Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason paramedics employed by air ambulance charities are excluded from eligibility for the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; and if his Department will review that policy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Employees of air ambulance charities and independent ambulance services are not eligible for the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as they are not employed by the National Health Service or an NHS foundation trust. There are no current plans to extend the eligibility of the award.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to support research into glioblastoma and other less survivable cancers.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
I am very grateful to the Honourable Gentleman for bringing this challenge to my attention.
We are working closely with research partners, and I am pleased to say that more research is being funded as we continue to encourage more researchers to become involved in what remains a challenging scientific area, with a relatively small research community.
My office is in the process of arranging meetings with key stakeholders in this area. This includes leading charities and a separate meeting between leadership of the MHRA and honourable members who are similarly passionate to see advances in research.
This is an issue close to my heart, and I am confident that the Government's continued commitment to funding will help us make progress towards effective treatments.