Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Nursing on the use of nirolumab and ipilimumab to treat skin cancer.

George Freeman

We have had no such discussions.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) in combination with ipilimumab (Yervoy) does not currently have a marketing authorisation in the United Kingdom for treating advanced or unresectable melanoma.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab for the treatment of advanced, unresectable melanoma. NICE currently expects to publish final guidance in September 2016.

In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential of solar thermal hot water heating to tackle fuel poverty.

Andrea Leadsom

Any measure which reduces the energy costs faced by a fuel poor home will have a beneficial impact on tackling fuel poverty. However, in order to tackle fuel poverty most cost effectively, it is right to focus on measures that can yield the greatest reductions in energy needs at least cost.

For example, low cost insulation is typically more cost effective in improving the energy efficiency of fuel poor homes than other measures, including solar thermal.

That is why Government is committed to insulating 1m homes this Parliament, helping to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty through cost effective policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many men have been diagnosed with psoriasis in England in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

Information concerning the number of men diagnosed with psoriasis in each of the last five years is not collected. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that psoriasis affects around 2% of people in the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote pluralism and religious freedom in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, which we supported, urges all parties to the UN-facilitated political process to adhere to the principle identified by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to protect the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination. Through our membership of the ISSG we will focus all our efforts on ensuring that Syrian minorities are included and safeguarded as the political process progresses. In our contact with members of the Syrian opposition who have signed up to the Geneva Communiqué, we have maintained a strong line on our commitment to pluralism, and the need to ensure that Freedom of Religion or Belief is enshrined as a constitutional right. A proportion of the High Negotiations Council, including members of the negotiating team, are drawn from religious minority groups in Syria’s richly diverse population. We are also supporting non-governmental efforts to promote dialogue between different ethnic and sectarian groups and education on tolerance, integration and pluralism.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with medical organisations on the potential link between high blood pressure in people of 30 to 40 years of age and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Jane Ellison

The Department has had no such discussions.

Dementia is a key priority for this Government. That is why on 6 March 2016, we published the Implementation Plan to support the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020. As part of the Plan, we will transform our approach to risk reduction, using the NHS Health Check programme to educate more people earlier about the risks of developing dementia – and the steps they could take to reduce those risks.

In March 2016, we announced that Public Health England, in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK, will pilot approaches to the dementia awareness and risk reduction component of the NHS Health Check, specifically with the younger age group, aged 40-64.

The Government has also signed up to the Blackfriars’ Consensus, which, made clear that individuals can reduce their risk of dementia by living healthier lives by not smoking, drinking less, keeping physically active and better managing diabetes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to reduce the number of older women having abortions.

Jane Ellison

The Government’s A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England sets out as one of its ambitions reducing unintended pregnancies among all women of fertile age. Evidence shows that increased access to provision of the full range of contraception, particularly long-acting reversible contraception, can reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions in all women including older women. Local authorities are mandated to provide comprehensive, open access contraception advice and services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which languages to what level members of the 77th Brigade speak.

Penny Mordaunt

77th Brigade does not specifically select personnel for language capability. However, personnel within the brigade hold 59 ‘standard level profile’ (GCSE – to master’s degree level) qualifications in languages including Dari, Pashtu, Russian and Urdu. Some personnel hold more than one of these qualifications.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the projected increase in defence expenditure during the current Parliament his Department expects to spend on (a) equipment and (b) the maintenance of equipment.

Mr Philip Dunne

As a result of the increase in the Defence Budget following the Spending Round, the rigorous efficiency programme being pursued by the Ministry of Defence and the uplift from the Joint Security Fund, our planned spend on equipment acquisition and support has risen from £166 billion to £178 billion over the ten years of the forward programme. The annual breakdown of the Equipment Plan 2016 will be published in the autumn and will detail the expenditure over this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the amount of regulation on farming.

George Eustice

Until we leave the EU, current arrangements for farming, fisheries, food and drink and our environment remain in place.

The negotiation for Britain’s future relationship with Europe will need to begin under the next Prime Minister.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea in reducing conflict in border areas between those countries.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

I refer the hon. Member to the answer the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) gave on 29 June, to PQ 41027.