Tag: Mark Durkan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that any new system of appraisal for cancer medicines will include in its remit appraisal for drugs which treat conditions with small patient populations.

George Freeman

NHS England has advised that it intends to jointly consult with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund operating model. This will include the future arrangements for the evaluation of cancer drugs, including drugs for rarer cancers with small patient populations. Members of the public and any interested parties will have the opportunity to consider and comment on these proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been placed in (a) the support group and (b) the work-related activity group with a prognosis statement of (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) 12 months, (iv) 18 months, (v) two years and (iv) longer than two years since the introduction of employment and support allowance.

Priti Patel

The information requested is shown in the table below.

Prognosis	Support Group	Work Related Activity Group
All	2,121,500	1,564,500
3 months	225,400	344,900
6 months	475,900	334,000
12 months	339,700	226,900
18 months	272,600	152,600
Not for 2 years	120,500	131,300
Not in longer term	545,100	257,400

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the role of his Department is in overseeing the operation of the Pilotage Act 1987 and in ensuring compliance with the provisions of that Act.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department for Transport has no powers to oversee or direct Competent Harbour Authorities in the execution of their duties to provide pilotage services in accordance with the 1987 Pilotage Act.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to First Vice-President Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan to encourage their political dialogue.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Whilst we have not been able to be in direct contact with President Salva Kiir or First Vice President Riek Machar since the escalation in fighting on 10 July, we have in the past made repeated representations to both, urging them to abide by the terms of the peace agreement they signed up to in August 2015. The further fighting that has broken out is therefore deeply disappointing and we are working with regional and international partners to ensure a clear message on the necessity for a lasting ceasefire and condemnation of violence from all sides.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credits were stopped by HM Revenue and Customs during the week commencing (a) 8 and (b) 15 August 2016.

Jane Ellison

Between 1 August 2016 and 31 August 2016 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) automatically stopped 365,483 tax credit claims as a direct result of customers failing to comply with the requirements of the annual renewal process.

Alongside the annual renewal process, HMRC records the number of awards that have been amended, which could be stopped, reduced or increased. Therefore, data showing the total number of claims stopped following a compliance intervention is unavailable.

During the course of the contract, HMRC delegated a total caseload of 2,209,500 cases for high risk renewal checks by Concentrix. Of these 1,635,676 cases were not the subject of further investigation for fraud or error by Concentrix. This amounts to 74% of the total caseload.

The volume of high risk renewals referred to Concentrix are broken down into the three risk categories as follows:

• Undeclared Partner: 1,398,908

• Work & Hours: 564,983

• Child Care: 245,609

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the closure to new medicines on the Cancer Drugs Fund list on patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

George Freeman

Neither the Department nor NHS England has made any such assessment. NHS England has advised that, although it is not considering new applications to the national Cancer Drugs Fund list at this time, there have been no new drugs launched for chronic myeloid leukaemia in the past 12 months.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on whether the resource impact assessment that NICE plans to publish alongside its guidance following its review of TA 85[ID456] of immunosuppressant agents for kidney transplant will include the effect on (a) the number of successful kidney transplants, (b) kidney dialysis capacity, (c) the UK national transplant waiting list and (d) the NHS Organ Donor Register.

George Freeman

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has advised that it will publish a resource impact report to accompany its final technology appraisal guidance on immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplant in adults (review of TA85).

The current draft version of the report makes no comment on the effect of this appraisal on these issues.

Further information on the ongoing appraisal is available at:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-tag348

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms his Department has put in place for responding to allegations that a competent harbour authority has not acted in conformity with the provisions of the Pilotage Act 1987.

Mr Robert Goodwill

It is a Competent Harbour Authority which has the statutory duty to determine what pilotage services need to be provided to secure the safety of navigation of vessels operating in their waters. Where a ruling on the legality of its actions is needed, that is a matter for the court rather than the Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the preliminary ceasefire recently agreed in South Sudan.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) condemned the violence and called on all sides to cease fighting. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) and senior members of Her Majesty’s diplomatic service have also been in touch with regional colleagues on how to bring an immediate end to the crisis. At the UN, we are pressing for action at the Security Council including on securing an arms embargo to tackle the flow of weapons and ammunition to those pursuing violence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax claims stoppages made directly by HM Revenue and Customs in August 2016 were related to compliance with annual renewals.

Jane Ellison

Between 1 August 2016 and 31 August 2016 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) automatically stopped 365,483 tax credit claims as a direct result of customers failing to comply with the requirements of the annual renewal process.

Alongside the annual renewal process, HMRC records the number of awards that have been amended, which could be stopped, reduced or increased. Therefore, data showing the total number of claims stopped following a compliance intervention is unavailable.

During the course of the contract, HMRC delegated a total caseload of 2,209,500 cases for high risk renewal checks by Concentrix. Of these 1,635,676 cases were not the subject of further investigation for fraud or error by Concentrix. This amounts to 74% of the total caseload.

The volume of high risk renewals referred to Concentrix are broken down into the three risk categories as follows:

• Undeclared Partner: 1,398,908

• Work & Hours: 564,983

• Child Care: 245,609