Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of particle pollutants on children's health and development in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
The independent expert advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) published a statement on the evidence linking air pollution to effects on children’s health in 2008. This acknowledged the conclusions of a report by the World Health Organization (2005) of effects on children’s health, including development of lung function, but also noted that the evidence for some effects was from areas where levels of air pollutants were higher than those found in the United Kingdom.
In 2010 COMEAP published a statement on the evidence linking air pollution with childhood asthma. The evidence confirmed that exposure to ambient concentrations of air pollutants is associated with an increase in exacerbations of asthma in those who already have the condition. The evidence for air pollution causing new cases of asthma is less clear. However, COMEAP concluded that it is possible that air pollution plays a part in the induction of asthma in some individuals who live near busy roads, particularly roads carrying high numbers of heavy goods vehicles.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to target the recruitment of new GPs to practices with high levels of clinical need and deprivation.
Answered by Philip Dunne
NHS England, Health Education England (HEE), the British Medical Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners (GPs) have been working together to support recruitment in areas to which it has traditionally been hard to recruit to.
NHS England is offering £20,000 bursaries to attract over 100 GP trainees to work in areas of the country where GP training places have been unfilled for a number of years. The offer is open to GP trainees committed to working for three years in one of the locations. The initiative is designed to relieve pressure on some of the GP practices in England currently facing the most severe recruitment challenge.
The GP Forward View complements the 10 point plan that was introduced in January 2015. A £10 million investment was announced by NHS England from the infrastructure fund to kick start a new plan to expand the general practice workforce. The money is being used to recruit new GPs, retain those that are thinking of leaving the profession, encourage doctors to return to general practice and to develop a multi-professional workforce. HEE is responsible for five areas of the 10 Point Plan:
- Promoting General Practice;
- Improve Breadth of Training;
- Training Hubs;
- New Ways of Working (which includes the Primary Care Workforce Commission); and
- Easy Return to Practice.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Foods Standards Agency to review the licence granted for BHM Food Group Ltd to operate an abattoir in Boosbeck.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
BHM Food Group Ltd are no longer approved to operate as a slaughterhouse. They remain conditionally approved as a cutting plant and minced meat establishment. A third and final approval assessment will be conducted by 11 November 2016 to check their compliance against all relevant requirements of food law. If they have not met all these requirements their application for full approval will be refused.
The Food Standards Agency is aware of concerns raised by local residents regarding the environmental impact of a slaughterhouse sited within the village of Boosbeck. However, the Agency is not the competent authority for environmental hygiene matters which inform planning consent. Both of these roles (Environmental Health and Planning) are fulfilled by the local authority.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has had any meetings with representatives of the Prescription Charges Coalition.
Answered by David Mowat
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lord Prior) met with representatives of the Prescription Charges Coalition on 25 May 2016.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the financial cost to local authorities of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards for people who are placed in care homes or hospitals for their care or treatment.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department published an impact assessment on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in 2008; it has made no further estimate. The Law Commission’s review of the safeguards, which has been commissioned by the Department, is expected to be published at the end of the year.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle obesity in (a) the North East and (b) England.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We launched Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action on 18 August. A copy of the plan is attached and is available at:
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the level of alcohol dependency in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Research shows that around three quarters of people in contact with the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom have a problem with alcohol and over a third are dependent on alcohol; this includes those in police custody, those in probation settings and those in the prison system.
Public Health England has advised that in 2014/15 there were 79,952 new presentations to alcohol treatment in the community. 7,688 (10%) of these were referred to treatment via the criminal justice system (including arrest referral services, prisons and probation). See Report on Adult substance misuse statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring Service 2014-15, table 4.5.1, which is available at:
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to develop (a) interventions for people with alcohol problems before they commit criminal offences and (b) support for people with alcohol problems within the criminal justice system; and if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of research by Professor Newbury-Birch of Teesside University, published in June 2016, on alcohol and the criminal justice system.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Across government, we have sought new ways to help rehabilitate offenders and support them to improve their health and live crime free lives. We take account of available evidence and research findings when developing new responses to alcohol dependency for people in the criminal justice system.
Liaison and Diversion services which currently cover 53% of the population in England, provide early interventions for individuals of all ages, including those with alcohol problems, and inform decision-makers in the criminal justice system when sentencing people referred to these services.
Liaison and Diversion services can help limit the number of court hearings, avoiding costly adjournments and periods on remand. Where appropriate, vulnerable offenders including those with drug and alcohol problems can be diverted away from the criminal justice system entirely.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce health inequalities.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Reducing health inequalities is a priority for this Government.
We are acting to reduce health inequalities by addressing the social causes of ill health, promoting healthier lifestyles for all and tackling differences in outcomes of NHS services, all underpinned by legal duties.
We have taken an evidence-based, strategic approach to reducing health inequalities, based on sound governance, accountability and good partnership working and are moving towards greater use of metrics and measurement taking more account of the action taken to respond to the latest evidence, data and trends. This approach is reflected across the health system and beyond with NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) playing their part.
Achieving measureable and sustained reductions in health inequalities is integral to the Department’s Shared Delivery Plan 2015-20, and reflected in the Government’s mandate to NHS England, the NHS Constitution, NHS England’s Five Year Forward View, PHE’s Evidence into Action and supporting strategic and business plans at national and local level. NHS England’s Business Plan for 2016/17 prioritises closing the gap for groups experiencing poorer health outcomes, a poorer experience of, and access to, healthcare. PHE is supporting local and national efforts to address health inequalities by providing knowledge and intelligence, and evidence-informed tools and advice.
The 2012 Health and Social Care Act introduced new duties on the Secretary of State, NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and Monitor to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities in decision-making and carrying out functions. We have also made having regard to the need to reduce health inequalities a condition of the public health grant to local authorities.