Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Reference Networks for patients with complex or rare medical conditions after the UK leaves the EU and the expiry of the implementation period.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government has noted the importance of continued collaboration with European partners in the 2017 policy paper ‘Collaboration on Science and Innovation: A Future Partnership Paper’. European Reference Networks (ERNs) for rare diseases patients were cited in the paper as an example of collaboration that the United Kingdom and European Union should discuss in the negotiations, given the mutual benefit.
The Government has set out three key principles in developing a new regulatory system post EU exit: patients should not be disadvantaged; innovators should be able to get their products into the UK market as quickly and simply as possible; and we continue to play a leading role promoting public health. The Government will be guided by these principles in its negotiations with EU partners.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable for negotiations on the new pharmaceutical price regulation scheme is; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Brine
Informal discussions have already begun with industry regarding future medicines pricing arrangements. Formal negotiations will begin shortly.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what progress the Government is making in negotiations with the European Union on reciprocal arrangements for health care in the UK and the EU after the (a) UK leaves the EU and (b) expiry of the implementation period.
Answered by Robin Walker
The current structure of EU rules and regulations will apply until the end of the implementation period and this includes reciprocal healthcare arrangements.
The UK and the EU have also agreed on reciprocal healthcare arrangements for the purposes of the Withdrawal Agreement. After the implementation period ends, those who fall within scope of that agreement for social security coordination purposes will be entitled to reciprocal healthcare cover on the terms laid out under that deal.
Reciprocal healthcare rights for individuals not in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement will be a matter for further negotiation with the EU.
At every step of the negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what progress the Government is making in securing the maintenance of mutual recognition of professional qualifications after the UK leaves the EU and the expiry of the implementation period.
Answered by Robin Walker
As the Prime Minister said in her Mansion House speech, the UK is committed to securing a continued system for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications as part of a bold and ambitious future economic partnership with the EU.
The UK has agreed with the EU the continued recognition of qualifications for residents and frontier workers, where recognition decisions were received or where recognition decisions were ongoing before the end of the implementation period. This will cover qualifications recognised under the MRPQ Directive, lawyers practising under host title and approved statutory auditors.
The March European Council agreed guidelines for negotiations on our future relationship, referencing the desire of the EU27 to include ambitious provisions on the recognition of qualifications. This is a useful starting point for the next stage of negotiations on the future economic partnership.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the monitoring of individual Quality Statement measures in the NICE Quality Standard on Spondyloarthritis, to be published in June 2018.
Answered by Steve Brine
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standards are concise sets of statements designed to drive quality improvements within a particular area of care and cover the National Health Service, public health and social care. They are derived from the best available evidence, normally NICE guidance but also other sources of NICE-accredited guidance, and are developed by NICE in collaboration with health and social care professionals, their partners and service users. The Department does not have any arrangements for monitoring the uptake of NICE quality standards centrally as they are not mandatory, although health and care commissioners are expected to take them fully into account.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the publication of the Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis Annual Report; and whether that report will include additional data collection for spondyloarthritis patients.
Answered by Steve Brine
In August 2017, a new three year Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit was commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). HQIP manages the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme on behalf of NHS England.
The British Society for Rheumatology was awarded the contract to run the audit, which will assess the care provided by rheumatology services in England and Wales, and the health outcomes this achieves for people living with inflammatory arthritis conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis.
Building on the previous audit, which ran from 2014-16, it will provide more focused and precise data and employ real-time feedback to support local quality improvement. The audit is expected to launch in May this year, with first reports expected in the autumn of 2019. More information can be found at the following link:
www.rheumatology.org.uk/Knowledge/Excellence/Audits
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of primary school children were eligible for free schools meals in (a) 2009-2010, (b) 2013-2014 and (c) 2017-2018.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
For 2010, the number and percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals are 717,060 and 17.3%, respectively.
For 2014, the number and percentage of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals are 755,485 and 17.0%, respectively.
For 2017, the number and percentage of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals are 666,708 and 14.1%, respectively.
The ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2018’ statistical release will be released in June 2018, (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018).
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on negotiating a new Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.
Answered by Steve Brine
Informal discussions have already begun with industry regarding future medicines pricing arrangements. Formal negotiations will begin during 2018.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What steps her Department is taking to strengthen families.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
DWP takes a range of steps to strengthen families. This includes helping families meet their eligible childcare costs when claiming Universal Credit; and providing Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance. Our child maintenance reforms and new Reducing Parental Conflict Programme also aim to help parents collaborate, whether they are together or separated.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to allocate funding from the public purse to (a) businesses and (b) Government Departments to replace funding from the European Investment Bank when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The European Investment Bank, and its offshoot, the European Investment Fund, provide financing for infrastructure investment and growth businesses.
The UK considers that it may prove to be in the mutual interest of all sides for the UK to maintain some form of ongoing relationship with the EIB Group after leaving the EU, and we will explore these options with the EU as part of the negotiations on the future relationship.
The government is committed to ensuring good infrastructure projects and growth businesses can access the finance they need. The UK Guarantees Scheme, which gives government support for private infrastructure finance, has been broadened to offer construction guarantees for the first time, and the British Business Bank will be able to bring forward some of the £400 million additional investment announced at the 2016 Autumn Statement.