rates remain very low (vacancy rate of 0.2% as of November 2013). The Government provides access, through the gov.uk portal, to the ‘Universal Jobmatch’ website, which helps teachers (amongst others) to identify appropriate vacancies. Schools and local authorities (in the maintained sector) are responsible for recruiting their staff and it is their responsibility to select the teacher they consider is best for the post available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in 2014.

Jane Ellison

The latest data currently available is for cancer diagnoses in 2012.

In 2012 there were 85 cases of Ewing’s sarcoma diagnosed in England, of which 59 were Ewing’s sarcoma of the bone, and 26 were extra-skeletal Ewing’s sarcoma (i.e. soft tissue).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to assist homeowners facing problems paying their mortgages and to provide practical advice and support.

Kris Hopkins

The Council of Mortgage Lenders reported 28,900 repossessions in 2013, down from 33,900 in 2012 and the lowest level since 2007. It has revised down its forecasts for 2014 to 28,000. The Government is not complacent, but believes this fall in repossessions is a consequence of improved arrears management by lenders and action the Coalition Government has taken to tackle the deficit and keep interest rates down.

Homeowners struggling with mortgage payments should take action as soon as possible by discussing their situation with their lender or contacting money advice experts such as Citizens Advice, Shelter, StepChange or National Debtline for free and independent advice on taking control of their finances.

Government support is available in the form of Support for Mortgage Interest, paid as part of DWP benefits to help eligible out-of-work households meet their monthly mortgage interest payments. The Budget in March this year extended the enhancements to the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme (a shortened 13 week waiting period and an increased capital limit of £200,000), until 31 March 2016.

Within England the Government continues to ensure the provision of free on-the-day legal advice (the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme) to assist households at possession hearings. We are providing £470 million of funding in the current Spending Review period to prevent and tackle homelessness and repossessions.