Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what powers Ofsted has to investigate the (a) level of and (b) reason for school exclusions through its (i) school inspections and (ii) joint area inspections with the Care Quality Commission.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Ofsted has a duty to consider pupils’ behaviour and safety as part of its section 5 school inspections. While it is not Ofsted’s role to investigate individual cases, inspectors always look at exclusions on school inspections and ask head teachers about trends and reasons for exclusions. The issue of exclusion is also covered as part of the joint Ofsted/Care Quality Commission inspections of local authorities’ effectiveness in identifying and meeting the needs of children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities. Inspectors will report on overall levels of exclusions, and may comment when there is a specific or recurring trend.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure thta the Tuberous Sclerosis Association is able to submit evidence on behalf of (a) patients and (b) families to NHS England’s specialised commissioning relative prioritisation process assessment of everolimus for refractory epilepsy related to tuberous sclerosis complex.
Answered by Steve Brine
Patients and the public have already been given the opportunity to submit peer reviewed, published evidence regarding Everolimus as part of a public consultation held before the last prioritisation round in May 2018. An engagement report which summarised the views submitted was considered by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) as part of their deliberations.
The Tuberous Sclerosis Association (TSA) submitted a response to this consultation. A summary of their response was included in the consultation report provided to the CPAG, and was reviewed as part of the stakeholder testing and consultation feedback which the policy working group consider as part of the policy development process.
However, the TSA’s response was not included in the clinical evidence summary submitted to NHS England by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for clinical panel review, as NHS England’s published protocols require that only peer reviewed and published clinical evidence can be included in the evidence review. This is so that all policy propositions can be fairly and objectively considered against each other, based on evidence that has been independently reviewed and validated.
If CPAG members wish to have further information, such as the detailed consultation responses, there is a complete library pack to review as appropriate.
NHS England met with the Tuberous Sclerosis Association at a stakeholder surgery on 25 September to discuss the outcome of the prioritisation round and to explain the next steps.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes are in place to ensure that NHS England’s clinical priorities advisory group receives the views of (a) patients and (b) patient families as part of the specialised commissioning relative prioritisation process.
Answered by Steve Brine
Patients and the public have already been given the opportunity to submit peer reviewed, published evidence regarding Everolimus as part of a public consultation held before the last prioritisation round in May 2018. An engagement report which summarised the views submitted was considered by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) as part of their deliberations.
The Tuberous Sclerosis Association (TSA) submitted a response to this consultation. A summary of their response was included in the consultation report provided to the CPAG, and was reviewed as part of the stakeholder testing and consultation feedback which the policy working group consider as part of the policy development process.
However, the TSA’s response was not included in the clinical evidence summary submitted to NHS England by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for clinical panel review, as NHS England’s published protocols require that only peer reviewed and published clinical evidence can be included in the evidence review. This is so that all policy propositions can be fairly and objectively considered against each other, based on evidence that has been independently reviewed and validated.
If CPAG members wish to have further information, such as the detailed consultation responses, there is a complete library pack to review as appropriate.
NHS England met with the Tuberous Sclerosis Association at a stakeholder surgery on 25 September to discuss the outcome of the prioritisation round and to explain the next steps.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what status NHS England’s clinical priorities advisory group confers on evidence that has (a) not been published in an academic journal, (b) been presented at an academic conference and (c) resulted from clinical trials during the specialised commissioning relative prioritisation process.
Answered by Steve Brine
Patients and the public have already been given the opportunity to submit peer reviewed, published evidence regarding Everolimus as part of a public consultation held before the last prioritisation round in May 2018. An engagement report which summarised the views submitted was considered by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) as part of their deliberations.
The Tuberous Sclerosis Association (TSA) submitted a response to this consultation. A summary of their response was included in the consultation report provided to the CPAG, and was reviewed as part of the stakeholder testing and consultation feedback which the policy working group consider as part of the policy development process.
However, the TSA’s response was not included in the clinical evidence summary submitted to NHS England by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for clinical panel review, as NHS England’s published protocols require that only peer reviewed and published clinical evidence can be included in the evidence review. This is so that all policy propositions can be fairly and objectively considered against each other, based on evidence that has been independently reviewed and validated.
If CPAG members wish to have further information, such as the detailed consultation responses, there is a complete library pack to review as appropriate.
NHS England met with the Tuberous Sclerosis Association at a stakeholder surgery on 25 September to discuss the outcome of the prioritisation round and to explain the next steps.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a similar initiative to Child Smile (Scotland) and Designed to Smile (Wales) in order to improve the oral health of children in England.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Government is committed to improving oral health with a particular focus on deprived children. Dental disease is preventable and this is why we are reforming the current dental system to enable dentists to focus more effectively on helping patients prevent future disease as well as treating active disease. And oral health at national level is good. Almost 75% of children now have no decay at five years old.
But we know that deprived groups are significantly over represented in the around 25% of five year olds with decay. Alongside transforming care for those who already attend a dentist regularly we have set up 'Starting Well' a programme that focuses on children who do not already attend a dentist regularly. The Starting Well programme is being led by NHS England and is designed to reach out to families in 13 high need areas with professional advice and support - encouraging regular visits to the dentist and highlighting the importance of prevention for good oral health. The 13 areas are Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Ealing; Kingston Upon Hull; Leicester; Middlesbrough; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; Slough; Wakefield; and Luton.
