Tag: George Howarth

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the extent of gambling addiction in young people in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch

The Gambling Commission recently published the findings from a 2015 survey of gambling participation and problem gambling amongst 11-15 year olds. It found that 0.6% of 11-15 year olds being classified as problem gamblers. More information can be found here:

http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/publications-and-research/research-programme/underage-play/ipsos-mori-young-people-omnibus-2015.html

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on what proportion of the £2 billion cost of whiplash claims comes from (a) genuine claims and (b) fraudulent claims.

Dominic Raab

As noted in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, the figure of £2 billion a year is an insurance industry estimate of the cost of dealing with road traffic related personal injury claims.

The Government will be publishing an impact assessment alongside its consultation on the whiplash reforms announced in the Autumn Statement in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of tolls on the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges on the (a) finances, (b) employment levels, (c) employment choices and (d) road travel habits of residents of Knowsley.

Andrew Jones

The Secretary of State for Transport has not produced an assessment of the effect of tolls on the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges on the (a) finances, (b) employment levels, (c) employment choices and (d) road travel habits of residents of Knowsley. The Mersey Gateway Bridge scheme is being promoted by Halton Borough Council and it is for them to justify the costs for users of the new bridge. A range of discounts will be available for frequent users of the crossing.

In approving the scheme the Government considered the case for change, the economic case, and that the scheme is viable, affordable and achievable. In line with other estuarial crossings, and as there will be improved travel across the Mersey, users are expected to part fund the infrastructure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce a standardised baseline measure for children’s fitness.

Jane Ellison

There are no current plans to introduce a standardised baseline measure for children’s fitness. The Government’s focus has been on raising awareness of the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity guidelines and wider healthy lifestyle choices through a number of initiatives including, the National Child Measurement Programme, Change4Life campaigns and programmes to promote physical activity in schools such as the Primary PE and Sport Premium, School Games and Change4Life Sports Clubs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Iran on the imprisonment in 2008 of seven Bahá’ í leaders in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK regularly raises our concerns at the treatment of the Baha’i community in Iran. We call on the Iranian Government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to allow freedom of religion to all Iranians.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of (a) medical and (b) nursing training in hepatology.

Mr Philip Dunne

It is the responsibility of the professional regulators such as the General Medical Council or the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to set the standards and outcomes for education and training and approve training curricula to ensure newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care.

Hepatology is a medical sub-specialty of gastroenterology. In Health Education England’s 2016/17 Workforce Plan for England, there are 450 training commissions proposed for gastroenterology, an increase from 431 in 2015/16.

Whilst the NMC does not recognise hepatology in its standards for specialist education and practice, the Royal College of Nursing has written a comprehensive competence framework which outlines the training, skills and competence required to develop and maintain a special interest in hepatology:

https://www2.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/641425/004-983_WEB.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms are in place to enable priority access to child and adolescent mental health services for (a) all vulnerable groups of young people and (b) victims of abuse in cases of urgent need.

Alistair Burt

Access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is based on the clinical assessment of each individual’s needs and as such there are generally no mechanisms in place that enable priority access to CAMHS for specific groups. We recognise that some children and young people who have particular vulnerabilities may be more likely to develop mental health problems.

The local transformation planning process, currently being implemented by clinical commissioning group across England, covers the full spectrum of services for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing including how the needs of vulnerable groups of young people, such as those who are victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation, will be met. Local services will then be developed accordingly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the findings of the CLIC Sargent report, entitled Cancer costs: financial impact of childhood cancer revealed, published on 1 September 2016, if he will carry out an immediate review of travel assistance available to young cancer patients and their parents.

David Mowat

We know that cancer can affect all areas of a person’s life, including finances – 83% of people say they are financially impacted by cancer. People require holistic support from diagnosis onwards, encompassing their physical, financial, psychosocial, and information and support needs, throughout their entire cancer journey.

Children and teenagers with serious or critical illnesses such as cancer are also entitled to apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) (or a Personal Independence Payment if over 16). This is a tax free allowance, which contributes to the extra costs incurred by families in caring for children with additional needs and includes a mobility component. Children in receipt of DLA can receive up to £139.75 a week, and people who are terminally ill can have their claim fast tracked to access benefits sooner. Families and carers can also qualify for Carer’s Allowance and receive £62.10 a week if they meet the eligibility criteria, and some councils run Council Tax Reductions schemes for people on low incomes or who claim benefits.

We do not have any plans to review the hospital travel costs scheme – which provides financial assistance to those patients who do not have a medical need for ambulance transport, but who require assistance with their travel costs. This is part of the well-established NHS Low Income Scheme, in which patients on low incomes or receiving specific qualifying benefits or allowances can be reimbursed in part or in full for costs incurred in travelling to receive treatment at hospitals and this would include cancer treatment. It also can be claimed where the appointment has been made for a child or other dependent.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will undertake a national review of liver transplantation services to help (a) ensure better access for patients and (b) increase capacity.

Nicola Blackwood

NHS England intends to review liver transplantation services during 2018/19. There is sufficient capacity to transplant the organs that are donated currently.

Organ donor and transplant rates have been increasing steadily over the last eight years. In 2008/09 there were 1,860 donors and 3,513 solid organ transplants. In 2015/16 these figures were 2,439 donors and 4,601 transplants. This increase of 31% in both donors and transplants over this timeframe, was achieved mainly through a strengthening of the donation infrastructure including increased specialist nurses, improved retrieval arrangements, increasing consent rates and better organ utilisation.

The current United Kingdom strategy launched in July 2013, Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020, sets the agenda for increasing organ donation and transplantation rates still further.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the Government is doing to encourage the equal treatment of mental and physical health within the NHS; and if he will introduce waiting time targets for children accessing all specialist child and adolescent mental health services.

Alistair Burt

The Government is committed to ensuring parity of esteem between physical and mental health which is legislated by the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It also holds the NHS to account for achieving the objectives set out in the NHS Mandate, which includes ensuring that mental and physical health conditions are given equal priority.

NHS England’s Five Year Forward View set out a clear commitment to driving towards a more equal response across mental and physical health and achieving genuine parity of esteem by 2020. NHS England’s Planning Guidance for 2015/16, Forward View into action: planning for 2015-16, sets out the expectation that clinical commissioning groups’ (CCGs) spending on mental health services in 2015/16 should increase in real terms, and grow by at least as much as each CCG’s allocation increase to support the ambition of parity between mental and physical health. Compliance with the Planning Guidance is being assured at national and Area Team level.

The Government remains committed to a phased approach to developing further access and waiting standards across mental health. The most recent of which was the Eating Disorder Standard announced in August 2015.