The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from liver disease in (a) England and (b) each parliamentary constituency in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Mr Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-03-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27454, on banks, what the (a) date of, (b) details of who attended and (c) organisations represented were at each meeting.
Harriett Baldwin
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 84 of the Equality Analysis on the new contract for doctors and dentists in training in the NHS, published in March 2016, whether his Department plans to accept the recommendation for amendment of the draft new junior doctor contract to address the position of part-time doctors and advance equality of opportunity between women and men doctors; and if he will make a statement.
Ben Gummer
Yes. This is explicit in paragraph 60 of Schedule 2 of the Terms and Conditions of Service published by NHS Employers on 31 March 2016.
In addition amendments have also been made to the provision for on-call availability with respect to doctors working less than full-time, transitional arrangements have been amended so that doctors who take approved time out of training are not disadvantaged on return to training and so that those doctors who have not completed their training by the end of the transition period (2019/20), because they are working less than full time, or need to take an approved break from training can have the transitional protection period extended by up to three years until August 2022.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Europe of 8 June 2016, Official Report, column 136WH, when his Department last made representations to Saudi Arabia expressing concern about the extent of the application of the death penalty in that country.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country. We regularly raise human rights issues, including in relation to the death penalty with the Saudi Arabian authorities. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) visited Saudi Arabia on 29 May as part of a regional tour of Gulf Cooperation Council countries and raised our human rights concerns, including the death penalty.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many of his Department’s staff are in receipt of support for private school fees for children whose parents are stationed (a) in the UK and (b) overseas.
Sir Alan Duncan
The number of diplomatic officers stationed in the UK in receipt of school fees is 179. The number of diplomatic officers stationed overseas in receipt of school fees is 173. The FCO supports a further 1108 children who are stationed with their parents and educated locally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of patient involvement in the commissioning process for musculoskeletal services carried out by Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group prior to the granting of that contract to Circle Holdings PLC; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
The procurement of local health services by means of competitive tendering is a matter for the local National Health Service.
We are advised by NHS England that Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) undertook the first of its engagement events on the proposed redesign of the musculoskeletal services pathway during November 2013. We understand that this initial engagement enabled the CCG to identify that the existing pathway was felt to be fragmented and complex for patients. In light of that, a new model was proposed in December 2013, and was shared with the public at workshops during 2014.
We are further advised by NHS England that the proposed pathway was outlined in the draft service specification, which was shared with the patient reference group (PRG) during February and March 2016. We understand that the specification was sent to PRG members to cascade to their patient participation groups and other groups of which they are members, such as the Pensioners’ Forum.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many secondments have taken place between his Department and the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards in the last 15 years; and in what capacity each such secondment was undertaken.
Jane Ellison
At senior civil servant level (SCS) there have been no secondments between the Department and the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards.
For civil servants and posts at grades lower than SCS, no such secondments have taken place, as far back as our central records for these secondments extend, that is, back to 2009.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is her policy that anaerobic digestion will continue to be supported under the reformed Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Andrea Leadsom
We are still at an early stage in the process of reforming the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Therefore, I am unable to make specific commitments as to the future shape of the scheme at this point.
However, Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider reform of the scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2016 to Question 21922, how much of the £75 million allocated to CCGs to improve local services in 2015-16 has been spent.
Alistair Burt
Out of the £173 million, £105 million has gone to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) directly.
The remaining £68 million has been allocated to the below organisations to be spent centrally on workforce and system development. These are approximations to the nearest million:
– £58 million allocated to NHS England;
– £9 million allocated to Health Education England; and
– £1 million allocated to the Department of Health.
The Government are taking a targeted and phased approach to ensuring the funding allocated to workforce and system development is spent effectively and plans are in place for this money to be spent.
The figure of how much of the £75 million allocated to CCGs to improve local services has been spent is not available. NHS England is currently collecting monthly financial information regarding the amount of spend on child and adolescent mental health services. This is being validated during January and will be made available later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-02-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how and when they intend to introduce and implement a comprehensive plan in relation to the Zika virus to (1) inform fully the British public about that virus, (2) advise on travel to Central and South America in the light of that virus’ prevalence in that region, and (3) clarify all known means of transmission of that virus.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Public Health England (PHE) and the National Travel Health Network and Centre have issued travel advice to people who may be travelling to the affected countries, particularly pregnant women and provided information for the general public through the NHS Choices website.
PHE has been working with appropriate professional groups to develop information and guidance on Zika for clinicians. They have worked in partnership with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to develop specifically targeted at primary care which is available on the PHE website and has been cascaded by the RCGP. A copy of this guidance is attached.
PHE have also issued a Central Alerting System update alert letter to clinicians, which includes specific information and guidance about Zika virus and pregnancy and general guidance on Zika virus and travel. A copy of this is attached.
Although some evidence of sexual transmission exists and there is the possibility that blood transfusions may be able to transmit the virus this will be very rare. Transmission from mother to fetus via the placenta is also possible. If a person acquires Zika abroad and becomes ill on their return to the United Kingdom, mosquito-borne transmission will not occur as the mosquito is not present in the UK.
Information on these issues is available on the PHE website. The Government continues to monitor this situation very closely and will continue to take action as appropriate.