Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of interventional neuroradiologists required to meet NHS Long Term Plan commitments of providing a 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy service in all parts of the country; and how many practising interventional neuroradiologists there were as at 8 December 2021.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
It is estimated that approximately 150 whole time equivalent interventional neuroradiologists are required to deliver resilient and sustainable thrombectomy services and ensure access to 24 hours a day, seven days a week mechanical thrombectomy. The latest number of practising interventional neuroradiologists is not currently available. However, this information is being collated for regional thrombectomy quality reviews which will be published in spring 2022.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of stroke patients receive a thrombectomy in each region in England as of 8 December 2021.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The information is not held in the format requested.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions officials in his Department have had with the General Medical Council on the investment needed to support a credentialing process that will enable specialists from disciplines other than interventional neuroradiology to perform mechanical thrombectomy.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The General Medical Council (GMC) is developing a credential in interventional neuroradiology (acute stroke) to allow specialists in areas such as neurosurgery, neurology and stroke medicine, to train in the delivery of mechanical thrombectomy for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke.
The Department, the devolved administrations and statutory education bodies are discussing funding arrangements for medical credentials with the GMC, including for interventional radiology. We are committed to ensuring that there is equitable and proportionate funding arrangements for all credentials where they have been commissioned.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what modelling his Department has undertaken to estimate the capital investment required to (a) bring thrombectomy centres up to providing 24/7 provision and (b) establish thrombectomy centres in those areas that currently do not have them; and if he will publish that modelling.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department has not undertaken any specific modelling regarding thrombectomy centres. These centres are not part of any central capital investment programmes. However, thrombectomy centres may be an area of prioritisation for local investment plans and therefore form part of a larger capital development scheme.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason there is no policy lead for stroke within his Department; and if he will appoint that role.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department's NHS Quality, Safety and Investigations Directorate is responsible for the oversight of policy related to strokes.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent estimate he has made of the average time between an offer of funding to remediate dangerous cladding being made by his Department and a Grant Funding Agreement being signed by the applicant.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government acknowledges that remediation of unsafe cladding is complex and each individual project will vary in their journey through the funding application process. Detailed information on the Building Safety Fund application process and estimated timelines can be found in the Building Safety Fund application guidance available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#building-safety-fund-application-process
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the average amount spent by owners of buildings is on legal advice on their Grant Funding Agreement between the agreement being offered by his Department and the owner signing that agreement.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
This information is not held by the Department.
The Government's funding covers all reasonable costs directly related to the remediation of unsafe cladding systems which may include legal fees involved with managing an application and a remediation project. This would be paid out together with other costs associated with the remediation project.
As a condition of funding, we require that all Government funding received, including for legal costs, are to be paid into an account which is for the benefit of leaseholders. This means that the funding can only be used for the remediation project, with no eligible project costs being passed onto leaseholders.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of call handlers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Throughout the pandemic the DVLA’s contact centre has actively managed its operation and flexed the services for customers in line with the available resources. This has included procuring the use of an additional building to increase the number of staff able to take calls within the social distancing guidelines. Remote working has been increased with staff handling email, webchat, social media and more recently telephone customer contacts.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce licensing backlogs at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The quickest and easiest way to make an application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is by using its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.
However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application. The DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day and industrial action by members of the Public and Commercial Services union has led to delays for customers. Throughout the pandemic DVLA has also been working with a significantly reduced number of staff on site to ensure social distancing in line with Welsh Government requirements. The current increased demand for the DVLA’s services has also contributed to delays with paper applications.
Paper driving licence applications are currently taking between six and ten weeks to process. There may be additional delays in processing more complex transactions, for example if medical investigations are needed. The latest information on turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found here.
The DVLA continues to explore opportunities to reduce turnaround times and has introduced new online services and recruited additional staff. The DVLA is exploring the possibility of securing extra office space to accommodate more staff to work predominantly on drivers’ medical casework and queries. This will be surge capacity accommodation and resource to help reduce backlogs while providing future resilience and business continuity.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has made any offers of assistance to the South African Government in response to violence and unrest in that country.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK was concerned by the recent outbreak of violence and looting in the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which sadly resulted in loss of life, injuries, and substantial damage to buildings and businesses. We welcome the South African Government's determination to restore calm and strongly support President Ramaphosa's emphasis on the importance of the rule of law. Our High Commission remains in regular contact with the South African authorities. As a long-standing friend of South Africa, the UK will continue to partner closely with the South African Government, business and civil society on a shared agenda of security, health, economic and social issues.