The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Nursing on the effect of sugary drinks on obesity.
Jane Ellison
There have been no such recent discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training his Department has given to the Cyprus National Guard in each of the last five years.
Penny Mordaunt
Details of training provided to the Cyprus National Guard personnel by British Forces Cyprus or wider UK Defence capabilities, incorporating joint training activities, are as follows:
May 2012 – Crisis response and joint Search and Rescue (SAR) training on Exercise ARGONAUT
May 2013 – Crisis response and joint SAR training on Exercise ARGONAUT
October 2013 – Public Order training with Sovereign Base Areas Police
May 2014 – Crisis response and joint SAR training on Exercise ARGONAUT
June 2014 – Joint SAR training with 84 Squadron RAF and the Republic of Cyprus SAR Squadron
October 2014 – Range administrative training
February 2015 – Small arms firing and range administrative training
May 2015 – Crisis response training and joint SAR training on Exercise ARGONAUT
July 2015 – Joint SAR training with 84 Sqn RAF and the Republic of Cyprus
November 2015 – Joint medical (clinical study) training
February 2016 – Joint Counter-Terrorism (CT) training on Exercise CHAMELEON
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to reduce carbon emissions from wood stoves.
Andrea Leadsom
Directive 2009/125/EC established a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products. In April 2015 Commission Regulation 2015/1185 was published, which provides minimum standards for efficiencies of wood burning stoves placed on the European market from 2022 that will reduce their carbon emissions.
Wood burning stoves that have a back boiler attached are supported through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The scheme applies only to Great Britain.
Wood burning stoves are treated as having zero emissions for most inventory purposes, given that the biomass combustion releases the carbon captured during the trees’ lifetime; and that this loss of carbon from the forest is already recorded in the forestry section of the emissions inventory.
Different carbon emissions figures are used for lifecycle analysis of biomass – but these often relate to the transportation of the fuel and fuel preparation. Evidence to date suggests the fuel used in wood burning stoves, such as logs, is frequently sourced very locally with minimal preparation, and therefore has a relatively small footprint.
A tool is also available from Ofgem for calculating carbon emissions from biomass. It can be found on the Ofgem website at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/uk-solid-and-gaseous-biomass-carbon-calculator .
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that most up-to-date treatments for women with pelvic floor related urinary conditions will be available on the NHS.
Jane Ellison
All treatments which are set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidelines for pelvic floor urinary conditions are available on the National Health Service.
The guidelines can be found here:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg171/chapter/1-recommendations.
NHS England published new guidance on 16 November 2015 to help improve the care and experience of people with continence issues. This includes the most up to date evidence to support commissioners and providers. The guidance can be found on NHS England’s website and accessed via the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2015/11/16/continence-care/
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with motor vehicle insurance companies on reducing the level of insurance premiums.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport has held a number of recent meetings with the motor insurance industry, for example to discuss young driver safety and technology measures which impact on the cost of insurance.
The Autumn Statement 2015 announced the Government will bring forward measures to reduce the excessive costs arising from unnecessary whiplash claims, and as the industry is competitive we expect average savings of £40 to £50 per motor insurance policy to be passed onto customers. Some insurers have already committed to pass on all savings to consumers as a result of the proposed changes.
The pricing of insurance products is a commercial matter for individual insurers in which the Government does not seek to intervene.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society on use of results from the European Accredited Laboratory Assay related to Lyme disease to inform the provision of treatment on the NHS for that disease.
Jane Ellison
My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has had no discussions with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that terrorists cannot get into the UK from the Republic of Ireland.
James Brokenshire
The Government is working with Ireland to better safeguard our citizens from international terrorism by strengthening the external border of our shared Common Travel Area (CTA).
There is a high level of collaboration on a joint programme of work which includes, investment in border procedures, increased data sharing to inform immigration and border security decisions, interoperable passenger data systems, including the collection and processing of Advance Passenger Information (API) on intra and extra CTA routes, and harmonised visa policy and processes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with clinical bodies on research into the use of aspirin to reduce incidents of cancer.
Jane Ellison
Ministers have had no such discussions.
Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes A Strategy for England 2015-2020 includes a recommendation that NHS England should commission the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop updated guidelines for the use of drugs for the prevention of breast and colorectal cancers including the use of aspirin for individuals with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. Once these guidelines are published, clinical commissioning groups should ensure that general practitioners implement them. A National Cancer Transformation Board will oversee the implementation of the strategy, and an implementation plan will be published shortly.
The Strategy also noted that Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research will continue to monitor outcomes from trials under way in the United Kingdom and internationally regarding the role of aspirin in cancer prevention more generally. They will make evidence available to NHS England and NICE as results become clear.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to increase the proportion of men going to university.
Joseph Johnson
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone with the potential has the opportunity to benefit from higher education, irrespective of their background or gender.
In the last academic year we saw record numbers of applicants and entrants to higher education, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In our recent guidance to the Director of Fair Access, we asked him to include among his areas of focus support for white working class boys who are among the groups with the lowest participation rates. Universities expect to spend more than £745 million through access agreements agreed with the Director of Fair Access on measures to improve access and success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds – up significantly from £404 million in 2009.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department is conducting on the use of biosimilars in healthcare.
George Freeman
The Department is not conducting and has not commissioned specific research on the use of biosimilars in healthcare.