Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many and what proportion of development projects were delivered through in-country contracts in each year since 2019.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The information requested is not held centrally by the Department and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding cystic fibrosis to the list of medical conditions for which a medical exemption certificate for free NHS prescriptions may be issued.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
While the Government’s policy remains that there are no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate, there are extensive arrangements currently in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone.
Around 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place, for which those with cystic fibrosis may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.
People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. The scheme provides income related help to people who are not automatically exempt from charges, but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income and savings below a defined limit.
To support those with greatest need, who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need, for a set cost.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much development funding has been paid (a) directly and (b) indirectly to consultancies in each year since 2019.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what the cost to the public purse was of each international summit held in the UK since 2019.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department. The budget for international summits are often held by different departments and therefore FCDO would not necessarily hold or record the complete costs for all summits.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what the average cost was to host an international summit in the last five years.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requested information is not centrally held and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure adequate levels of supply of medications prescribed for epilepsy.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are around 14,000 medicines licensed for supply in the United Kingdom, and while most are in good supply, there can sometimes be supply issues with a limited number of medicines. The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the UK, as well as the other countries around the world.
The Department has been working intensively to address issues with the supply of some epilepsy medications. Guidance has been issued to healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring affected medicines while supply is disrupted.
We will continue to work closely with industry, the National Health Service, and others to help ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock. The Department has been engaging with the Epilepsy Society, and we will continue to keep them updated on any developments.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what estimate he has made of the gender split in each cohort of Chevening Scholars for each year since 2019.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The gender split of Chevening scholars from 2019 to present is as follows:
Date | % Female | % Male | Non-binary | Prefer not to say | Prefer to self-identify | NULL (blank) |
2019/20 | 55.20% | 44.39% | 0.00% | 0.40% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
2020/21 | 58.45% | 40.38% | 0.00% | 0.29% | 0.29% | 0.58% |
2021/22 | 59.02% | 40.12% | 0.37% | 0.18% | 0.31% | 0.00% |
2022/23 | 60.74% | 38.40% | 0.36% | 0.21% | 0.29% | 0.00% |
2023/24 | 55.48% | 43.19% | 0.88% | 0.29% | 0.07% | 0.07% |
We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion amongst awardees and ensure applicants of all genders, sexualities, races and religions feel confident in applying for Chevening.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of her Department's funding for (a) hospices in the North West and (b) Wigan & Leigh Hospice.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for determining the level of locally available, National Health Service-funded palliative and end of life care, including hospice care. ICBs are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population.
The majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by NHS staff and services. However, we also recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, play in providing support to people at end of life, and their families. Most hospices, including Wigan and Leigh Hospice, and many other hospices in the North West and the rest of England, are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding hospices receive is dependent on many factors, including what other statutory services are available within the ICB footprint. Charitable hospices provide a range of services which go beyond that which statutory services are legally required to provide. Consequently, the funding arrangements reflect this.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to improve the (a) diagnosis rate, (b) co-ordination of care and (c) access to specialist (i) care, (ii) treatment and (iii) support for individuals with cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions 47 specialised cystic fibrosis centres for adults and children across England, in addition to supporting the optimal monitoring of patients with cystic fibrosis at home, and supporting best practice in remote consultations. Service specifications published by NHS England clearly define the standards of services, care, and outcomes that people can expect from these centres. Service specifications aim to deliver improvements to life expectancy and quality of life for adults and children with cystic fibrosis.
Since 2019, thousands of people with cystic fibrosis have been able to benefit from licensed treatments, firstly Orkambi and Symkeviand and then Kaftrio, following its marketing authorisation in 2020. Access to these treatments is provided under the terms of a commercial agreement reached between the manufacturer, Vertex, and NHS England, with the full support of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
The company supplying cystic fibrosis treatments is prepared to proceed to commercial discussions with NHS England to secure access to disease-modifying treatments for future patients at a price that represents value to the National Health Service. Existing patients, and new patients who are started on these treatments while the NICE evaluation is ongoing, will continue to have access to the treatments after the NICE has issued its final recommendations, irrespective of the outcome.
Cystic fibrosis is now mainly detected in newborn babies as part of the heel prick test, which is offered to all newborn babies. Otherwise, it is normally diagnosed by a combination of gene sequencing from blood tests and a sweat test, which is performed at specialist centres.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the affordability of water bills in Wigan constituency.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to a water sector that delivers for customers, the environment and wider society. We recognise that some households may struggle to pay their water bill in full.
Ofwat assesses affordability for each water company through a five-yearly Price Review process, in which water companies must set out how they will address affordability for households that are struggling to pay their bills in their business plans. The next period for this process is 2025-30, with the determinations of Price Review 2024 currently underway.
The appointed water provider in Wigan, United Utilities, provides help for customers who struggle to pay their bills through measures such as WaterSure, Social Tariffs, payment breaks and debt management support. We expect all companies to ensure households are aware of the support schemes available to them.