We take a very large number of factors into account when determining the most appropriate way forward when franchises are due for renewal. We undertook just such an assessment when considering options for the most appropriate approach to providing passenger rail services during the delivery of the Thameslink Programme infrastructure and the introduction of new rolling stock. This included balancing the size of the franchise against the need to ensure effective coordination of all the services on the lines affected by Thameslink during the construction period. We of course always take into account lessons learned from practice when looking at similar decisions in the future.<\/p>
<\/p>
Regarding the size of the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, as I made clear at the Transport Select Committee, it is unlikely the Department will wish to let such a franchise in the future. The size of the franchise is a factor in this assessment. However, I believe that with the measures recently announced this franchise should deliver a better passenger experience in the future.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3926", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Maynard"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blackpool North and Cleveleys"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Paul Maynard"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-13T09:54:47.447Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Franchises"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the size of (a) rail franchises and (b) the Govia Thameslink rail franchise on the efficient delivery of rail services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"} ], "uin" : "45089"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573432", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573432/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) was commissioned by GB governments to produce an independent assessment of the benefits of CCTV in slaughterhouses. The report was published in February 2015. It concluded that CCTV can offer some real benefits but it cannot replace the need for businesses to have proper monitoring procedures in place on the ground. The FAWC report did not recommend legislation. However, the Government is keeping the issue under review.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T15:40:02.883Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential benefits of requiring CCTV animal welfare standards monitoring in slaughterhouses; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"} ], "uin" : "44130"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573863", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573863/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Delay Repay is a generous compensation scheme for longer delays, but this Government wants to go further. We are committed to improving compensation arrangements for passengers affected by shorter delays which are not covered by the current Delay Repay scheme. The previous Chancellor announced in his Autumn 2015 Spending Review that passengers will soon have access to compensation when trains are over 15 minutes late. We expect to make an announcement on this shortly.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3926", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Maynard"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blackpool North and Cleveleys"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Paul Maynard"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T13:47:54.337Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Compensation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to (a) announce and (b) introduce the new arrangements for rail passenger refunds following delays; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"} ], "uin" : "44576"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/532918", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/532918/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
On 29 June, the Government published a consultation on a new major project to support investment in heat networks, the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP).<\/p>
<\/p>
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-heat-networks-investment-project-hnip<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> The Heat Networks Investment Project is making up to £320m in capital support available to projects in England and Wales over the next five years, to increase the number of heat networks and to deliver cost-effective carbon savings.<\/p> <\/p> The number of local authorities that will receive funding is dependent on the quality of applications received. We would expect that many of the 118 local authorities already supported by DECC\u2019s Heat Network Delivery Unit (HNDU) on early stage development will apply for capital support.<\/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" : "2016-07-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-07-13T08:56:43.257Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "District Heating"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to paragraph 2.96 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, Cm 9162, published in November 2015, how many local authority areas her Department plans to deliver funding for new efficient heat networks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"}
], "uin" : "41916"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/533489", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/533489/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As part of the Government\u2019s funding agreement, Defra regularly assesses the performance of the National Wildlife Crime Unit.<\/p> <\/p> Last year, for example, as part of an international law enforcement operation, the Unit supported 28 investigations and supported seizures of almost 700 illegal goods derived from protected species.<\/p> <\/p> Defra and the Home Office have guaranteed funding for NWCU until March 2020.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-07-07T14:50:34.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nature Conservation: Crime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Wildlife Crime Unit in tackling wildlife crime and protecting endangered animals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"}
], "uin" : "905727"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528906", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528906/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is important that people with cancer have the best possible experience throughout their cancer pathway and are treated with dignity and respect.<\/p> <\/p> The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes \u2013 A Strategy for England 2015-2020<\/em> in July 2015, and identified a key priority of establishing patient experience as being on a par with clinical effectiveness and safety. In May 2016 the National Cancer Transformation Board published Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes:<\/em> Taking the Strategy Forward<\/em> outlining the detailed steps being taken to make this a reality.<\/p> <\/p> In September 2015, the Government announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, including those with blood cancer, live well beyond cancer. In April 2016 NHS England published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively.<\/p> <\/p> In order to continue to support general practitioners (GPs) to identify patients whose symptoms may indicate cancer and urgently refer them as appropriate, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published an updated suspected cancer referral guideline in June 2015. The guideline includes new recommendations for haematological cancers. NICE noted that more lives could be saved each year in England if GPs followed the new guideline, which encourages GPs to think of cancer sooner and lower the referral threshold. Following publication of the updated guideline, the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) has worked in collaboration with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) on a programme of regional update events for GPs to promote the new guideline. RCGP and CRUK have also worked to develop three summary referral guidelines for GPs to enable them to adopt the guideline. These are available at:<\/p> <\/p> www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/learning-and-development-tools/nice-cancer-referral-guidelines<\/a><\/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" : "2016-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "41285"}
, {"_value" : "41329"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-07-05T15:11:22.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Blood 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, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2015 on the proportion of blood cancer patients who visited their GP more than twice before being referred to secondary care for diagnosis; and what support and guidance his Department has provided to GPs to enable them to identify the symptoms of blood cancer.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"}
], "uin" : "41284"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528907", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528907/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Public Health England\u2019s (PHE) Be Clear on Cancer campaigns are designed to raise the public\u2019s awareness of specific cancer symptoms, encourage people with those symptoms to go to the doctor and diagnose cancer at an earlier stage. These campaigns are delivered by PHE in partnership with the Department and NHS England.<\/p> <\/p> The decision on which cancers should be the focus of \u2018Be Clear on Cancer\u2019 campaigns is informed by a steering group, whose members include primary and secondary care clinicians, and key voluntary sector organisations.<\/p> <\/p> A number of factors are taken into account when deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with one of the main criteria being the scope to save lives through earlier diagnosis and whether the cancer has a clear early sign or symptom that the general public can act upon should it arise. There are a number of cancers, including those for which symptoms can be non-specific, which are not covered by \u2018Be Clear on Cancer\u2019 specifically.<\/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" : "2016-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-07-05T15:10:26.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cancer: Health Education"}
, "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 steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of blood cancer and other cancers for which symptoms can be non-specific and have similarities to other benign conditions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"}
], "uin" : "41283"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528908", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528908/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is important that people with cancer have the best possible experience throughout their cancer pathway and are treated with dignity and respect.<\/p> <\/p> The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes \u2013 A Strategy for England 2015-2020<\/em> in July 2015, and identified a key priority of establishing patient experience as being on a par with clinical effectiveness and safety. In May 2016 the National Cancer Transformation Board published Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes:<\/em> Taking the Strategy Forward<\/em> outlining the detailed steps being taken to make this a reality.<\/p> <\/p> In September 2015, the Government announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, including those with blood cancer, live well beyond cancer. In April 2016 NHS England published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively.<\/p> <\/p> In order to continue to support general practitioners (GPs) to identify patients whose symptoms may indicate cancer and urgently refer them as appropriate, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published an updated suspected cancer referral guideline in June 2015. The guideline includes new recommendations for haematological cancers. NICE noted that more lives could be saved each year in England if GPs followed the new guideline, which encourages GPs to think of cancer sooner and lower the referral threshold. Following publication of the updated guideline, the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) has worked in collaboration with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) on a programme of regional update events for GPs to promote the new guideline. RCGP and CRUK have also worked to develop three summary referral guidelines for GPs to enable them to adopt the guideline. These are available at:<\/p> <\/p>