Tag: Rupa Huq

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans for any trade agreement between the UK and EU to come into force after the UK leaves the EU to be undertaken alongside negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker

We are considering in detail the advantages and disadvantages of several different approaches. But we will not undermine the Government’s negotiating position by giving a running commentary on our position before negotiations have even started.

The Prime Minister has spoken of getting a bespoke deal for the country – what we want is the right deal, on both trade for the UK and our relationship with the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made by his Department or NHS England of the effect of minor ailments services provided by community pharmacies on demand for the services of GP practices and other parts of the NHS; and what assessment he has made of the effect of planned reductions in funding for pharmacies on those services.

Alistair Burt

NHS England has taken account of the potential impact of a pharmacy minor ailments service on general practitioner services and other parts of the National Health Service. The findings of the Minor Ailment study (‘MINA’ study), conducted by the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with NHS Grampian and the University of East Anglia, on behalf of Pharmacy Research UK in 2014, were considered. In addition, evaluations of local minor ailments schemes have continued to inform decision-making about local commissioning of such schemes.

Community pharmacy is a vital part of the NHS and can play an even greater role. In the Spending Review the Government re-affirmed the need for the NHS to deliver £22 billion in efficiency savings by 2020/21 as set out in the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View. Community pharmacy is a core part of NHS primary care and has an important contribution to make as the NHS rises to these challenges. The Government believes efficiencies can be made without compromising the quality of services or public access to them. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive and so we are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared to others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.

The Government’s vision is for a more efficient, modern system that will free up pharmacists to spend more time delivering clinical and public health services to the benefit of patients and the public.

We are consulting the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, other pharmacy bodies and patient and public representatives on our proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond. An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course.

Local commissioning and funding of services from community pharmacies, such as minor ailment services, will be unaffected by these proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to retain access for UK universities to EU research programmes after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The Government is committed to maintaining and enhancing the strength of the UK’s research base. This is why it has protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the Parliament, as well as committing to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021.

HM Treasury’s decision to underwrite the grants of competitively bid for EU research funding will give British participants and their EU partners the assurance and certainty needed to plan ahead for projects that can stretch over many years. The Government will ensure that the UK continues to be a world leader in research and innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in (a) England and (b) Ealing Central and Acton constituency have familial hypercholesterolaemia; and what the cost to the NHS was of treatment of that condition in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison

Information on the numbers of people with familial hypercholesterolaemia and the cost to the National Health Service of treating this condition is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to retain visa exemptions for PhD-level jobs after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Future immigration arrangements for EU citizens are still to be determined. However, the Government has consistently enhanced the treatment of PhD-level jobs in the immigration system.

Immigration reforms since 2010 have explicitly taken account of the needs of academics, scientists and researchers and will continue to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to section 5.9 of the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of Tier 2 visas, published in December 2015, whether he plans to introduce an Immigration Skills Charge for employers for all Tier 2 visa workers of £1,000 per year per worker.

Joseph Johnson

Following consideration of the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations on migration and other evidence, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Immigration has made a written statement on Tier 2 migration including the Immigration Skills Charge.

The full statement can be viewed at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-03-24/HCWS660/.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether prospective EU national students will not be subject to tuition fee increases for the academic years 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Joseph Johnson

EU students wishing to start a higher education course in England in the 2017/18 academic year will be subject to the same maximum fees that apply to English domiciled students. This will apply in each year of their course and for the duration of the course.

The Government makes its decisions on higher education student support, including the maximum tuition fees, on an annual basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 6.158 of the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of Tier 2 migration, published in December 2015, if she will commission an in-depth review of skills shortages in the IT industry.

James Brokenshire

The Government thanks the Migration Advisory Committee for their report and we are currently considering the findings carefully. We will announce our response in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to retain access to the Erasmus Plus programme after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad under the Erasmus scheme or applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access to the programme after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations. Consideration of other options will depend on the outcome of these negotiations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the potential merits of the Children’s House model for children who are victims of abuse.

Mike Penning

This government has made tackling child abuse a priority. We set up the first ever cross-government Child Protection Taskforce to overhaul the way police, schools, social services and others work together in tackling this abhorrent crime. We have also invested an extra £100m to support vulnerable children and we are providing £7m for services supporting child abuse survivors.

We have not had any ministerial discussions about the Children’s House model, but more widely the Government is committed to improving the experience of child witnesses in the criminal justice system. We have increased the number of intermediaries to support them to give their best evidence. In addition, vulnerable witnesses can give evidence away from the courtroom and away from the court building at remote sites set up nationally in each criminal justice region.