Tag: Nick Thomas-Symonds

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what public awareness campaigns his Department has planned to improve awareness of work-related respiratory illness.

Justin Tomlinson

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the national regulator for health and safety at work, takes a lead role in raising awareness of work related respiratory diseases. HSE has run campaigns targeted at specific at-risk workers and/or their employers, a recent example being the ‘Beware Asbestos’ campaign which ran from October 2014 to March 2015 and focussed on tradespeople such as carpenters, electricians and plumbers. HSE has also supported other organisations such as the British Occupational Hygiene Society to develop its ‘Breathe Freely’ campaign targeted at work in the construction industry.

HSE has recently published a new strategy for the GB health and safety system called ‘Helping Great Britain work well’. One of the six themes of the strategy is ‘Tackling ill health’ which will include long-term and coordinated action across all sectors, bringing in additional partners such as the NHS and others to support the substantial behaviour change and awareness programmes that will be required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he plans to take to ensure improved risk assessment training and a more effective reporting culture for military training exercises.

Penny Mordaunt

The Ministry of Defence views the risk assessment process as a critical component of safety management. Defence already undertakes specific risk assessment training either under the auspices of general training units or by specialist unit safety staff. Some online risk assessment training is also available via the Defence Learning Environment.

The Defence Safety Review which reported to the Defence Board in April 2016 made a number of specific recommendations concerning the way in which Defence could continually improve in terms of its reporting, analysis and exploitation of safety data. The Defence Safety Authority is addressing these recommendations and in particular the need to instil a culture of proactive safety reporting across all aspects of Defence activity, including training.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he plans for the Dementia Research Institute to conduct research into Parkinson’s dementia.

Joseph Johnson

The Prime Minister announced up to £150 million for the UK’s first Dementia Research Institute on 24 November. The institute will cover the full spectrum of discovery science into age-related neurodegenerative diseases that progress to dementia, including Parkinson’s Disease.

Development of the Dementia Research Institute will be led by the Medical Research Council (MRC). In 2016 the MRC will open a competitive process to identify a host for the institute and lead the search for its director.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the public purse was of closing down the General Social Care Council.

Alistair Burt

The function for the regulation of social workers in England was transferred from the General Social Care Council (GSCC) to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) on 1 August 2012.

The final set of accounts from the GSCC show that the total cost to the public purse of closing down the Council was £16.5 million. The HCPC also received £1.4 million to support it take on the functions for the regulation of social workers in England. Therefore, the total cost was £17.9 million.

On the assumption that the costs of the GSCC remained broadly similar, the Department estimated that the closure of the GSCC saves £13.5 million each year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of funding the collection of modern exposure data on occupational carcinogens.

Justin Tomlinson

HSE has participated in a European Commission funded pilot project exploring the development of a database to capture data on occupational exposures to hazardous substances in workplaces, see: http://www.hazchematwork.eu/. The pilot is expected to report later this year.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements his Department plans to put in place for new patients who wish to access drugs included in the Risk Sharing Scheme for the supply of disease modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis, glatiramer acetate and beta interferon after funding for that scheme ceases.

George Freeman

Colleagues are in discussion with NHS England colleagues to plan for a smooth transition from the end of the Scheme in England, and with colleagues in the Devolved Administrations in respect of Multiple Sclerosis services in their countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the public purse was of winding up the College of Social Work.

Alistair Burt

The Government agreed to make a grant payment of £225,000 to the College of Social Work for the 2015-16 financial year, to enable completion of existing projects and provide an orderly transfer of functions and resources to other organisations by September 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on pro-active inspection of the management of work-related psychosocial risk.

Justin Tomlinson

I have regular meetings with senior HSE officials where key priorities are discussed, including tackling work related ill-health.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to publish the year 10 data for the Risk Sharing Scheme for the supply of disease modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis.

George Freeman

The Government expects the conclusions from the year 10 results of the Multiple Sclerosis Risk Sharing Scheme to be published in a recognised academic journal in late 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of cases being dealt with by the courts which could be resolved through a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Mr Shailesh Vara

No estimate has been made of the number of the cases being dealt with by the courts which could be resolved through a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The Government however fully supports, and encourages, alternative dispute resolution in a number of ways, including mediation, early conciliation, and other alternatives to court.