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Tag: Stephen O’Brien

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 120W, on haemolytic uraemic syndrome, what discussions NHS England has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) since 1 January 2014 on NICE’s appraisal of eculizumab; and if he will make a statement.

    Norman Lamb

    We understand that NHS England was formally consulted on the scope of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) evaluation of eculizumab for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome. NHS England was also consulted on the evaluation consultation document, which was published on 27 February.

    Following the publication of NICE’s draft guidance on eculizumab, NICE sought further advice from NHS England on what considerations relating to the management of its specialised commissioning budget it considers should be taken into account in formulating a recommendation. The response from NHS England will be considered by NICE at the next meeting of the evaluation committee.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many local authorities have signed up to become dementia friendly since the launch of the Dementia Challenge; and what other progress has been made since that date.

    Norman Lamb

    The dementia friendly communities recognition process was launched by Alzheimer’s Society in September 2013 and 55 communities have already signed up. We have therefore increased our original ambition of 20 communities committed to work to become dementia friendly, as set out in the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, to reach 75 communities by March 2015. In addition, 59 local authorities are members of local Dementia Action Alliances.

    The Department has worked with Alzheimer’s Society to develop the recognition process for dementia friendly communities. Malpas has signed up to the recognition process and is receiving support in its work to become dementia friendly. The Department is also working with Alzheimer’s Society and the British Standards Institute to develop a code of practice for dementia friendly communities, which will help communities to continue in their work to become dementia friendly.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the statement by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury in his foreword to HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation document, Tackling marketed tax avoidance, that there is evidence that in the vast majority of cases of challenges in court to tax avoidance schemes, when the dispute is resolved, tax is due, what that evidence is and what the range and frequency of amounts so due has been, on a graduated scale from £1 owing and upwards.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been successful in challenging tax avoidance and, in relation to avoidance cases that go to litigation, around 80% of cases litigated resulting in the tax being due. This led to around £1.7 billion of tax being protected in 2013. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the range and frequency of amounts of tax due without causing undue cost on the department to provide the information.

    The Government considered different options for the consultation period for the proposals but concluded that the time period made available was reasonable. There were a very large number of responses, which suggests that the timescale did not cause any undue impediment to those who wished to give their views in response to the consultation. ‘Tackling Marketed Tax Avoidance’ followed on from the earlier consultation over the summer of 2013 ‘Raising the Stakes on Tax Avoidance’, which consulted in detail on the initial proposal for the Follower Notice measure.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2014, Official Report, column 491W, on medical treatments, what technology appraisals were conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the last five years; what the most plausible cost per quality adjusted life-year for each such appraisal was; what the estimated eligible patient population was for each appraised indication; on which appraisals end-of-life criteria were applied in each final appraisal determination; and on which date each such appraisal was (a) initiated and (b) concluded.

    Norman Lamb

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal decisions published between 2000 to end of February 2014 have already been placed in the Library.

    NICE has advised that it does hold the most plausible cost per quality adjusted life-year for each technology appraisal, the estimated patient population for each appraised indication, details of appraisals where the end-of-life criteria were applied in each final appraisal determination and the dates each appraisal was initiated and concluded. However, this information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help Malpas to develop a dementia friendly community.

    Norman Lamb

    The dementia friendly communities recognition process was launched by Alzheimer’s Society in September 2013 and 55 communities have already signed up. We have therefore increased our original ambition of 20 communities committed to work to become dementia friendly, as set out in the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, to reach 75 communities by March 2015. In addition, 59 local authorities are members of local Dementia Action Alliances.

    The Department has worked with Alzheimer’s Society to develop the recognition process for dementia friendly communities. Malpas has signed up to the recognition process and is receiving support in its work to become dementia friendly. The Department is also working with Alzheimer’s Society and the British Standards Institute to develop a code of practice for dementia friendly communities, which will help communities to continue in their work to become dementia friendly.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the 2013 edition of the Highway Code, paragraph 264, what guidance her Department has given to motorway police on enforcement of the requirement that drivers overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles should return to the left-hand lane as soon as they are safely past; what the maximum penalty is for a driver not complying with that requirement; and on how many occasions in the last 24 months (a) warnings have been given to such drivers, (b) enforcement procedures have been instigated against such drivers and (c) such drivers have been prosecuted for related road traffic offences.

    Damian Green

    The Home Office has not issued any guidance and does not hold any information on the enforcement of lane discipline. Enforcement of the law is an operational matter for the police.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will discuss with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) ensuring that assessments of treatments by NICE conducted through (a) normal technology appraisals and (b) highly specialised technology appraisals is consistent in its (i) engagement with stakeholders and (ii) wider methodological approaches.

    Norman Lamb

    We have no plans to do so. As an independent body, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is responsible for developing its methods and processes and applying them consistently.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds his Department has provided for research into cures for dementia since 2012; and what progress has been made on such cures since the launch of the Dementia Challenge.

    Norman Lamb

    At the G8 dementia summit in December 2013, the G8 countries agreed to work together to tackle and defeat dementia. The declaration, built on the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge, announced the G8’s ambition to identify a cure or a disease-modifying therapy by 2025 and to increase collectively and significantly the amount of funding for dementia research.

    Investment in dementia research by the Department’s National Institute for Health Research has increased from £12.6 million in 2009-10 to £24.4 million in 2012-13.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has given to motorway police on advising (a) vehicles without all-round screen vision and (b) public service vehicles carrying passengers of (i) up to 3.5, (ii) between 3.5 and 7.5 and (iii) over 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight against entering or travelling in, or preventing such vehicles entering or travelling in, the right-hand overtaking lane of a three or more lane motorway; and which last edition of the Highway Code included advice on these matters.

    Damian Green

    The Home Office has not issued any guidance and does not hold any information on the enforcement of lane discipline. Enforcement of the law is an operational matter for the police.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) assesses the cost-effectiveness of an intervention when the data available are uncertain; what assessment NICE has made of the average range around the most-plausible cost-per-QALY in its technology appraisals; and if he will make a statement.

    Norman Lamb

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) follows a rigorous process in the appraisal of technologies to ensure that judgements regarding the cost-effective use of NHS resources are consistently applied. This includes consideration of the uncertainty generated where available data have serious limitations.

    When making judgements on cost effectiveness, the NICE appraisal committee will consider a number of factors including the strength of the clinical-effectiveness evidence, the innovative nature of the technology, the robustness and plausibility of the economic models, the degree of certainty around the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), the range and plausibility of the ICERs and the likelihood of decision error and its consequences. Full details of how the Committee takes uncertainty into account is contained within sections 5.8, 6.3 and 6.4 of NICE’s Guide to the Methods of Technology Appraisal 2013, which is available at:

    http://publications.nice.org.uk/guide-to-the-methods-of-technology-appraisal-2013-pmg9

    NICE advises that it has not carried out an assessment of the average range around the most plausible cost-per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) in its technology appraisals. We understand that although NICE usually specifies the most plausible cost-per-QALY for each technology appraisal, it does not normally specify a range for this assessment.