Alongside this national initiative, NHS England is developing a complementary approach (Starting Well Core) which offers commissioners outside the 13 areas, a commissioning approach similarly designed to facilitate increased access and early preventive care for young children. Decisions on use are for commissioners to make based on their assessment of need locally.
108 dental practices are now participating in the national programme. The programme launched in April 2018 and will have interim evaluation in autumn 2018 and full evaluation by early 2020.
The Government continues to carefully consider all approaches to improving oral health particularly for the children most at risk.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS England’s Starting Well: A Smile4Life Initiative on improving the oral health of children in the 13 high priority areas taking part in that pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Government is committed to improving oral health with a particular focus on deprived children. Dental disease is preventable and this is why we are reforming the current dental system to enable dentists to focus more effectively on helping patients prevent future disease as well as treating active disease. And oral health at national level is good. Almost 75% of children now have no decay at five years old.
But we know that deprived groups are significantly over represented in the around 25% of five year olds with decay. Alongside transforming care for those who already attend a dentist regularly we have set up 'Starting Well' a programme that focuses on children who do not already attend a dentist regularly. The Starting Well programme is being led by NHS England and is designed to reach out to families in 13 high need areas with professional advice and support - encouraging regular visits to the dentist and highlighting the importance of prevention for good oral health. The 13 areas are Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Ealing; Kingston Upon Hull; Leicester; Middlesbrough; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; Slough; Wakefield; and Luton.
Alongside this national initiative, NHS England is developing a complementary approach (Starting Well Core) which offers commissioners outside the 13 areas, a commissioning approach similarly designed to facilitate increased access and early preventive care for young children. Decisions on use are for commissioners to make based on their assessment of need locally.
108 dental practices are now participating in the national programme. The programme launched in April 2018 and will have interim evaluation in autumn 2018 and full evaluation by early 2020.
The Government continues to carefully consider all approaches to improving oral health particularly for the children most at risk.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is planning to make permanent the Starting Well: A Smile4Life Initiative in the 13 high priority areas that have been taking part in that pilot scheme.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Government is committed to improving oral health with a particular focus on deprived children. Dental disease is preventable and this is why we are reforming the current dental system to enable dentists to focus more effectively on helping patients prevent future disease as well as treating active disease. And oral health at national level is good. Almost 75% of children now have no decay at five years old.
But we know that deprived groups are significantly over represented in the around 25% of five year olds with decay. Alongside transforming care for those who already attend a dentist regularly we have set up 'Starting Well' a programme that focuses on children who do not already attend a dentist regularly. The Starting Well programme is being led by NHS England and is designed to reach out to families in 13 high need areas with professional advice and support - encouraging regular visits to the dentist and highlighting the importance of prevention for good oral health. The 13 areas are Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Ealing; Kingston Upon Hull; Leicester; Middlesbrough; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; Slough; Wakefield; and Luton.
Alongside this national initiative, NHS England is developing a complementary approach (Starting Well Core) which offers commissioners outside the 13 areas, a commissioning approach similarly designed to facilitate increased access and early preventive care for young children. Decisions on use are for commissioners to make based on their assessment of need locally.
108 dental practices are now participating in the national programme. The programme launched in April 2018 and will have interim evaluation in autumn 2018 and full evaluation by early 2020.
The Government continues to carefully consider all approaches to improving oral health particularly for the children most at risk.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to roll out the Starting Well: A Smile4Life Initiative across England.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Government is committed to improving oral health with a particular focus on deprived children. Dental disease is preventable and this is why we are reforming the current dental system to enable dentists to focus more effectively on helping patients prevent future disease as well as treating active disease. And oral health at national level is good. Almost 75% of children now have no decay at five years old.
But we know that deprived groups are significantly over represented in the around 25% of five year olds with decay. Alongside transforming care for those who already attend a dentist regularly we have set up 'Starting Well' a programme that focuses on children who do not already attend a dentist regularly. The Starting Well programme is being led by NHS England and is designed to reach out to families in 13 high need areas with professional advice and support - encouraging regular visits to the dentist and highlighting the importance of prevention for good oral health. The 13 areas are Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Ealing; Kingston Upon Hull; Leicester; Middlesbrough; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; Slough; Wakefield; and Luton.
Alongside this national initiative, NHS England is developing a complementary approach (Starting Well Core) which offers commissioners outside the 13 areas, a commissioning approach similarly designed to facilitate increased access and early preventive care for young children. Decisions on use are for commissioners to make based on their assessment of need locally.
108 dental practices are now participating in the national programme. The programme launched in April 2018 and will have interim evaluation in autumn 2018 and full evaluation by early 2020.
The Government continues to carefully consider all approaches to improving oral health particularly for the children most at risk.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake a review of the Small Brewer Relief scheme to remove barriers to growth for small and medium sized brewers.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The government is aware of the challenges that Small Brewers Relief currently poses to growing brewers and we have engaged extensively with the industry in this regard.
We are ready to assist but industry must take the lead in agreeing reforms it thinks would be effective in encouraging growth and avoiding market distortion, whilst limiting costs to the public finances.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the progressive beer duty regime to ensure that the excise duty system supports growth in British beer exports.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The government is engaging with industry on Small Brewers Relief, but any action to encourage exports must be part of a wider, industry-led reform of the Relief and must respect our obligations under the relevant European Union law.