The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is providing to schools engaging in consultation processes on the Government’s policy that all schools should become academies to allow maximum stakeholder participation; and if she will make a statement.
Edward Timpson
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-06-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2016 to Question 39039, how many of the 193 off-payroll contingent staff employed by her Department since May 2015 were paid through limited companies; and what the total amount paid through limited companies was in that period.
Andrea Leadsom
Contingent workers include contractors, agency workers and interims. Our contingent workers are engaged via approved provider frameworks and not directly through limited companies.
The response to Question 39039 has been revised and reissued. There were 152 contingent workers in core DECC during the period 1 May 2015 to 30 April 2016 (source: legacy HR system).
As at 1 May 2016 core DECC had 39 off-payroll (contingent) workers. All of these are engaged via an approved provider framework and not directly through limited companies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that women suffering from metastatic HER2 breast cancer receive (a) the Kadcyla form of Trastuzumab emtansine and (b) other required medication.
Mr Philip Dunne
Improving the availability and use of effective medicines for all cancers, including breast cancer, is a key priority.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes recommendations on whether selected drugs and treatments represent a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources. Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments for the treatment of metastatic HER2 breast cancer recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued.
NICE technology appraisal guidance, published in December 2015, does not recommend trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla) for the treatment of HER2-positive, unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after treatment with trastuzumab and a taxane. 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.
Trastuzumab emtansine continues to be available to patients in England through the Cancer Drugs Fund, subject to certain clinical criteria.
The new arrangements for the Fund, which came into effect on 29 July 2016, will ensure that the most promising and innovative medicines get to patients as quickly as possible. In particular, NICE will issue draft guidance on new cancer drugs or significant new licence indications before they have received marketing approval in the United Kingdom. Any drug that receives a positive draft recommendation would then be funded from the point of licence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Teverson on 2016-10-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the Environment Agency is taking to ensure that decisions relating to the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme receive director-level attention and remain adequately staffed.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Implementation of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme remains an Environment Agency priority and there has been no change to the amount of resource assigned to this or to the level of oversight within the Agency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress made by the Cayman Islands since June 2013 in meeting the Prime Minister’s ambition for a public register of beneficial ownership.
Mr Hugo Swire
I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to questions 10437, 10438 and 10448, which sets out the criteria we expect the Overseas Territories to meet in relation to their central register of company beneficial ownership, or similarly effective system.
We are continuing our dialogue with the Anguilla authorities on this and have offered any technical support that might be required as they develop their proposals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Field on 2015-12-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average unit cost of caring for a victim of human trafficking in a government-funded shelter is; and if she will make a statement.
Karen Bradley
The Government funds a range of support services through a contract with The Salvation Army. It is not possible to provide an average unit cost because the needs of potential victims of trafficking are varied, as is the length of stay in accommodation, where provided.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the purpose is of flood action groups established in areas that have experienced recurring flooding; and whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of such groups improving residents’ protection from flooding.
Rory Stewart
Flood action groups enable residents to have a role in managing their own flood risk. Groups define their own priorities to meet the needs of their community and will engage in a range of activities such as; training, emergency response, building community preparedness or lobbying activities, for example.
Defra has recently published an independent evaluation of its Flood Resilience Community Pathfinder Scheme, which trialled a number of approaches to help communities find simple, effective ways to minimise their flood risk.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on mortality rates arising from changes to journey times for patients if the proposed closure of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s Accident & Emergency department goes ahead.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The reconfiguration of front line health services is a matter for the local National Health Service. Services should be tailored to meet the needs of the local population, and proposals for substantial service change must meet the four tests of reconfiguration which are: (i) support from GP commissioners; (ii) strengthened public and patient engagement; (iii) clarity on the clinical evidence base; and (iv) support for patient choice.
All commissioners proposing reconfiguration must include an analysis of travelling times and distances in their Pre-Consultation Business Case.
All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients. We expect the local NHS to undertake robust analysis of the impact of any proposed significant changes to services as part of the case for change.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-02-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of Detective Superintendent McDonald’s description of child abuse allegations against Sir Edward Heath, Lord Bramall and Lord Brittan as credible and true”
Lord Bates
The Government is clear that allegations of child abuse should be thoroughly and properly investigated. However decisions about arrest and charge are an operational matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service and it would be inappropriate for the Home Office to comment further.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in Scotland who reach state pension age in 2016-17 will receive the full flat rate of the new state pension.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Results for the whole of Great Britain can be found at:
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