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Tag: Toby Perkins

  • Toby Perkins – 2023 Parliamentary Question on GP Appointments in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and England

    Toby Perkins – 2023 Parliamentary Question on GP Appointments in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and England

    The parliamentary question asked by Toby Perkins, the Labour MP for Chesterfield, in the House of Commons on 24 January 2023.

    Mr Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab)

    If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of GP appointment availability in (a) Chesterfield constituency, (b) Derbyshire and (c) England.

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Neil O’Brien)

    In November, there were 13.9% more appointments in general practice across England as a whole than in the same month before the pandemic. In Derby and Derbyshire, there were 16.6% more appointments. Our GPs are doing more than ever, and, compared with 2015-16, we are investing a fifth more in real terms. But we know that demand is unprecedented, and we are working to further support our hard-working GPs.

    Mr Perkins

    I thank the Minister for that answer. We know that there are GP appointment difficulties everywhere, but we also know that it is much more difficult in more deprived communities. Social Market Foundation research shows that GPs in more deprived communities have twice as many patients on their books than those in more affluent areas. This means that, in addition to the greater health inequalities in those communities, people are finding it very difficult to get appointments, including at the Royal Primary Care practice in Staveley. Why should patients in more deprived communities be expected to tolerate far greater difficulties in getting GP appointments than those in more affluent areas?

    Neil O’Brien

    In Derby and Derbyshire, for example, there are 495 more doctors and other patient-facing staff than in 2019. Step 1 is to have more clinicians, which we are doing through that investment. The hon. Member raises a point about Carr-Hill and the funding formula underlying general practice. There is actually heavy weighting for deprivation, and the point he raises is partly driven by the fact that older people tend not to live in the most deprived areas, and younger people tend to live in high IMD—index of multiple deprivation—areas. That is the reason for the statistic he used. Funding is rightly driven by health need, which is also heavily driven by age. We are looking at this issue, but the interpretation he is putting on it—that there is not a large weighting for deprivation—is not quite right.

    Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)

    In south Derbyshire there are now 133 more full-time equivalent clinical staff in general practice than in 2015. That includes nurses, physios and clinical pharmacists. What more is my hon. Friend doing to encourage more people to book an appointment with the most appropriate healthcare professional, rather than simply defaulting to booking a GP appointment?

    Neil O’Brien

    That is an excellent question. As well as having an extra 495 staff across Derby and Derbyshire, it is crucial that we use them effectively by having good triage. That is why we are getting NHS England to financially support GPs to move over to better appointment systems. That is not just better phone systems, but better triage.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the staff budget for HM Revenue and Customs was in each year since 1997-98.

    Mr David Gauke

    Budgets for staff are set internally in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), however information relating to actual staff expenditure for HMRC is available from their Report and Accounts.Please note that the staff expenditure up to 2010-11 include amounts for those staff who moved to UK Border Agency.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure a conclusion to the case of six former British soldiers held in India on weapons charges; and what support his Department offered to each person so detained.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Ministers have raised this case at the highest levels over thirty times since November 2013: my Right Honourable Friend, the Member for Witney, the Prime Minister, raised it for the third time with Prime Minister Modi, during his visit to the United Kingdom in November. On 11 January, the men were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and I raised this in my introductory meeting with the new Indian High Commissioner the following day. While we cannot interfere in the Indian legal process, we will continue to offer consular support to all the men and their families and urge that their appeal application be dealt with swiftly.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if it will make it his policy to require bus operators to install audio-visual announcements of bus stops on all public buses.

    Andrew Jones

    Accessible on-board information helps a wide range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired, to feel comfortable and confident when taking the bus.

    Traditionally however, systems providing automatic next stop announcements have proven expensive to fit and maintain, meaning that mandating their use would place a disproportionate financial burden on the bus industry.

    My Department has supported initiatives to develop innovative and low-cost approaches to providing such information, as well as providing Better Bus Area funding for local authority schemes to equip vehicles with audio/visual equipment.

    Many operators are already recognising the benefits of on-board information for all their customers, and I would encourage others to do the same.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new Ajax armoured vehicles will be produced (a) in the UK and (b) abroad.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the reponse given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Defence in the House of Lords, Earl Howe, to the noble Lord, Baron Moonie of Bennochy on 27 April 2016 to Question HL7778.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget was for staff answering calls to tax offices in each year since 2007-08.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not hold this information, owing to the fact that resource is now moved flexibly within the organisation to deliver customer service.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans the Government has in place should Rolls Royce be unable to complete the Nuclear Reactor Component of the Successor Programme on schedule.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    We work closely with all of our key suppliers to ensure they deliver the capability we need. Risks and associated mitigation action are continually reviewed for all defence programmes. It would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Defence to release commercially sensitive material on any defence programme, as to do so would prejudice commercial interests.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contractual standards have been set for Maximus Health and Human Services Ltd for the number of completed work capability assessments.

    Priti Patel

    Centre for Health Disability Assessments, a MAXIMUS Company, has a target of 1,170,000 completed assessments in 2016/17.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of steel used in the new Ajax armoured vehicles will be (a) sourced from the UK and (b) imported from abroad.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2016 to Question 25075 to the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Mr Doughty).

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure homes are adequately heated over the winter and protect against deaths due to the cold weather.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are supporting older and vulnerable people to keep warm through support including the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Home Discount. Over 1.6 million measures have been installed in around 1.3 million households through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) alone.

    This year, over 2 million households will get help under the Warm Home Discount scheme– including an automatic electricity bill discount of £140 for over 1.3 million of the poorest pensioners. In winter 2014/15, Winter Fuel Payments were made to around 12.5million older people in around 9 million households. The Cold Weather Plan, published by Public Health England, helps to raise awareness of the harm to health from cold, and provides guidance on how to prepare for and respond to cold weather.

    The Government has also provided around £3 million to fund the creation of the ‘Big Energy Saving Network’ which focuses on helping consumers understand tariffs and switching options as well as how they could benefit from energy efficiency programmes available to them. As we approach winter, my officials will continue to maximise awareness of the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS –contact number 0300 123 1234), which also provides a referral service for ECO Affordable Warmth.