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418904

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with energy companies on the competitiveness of energy bills.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10242
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/09/2015 answer text <p>DECC Ministers and officials meet energy company representatives on a regular basis to discuss market issues. Recent meetings have included discussions on the provisional findings of the Competition and Market Authority’s inquiry into the energy markets.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 24/09/2015 14:19:08 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418917

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fisheries: North Sea
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase cod fishing quotas in the North Sea.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10275
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>I will be seeking the best possible outcome for the UK on North Sea cod in this year’s EU quota negotiations, consistent with the scientific advice and our commitment to achieve maximum sustainable yield (MSY) under the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 21/09/2015 17:00:50 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418918

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Avian Influenza
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures her Department has in place to control avian influenza outbreaks.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10276
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>The Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain sets out how an outbreak of avian influenza would be managed and what measures would be applied in such an eventuality. This is available at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-avian-disease-control-strategy-for-great-britain" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-avian-disease-control-strategy-for-great-britain</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland has published its own notifiable avian disease control strategy covering Northern Ireland. This is available at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.dardni.gov.uk/index/animal-health-and-welfare/disease-control-prevention/notifiable-epizootic-avian-disease-control-strategy.htm" target="_blank">www.dardni.gov.uk/index/animal-health-and-welfare/disease-control-prevention/notifiable-epizootic-avian-disease-control-strategy.htm</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 22/09/2015 10:44:53 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418920

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Japanese Knotweed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to minimise the spread of knotweed.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10278
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>Between 2011 and March 2015, Defra provided grant aid to help set up and establish 29 local action groups throughout England to tackle invasive non-native species, including Japanese knotweed. The establishment of these groups was intended to generate a self-sustaining network to tackle these threats. The majority have managed to reduce or eradicate Japanese knotweed from riparian areas and are continuing to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Additionally, Defra has been funding research to make a biocontrol agent available to control the plant and has identified the psyllid, <em>Aphalara itadori</em>. Although it has not yet been possible to achieve self-sustaining populations of the psyllid in the wild, a new release programme was undertaken this summer in riparian areas, utilising local action groups to aid release.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The recent provisions of Community Protection notices, provided for in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, are also available for use by local authorities to control or prevent the growth of Japanese knotweed where they are satisfied that there is a case to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 22/09/2015 09:48:49 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418927

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
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	Saudi Arabia: Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the main conclusions were of his Department's recent discussions with the Saudi Arabian government on the persecution of Christians in that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10270
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>The British Government’s position on human rights in Saudi Arabia is a matter of public record. We regularly make our views well known, including through the UN Universal Periodic Review process and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. We continue to raise human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 22/09/2015 15:12:49 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418933

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Prescription Drugs: Internet
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce and (b) monitor the sale of prescription drugs on the internet.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10263
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>In the United Kingdom, all categories of medicines may be traded online legally but in the case of prescription only medicines (POM) and pharmacy (P) medicines, these may only be sold or supplied to the public through registered pharmacy premises (by or under the supervision of a pharmacist). Additionally, POMs may only be supplied in response to a prescription from an authorised healthcare professional.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A UK registered pharmacy may have a presence on the internet; however the requirements of legislation apply equally to both UK internet pharmacies and bricks-and-mortar premises.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) monitors the internet for websites operating outside legal requirements and, in collaboration with Internet Service Providers, takes steps to close down sites both in the UK and abroad. The MHRA has closed down 1,973 websites (including those based overseas) during 2015 alone and brought into compliance many others.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The illegal sale and supply of medicines via Internet poses considerable risks to UK patients but this is in essence a global problem and the MHRA is working with other regulators, law enforcement authorities and Government Departments within the UK, European Union and elsewhere to address the complex issues involved.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 21/09/2015 14:47:22 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418934

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Pregnancy: Paroxetine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the effect of the consumption of the paxil and seroxat forms of the drug paroxetine on the incidence of depression among pregnant women.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10265
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>There have been no recent discussions with the Royal Colleges on the effects of taking the paxil and seroxat forms of paroxetine on the incidence of depression among pregnant women.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Mandate from the Government to NHS England includes an objective for NHS England to work with partner organisations to reduce the incidence and impact of postnatal depression through earlier diagnosis, and better intervention and support.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will provide an additional £75 million over the next five years for services to support women with mental ill health in the perinatal period.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The British National Formulary advises that medication should be prescribed only when it is necessary, and in all cases the benefit of administering the medicine should be considered in relation to the risk involved. This is particularly important during pregnancy, when the risk to both mother and fetus must be considered.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 21/09/2015 16:03:29 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418936

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Dementia: Diabetes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Physicians on a link between type 2 diabetes and dementia; and what steps he is taking to treat dementia caused in that way.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10243
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>NHS England is implementing the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, and it is possible that prevention of Type 2 diabetes may in the longer term reduce dementia risk, although at this point this is speculative rather than being based on evidence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The treatment of dementia associated with Type 2 diabetes is as for any dementia, although it is important to also address the Type 2 diabetes and vascular risk. People with dementia who also have diabetes need support to manage their condition.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Improving the treatment and care of people with dementia, reducing the incidence of dementia and improving dementia research, is a key priority for the Government. That is why in February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia 2020 as a successor to the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-2015.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had and continues to have discussions on these matters with a range of organisations including the Royal College of Physicians.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 21/09/2015 15:01:16 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418937

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Dementia: Vitamin D
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Physicians on using vitamin D as a treatment for delaying or preventing dementia.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>Current evidence is not supportive of using vitamin D as a treatment for delaying or preventing dementia.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 21/09/2015 15:04:47 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

418938

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Prescriptions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department takes to monitor the level of prescriptions issued by GPs; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>Clinicians are responsible for their own treatment decisions taking any relevant guidance into account. They should always satisfy themselves that the drugs or other substances they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed, that patients are adequately monitored and that, where necessary, additional support or supervision is available.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Within the General Medical Services (GMS) and Personal Medical Services Regulations and Alternative Provider Medical Services Directions there are clauses in relation to prescribing and dispensing. The GMS Contracts Regulations Schedule 6 Part 3 paragraph 46 says:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Excessive prescribing</p><p> </p><p>46 - (1) The contractor shall not prescribe drugs, medicines or appliances whose cost or quantity, in relation to any patient is, by reason of the character of the drug, medicine or appliance in question in excess of that</p><p> </p><p>which was reasonably necessary for the proper treatment of that patient.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(2) In considering whether a contractor has breached its obligations under sub-paragraph (1) NHS England must seek the views of the Local Medical Committee (if any) for the area in which the contractor provides services under the contract.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Practitioners are encouraged to prescribe rationally and to make the best possible use of National Health Service resources.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Professional bodies issue standards and/or guidance for their members on prescribing. An example of this is the General Medical <em>Council’s “Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices”</em>. It provides more detailed advice on how to comply with these principles when prescribing and managing medicines and medical devices, including appliances. If clinicians act outside of this guidance they can be held to account and potentially lose their professional registration, meaning they are unable to practice.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 21/09/2015 15:37:56 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon