Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will hold discussions with the (a) Medical Schools Council and (b) British Medical Association on the effectiveness of preference-informed allocation for foundation placements for medical graduates.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) manages the national application process for the UK Foundation Programme, on behalf of the four statutory education bodies for the United Kingdom. The UKFPO changed the allocation process for the programme this year to a Preference Informed Allocation method. This consisted of applicants being given a computer-generated rank, and removed the requirement for them to sit the Situational Judgement Test. This change was based on engagement with stakeholders, including the Medical Schools Council, and the British Medical Association.
When confirming the move to the new system last year, the UKFPO set out that once implemented, it would be kept under constant review, to make sure it is working well for applicants. The UKFPO has confirmed that 75% of applicants received their first choice of programme this year, a 4% increase on last year.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that degrees awarded by the Open University are recognised as professional qualifications by the (a) Health and Care Professions Council and (b) British Psychological Society.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessment has been made by the Department. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is independent of Government, is the statutory regulator of practitioner psychologists and 14 other professions in the United Kingdom. As part of this responsibility, the HCPC is required by law to set the standards of education, training, and practice for practitioner psychologists, and the other professions it regulates.
Approved education institutions and practice partners develop the specific content and design of programmes to meet the HCPC’s education and training standards. The HCPC approves and monitors training programmes to ensure that they meet its standards. The HCPC’s legislation requires that UK trained applicants to its register must hold an approved qualification.
It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in the design of standards of education and training, or the design of the curricula to meet those standards. This is to respect the independence and expertise of the HCPC and education institutions in designing standards and curricula that ensure public safety.
There are a number of different postgraduate options to train as a psychologist. The British Psychological Society offers qualifications across a number of domains in psychology, to support individuals in their chosen specialism. Completion of one of its qualifications will provide an individual with eligibility to become a Chartered Psychologist.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of hospital compliance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for the treatment of inpatients with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published in October 2021, outlines the expectations for inpatient care for patients with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), who require hospitalisation.
The National Health Service commissions services across England that provide support for people living with ME. In October 2023, the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS published the ME/CFS National Services Survey 2023. This report provides insight into the services being delivered for adults, children, and young people with ME.
No assessment has been made of the extent of hospital compliance with the NICE guidelines on ME. It is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. Whilst guidelines are not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take them fully into account when designing services that meet the needs of their local population. The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.
The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care, and improve patient outcomes. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage those schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME.
Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) is used in the NHS to ensure accurate coding of medical conditions, including ME, in both primary and secondary care records. Within SNOMED CT, all content for ME is contained within a single overarching code, with linked codes for mild, moderate, and severe forms. These can be used by all NHS healthcare providers, including general practitioners. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 people in England and Wales with ME.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure accurate coding of a diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis on both primary and secondary care records.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published in October 2021, outlines the expectations for inpatient care for patients with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), who require hospitalisation.
The National Health Service commissions services across England that provide support for people living with ME. In October 2023, the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS published the ME/CFS National Services Survey 2023. This report provides insight into the services being delivered for adults, children, and young people with ME.
No assessment has been made of the extent of hospital compliance with the NICE guidelines on ME. It is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. Whilst guidelines are not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take them fully into account when designing services that meet the needs of their local population. The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.
The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care, and improve patient outcomes. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage those schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME.
Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) is used in the NHS to ensure accurate coding of medical conditions, including ME, in both primary and secondary care records. Within SNOMED CT, all content for ME is contained within a single overarching code, with linked codes for mild, moderate, and severe forms. These can be used by all NHS healthcare providers, including general practitioners. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 people in England and Wales with ME.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to develop a pathway of care for people with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis who require hospitalisation.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published in October 2021, outlines the expectations for inpatient care for patients with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), who require hospitalisation.
The National Health Service commissions services across England that provide support for people living with ME. In October 2023, the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS published the ME/CFS National Services Survey 2023. This report provides insight into the services being delivered for adults, children, and young people with ME.
No assessment has been made of the extent of hospital compliance with the NICE guidelines on ME. It is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. Whilst guidelines are not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take them fully into account when designing services that meet the needs of their local population. The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.
The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care, and improve patient outcomes. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage those schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME.
Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) is used in the NHS to ensure accurate coding of medical conditions, including ME, in both primary and secondary care records. Within SNOMED CT, all content for ME is contained within a single overarching code, with linked codes for mild, moderate, and severe forms. These can be used by all NHS healthcare providers, including general practitioners. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 people in England and Wales with ME.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the closure of the British Youth Council on youth representation at the local authority level.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I was sorry to learn about the closure of the British Youth Council and want to express gratitude for its work over the years. Whilst the British Youth Council has closed, we will continue to support the UK Youth Parliament as the national programme for democratic participation at the Local Authority Level. In addition, Local Authorities have a Statutory Duty to consult with young people in the planning and delivery of local youth services.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure young people continue to have opportunities for democratic participation at the local authority level following the closure of the British Youth Council.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I was sorry to learn about the closure of the British Youth Council and want to express gratitude for its work over the years. Whilst the British Youth Council has closed, we will continue to support the UK Youth Parliament as the national programme for democratic participation at the Local Authority Level. In addition, Local Authorities have a Statutory Duty to consult with young people in the planning and delivery of local youth services.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, how much aid his Department has provided to China in the last five years.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We stopped direct government-to-government aid to the Chinese Government in 2011. Total FCDO Official Development Assistance (ODA) China spend between 2018-2022 was £103.5 million, including ODA spend such as British Council activity. In a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) in April 2021, the FCDO committed to cut ODA funded programmes in China by 95 per cent from the 2021-22 financial year, which it has delivered. All new ODA programme funding has been limited to supporting our open societies and human rights objectives in China. The projects we fund using ODA typically aim to support those in China who work to improve human rights. Final data for UK ODA spend in 2023 will be available when the next Statistics on International Development (SID) is published in September 2024. A significant proportion of this funding was spent by the British council.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether any funding opportunities are available for the development of cinemas and other cultural venues in urban areas that are currently underserved in terms of cultural infrastructure.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government recognises that cinemas and cultural venues are a hugely important part of the UK’s cultural landscape. We are committed to supporting them and the cultural sector more broadly.
HM Government provides funding opportunities for the arts and other cultural organisations in a range of ways, including direct Government funding, via arm’s-length bodies like Arts Council England, and indirectly through local authorities.
Through Arts Council England’s current investment programme, more than £444 million of public money is being invested each year in arts and culture across England. This is an increase from £410 million in the previous portfolio, and will support 985 organisations across England – more than ever before. In addition, through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grant funding, over £105 million of awards were provided to individuals and arts organisations in 2022/23. This funding programme is open for applications from organisations anywhere in England.
The British Film Institute (BFI) is also conscious of the pressures faced by the cinema sector. The BFI’s Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK. Film hubs are centres of expertise and support which connect cinemas, festivals, and creative practitioners. You can read more about the National Lottery funding the BFI makes available to bring film to a wider UK audience, including through BFI FAN, at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/bring-film-wider-uk-audience.
The Government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund helps to ensure that important parts of the social fabric, such as cinemas, pubs, sports clubs, and theatres, can continue to play a central role in towns and villages across the UK. Round 4 is the final round of the Community Ownership Fund, and the last window for bids will open in late May. You can find out more about the next round of the Community Ownership Fund at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-ownership-fund-prospectus
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to support the (a) establishment and (b) maintenance of (i) cinemas and (ii) cultural venues in towns.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government recognises that cinemas and cultural venues are a hugely important part of the UK’s cultural landscape. We are committed to supporting them and the cultural sector more broadly.
HM Government provides funding opportunities for the arts and other cultural organisations in a range of ways, including direct Government funding, via arm’s-length bodies like Arts Council England, and indirectly through local authorities.
Through Arts Council England’s current investment programme, more than £444 million of public money is being invested each year in arts and culture across England. This is an increase from £410 million in the previous portfolio, and will support 985 organisations across England – more than ever before. In addition, through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grant funding, over £105 million of awards were provided to individuals and arts organisations in 2022/23. This funding programme is open for applications from organisations anywhere in England.
The British Film Institute (BFI) is also conscious of the pressures faced by the cinema sector. The BFI’s Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK. Film hubs are centres of expertise and support which connect cinemas, festivals, and creative practitioners. You can read more about the National Lottery funding the BFI makes available to bring film to a wider UK audience, including through BFI FAN, at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/bring-film-wider-uk-audience.
The Government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund helps to ensure that important parts of the social fabric, such as cinemas, pubs, sports clubs, and theatres, can continue to play a central role in towns and villages across the UK. Round 4 is the final round of the Community Ownership Fund, and the last window for bids will open in late May. You can find out more about the next round of the Community Ownership Fund at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-ownership-fund-prospectus