The Department\u2019s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funding a £2 million five-year programme of research to understand the reasons why cancer diagnosis may be delayed, and to consider new designs for testing for cancer. The programme is a partnership between the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Bangor, Durham, Oxford, Exeter, the NIHR and Bristol NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. The programme objectives are to design and test new service pathways to cancer diagnosis which are based on sound medical evidence, make efficient use of resources and take full account of patients' views. The programme ends in June 2015.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department\u2019s Policy Research Programme funds the Policy Research Unit in Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London. The unit carries out research to inform the development of policies that promote diagnosis of cancers at an earlier stage than that prevailing at the moment. These might include policies to enhance access to screening and diagnostic facilities, technical innovations in screening and diagnosis, policies to improve public awareness of cancer and cancer symptoms, and to encourage prompt seeking of medical advice for symptoms. The unit is addressing this need with a programme of research carried out in all areas of England in co-operation with screening services, primary and secondary care.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
We take the issue of ensuring rapid access to innovative therapies, including those for cancer, very seriously. This is why we have launched an external review of the pathways for the development, assessment and adoption of innovative medicines and medical technology. This review will consider how to speed up access for National Health Service patients to cost-effective new diagnostics, medicines and devices. It will set out both short and long-term options for action by Government and relevant bodies (including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and NHS England), and mark a major contribution to the policy debate.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4020", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Freeman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Norfolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Freeman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T17:24:19.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cancer"}
, "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, if he will commission research on (a) innovative pathways to diagnose cancer earlier and (b) encouraging the use of such pathways in the NHS.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Washington and Sunderland West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Sharon Hodgson"}
], "uin" : "215202"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156583", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156583/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " None. Under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement, joint UK/US experiments have been carried out using facilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston to ensure the continued safety, security, and performance of UK and US nuclear warhead stockpiles; these experiments would not have been prohibited in the US.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1542", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Philip Dunne"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ludlow"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Philip Dunne"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T17:06:25.277Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "AWE Aldermaston"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page Ev 94 of Attachment 1 to the written evidence submitted by the British Pugwash Group, in the Sixth Report of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Session 2009-10, Global Security: UK-US relations, HC 114, on what occasions and for what purposes US nuclear weapons laboratories have used experimental facilities at the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston to conduct tests that were prohibited in the US.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Flynn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Flynn"}
], "uin" : "215163"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156584", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156584/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Benefits paid by EEA countries to UK citizens in their territory are paid directly to the claimant and are not recorded by the Department.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> The Department collects information on the numbers but not the nationality of claimants in receipt of exportable UK benefits in the European Economic Area (EEA). The actual costs are not recorded separately.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4084", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Esther McVey"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wirral West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Esther McVey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T12:31:15.397Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: British Nationals Abroad"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department holds details on the total annual value of welfare benefits claimed in each EU member state by British citizens.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Flynn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Flynn"}
], "uin" : "215270"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156585", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156585/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We have no plans to mandate the provision of the annual flu vaccination.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Frontline health and social care workers have a duty of care to protect their patients and service users, colleagues and family members from infection. Therefore, as in previous years, free flu immunisation should be offered by National Health Service organisations to all employees directly involved in delivering care. This is not an NHS service, but an occupational health responsibility being provided to NHS staff by employers. Social care providers and independent primary care providers should also consider vaccination of staff.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, emphasises the need to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that care workers are free of and are protected from exposure to infections that can be caught at work and that all staff are suitably educated in the prevention and control of infection associated with the provision of health and social care.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Code of Practice states that registered providers should ensure that policies and procedures are in place in relation to the prevention and control of infection. This includes access to occupational health services and that employers should make vaccine available free of charge to employees if a risk assessment indicates that it is needed.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> A copy of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice is attached.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156585/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "The Health and Social Care Act 2008- Code of Practice.pdf"}
, "title" : "Code of Practice "}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "215143"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T17:37:46.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Influenza: Vaccination"}
, "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, if he will make it his policy to impose a statutory obligation on the employers of home care workers to provide free influenza vaccinations to their home care employees.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/95", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Andrew Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Oxford East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Andrew Smith"}
], "uin" : "215142"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156586", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156586/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We have no plans to mandate the provision of the annual flu vaccination.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Frontline health and social care workers have a duty of care to protect their patients and service users, colleagues and family members from infection. Therefore, as in previous years, free flu immunisation should be offered by National Health Service organisations to all employees directly involved in delivering care. This is not an NHS service, but an occupational health responsibility being provided to NHS staff by employers. Social care providers and independent primary care providers should also consider vaccination of staff.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, emphasises the need to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that care workers are free of and are protected from exposure to infections that can be caught at work and that all staff are suitably educated in the prevention and control of infection associated with the provision of health and social care.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Code of Practice states that registered providers should ensure that policies and procedures are in place in relation to the prevention and control of infection. This includes access to occupational health services and that employers should make vaccine available free of charge to employees if a risk assessment indicates that it is needed.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> A copy of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice is attached.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156586/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "The Health and Social Care Act 2008- Code of Practice.pdf"}
, "title" : "Code of Practice "}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "215142"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T17:37:46.337Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Influenza: Vaccination"}
, "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, if he will require it to be a condition of commissioning home care provision that employers of home care workers pay for influenza vaccinations for their domiciliary workforce.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/95", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Andrew Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Oxford East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Andrew Smith"}
], "uin" : "215143"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156587", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156587/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Securing the resolution of its sovereign debts is a matter for the government of Argentina. We encourage Argentina and its creditors to work towards a negotiated resolution.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The UK continues to actively engage in ongoing discussions to improve the operation of sovereign debt restructurings in international fora, including supporting the International Monetary Fund\u2019s work on the contractual framework that has proposed new measures to reduce the power of holdout creditors in future debt restructurings.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Northamptonshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrea Leadsom"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-27T17:44:02.943Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Vulture Funds: Argentina"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 17 November 2014, Official Report, column 49, what workarounds the Government is proposing so that Argentina can avoid technical default without paying vulture funds in full.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Denton and Reddish"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"}
], "uin" : "215171"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156588", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156588/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Office for National Statistics well-being questions were added to the Civil Service \u2018Your Say\u2019 Survey, which is sent to civil servants and some Service personnel, and the \u2018Armed Forces Continuous Attitudes Survey\u2019 (the main source of data on Service personnel\u2019s attitudes and experiences) in 2012.<\/p> <\/p> The resulting data is analysed to understand how respondents\u2019 experiences vary between different groups and what shapes these experiences. This evidence, and data such as the New Employment Model and the Armed Forces Covenant plays an important part in developing policies to assess Service personnel wellbeing and in tracking progress.<\/p> <\/p> A Defence People Health and Wellbeing Strategy is being developed for 2015-16, as part of the Defence People Health and Wellbeing Plan.<\/p> <\/p> The vast majority of service leavers are fit and well. Veterans with health concerns enjoy the same excellent standard of healthcare from the NHS as other UK citizens, and receive priority treatment, subject to clinical need of others, for conditions resulting from service.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T17:45:52.507Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces: Health"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what use his Department has made of the National Wellbeing Index introduced by the Office for National Statistics since its introduction in 2011; and what the principal policies are that his Department has introduced to improve the wellbeing of Britain's armed forces and veterans since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/534", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Ruane"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Clwyd"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Ruane"}
], "uin" : "215315"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156589", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156589/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This specific information is not available. The Department did, however, commission an independent evaluation of the changes to Local Housing Allowance, including the extension of the shared accommodation rate. The final reports were published in July 2014 and are available at the following link:<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>