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690320

	registered interest
	date	17/02/2017
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	China: Older People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department provides for care in the community for the elderly in China.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	64035
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2017 answer text ​<p>The Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office does not provide direct support for care in the community for the elderly in China. However, this financial year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded three projects that relate to the provision of care to the elderly in China, which all involve collaboration between UK and Chinese partners in the healthcare sector.</p><p> </p><p>The three projects amount to £200,000. It is worth noting that in December British organisations signed deals worth in excess of £100 million during the largest ever healthcare trade mission to China. Given wider demographic trends, the elderly care sector in China is an area of potential future commercial opportunity, to which UK providers are well-placed to respond. Sharing world class British expertise in public healthcare will therefore help to create further commercial opportunities for UK companies in China, which in turn will help safeguard and create jobs in the UK and strengthen the healthcare sector in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 22/02/2017 17:32:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

641313

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2016
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	NHS England
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the change in the level of NHS England's administration costs since the introduction of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	54009
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2016 answer text <p>“Total Administration Costs” spending outturns are reported each year in NHS England’s own Annual Report and Accounts. The following table confirms the figures reported in those accounts:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£ million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>1,898</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>1,780</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>1,649</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Therefore, the change in these costs equates to £249 million, a decrease of 13% in cash terms over the three completed financial years.</p> answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne question first answered 24/11/2016 15:07:35 answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

756112

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Jobcentres: Closures
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of jobcentre and Jobcentre Plus closures on the ability of jobcentre users to access job opportunities.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	6966
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2017 answer text <p>Work Coaches work with claimants to ensure that they optimise their chances in the labour market.</p><p> </p><p>This includes supporting claimants to develop their confidence and capability to access the widest range of job opportunities, signposting to suitable sources of vacancies and specialist services.</p><p> </p><p>This support is a core element of the jobcentre service which will be provided from the claimant’s new jobcentre.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 07/09/2017 16:01:16 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

683103

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Inflation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent trends in inflation on low income families with children; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	62698
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2017 answer text <p>We have not assessed the very latest trends in inflation on low income families with children but have supplied latest published estimates for 2014/15 in the form of absolute low income rates and numbers for children and their families.</p><p> </p><p>Rates and numbers of children in both relative and absolute low income households are published annually in Households Below Average Income. Chapter 4 in ‘supporting tables’ show various income breakdowns for children and their families</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201415" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201415</a></p><p> </p><p>The absolute low income threshold is based on 60% of median income in 2010/11 and is then uprated by inflation for each year thereafter. As such the absolute measure captures how low income has changed with reference to inflation.</p><p> </p><p>Latest data show:</p><p>- Since 2010 there are 200,000 fewer children in absolute low income (and 100,000 fewer children in relative low income) on a Before Housing Costs basis.</p><p>- In 2015 there were 2.3 million children in absolute low income Before Housing Costs – a joint record low.</p><p>- Between 2014 and 2015, average incomes grew at their fastest rate since 2002.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to building a country that works for everyone – not just the privileged few. That is why our forthcoming Green Paper will identify and address the root causes of child poverty and disadvantage, building on the new statutory indicators of parental worklessness and children’s educational attainment set out in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 09/02/2017 17:07:37 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

756113

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Jobcentres: Closures
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment was carried out prior to jobcentre and Jobcentre Plus closures on the potential effect of such closures on the levels of (a) poverty and (b) unemployment in the affected areas.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	6967
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2017 answer text <p>Throughout the redesign of DWP’s estate, the department has been mindful of its duties under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and the impact of its plans on its colleagues and customers. DWP can confirm that an Equality Analysis’ were undertaken for each site that is closing or moving.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 07/09/2017 16:39:02 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

652721

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2016
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Health Services: Procurement
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the expenditure on tendering and bidding processes by health services in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	56288
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2016 answer text <p>This information is not held centrally.</p> answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne question first answered 12/12/2016 14:54:04 answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

690321

	registered interest
	date	17/02/2017
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	China: Clothing and Film
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department provides for projects to develop the Chinese fashion and film industry.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	64036
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2017 answer text <p>This financial year, the Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office has funded one project in China working with the fashion industry, with £65,420 funds allocated. This project involves UK cultural institutions and Higher Education providers working with Chinese policymakers and fashion professionals.</p><p> </p><p>The FCO has funded three projects working with the TV and film industry in China. These projects are all implemented by British organisations working with China's film industry and television production companies and policy makers improve skills, expertise, and policy frameworks for operating in international markets. One project, with £80,000 funds allocated, is designed to enhance UK-China collaboration, including on co-productions and film exports. Another project, with £79,325 funds allocated, supports building of capacity building in the Chinese TV industry. The third project, with £28,390 funds allocated, is designed to strengthen skills and Intellectual Property protection in Jiangsu's creative sector.</p><p> </p><p>All these projects aim to develop China's domestic and international creative and cultural industries, and to generate opportunities for international business, including UK companies already in China and other UK companies seeking access to the growing Chinese market. As an example, at the annual high-level People to People Dialogue between UK and Chinese Ministers in December, the UK agreed a TV Co-Production Treaty with China, which will deliver a boost of around £55m per year for the UK television industry by helping UK exporters access the Chinese market. FCO projects in these sectors help develop links between UK and Chinese companies.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 22/02/2017 17:35:15 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

682433

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the benefit freeze on trends in the level of child poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	62502
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2017 answer text <p>This Government is committed to building a country that works for everyone. That is why our forthcoming Green Paper will identify and address the root causes of child poverty, building on the new statutory indicators of parental worklessness and children’s educational attainment set out in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.</p><p> </p><p>We know that work is the best route out of poverty. The Government’s welfare reforms – including the measures in that Act to increase work incentives and reduce welfare dependency – are working. We now have the lowest rate of unemployment in over a decade, and the lowest number of workless households since records began. 557,000 fewer children are now living in workless households than in 2010. There is clear evidence that good quality work is linked to better physical and mental health and improved wellbeing, and better parental health is associated with better outcomes for children.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is also increasing the National Living Wage to £9 an hour by 2020, helping give lower earners their fastest pay rise in 20 years.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 08/02/2017 16:47:41 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

706753

	registered interest
	date	01/03/2017
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Respite Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to work with the Department for Education to ensure that children with complex disabilities and their families can access short breaks for respite which meet their health needs.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	66051
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2017 answer text <p>The recommendations of the Palliative Care Funding Review in England led to the development of a currency model that sought greater equity in funding of specialist palliative care in all settings, including for respite care for children with palliative care needs. The intention to publish the new currency model was signalled in 2016 as part of the National Tariff for 2017/19 Tariff Engagement Document, which is available online on the NHS Improvement website at:</p><p><a href="https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/national-tariff-policy-proposals-1718-and-1819/" target="_blank">https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/national-tariff-policy-proposals-1718-and-1819/</a></p><p> </p><p>NHS England will very shortly be publishing the currency model and guidance on how the currencies can be used to support commissioning and payment for palliative care services locally.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide short break services for disabled children. Clinical commissioning groups should be considering respite needs as part of their role in securing services to meet people’s health needs. In addition, under the statutory framework introduced in 2014, local authorities in England and clinical commissioning groups must agree joint arrangements for supporting the health, education and social care needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities, including respite care. The Care Quality Commission and Ofsted are currently reviewing these arrangements in all local areas.</p><p>The Department of Health and the Department for Education work closely together in supporting commissioners across health, social care and education in securing services for children with complex needs and disabilities.</p> answering member constituency Warrington South answering member printed David Mowat grouped question UIN 66049 question first answered 07/03/2017 14:54:02 answering member 4080 label Biography information for David Mowat
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

706754

	registered interest
	date	01/03/2017
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Palliative Care: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will implement the recommendation in the Palliative Care Funding Review that short breaks which provide respite for the carers and families of children requiring palliative care should be funded by local authorities and the NHS under their respective legal short breaks duties.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	66049
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2017 answer text <p>The recommendations of the Palliative Care Funding Review in England led to the development of a currency model that sought greater equity in funding of specialist palliative care in all settings, including for respite care for children with palliative care needs. The intention to publish the new currency model was signalled in 2016 as part of the National Tariff for 2017/19 Tariff Engagement Document, which is available online on the NHS Improvement website at:</p><p><a href="https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/national-tariff-policy-proposals-1718-and-1819/" target="_blank">https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/national-tariff-policy-proposals-1718-and-1819/</a></p><p> </p><p>NHS England will very shortly be publishing the currency model and guidance on how the currencies can be used to support commissioning and payment for palliative care services locally.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide short break services for disabled children. Clinical commissioning groups should be considering respite needs as part of their role in securing services to meet people’s health needs. In addition, under the statutory framework introduced in 2014, local authorities in England and clinical commissioning groups must agree joint arrangements for supporting the health, education and social care needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities, including respite care. The Care Quality Commission and Ofsted are currently reviewing these arrangements in all local areas.</p><p>The Department of Health and the Department for Education work closely together in supporting commissioners across health, social care and education in securing services for children with complex needs and disabilities.</p> answering member constituency Warrington South answering member printed David Mowat grouped question UIN 66051 question first answered 07/03/2017 14:54:02 answering member 4080 label Biography information for David Mowat
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford