Under the Abortion Act 1967, women have early access to safe, legal, high quality abortion services. There were 194,668 abortions performed under the provisions of the Abortion Act in England and Wales in 2017, with 98% of abortions being funded by the National Health Service.<\/p>
<\/p>
Abortion is an issue on which the Government adopts a neutral stance. Proposals for legislative change are a matter for backbenchers to bring forward and decisions are made on the basis of free votes.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4065", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thurrock"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jackie Doyle-Price"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-05T12:41:12.98Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Abortion Act 1967"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4658", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Sobel"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds North West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Sobel"} ], "uin" : "167388"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/946970", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/946970/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department commissioned the York Health Economics Consortium and the School of Pharmacy at the University of London to carry out research to determine the scale, causes and costs of waste medicines in England. The report, \u2018Evaluation of the Scale, Causes and Costs of Waste Medicines\u2019, was published on 23 November 2010. This found that the gross cost of unused prescription medicines in primary and community care in the NHS in England in 2009 was £300 million a year and that up to £150 million of this was avoidable. The report is available at the following link:<\/p>
<\/p>
http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1350234/<\/a><\/p> <\/p> A number of initiatives have been taken, which NHS England expects will directly impact on medicines wastage. This includes the deployment of clinical pharmacists in general practice and in care homes to undertake medicines reviews. In addition, work to address problematic polypharmacy and ensure appropriate de-prescribing of medicines and addressing variation through the use of RightCare principles is also expected to contribute to a reduction in medicines waste.<\/p> <\/p> NHS England is also leading on the Medicines Value Programme, the aim being to improve value in terms of improving patient outcomes while maintaining an affordable medicines bill.<\/p> <\/p> While recognising the importance of reducing medicines wastage from a value for money perspective, the key to securing a reduction in medicines wastage is implementation of the principles of medicines optimisation, ensuring that each patient receives the right medicine, at the right dosage, at the right time.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4067", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Brine"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Winchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Steve Brine"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-06T16:08:45.537Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prescription Drugs"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the waste of prescription medicine.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Royston Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Southampton, Itchen"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Royston Smith"}
], "uin" : "167318"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/946990", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/946990/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department does not hold this information centrally.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4067", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Brine"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Winchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Steve Brine"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-06T15:59:30.903Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Smoking"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people have taken up smoking in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Royston Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Southampton, Itchen"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Royston Smith"}
], "uin" : "167327"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/947037", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/947037/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " A list of agencies and other public bodies which are accountable to the Department of Health and Social Care are listed on GOV.UK at the following link:<\/p> <\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations<\/a><\/p> <\/p> All accounts that are published will appear on the bodies\u2019 websites.<\/p> <\/p> As per the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, there is no legal requirement for agencies or other public bodies to publish their accounts before the January following year end.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-06T15:53:29.35Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care: Annual Reports"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which agencies and other public bodies accountable to him will not have published their annual report and accounts for 2017-2018 by 31 July 2018; and what the reasons are for each such body not having done so by that date.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/394", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Clive Betts"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield South East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Clive Betts"}
], "uin" : "167136"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/945526", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/945526/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The commissioning of health and social care services for children with disabilities is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups and local authorities respectively. Local commissioners are best placed to assess the needs of the local population, and to mitigate any shortfalls.<\/p> <\/p> In 2014, the Government introduced a new statutory framework requiring local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to commission jointly services for children with special educational needs and disability, across health, social care and education. Since 2014, £327 million has been given to local areas to support implementation of these new arrangements, in addition to the high needs budget for placements for pupils with complex special educational needs which is £6 billion this year, the highest it has ever been.<\/p> <\/p> Every local area\u2019s arrangements are being inspected jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, in addition to their role inspecting providers.<\/p> <\/p> There are no plans to establish a disabled children\u2019s fund. Funding for the National Health Service will grow on average by 3.4% in real terms each year from 2019/20 to 2023/24; by 2023/24 the NHS budget will increase by over £20 billion a year in real terms compared with today.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "166436"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-07-25T10:23:42.233Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disability: Health Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the gap between demand and funding for health services for disabled children and their families; what steps he is taking to address any such gap; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/104", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Crispin Blunt"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reigate"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Crispin Blunt"}
], "uin" : "166433"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/945570", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/945570/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is committed to continuing to support informal carers, and to do so in a way that supports their own health and wellbeing, employment and other life chances.<\/p> <\/p> That is why, on 5 June, the Department published a cross-Government action plan of targeted work to support carers over the next two years. This is available at the following link:<\/p> <\/p>