Tag: Henry Smith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent measures the Government has undertaken to ensure that people with mental health conditions are properly supported into work.

Penny Mordaunt

We are investing significant resources in improving provision to help people with mental health conditions back to work. This includes funding to increase the coverage of the Talking Therapy services by 600,000 people per year to 1.5million by 2020 and investment in a number of voluntary initiatives and trials to test different types of support, with a view to taking forward those that have the most impact.

In addition we will shortly be publishing a Green Paper on work and health to seek views on what will work to deliver real lasting change for disabled people and those with a health condition. Mental health will be a key focus of our Green Paper as we know that people with mental health conditions fare poorly in the labour market.

Our aim is to help transform the lives and prospects of disabled people and those with a health condition and contribute to building a society and an economy that works for everyone.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether an assessment has been made of the barriers preventing multiple myeloma patients accessing the most innovative treatments.

Jane Ellison

No specific assessment has been made of the barriers affecting access to the most innovative treatments for patients with multiple myeloma.

It is essential that a robust process is in place to ensure that patients get rapid access to the most innovative drugs that represent value for money to the National Health Service. The Cancer Drugs Fund has helped over 84,000 people to access the life-extending drugs they need, and NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are currently consulting on the future shape of the Fund to put it on a more sustainable footing.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Environment Agency plans to spend on flood prevention for Crawley, Gatwick and the Upper River Mole over the next three years.

Rory Stewart

In the next three years the Environment Agency expects to spend £4,034,000 on completion of the Upper Mole Flood Alleviation Scheme. The Environment Agency also expect to spend £70,250 on studies to investigate future works and have a 2016-17 allocation of approximately £94,000 for maintenance works. The Upper Mole Flood Alleviation Scheme protects the communities of Crawley, Horley and Maidenbower as well as Gatwick Airport.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that those who breed and sell kittens where there is evidence of commercial trade do so under a pet vending licence; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

Earlier this year, Defra consulted on proposals to update the laws on breeding and selling of pet animals. We are currently analysing the responses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Attorney General, how many people were (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of offences under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act 1996 in each police force area in England in 2015.

Robert Buckland

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of people who have been charged with, and prosecuted for, offences brought by way of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Although it is not possible to identify the number of people charged with particular offences, records are held showing the overall number of offences in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ courts. In 2015 there was one offence commenced under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma is not affected by the (a) delisting of treatments from the Cancer Drugs Fund and (b) ongoing consultation on that Fund’s future.

George Freeman

NHS England has advised that a draft treatment pathway for patients with multiple myeloma, which takes into account the potential impact of treatments removed from the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), is currently being finalised. It is likely to be published early in 2016.

The Government remains committed to the Fund. NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are currently consulting on draft proposals on the future direction of the CDF. The consultation is open until 11 February 2016 and further information is available at:

www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/cdf-consultation

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much will be spent on highways maintenance in West Sussex in 2015-16.

Andrew Jones

This Government is providing both tools and funding to local highway authorities in England, outside London, to tackle the condition of our local road network. In the Spending Review 2015, the Government announced that we are allocating a total of £6.1 billion funding for local highways maintenance between now and 2021. This funding includes an additional £250 million between 2016 and 2021 for a potholes action fund to improve local roads, to promote innovation within the sector and to ensure that taxpayers get greater value for money.

For West Sussex we are providing £13.7 million this financial year (2015/16). Further details of the funding we are providing to all local highway authorities in England outside London can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/6-billion-funding-to-tackle-potholes-and-improve-local-roads

Local authorities are able to use revenue funding for maintaining their local highways and this is allocated by the Department of Communities and Local Government through the Revenue Support Grant.

The Department for Transport is also funding a street lighting scheme in West Sussex through the Private Finance Initiative.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on the target to spend two per cent of GDP on defence.

Mr Julian Brazier

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Mr Dunne) on 18 April 2016 to Question 904488 to the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Ms Latham)

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-10-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in the national minimum wage on the incomes of low income households; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

The introduction of the National Living Wage in April 2016 marked an important step towards building an economy that works for everyone. At £7.20, it represented a 50p increase on the National Minimum Wage, and a pay rise for over a million low paid workers across the UK, many of whom will be in low income households.

The estimated impacts of the National Living Wage are set out in the impact assessment and Annex B of the Office of Budget Responsibility’s July Economic and Fiscal Outlook (available at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2016/9780111141625/impacts/2016/3 and http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/July-2015-EFO-234224.pdf respectively).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure the outcome of the consultation on the future of the Cancer Drugs Fund is co-ordinated with and complements the recommendations of the Accelerated Access Review to ensure improved patient access to innovative treatments.

George Freeman

NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are currently consulting on draft proposals on the future direction of the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF). The consultation is open until 11 February 2016 and further information is available at:

www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/cdf-consultation

The Accelerated Access Review independently chaired by Sir Hugh Taylor, is working with key stakeholders on a range of options for accelerating patient access to innovative products, as set out in the interim report. This includes consideration of the impact of managed access schemes such as proposed in the CDF consultation.