Tag: Jim Shannon

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce the cost to the economy of computer hacking.

Matthew Hancock

The Government takes cyber security very seriously: since 2011 we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme to protect the UK from cyber attack. Measures have included: setting up a National Cyber Crime Unit, establishing CERT-UK – a computer emergency response team, creating a Cyber Information Sharing Partnership for companies to share information, the Cyber Essentials Scheme for businesses, cyber risk reviews for companies and developing cyber initiatives into the education process.

We will invest £1.9b in cyber security over the next five years to protect the UK from cyber attack. This ambitious level of investment will include: a programme of active cyber defence; creation of a National Cyber Centre and an ambitious skills programme.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the rate of transmission of sexually transmitted infections among (a) men and (b) women over 50.

Jane Ellison

The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement (2013) set out the ambition for improving sexual health and wellbeing of the population including continuing to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since 2013, local authorities have been mandated to provide genitourinary medicine (GUM) and integrated services for the early diagnosis and treatment of STIs; these services are open-access with no upper age limit. STI prevention programmes are the responsibility of local authorities, and there are a wide variety of local initiatives underway across England. Public Health England commissions a number of national HIV prevention activities and specialised sexual health information resources to provide educational and health resources to reduce the incidence of STIs including HIV in all age groups.

In 2014, there were 11,126 cases of new STIs including HIV in men aged over 50, and 4,103 cases of STIs including HIV in women aged over 50 years of age.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to encourage school children to participate in rifle shooting (a) sports and (b) as part of armed forces cadet activities.

Edward Timpson

Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the national curriculum for maintained schools in England. It sets out the expectation that pupils should be provided with opportunities to engage in a broad range of competitive sports and activities. Teachers have the flexibility to organise and deliver a range of activities; this can include rifle shooting where teachers have the specific expertise.

The government announced in the summer that it was allocating £50m from LIBOR fines to support the cadet expansion programme. This will deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment to expand the number of cadet units to 500 across the UK by 2020.

The Cadet Expansion programme is a joint MOD/DfE initiative. Cadet units aim to build character, discipline and leadership skills, particularly among disadvantaged young people, through military themed activities. Cadets will have the opportunity to experience rifle shooting as part of the cadet syllabus under the supervision of fully trained Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups improve (a) screening, (b) vaccination and (b) symptom awareness in order to address geographical inequalities in cancer outcomes.

Jane Ellison

The NHS public health functions agreement, between the Secretary of State for Health and NHS England, enables NHS England to commission certain public health services, including national immunisation and screening programmes that will drive improvements in population health.

Through this agreement, NHS England commissions services from a variety of providers across England. It strives to reduce variation in local levels of performance between different geographical areas using contracting and commissioning levers, while national and local levels of performance are improved or maintained.

The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, in July this year, and recognised the importance of early diagnosis and symptom awareness to improve both patient outcomes and experience. NHS England has appointed Cally Palmer as NHS National Cancer Director. She will lead the implementation of the strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the UK has provided to interfaith peace-building initiatives in Nigeria; and what assessment he has made of the outcomes of such initiatives.

James Duddridge

We recognise the important role that interfaith understanding has to play in peace building in Nigeria.

The Department for International Development (DFID) supports a range of initiatives and economic projects to build bridges between Muslim and Christian communities across Nigeria and break the cycle of conflict. For example, through DFID’s Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP) religious, traditional and community leaders meet monthly with NGOs, the police, security services and civil society actors to discuss and act on conflict issues.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of when lens implants to prevent age-related macular degeneration will be available on the NHS.

Alistair Burt

No such estimate has been made. Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the commissioning of ophthalmic services in secondary care. Where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance does not exist on a particular treatment, it is for commissioners to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and on the basis of an individual patient’s clinical circumstances.

NHS Commissioners are required to have in place clear and transparent arrangements for local decision-making on the funding of treatments and for considering exceptional funding requests.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to develop a strategy for tackling and treating TB throughout the UK.

Jane Ellison

The Collaborative Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy for England 2015-2020¹ was launched in January 2015. It lays out 10 key ‘areas for actions’ needed to achieve a year on year decrease in TB incidence, a reduction in health inequalities and, ultimately, the elimination of TB as a public health problem in England.

Since the strategy was launched Public Health England, together with NHS England, have formed a TB Strategy implementation team and established seven TB control boards across England. These boards are leading the local delivery of the 10 key ‘areas for action’.

As health is a devolved matter, Ministers do not regularly discuss these issues, however research and evidence of best practice is made available throughout the United Kingdom.

¹Public Health England. Collaborative Tuberculosis Strategy for England 2015 to 2020 [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collaborative-tuberculosis-strategy-for-england

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that antibiotics are prescribed in proportion to the severity of the illness.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England is undertaking work to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in general practice through low cost and scalable interventions designed by behavioural scientists. In addition, Public Health England has developed the Antibiotic Guardian campaign to improve behaviours around the use of antibiotics amongst both the public and healthcare professionals.

Furthermore, in August 2015 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidelines on the effective use of antimicrobials (including antibiotics) in children, young people and adults. It aims to change prescribing practice to help slow the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and ensure that antimicrobials remain an effective treatment for infection.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng15.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department’s policy is on the provision of precautionary mastectomies for women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Jane Ellison

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance to the National Health Service on bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy in its clinical guideline, Familial breast cancer: classification, care and managing breast cancer and related risks in people with a family history of breast cancer (June 2013). This is available at:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg164/chapter/1-recommendations

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chinese authorities on the reported arrest of Pu Zhiqiang.

Mr Hugo Swire

As the Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, explained in her written answer of 30 December, we are deeply concerned by the conviction of Pu Zhiqiang, which raised serious issues about due process and transparency and justice in China. We have continued to raise his case with the Chinese authorities. Most recently, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), re-iterated our concerns with the Chinese government during his visit to China on 5 January. My Right Honourable Friend once again underlined our disappointment at the treatment of diplomats and journalists outside Pu’s trial.