Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department’s Task and Finish Working Group on brain tumours plans to publish its report.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Task and Finish Working Group on brain tumour’s latest estimate is that their work will be complete before the end of January 2018. The Working Group is undertaking a challenging task in this difficult area. Inputs are being sought from many stakeholders in order to produce a useful and impactful report. Some of these stakeholders are very busy clinicians, and need to be given sufficient time to formulate their inputs – we are committed to involving them.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department made of the health benefits of milk as part of the development of the Government's Eatwell guide.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Dairy products are a valuable source of essential nutrients including protein and calcium. Government advice continues to encourage the inclusion of dairy products as part of a healthy, balanced diet for all age groups. This recommendation is depicted in the Eatwell Guide which promotes the consumption of lower fat and lower sugar dairy products to help reduce saturated fat and sugar intakes in the United Kingdom, which are currently above dietary recommendations.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department made of the applicability of the requirements of school food standards as part of the development of the Government's Eatwell guide.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Eatwell Guide is suitable for everyone over the age of five years to follow and intends to assist the population in choosing a varied and balanced diet to meet Government dietary recommendations.
The School Food Standards aim to assist school aged children in achieving Government dietary recommendations, tying in with the aims of the Eatwell Guide. Common themes include the encouragement of fruits, vegetables and wholegrain starchy carbohydrates, as well as promoting the contribution of water and lower fat milks.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that PrescQIPP (a) is accountable for its guidance to clinical commissioning groups and (b) adheres to all appropriate quality standards in its work.
Answered by George Freeman
PrescQIPP is an independent social enterprise and these are matters for the company. We understand that PrescQIPP has a quality assurance process in place to ensure the quality and evidence base of its guidance resources are of the highest standard. Further information is available at:
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department has in place to ensure that PrescQIPP is accountable for the safety of its guidance to clinical commissioning groups.
Answered by George Freeman
PrescQIPP is an independent social enterprise and these are matters for the company. We understand that PrescQIPP has a quality assurance process in place to ensure the quality and evidence base of its guidance resources are of the highest standard. Further information is available at:
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the role of the PrescQIPP Programme is in relation to clinical commissioning groups.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The PrescQIPP NHS Programme currently has no direct role within the Department as it is an independent social enterprise.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) use its materials to improve the prescribing of medicines. These are mainly publicly available for CCGs and Health Boards, with some additional subscription-only content. Their governance and annual work programme is overseen by a strategic oversight group representing the users.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the role of the PrescQIPP Programme is within his Department.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The PrescQIPP NHS Programme currently has no direct role within the Department as it is an independent social enterprise.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) use its materials to improve the prescribing of medicines. These are mainly publicly available for CCGs and Health Boards, with some additional subscription-only content. Their governance and annual work programme is overseen by a strategic oversight group representing the users.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings and discussions he has had with representaives of the PrescQIPP Programme since May 2015.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Department is not aware of any discussions or meetings the Secretary of State for Health has had with representatives of PrescQIPP.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on reforming the law on surrogacy.
Answered by Jane Ellison
A search of the Department’s central correspondence system shows that, since November 2015, the Department has received 31 representations that made direct or indirect reference to reforming the law on surrogacy. I have also answered four Parliamentary Questions in this session about this issue.
The Government has no current plans to change the legislation in respect of surrogacy arrangements.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department gives to UK citizens who are invoiced incorrectly for medical treatment given in other EU countries.
Answered by Alistair Burt
United Kingdom residents, who appear to have been invoiced incorrectly or have not presented valid European Health Insurance Card while visiting other European Economic Area (EEA) countries or Switzerland, can get in touch with the Department of Health directly or follow advice available on NHS Choices Healthcare Abroad website at:
Patients contacting the Department of Health are provided with specific advice based on the details of the case.
Depending on the circumstances and healthcare route taken, either NHS England or Overseas Healthcare Team at the Department for Work and Pensions may reimburse patients.