Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to Office of National Statistics data, Dementia/Alzheimer’s and respiratory disease behind biggest annual increase in deaths since the 1960s, published on 7 April 2016, what assessment he has made of that data on the provision of care for people with long-term care needs.

    David Mowat

    We are ensuring that the health and care support, that people including those with long term care needs receive, helps to enable them to live healthier and longer lives. For example:

    – The 2016/17 mandate to NHS England includes objectives to improve quality of post-diagnosis treatment and support for people with dementia and their carers as well as reducing premature mortality, including reducing early deaths (i.e. deaths under 75) from respiratory illness;

    – The NHS Outcomes Framework 2016/17 sets out the Department’s priority areas for the National Health Service and includes reducing early deaths from respiratory disease;

    – We have made great strides in the number of people with dementia receiving a diagnosis. Timely diagnosis unlocks the door to appropriate care and treatment; and

    – We published the Joint Declaration on Dementia Post-Diagnostic Care and Support; signed by leaders across the health, social care, local government and voluntary sector organisations. It sets out a joint ambition to improve the quality of post-diagnostic care and defines what this should look like.

    In February 2015, we also published the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 (2020 Challenge) which builds on the achievements of the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-2015. It sets out that by 2020, we want to see:

    – All people with a diagnosis of dementia being given the opportunity for advanced care planning early in the course of their illness, including plans for end of life;

    – All people with dementia and their carers receiving co-ordinated, compassionate and person-centred care towards and at the end of life including access to high quality palliative care from health and social care staff trained in dementia and end of life, as well as bereavement support for carers; and

    – Greater personalisation in the provision of post-diagnosis services. This means building support around the individual with dementia, their carer and family and providing them with more choice, control and flexibility in the way they receive care and support, regardless of the setting in which they receive it.

    In March 2016, we published an Implementation Plan to support the 2020 Challenge. The Implementation Plan sets out the actions partners will take to ensure the commitments in the 2020 Challenge are delivered.

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce an animal abuse register to record the names of people who have been found guilty of crimes against animals.

    George Eustice

    Convictions for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are recorded on the Police National Computer and are not held on a public register. The Government would be concerned about the level of access to a public register, and Data Protection Act requirements would also apply. However, police forces are exploring how access to information relating to people banned from keeping animals might be improved for local authorities and other bodies with an enforcement role.

  • Lord Boateng – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Boateng – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures were adopted at the Valetta Conference to strengthen law enforcement action against people smugglers in Sub-Saharan Africa, and to increase awareness amongst local populations in Sub-Saharan Africa of the dangers of informal migration routes across the Sahara and the Mediterranean.

    Lord Bates

    The UK played a leading role in agreeing an Action Plan at the Valletta Conference that will drive constructive and coherent joint action to tackle the causes as well as the consequences of current migratory pressures from Africa. In particular, the Action Plan sets out a series of initiatives to strengthen law enforcement action against people smugglers, and to increase awareness amongst populations in Sub-Saharan Africa of the dangers of illegal migration, as follows:

    • Establish or upgrade national and regional anti-smuggling and anti-trafficking legislation, policies and action plans in countries and regions of origin and transit of migration. Identify single national contact points for anti-smuggling and trafficking activities to enhance cooperation, including with counterparts in EU Member States and associated countries and in Europol

    • Implement projects focused on strengthening institutional capacities to fight against the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings networks, both in origin and transit countries located along the West Sahel routes, and raise awareness on this problem among the populations concerned

    • Set up a joint investigation team in Niger against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings networks, as a pilot project to be potentially replicated in other countries or regions at their request

    • Organise information campaigns in countries of origin, transit and destination, to raise awareness of the general public and potential migrants and victims on the dangers of trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants, their recruitment processes, including through public broadcasting services programmes aimed at informing the general public and potential migrants about the migratory situation in Europe

    We are now focused on working with EU and African partners to implement the Action Plan quickly and fully.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the clinical and ethical justifications for setting the benchmark in the NHS Supply Chain generic project plans for a national formulary for wound care that 80 per cent of patients will be treated using clinically appropriate dressings.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The wide variety of choice in the current system is leading to duplication of wound care products. This can create more complexity for nurses and clinicians, making their clinical decisions more difficult and potentially leading to over specification and variation in standards of care. Of the 4,796 wound care products available through the NHS Supply Chain, 34% of lines have had no sales in the last 12 months.

