Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review NHS diabetes dietary guidelines.

Jane Ellison

Current dietary advice to people who have diabetes is the same as for the general population – that they should enjoy a healthy, balanced diet based on the eatwell plate, the national healthy eating guide.

In July 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report on Carbohydrates and Health, a review of the latest evidence on dietary carbohydrates and health. SACN recommended reducing sugar consumption, increasing fibre consumption and minimising consumption of sugars-sweetened drinks.

Following publication, advice on what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet was updated to reflect the Government’s acceptance of SACN’s recommendations. As part of this Public Health England is undertaking a review of the eatwell plate and the refreshed resource will be launched in early 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the study entitled ‘First, do no harm’: are disability assessments associated with adverse trends in mental health? A longitudinal ecological study, published in November 2015 in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Priti Patel

The Department will study the report. However, as the authors make clear, their report does not show a causal link between the Incapacity Benefit reassessment process and rates of suicide, mental ill-health or use of anti-depressants.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the usefulness of self-testing kits for (a) sexually transmitted diseases, (b) fertility, (c) human papilloma virus, (d) blood pressure, (e) bowel cancer and (f) cholesterol.

George Freeman

Self-testing and self-sampling kits have an important part to play in the detection of a number of conditions provided they are used in conjunction with advice from a healthcare professional.

To be placed on the market in the United Kingdom, they must satisfy the necessary requirements of European Union legislation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to reduce the level of charges imposed on credit card debt; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin

he Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, which includes the credit card sector. Consumer credit regulation transferred from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014.

The FCA is currently undertaking a thorough review of the credit card market through its ‘credit card market study’. The market study is investigating three areas, one of which is the extent of unaffordable credit card debt. On the 3rd November 2015 the FCA published its interim report which found that the market was working reasonably well for most customers. However, the FCA expressed concern about the scale of potentially problematic debt in this sector, and the incentives for firms to manage this.

The interim report also included the FCA’s early thinking on potential remedies which include measures to give consumers more control over their credit limits, measures to encourage customers to pay off debt quicker when they can afford to, and proposals that firms do more to identify earlier those consumers who may be struggling to repay and take action to help them manage their repayments. The FCA is currently asking for feedback on the findings and potential remedies.

The Government is looking forward to the full report in the spring, and would encourage interested parties to give their views to the FCA to assist it in addressing the issues it has identified.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department has recently commissioned on the effects of pesticides on UK ecosystems.

George Eustice

Defra has funded a number of projects over recent years to develop its understanding of the effects of pesticides. This includes work to examine the fate and behaviour of pesticides in the environment, their effects on non-target organisms and measures to reduce adverse effects. A list of all Defra-commissioned Research and Development (R&D) projects is available from the Defra R&D website.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to assist poorer students with the repayment of their student loans.

Joseph Johnson

Student loan repayments are income contingent and deductions are taken at 9% of income over the applicable repayment threshold.

The repayment threshold affords protection to lower earning borrowers. Borrowers make no repayment if their income remains or falls below the threshold.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what commitments the UK has made to supporting refugees from Syria who are in Europe.

James Brokenshire

Each EU Member State is responsible for the welfare of asylum applicants and refugees on its territory. The UK government bears no responsibility for supporting asylum seekers or refugees who are on the territory of another Member State. However, the Government has played a leading role in building capacity in Member States under particular migration pressure, both bi-laterally and through EU agencies such as the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The UK has contributed over 1,000 expert days to EASO led support missions to countries such as Greece and Italy, more than any other Member State.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions she has had with Bombardier about that company’s plans for the number of jobs it provides in Northern Ireland.

Mr Ben Wallace

Northern Ireland Office Ministers regularly meet a range of businesses and business organisations from across Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland economic pact recognised the importance of Bombardier as one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employers. The Government continues to work with Invest NI to deliver on the commitments contained in the economic pact which included providing research and development funding to Bombardier.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the insurance industry on steps that can be taken to ensure that people with cancer can access low-cost travel insurance.

Harriett Baldwin

Insurers take into account a range of different factors when considering risk and decisions concerning the pricing of insurance products are a commercial matter for individual insurers. The Government does not seek to intervene in these decisions.

Information is available on the Cancer Research UK website for people seeking travel insurance who have been or are currently affected by cancer.

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) may be able to provide names of specialist brokers who can advise on the availability of appropriate travel insurance, and trawl the market for the best available deals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with clinical bodies on the approach in the NHS to prescribing Ritalin for children with ADHD.

Alistair Burt

It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to be involved in operational decisions relating to the prescribing of methylphenidate (for which Ritalin is a trade name) in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. That is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently revising guidance on the use of methylphenidate and will be consulting widely on that new guidance which is expected in 2018.

It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to be involved in operational decisions relating to the prescribing of methylphenidate (for which Ritalin is a trade name) in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. That is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently revising guidance on the use of methylphenidate and will be consulting widely on that new guidance which is expected in 2018.