Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on women of recent changes in the pension age
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Women reaching State Pension age in 2016/17 are estimated to receive more State Pension on average over their lifetime than women ever have before.
By 2030, over 3 million women stand to gain an average of £550 per year through the introduction of the new State Pension.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to (a) increase the uptake of screening, (b) encourage early diagnosis and (c) improve the lifestyles of people who have had treatment for primary cancer in the Irish community living in England to reduce the disproportionate incidence and mortality from cancers among that community.
Answered by David Mowat
The independent Cancer Taskforce reported significant variation across England in screening uptake, patient experience and survival outcomes in the 2015 Cancer Strategy.
Public Health England and NHS England are working with general practices with the lowest levels of screening uptake to understand barriers and mechanisms for improvement.
In December 2016 NHS England announced that a £200 million fund will be available to Cancer Alliances and the national cancer vanguard over the next two years to specifically support the areas the Cancer Taskforce’s strategy estimated would need additional investment, including supporting earlier diagnosis and the full roll out of the Recovery Package across all communities.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the (a) National Cancer Intelligence Network and (b) National Cancer Registration and Advisory Service are taking to address gaps in data on (i) screening, (ii) access to services, (iii) cancer staging and (iv) age-related inequalities among the Irish community resident in England.
Answered by David Mowat
The National Cancer Intelligence Network was merged with the National Cancer Registration Service in 2016 to form the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS). Public Health England’s (PHE’s) National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service collects data on all cancers diagnosed in people living in England. NCRAS is working continuously to to improve the quality and completeness of the data held. This includes NCRAS data liaison teams working with the National Health Service trusts to help them submit more high-quality data to the Cancer Register. This has led to more than 85% of cancers diagnosed in 2015 having a complete stage. NCRAS is also working closely with colleagues in PHE Screening to access more screening information in a timely manner.
In addition, NCRAS is using multiple data sources to increase the completeness of data on a person’s ethnic group; to the point where this is now known for 92% of cases. Although we have not carried out any assessment on White Irish people, it is recognised that minority ethnic groups have varied experience of access to cancer services. NCRAS is working with Cancer Research UK on the National Cancer Diagnosis Audit which will help identify variation on cancer diagnosis and related inequalties. The audit has recently finished collecting data on patients diagnosed in 2014, with initial results expected in the summer. Age is also an important factor in cancer inequalities, and by collecting date of birth NCRAS is able to incorporate age into any analyses.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the Common External Tariff on developing countries.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Leaving the Common External Tariff ensures we can take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate our own preferential trade agreements around the world. We are looking into options for future trading arrangements, recognising the need for a smooth transition which minimises disruption for developing countries.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to allow registered birth certificates for children born from 20 weeks gestation.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, as amended, provides for the registration of babies born without signs of life after 24 weeks’ gestation, which is the legal age of viability. Parents of babies who are stillborn after 24 weeks’ gestation receive a medical certificate certifying the stillbirth and, upon registration, can register the baby's name and receive a certificate of registration of stillbirth.
Parliament supported a change to the stillbirth definition from “after 28 weeks” to “after 24 weeks” in 1992, following a clear consensus from the medical profession at that time that the age at which a foetus should be considered able to survive should be changed from 28 to 24 weeks. Medical opinion does not currently support reducing this below 24 weeks of gestation. Therefore, there are no plans to amend the stillbirth definition.
We are aware that some parents find it very distressing that they may not register the birth of a baby born before 24 weeks. However, it is important to recognise there would also be parents distressed at the possibility of having to do so. When a baby is born without signs of life before 24 weeks’ gestation, hospitals may issue a local certificate to commemorate the baby's birth.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he was first told that NHS England proposed to close the congenital heart disease units operating in (a) Manchester, (b) Leicester and (c) at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
Answered by Philip Dunne
No decision has been made to close the congenital heart disease units at Central Manchester, Leicester and at the Royal Brompton Hospital. NHS England will make a decision on its proposals for changes to adult and children’s congenital heart services in England following a consultation announced today. It has worked, and will continue to work, with providers and other stakeholders to assess the impact of these proposals. NHS England intends to publish an impact assessment and other relevant information in due course. Ministers have been briefed regularly on the decision-making process and associated timings throughout the process.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have installed a defibrillator.
Answered by Edward Timpson
We do not hold information on the number of schools that have installed an automated external defibrillator on schools grounds, as the purchasing of a defibrillator is a matter for individual head teachers.
We know however how important swift access to a defibrillator can be in cases of cardiac arrest, which is why the Government is encouraging schools and other eligible settings to purchase a defibrillator as part of their first-aid equipment.
To make it as easy as possible for schools to do so, the Department has negotiated a deal with NHS Supply Chain to offer defibrillators to schools at a reduced cost. Since the scheme was launched in November 2014, 1831 defibrillators have been purchased through this route.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the specific role is of nursing associates; and what effect that role has on the role of qualified nurses.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The new Nursing Associate role will create a bridge between senior healthcare support workers with a Care Certificate and registered nurses.
Nurse Associates will work with healthcare support workers to deliver hands on care, freeing up registered nurses, so they can spend more time using their specialist training to focus on clinical duties and to take more of a lead in decisions on patient care.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of whether it is necessary to improve support services for people with disabilities entering the labour market; and what steps his Department is taking to make recruitment processes accessible for all.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is committed to enabling all disabled people to fulfil their potential and achieve their aspirations. Work is an important part of this, and the Government wants all disabled people and people with a long term health condition to go as far as their talents will take them. Every individual should have the opportunity to work and share in the economic and health benefits that work brings.
A new Disability Confident employer scheme went live on 14 July 2016. When employers sign up as Disability Confident they are asked to make specific meaningful offers of opportunities for disabled people such as jobs, apprenticeships, internships, and work experience opportunities.
We will soon publish a Green Paper that will explore a range of options for long-term reform across different sectors, targeting the factors which contribute to the disability employment gap.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the findings in the Report from the charity Sense, Realising Aspirations for All; and what steps he is taking to ensure that people who are deafblind and those with complex needs benefit from plans to halve the disability employment gap.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We welcome the Sense report, Realising Aspirations for All. We want all disabled people and those with a long term health condition to fulfil their potential and achieve their aspirations.
Everyone has an important part to play in making the transformative changes required for long-term reform on supporting disabled people into work and contributing to halving the disability employment gap.
We will soon publish a Green Paper that will explore a range of options for long-term reform across different sectors enabling everyone to realise their aspirations, regardless of their health condition or disability. We are engaging with a range of stakeholders, including organisations that represent the needs of deafblind people, through our preparatory work and detailed consultation plans that will follow.