    Providing an agreed set of National Health Service requirements for wound care products will start to reduce this duplication, complexity and therefore potential risk, helping to improve patient outcomes through less variation in care.

    This issue was also highlighted by 74% of respondents to a Royal College of Nursing survey run by Nursing Times (Dec 2014) seeing opportunities to reduce duplication on wound care products, (more than any other type of product).

    The project is part of a wider piece of work the Department is working with the NHS Supply Chain on to deliver £300 million of savings by October 2018. Central to this is reducing the number of specifications and variations by category so the NHS can leverage its scale and deliver clinically appropriate solutions that represent ‘value for money’. Such approaches are common in other countries and help drive savings, improve clinical standards and protect front line nursing.

  • Christina Rees – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Christina Rees – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to publish statistics on national food bank usage.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government has no plans to collect or publish statistics on food bank usage.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the costs to the NHS of the treatment of people with addiction to fixed odds betting terminals.

    Alistair Burt

    No such estimate has been made.

    We have no current plans to make such an assessment. We know that gambling addiction can potentially have a harmful impact on both a person’s physical and mental wellbeing and problem gamblers can access services in primary care and secondary care including specialised mental health and addiction services.

    The Prime Minister recently announced £1 billion to start a revolution in mental health, including £247 million to make sure that every emergency department has mental health support (following £30 million invested in 2015/16).

    Also, over £400 million for crisis resolution home treatment teams will help to improve the management of admissions to acute psychiatric inpatient care, as well as ensure the routine availability of 24/7 intensive home treatment support as a safe and effective alternative to hospitals.

    Commissioners must continue to increase investment in mental health services each year at a level which at least matches their overall allocation increase.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of schools employ a mental health specialist as a permanent member of staff.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    This is a matter for schools to decide. We have recently commissioned an extensive survey which will provide nationally representative estimates of what provision schools and colleges offer for mental health and character education. The fieldwork will begin in the summer term.

    We are also contributing to a £3 million joint pilot with NHS England for training single points of contact in schools and specialist mental health services, to ensure that children and young people have timely access to specialist support where needed.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what advice was provided by UK service personnel to the Saudi military prior to 8 May 2015 on international humanitarian law and the designation of civilian populated city regions as valid military targets.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Ministry of Defence has a longstanding relationship with Saudi Arabia, including the provision of training and advice in a broad range of areas including International Humanitarian Law. The education and training courses which Saudi Arabian military personnel have completed includes courses such as Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context, the Strategic Leadership Programmes, and Initial Officer training courses. These courses expose Saudi military personnel to UK policy, and promote concepts of accountability, compliance with International Humanitarian Law and transparency. They are important in building skills which enable Saudi Arabia to deal appropriately with their own security problems, thereby contributing to regional security.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Executive’s effectiveness strategy on reducing deaths from work-related respiratory illnesses.

    Justin Tomlinson

    HSE regularly reviews the implementation of its strategies – including the new strategy for the health and safety system – and reports the findings in its annual report. HSE’s latest annual report is available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/ara-2014-15.pdf

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  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many motorway service stations have rapid chargers installed to allow charging of electric vehicles in (a) Liverpool City Region and (b) England.

    Mr John Hayes

    Highways England encourages and supports the private sector operators of motorway service areas to provide charge points at their facilities. There are 112 motorway service areas in England and over 95% have rapid charge points installed, which can provide a charge to an electric vehicle in 20 to 30 minutes.

    The nearest motorway service area to Liverpool is Burtonwood Services at Junction 8 on the M62, where there are two charging facilities.