Tag: Nicholas Brown

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what response he has made to HM Inspectorate of Probation’s Transforming Rehabilitation, Early Implementation 5 report, published in May 2016.

Andrew Selous

We are confident our reforms to probation services are being successfully implemented but are not complacent and are working to improve the issues identified in this report. The National Offender Management Service have developed an action plan and we are addressing the Chief Inspector’s recommendations.

We continue to closely monitor and robustly manage providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer and will continue to support probation staff to deliver these important changes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the Government’s discussions with the German government on (a) the proposed compensation scheme for UK thalidomide survivors and (b) proposals for UK Thalidomide Trust to submit collective compensation applications.

Sir Alan Duncan

I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 2 August 2016 (42407).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure early access for the immuno-oncology treatment nivolumab for both lung cancer and melanoma.

George Freeman

Nivolumab (Opdivo) received a positive scientific opinion under the early access to medicines scheme for melanoma in May 2015 and for lung cancer in June 2015. Nivolumab was subsequently licensed for the treatment of advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in June 2015 and for locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy in July 2015.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing technology appraisal guidance on the use of nivolumab for the treatment of:

– advanced, unresectable, metastatic melanoma – final guidance expected in May 2016;

– non-small-cell, squamous, metastatic lung cancer (after chemotherapy) – final guidance expected in May 2016; and

– untreated, advanced, unresectable, metastatic melanoma (with ipilimumab) – final guidance expected September 2016.

Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

We take the issue of ensuring rapid access to innovative therapies very seriously, which is why we have launched an independent Accelerated Access Review to make recommendations to Government on speeding up access for National Health Service patients to innovative and cost effective new medicines, diagnostics, medical technologies and digital products. The review published its interim report on 27 October 2015 and its full report and recommendations are expected in spring 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to make it easier for passengers to access the cheapest tickets available for any requested journey.

Claire Perry

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Coventry South (Jim Cunningham) on 29 January 2016 UIN 24320, http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=24320.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the proportion of people affected by contaminated blood likely to (a) be financially advantaged, (b) have their income unchanged and (c) be financially disadvantaged by the Government’s compensation proposals.

Ben Gummer

The Government has committed £100 million in additional funding for a reformed payment support scheme for those affected by this tragedy. This is in addition to the current spend and the £25 million already announced in March 2015. This is significantly more than any previous government has been able to provide for those affected by this tragedy.

Around 2,400 people in England would be financially advantaged by the Government’s proposals to provide new annual payments for those who have received a stage 1 payment from the Skipton Fund, but who have not received a stage 2 payment.

The consultation proposes that those receiving annual payments from the Skipton Fund and MFET Ltd (879 people in England) would have their annual payment increased from £14,749 to £15,000 per year.

Discretionary payments (currently made by the charities) vary from year to year. Currently, all infected individuals can apply for discretionary support from the three charities. The consultation proposes that going forward, discretionary support for the infected could cover travel and accommodation costs related to ill-health. However, we are seeking views on this in the consultation and are keen to hear people’s views on this and all other proposals being made.

Bereaved spouses and partners who currently receive support from the charities are being asked whether they would prefer a lump sum amount or continued access to discretionary help or a choice of either, whatever benefits them most financially.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what weighting her Department gives to deprivation as a factor affecting educational outcomes.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The department recognises that deprivation is a strong predictor of pupils’ future attainment and acts as a proxy for a range of barriers to educational success, including low aspiration for the future, low levels of parental education and special educational needs.

Overcoming these barriers can create additional costs for schools as they seek to provide additional support. This is why we have committed to continuing the pupil premium at current rates for the duration of this Parliament. Worth £2.5bn this year, the pupil premium provides schools with significant extra funding to help disadvantaged pupils achieve their full potential. Since its introduction in 2011 the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has narrowed at age 11 and age 16, offering disadvantaged pupils a more prosperous future as adults.

We are committed to introducing a national funding formula so that schools’ funding is matched fairly and consistently to need. In our recent consultation on the principles and building blocks of a national funding formula we proposed to include a deprivation factor. We will set out the detail of the formula in a second consultation, to be published later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues to police forces on the provision of photographic evidence, where available, to people who have committed road traffic offences.

Mike Penning

The Home Office has not issued any guidance on the provision of photographic evidence to those who have committed road traffic offences.

This is an operational matter for individual Chief Officers of police.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2016 to Question 45858 and 2 August 2016 to Question 42407, whether Government assistance has been provided to the UK Thalidomide Trust on its proposal to allow collective compensation applications to Contergan Foundation established by the German government.

Sir Alan Duncan

The Government has discussed this proposal with the Thalidomide Trust and is considering the detail. The German Government has been clear, however, that collective compensation is not permissible. In response to the UK Government’s previous correspondence they have stated that:

"The assessment of damage by the Medical Commission of the Contergan Foundation and the individual categorization in line with the damage points according to the legally stipulated points based system are mandatory – irrespective of analogous assessments from abroad".

The German Government further states that there are approximately 300 non-German recognised persons worldwide who are currently supported by the Contergan Foundation, each of whom has undergone individual assessment. This information has been shared with the Trust.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential future effect of immuno-oncology treatments and funding of such treatments through the NHS budget.

George Freeman

We have made no such assessment.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides guidance on the prevention and treatment of ill health and the promotion of good health and social care. NICE technology appraisal guidance makes recommendations on whether selected drugs and treatments represent a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources.

NICE has issued technology appraisal guidance that recommends the use of pembrolizumab for the treatment of advanced melanoma after disease progression with ipilimumab and is currently appraising a number of other immuno-oncology treatments/indications such as nivolumab.

Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-01-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We continue to remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen. The UK supported a UN Human Rights Council resolution in October 2015, which called on the UN to provide technical assistance to the Government of Yemen, assist the Yemeni National Independent Commission of Inquiry, and report back to the next session of the Human Rights Council. We continue to raise the importance of respect for human rights with all sides to the conflict.