Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the prevalence of the use of barren cages in gamebird units in contravention of the welfare code for gamebirds; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Recent Defra funded research into the use of cages for gamebirds showed that enrichment and space allowance, in the forms provided, had little impact on the welfare of caged pheasants. However, egg production and quality and most measures of pheasant welfare were improved in cages compared to floor pens. For the partridges, the behavioural results indicated that enrichment might be positive for welfare and was probably a more valuable modification than increasing the size of an otherwise barren cage. However, the research also concluded that there might be penalties from parasitism and reduced egg production if enrichment is offered at a conventional space allowance. The published research can be found:

    http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=17541&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=aw1303&SortString=ProjectCode&SortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#Description

    We intend to discuss the findings of the research with industry and welfare organisations as part of next year’s review of the “Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes”.

    “

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure the development of co-operation with Spain on tackling serious crime in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

    Mr David Lidington

    Responsibility for law enforcement in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters lies with Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar. The UK worked in close consultation with both the Government of Gibraltar and the Government of Spain to reach an agreement on 28 August on stepping up law enforcement cooperation. We have since raised this issue with the Spanish authorities at various levels; I raised the matter most recently with the Spanish Minister for Europe, Fernando Eguidazu, on 12 September.

  • Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wayne David on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the government of Saudi Arabia on the case of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr who was sentenced to death by crucifixion.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are very concerned about the case Ali Mohammed Al Nimr. We have raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level including by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all cases. Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team frequently raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, bilaterally and through the European Union.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the death sentence handed out to Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are very concerned about the case of Ali Mohammed Al Nimr. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level. We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all cases. Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team frequently raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, bilaterally and through the European Union.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assistance his Department provides to the breastfeeding support line.

    Ben Gummer

    In 2008 the Department granted funding to the Breastfeeding Network to help provide the National Breastfeeding Helpline. Funding from the Department ceased in 2012.

    Women receive information and support on infant feeding from their midwife and health visitor. Additional information and support is available on the Start4Life and NHS Choices websites.

  • Liam Byrne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liam Byrne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on steps to tackle alcohol misuse.

    Jane Ellison

    Local authorities are responsible for assessing local need for alcohol prevention and treatment services and commissioning interventions and services based on that need. Public Health England (PHE) works closely with local authorities – via nine regional centres – by providing advice, support and evidence-based guidance in a range of public health issues, including alcohol misuse.

    An example of this is the support PHE gives to local authority commissioners with the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) process and their local joint health and wellbeing strategies. The annual JSNA support pack from PHE covers four topics including alcohol harm prevention, treatment and recovery. For more information, see the pack which is available online at:

    http://www.nta.nhs.uk/healthcare-JSNA.aspx

    “

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what comparative assessment he has made of uptake and use by the NHS of new treatments for people living with diabetes with health systems in other EU countries.

    Jane Ellison

    The Office of Health Economics (OHE) report International Comparison of Medicines Usage: Quantitative Analysis, published last year, showed that uptake of newer and more expensive drugs to treat diabetes was lower than comparator countries. However, uptake of more established therapies was considerably higher.

    It is important to note that high use of drugs does not mean more people are cured. There are a number of legitimate factors which influence usage, and therefore variation, such as populations with differing health needs. The Research and Development (RAND) Europe report International variation in drugs usage: an exploratory analysis, published at the same time as the OHE report – seeks to define some of these factors and can be found at the link below:

    http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR800/RR899/RAND_RR899.pdf

    Our focus is on tackling unjustified variation where it exists.

    “

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department’s policy is on making the drug Keyruda available for cancer treatment in the NHS.

    George Freeman

    Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for the treatment of advanced melanoma, which has spread or cannot be removed by surgery and has progressed after other treatments, is the first drug to be given a positive scientific opinion through the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS). NHS England has undertaken to fund the use of EAMS products routinely within 30 days of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance being published.

    NICE published final guidance on pembrolizumab on 7 October 2015 which recommends its use for the treatment of advanced melanoma after disease progression with ipilimumab.

    NICE is also appraising pembrolizumab for advanced melanoma that has not been previously treated with ipilimumab and published final draft guidance which recommends its use on 9 October 2015. NICE’s final guidance is expected to be published in November 2015.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to tender for additional proton beam therapy treatment providers.

    Jane Ellison

    The decision to commission services from additional proton beam therapy (PBT) centres would likely be triggered by an existing supplier no longer being able to deliver services and/or NHS England having capacity requirements that could not be met by the existing providers.

    In the event NHS England required additional PBT providers, these would be selected through a procurement exercise.

    There is currently no indication that NHS England will need to seek additional providers but it will, of course, keep this position under review.

  • Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the delay in reform of social care funding until 2020 on the provision of social care; and how many people will be affected by that delay in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

    Alistair Burt

    We remain committed to the implementation of the cap on care costs, which will offer financial protection and peace of mind. The decision to delay followed careful consideration of feedback from stakeholders that April 2016 was not the right time to implement these significant and expensive reforms. The benefits of the cap have had to be weighed against the need to focus on supporting the system that supports the most vulnerable.

    In reaching the difficult decision to delay we considered the impact on those who would have entered the cap system from April next year. Though they will not benefit from the additional help straightaway, many will still benefit from the cap system when it is introduced in 2020. The delay will allow local authorities time to focus on consolidating the important reforms to care and support introduced on 1 April 2015, laying the groundwork to implement the funding reforms as successfully as possible in 2020.

    Based on the most recent impact assessment, had the cap system been implemented in April 2016, around 23,000 older people in England would have benefitted immediately in 2016/17 and by 2025/26 up to 80,000 additional older people would have received state support.

    Information regarding how many people will be affected by the delay in specific constituencies or regions is not held in the format requested.

    Means-tested financial support remains available for those who cannot afford to pay for care to meet their eligible needs.