The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes there were in the relative weighting of economic deprivation within the primary health care funding formula in each complete financial year since 2010.
Alistair Burt
It is not possible to estimate the relative weighting specifically for deprivation, as all the factors taken into account in the formula are interrelated.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that public services provided by the NHS are not affected by legal challenge by commercial markets entrants as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Ben Gummer
The United Kingdom has trade deals with over 160 countries across the world and we have protected the National Health Service and public services in all of these trade agreements. We will continue to do so in the European Union-United States free trade deal (TTIP). This is non-negotiable.
This means that the government of the day, not trade agreements, will always set the rules governing how the NHS is run.
There will be nothing in the EU-US free trade deal Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions that would stop a future Government from changing the legal framework for the provision of NHS services or terminating the private provision of such a service in accordance with the law or contracts entered into as is the case today. It would be entirely possible for the UK, or any EU country, to change the delivery model for publicly funded health services in the future.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department monitors whether NHS England is appropriately assuring itself of clinical commissioning groups’ performance on autism diagnosis for (a) children and (b) adults.
Alistair Burt
In general NHS England is required to assess the performance of each clinical commissioning group (CCG) to ensure that CCGs are commissioning safe, high quality and cost effective services, to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), NHS England makes an annual assessment of CCGs each financial year and publishes a summary report. The Secretary of State for Health keeps NHS England’s performance in discharging its functions under review, which includes NHS England’s assurance of CCGs. The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to CCGs where there is good practice in meeting the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism, and to those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. The National Autism Programme Board will monitor reported progress from NHS England against the commitments in the Autism strategy including the implementation of NICE guidance.
Newcastle Gateshead CCG is investing in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to provide improved services for adults with autism with an initial focus to reduce waiting times in line with NICE guidelines and then for further improvement to be made in the core service. Within 18-24 months the intention is for the autism pathway to be embedded in mainstream services with the addition of a specialist autism service which will provide training, support, liaison and assess more complex cases. By the end of this year, it is expected that all children’s services will have reached a 95% target for all referralsto be assessed and in treatment within 12 weeks and for 70% of referrals to be assessed and in treatment within six weeks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on merging police forces in England.
Mike Penning
It is the role of directly elected local Police and Crime Commissioners to propose changes to local policing, not the Home Office. Any request from police forces to voluntarily merge would be considered where it is supported by a robust business case and has local consent.
It is not necessary for police forces to merge in order to become more efficient. Existing legislation places a strong duty on Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to collaborate in the interests of efficiency and effectiveness. Many are demonstrating that savings can be generated through collaboration without sacrificing local accountability and identity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department and NHS England are taking to ensure that autism diagnosis waiting times for (a) children and (b) adults meet NICE guidance in Newcastle upon Tyne East constituency.
Alistair Burt
In general NHS England is required to assess the performance of each clinical commissioning group (CCG) to ensure that CCGs are commissioning safe, high quality and cost effective services, to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), NHS England makes an annual assessment of CCGs each financial year and publishes a summary report. The Secretary of State for Health keeps NHS England’s performance in discharging its functions under review, which includes NHS England’s assurance of CCGs. The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to CCGs where there is good practice in meeting the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism, and to those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. The National Autism Programme Board will monitor reported progress from NHS England against the commitments in the Autism strategy including the implementation of NICE guidance.
Newcastle Gateshead CCG is investing in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to provide improved services for adults with autism with an initial focus to reduce waiting times in line with NICE guidelines and then for further improvement to be made in the core service. Within 18-24 months the intention is for the autism pathway to be embedded in mainstream services with the addition of a specialist autism service which will provide training, support, liaison and assess more complex cases. By the end of this year, it is expected that all children’s services will have reached a 95% target for all referralsto be assessed and in treatment within 12 weeks and for 70% of referrals to be assessed and in treatment within six weeks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role the North East Combined Authority has in relation to the Northern Rail franchise.
Andrew Jones
When known as Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive (PTE) (trading as NEXUS), the North East Combined Authority were one of five PTEs who are co-signatories of the current Northern Interim Franchise Agreement that commenced in 2014.
The North East Combined Authority is one of the 29 authorities that make up Rail North Ltd. As part of the new franchise competition they were involved in helping develop the Invitation To Tender for the next Northern Franchise, which is expected to begin in April 2016.
Going forward the Secretary of State will sign the franchise agreement, but the management of the next Northern Franchise is being devolved to the Department for Transport and Rail North partnership.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what screening provisions the Government has put in place to prevent people who wish to cause the UK harm from entering the UK through the Syrian refugee resettlement programme.
James Brokenshire
We take security extremely seriously in cases referred to us for resettlement, working closely with the UNHCR who have their own robust identification processes in place. When potential cases are submitted by the UNHCR for our consideration they are screened and considered by the Home Office for suitability for entry to the UK: we retain the right to reject individuals on security, war crimes or other grounds. For reasons of national security, we cannot provide further on the details of the screening process itself.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment she has made of the UK’s progress towards meeting its 2020 carbon emission targets.
Andrea Leadsom
Each year we publish Energy and Emissions Projections which allow us to monitor progress towards meeting the UK’s carbon targets.
The last projections (published in September 2014) showed that we are on track to achieve the second and third carbon budgets, covering the period to 2022. Our projected performance over the third carbon budget equates to a 37% reduction in emissions below 1990 levels.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons he decided against change following his review into his Department’s check-off system for employees’ trade union subscriptions.
Jo Swinson
I have not reviewed, and have no plans to review, this Department’s check-off arrangements.
I have not reviewed these arrangements, as I believe that Trade Unions have an important role to play in creating a positive employment relations climate from which all organisations can benefit. I also believe that the check-off system does not create a distinguishable burden on the administration of the HR function in this Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been paid to converter academies towards pre-opening costs since 2010.
Mr Edward Timpson
The total pre-opening costs for converter academies from 2010 to the end of March 2014 are £102 million.