Tag: Geoffrey Cox

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to encourage BT to increase its commercial investments.

Matt Hancock

Nine out of ten homes and businesses now have access to superfast broadband, but our goal is to make sure the UK builds the right infrastructure to maintain our position as a world-leading digital nation. BT has a big part to play in this.

The government supports Ofcom in the changes that it wants to see in relation to Openreach. A more independent Openreach is needed to benefit consumers and boost investment in the UK’s digital infrastructure.

We are encouraging BT to invest in high-quality broadband infrastructure and have brokered a deal between Openreach and the Home Builders Federation that will see fibre-based broadband offered to all new developments either for free or as part of a co-funded initiative. Additionally, Virgin and GTC have recently signed new deals in this area.

We are creating a favourable regulatory environment to incentivise commercial investment for BT and all Communications Providers. For example: we will reform the Electronic Communications Code, to support faster and more efficient infrastructure rollout and to encourage investment and growth in the UK digital industry; and we are making permanent a relaxation of the rules for deploying fixed broadband infrastructure originally introduced in 2013.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on regional variations on the availability of treatment for arthritis.

Jane Ellison

No representations have been made to Ministers in the Department on regional variations in the availability of treatment for arthritis.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the standard and level of maintenance of roads in Torridge and West Devon constituency; and what steps his Department has taken to improve the maintenance of those roads.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport regularly publishes Official Statistics on the proportion of roads where maintenance ‘should be considered’ in England. The smallest administrative area this information is published for is the local highway authority area. Devon County Council is the local highway authority for the constituency of Torridge and West Devon, but the Devon County Council area covers in whole or part 8 other constituencies.

For Devon County Council we are providing £42.3 million this financial year (2015/16).

Road maintenance is a matter for individual local highway authorities, such as Devon County Council, and it is for them to prioritise work according to local need.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to promote battlefield tourism in (a) England and (b) Northam in Torridge and West Devon constituency.

Tracey Crouch

There are 46 ​Registered Battlefields in England, 22% of ​these are located in the South West. Through the recently published Tourism Action Plan and Discover England Fund this Government is encouraging visitors, both domestic and international, to venture beyond London, so that the benefits of growth can be felt across the whole of the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-12.

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what grants the Church Commissioners have given to churches in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall from the Roof Repair Fund in each of the last five years.

Mrs Caroline Spelman

The Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund grants are distributed by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, on behalf of the Government. There has been one round of grants to date, announced in March 2015,

(a) 22 churches in Devon were offered grants totalling £1,199,700

(b) 7 churches in Cornwall were offered grants totalling £492,700.

A second round to distribute a further £25 million allocated by the Treasury is currently open, with applications closing on Friday, 26 February.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to launch a second phase of the local sustainability fund.

Mr Rob Wilson

The Local Sustainability Fund will support 265 small-to-medium sized organisations, providing vital services to vulnerable and disadvantage people, helping them to secure and enhance those services.

Government is now planning and delivering further initiatives that will help small-to-medium sized voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to achieve their full potential. These include offering training to improving fundraising practice, growing the social investment market and ensuring strong leadership and governance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to improve public and patient involvement in the NHS.

Mr Philip Dunne

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is enshrined in S.242 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 amended S.242 and included complementary duties for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS England.

Since the 2012 Act NHS England has published statutory guidance for NHS commissioners and revised guidance for CCGs will be published in spring 2017. A further guide on engaging communities, for areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans, was published by NHS England in September 2016. NHS England has also recently launched an Involvement Hub, an online resource to support patients, carers, staff and the public, which also includes examples of good practice and links to learning and involvement opportunities.

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