Tag: Graeme Morrice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings (a) officials and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with (i) disability groups and charities and (ii) providers of the Work Capability Assessment in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning

Ministers and officials meet regularly with a range of stakeholders about the Work Capability Assessment, including our health assessment providers, disability representative groups and charities.

The current contractual agreement between DWP and Atos Healthcare contains a number of key performance indicators. DWP monitors and discusses performance with Atos on a weekly basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system.

Gregory Barker

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State reviewed the situation on 23 January 2014 and was content for no action to be taken on this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria his Department uses to measure the performance of each Jobcentre Plus office.

Esther McVey

Jobcentre Plus offices’ performance are measured in a variety of ways including in respect of how quickly they help get people off benefits and into work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system.

Dan Rogerson

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Leicester South on Thursday, 03 April 2014: Official Report column 765w.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision. [194039]

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA is currently reviewing the provision of check-off for trade union subscriptions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what budget is allocated to each Jobcentre Plus office to reimburse jobseekers’ travel expenses; and how each such budget is decided.

Esther McVey

Each jobcentre is allocated funding to support claimants move towards and into work, and this could include meeting their travel expenses. For internal planning purposes each District Manager will estimate of the likely number of claimants requiring additional support and the cost within that locality but the information is not routinely collated and reported centrally. District plans are reviewed regularly to ensure they make best use of available funding and all local priorities can be met.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department uses a working assumption for the timescale for a work capability assessment report to be processed by Atos.

Mike Penning

Atos Healthcare is expected to clear Work Capability Assessments within an Actual Average Clearance Target (AACT) of 35 working days. This is to handle the referral from the date it is received from the Department and includes the time for processing and completing paperwork relating to Work Capability Assessments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to address patient concerns regarding the use of transvaginal mesh implants.

Norman Lamb

Work to improve outcomes for women undergoing procedures involving urethral tape and vaginal mesh is currently under way and is being led by NHS England. The Department is involved in this work alongside the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the specialist societies (The British Society of Urogynaecology (BSUG) and The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS)) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In addition, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director, NHS England has written to the National Health Service to highlight the need to ensure that

– National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for these procedures is followed;

– consent procedures are standardised so that they comply with up to date evidence and follow BSUG and BAUS guidance;

– all pelvic organ prolapse procedures and all incontinence operations, but particularly those involving mesh, are recorded on a recognised database e.g. the BSUG or BAUS surgical databases;

– all adverse events are reported to MHRA; and

– surgery for removal of tapes or prolapse mesh or repeat surgery for incontinence or prolapse is performed in units which can demonstrate relevant specialist care.