Screening arrangements at London Heathrow and the other ports remain under constant review.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-03-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-03-24T14:59:12.687Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-03-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether, in the light of the containment of the ebola epidemic in West Africa, they intend to review the ebola screening arrangements at Heathrow.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1665", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Avebury"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Avebury"} ], "uin" : "HL5590"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173425", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173425/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, has advised that the overall risk to the public remains low. The United Kingdom has robust, well-developed and well-tested public health and National Health Service systems for preventing and managing infectious diseases including any imported case of this type of disease, supported by a wide range of experts and specialist units. NHS England has recently received assurance from all NHS acute and ambulance chief executives of their readiness for an Ebola case.<\/p>
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Screening arrangements are in place at the UK\u2019s main ports of entry for people travelling from the affected regions. Screening involves temperature checks and a questionnaire asking about current health, recent travel history and any contact with Ebola patients. Passengers are required to provide contact details and are given advice on what to do and whom to contact should they develop symptoms.<\/p>
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In addition to weekly meetings with the Devolved Administrations at official level, I hold regular meetings with the health minister counterparts in the Devolved Administrations on UK Ebola preparedness and response.<\/p>
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A number of national and local multi-agency exercises have been conducted in recent months to test operational resilience and provide assurance of Ebola preparedness. This included a recent exercise involving all four nations of the UK. The case of the British nurse recently returned from Sierra Leone demonstrated that the systems put in place across the UK to prepare for and respond to a case of Ebola worked well. In the light of that case, Public Health England has reviewed and further strengthened its screening protocols to ensure that anyone from a higher risk group who feels unwell at the time of screening will be reassessed. Advice will also be sought from an infectious diseases specialist and the passenger will be referred for testing if appropriate. The screening centres at Heathrow were viewed first-hand by the Chief Medical Officer and myself on 1 January 2015 and all arrangements, including the revised protocols, were found to be working well. We will continue to keep screening arrangements under review and look to improve or strengthen the process as guided by expert clinical advice.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-20T13:05:31.94Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"} , "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, what recent progress he has made in preventing the Ebola virus spreading in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/655", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr William McCrea"} ], "uin" : "220593"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170450", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170450/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Staff deployed as part of Her Majesty\u2019s Government programme with the Department for International Development (DfID) and UK-Med are being released by their employing organisation and will return to their post after deployment, unless otherwise agreed between the individual and their organisation. They will continue to be remunerated in line with normal arrangements. Pension payments and their normal salary continue to be paid by their employer. The reasonable costs of backfill, to enable them to be released from their normal duties to carry out this work, is paid through a grant from DfID, administered through UK-Med.<\/p>
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Individuals who choose to deploy independently outside the UK International Emergency Medical Register process are responsible for agreeing directly with their NHS employer their release, return, and any salary and pension arrangements.<\/p>
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<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "218641"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-06T13:47:44.573Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"} , "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, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2014 to Question 217522, whether the jobs of all NHS workers that are deployed to Ebola-affected regions are kept open for their return.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1579", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mary Creagh"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wakefield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mary Creagh"} ], "uin" : "218640"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170451", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170451/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Staff deployed as part of Her Majesty\u2019s Government programme with the Department for International Development (DfID) and UK-Med are being released by their employing organisation and will return to their post after deployment, unless otherwise agreed between the individual and their organisation. They will continue to be remunerated in line with normal arrangements. Pension payments and their normal salary continue to be paid by their employer. The reasonable costs of backfill, to enable them to be released from their normal duties to carry out this work, is paid through a grant from DfID, administered through UK-Med.<\/p>
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Individuals who choose to deploy independently outside the UK International Emergency Medical Register process are responsible for agreeing directly with their NHS employer their release, return, and any salary and pension arrangements.<\/p>
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<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "218640"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-06T13:47:44.697Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"} , "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, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2014 to Question 217522, what the (a) pension payments and (b) other salary arrangements are for NHS staff while deployed to Ebola-affected regions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1579", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mary Creagh"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wakefield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mary Creagh"} ], "uin" : "218641"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/168695", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/168695/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DFID Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives from Medecins sans Frontieres, ActionAid, CARE, Concern, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, UNICEF and World Vision to discuss Ebola.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1555", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justine Greening"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Putney"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justine Greening"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-11T17:10:05.26Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, on what date Ministers and officials in her Department first met (a) Médecins sans Frontières, (b) ActionAid, (c) CARE, (d) Concern, (e) International Rescue Committee, (f) Save the Children, (g) UNICEF and (h) WorldVision to discuss Ebola.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3981", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anas Sarwar"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anas Sarwar"} ], "uin" : "217591"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167392", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167392/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research into Ebola through the UK Research Councils who support a number of research projects addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes work on vaccines, treatments and interventions, and finding a cure.<\/p>
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Current Medical Research Council (MRC) funded research includes a £2.8m grant funding jointly by the MRC, the Wellcome Trust and DFID to allow a team led by the University of Oxford to test the safety of a candidate vaccine alongside similar trials in the US.<\/p>
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The MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, at Imperial College London, is an official WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling. Researchers there have been providing advice to the WHO regarding the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa and contributed to a study reviewing data since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2013 to determine the scale of the epidemic, better understand the spread of the disease, and explore what it will take to reverse the trend of infections.<\/p>
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The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is supporting one £3.6m study which aims to improve our understanding of the cultural and political dimension to inform interventions. In addition researchers funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) are using the Diamond Light Source to investigate emerging viruses are making an Ebola protein for therapeutic antibodies. The Diamond Light Source is the UK\u2019s national synchrotron and is also funded by STFC.<\/p>
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