Tag: Geoffrey Cox

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to tackle bovine TB in Torridge and West Devon constituency; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

As outlined in a Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2015, the Government is taking strong action to deliver a long-term plan to eradicate the disease and protect the future of the UK’s dairy and beef industries. The comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls, improving biosecurity on farm and when trading, and badger control in areas where TB is rife. As part of the strategy the Government wants to see badger control over a wider number of areas in line with the UK Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for the next National Clinical Audit of avoidable deaths in relation to epilepsy.

Jane Ellison

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership commissions, develops and manages the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP), on behalf of NHS England, Wales and other devolved administrations. Whilst there is no specific audit planned that covers all cases of deaths from epilepsy, the following NCAPOP audits and reviews are of relevance:

– The audit for paediatric epilepsy, which is being re-commissioned this year, covers the quality of health care services for children and young people with epilepsy in the UK. The audit is managed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the first audit report can be found at the following link:

www.rcpch.ac.uk/news/variation-care-children-epilepsy-revealed-first-uk-wide-audit;

– The 2013 review report into cases of mortality and prolonged seizures in children and young people with epilepsies that was managed by the RCPCH. The report is available at the following link:

www.rcpch.ac.uk/child-health-reviews-uk/programme-findings/programme-findings-chr-uk;

– The recently commissioned national mortality case record review programme for England and Scotland which aims to improve understanding and learning about problems in care that may have contributed to a patient’s death:

www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/rcp-hosts-pioneering-national-mortality-case-record-review-programme

– The maternal, newborn and infant clinical outcome review programme will be undertaking a review of cases of mortality and morbidity for pregnant women with severe epilepsy that will report in December 2017. This will be carried out by MBRRACE-UK at The University of Oxford. Further information can be found at the following link:

www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk/topic-proposals

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that public consultations on local NHS changes involve patients and the public.

Mr Philip Dunne

National Health Service bodies have a statutory duty to engage with patients and the public about service change. Principles for service change are enshrined in the four reconfiguration tests as mandated by the government to NHS England. All local reconfiguration plans should satisfy these tests which are: (i) strengthened public and patient engagements, (ii) support from GP commissioners, (iii) clarity on the clinical evidence base and (iv) support for patient choice.

NHS England guidance on service change states that “effective involvement means being open and transparent about proposals enabling local stakeholders to have the opportunity to influence change.”[1]

[1] Planning, assuring and delivering service change for patients, NHS England, October 2015 Pg 14

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the blanket ban on bass on the North Devon fishing industry.

George Eustice

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply previously given on 22 January 2016, PQ UIN 22346.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-03-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a reduction in VAT for small businesses in the tourism sector.

Mr David Gauke

The Government has reviewed the economic case for a reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector.

In our view there is insufficient evidence to justify a reduction in VAT.

Reducing VAT on all tourism related activities would have a potential cost in excess of £10 billion in the first year alone.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to review the rule preventing those who have acquired British nationality by descent under Section 2(1)(a) of the British Nationality Act 1981 from passing on citizenship to their children by descent in circumstances where their parents were on short-term secondment abroad at the time of their birth other than on Crown Service.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Children who are born overseas to British citizens by descent and do not acquire British citizenship automatically are able to apply for registration as a citizen where the family can demonstrate a close connection with the UK.

The child of a British citizen is also able to enter the UK under the Immigration Rules as the child of a settled parent.

There are no plans to change the law in this respect at the current time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives from the health sector on the development of services to treat arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders.

Jane Ellison

The Department is in regular contact with stakeholders, such as Arthritis Research UK, and hosted a roundtable with them in November. The group is in the process of producing a toolkit for commissioners to support commissioning of physical activity interventions for people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

Whilst the Department has no plans to publish an arthritis action plan, NHS England and Public Health England are taking forward a number of projects.

Specifically on MSK conditions, the National Health Service National Clinical Director for MSK, Peter Kay, has been working in partnership with the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance, to develop new MSK clinical networks across England to build consensus on the way forward for models of care. In addition, in February 2015, Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England and the Department, ran a local pilot campaign to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in Nottingham City and Hardwick Clinical Commissioning Group. The aim of the campaign was to support earlier diagnosis and thereby enable treatment to begin earlier to improve the quality of life for people with the condition. The results of the campaign are currently being evaluated.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the future effect of the introduction of the national living wage on sleep-in payments used by the learning disability sector.

Alistair Burt

We have not made a specific assessment of the effect of the introduction of the National Living Wage on sleep-in payments used by the learning disability sector.

However, as part of the recent Spending Review, the Department considered adult social care expenditure and the future demand for services, and engaged closely with providers within the sector. This included the impact of the new National Living Wage on local authority finances as part of an overall assessment of spending pressures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to publish a funded arthritis action plan.

Jane Ellison

The Department is in regular contact with stakeholders, such as Arthritis Research UK, and hosted a roundtable with them in November. The group is in the process of producing a toolkit for commissioners to support commissioning of physical activity interventions for people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

Whilst the Department has no plans to publish an arthritis action plan, NHS England and Public Health England are taking forward a number of projects.

Specifically on MSK conditions, the National Health Service National Clinical Director for MSK, Peter Kay, has been working in partnership with the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance, to develop new MSK clinical networks across England to build consensus on the way forward for models of care. In addition, in February 2015, Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England and the Department, ran a local pilot campaign to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in Nottingham City and Hardwick Clinical Commissioning Group. The aim of the campaign was to support earlier diagnosis and thereby enable treatment to begin earlier to improve the quality of life for people with the condition. The results of the campaign are currently being evaluated.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when it is planned Dartmoor Farmers who farm on common land will receive payments under the Basic Payment Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

For those Basic Payment Scheme claims with commons, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has faced a particularly difficult challenge as it is necessary to wait until all claimants for a common have had their commons rights validated before the area for each commoner can be established. RPA is working to make the payments for claimants who have not been paid as promptly as possible, including the Dartmoor farmers who farm on Common land.