Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of palliative care services available to people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.
Additionally, NHS England has developed a palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative and end of life care needs of those their local population, including the ability to filter the available information, such as by deprivation, thereby enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities.
The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure that patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle gambling-related suicide in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to tackling suicide. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health workers, and these new staff will be specially trained to support people at risk from suicide. The five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England identifies gambling as a common risk factor, lists actions to reduce suicides as a result of gambling, and will explore opportunities to go further.
The Government is committed to reducing gambling-related harms through regulatory reform to strengthen protections. Through the Health Mission, we are supporting people to live healthier lives for longer, with a greater emphasis on the prevention of avoidable health harms. We continue to work closely with Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to consider how best to achieve this. The Department of Health and Social Care is focused on ensuring that those experiencing gambling-related harms can access the right care at the right time. We are working closely with NHS England to capitalise on opportunities to improve and expand treatment and support services.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the humanitarian situation in Tigray.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK assistance is helping to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Tigray and has supported over 168,000 people in accessing primary healthcare, supplied micronutrient supplements for 450,000 malnourished children and women, and provided cash transfers to over 138,000 individuals. The UK also co-led a pledging conference in April that secured $610 million from international development partners, including a £100 million contribution from the UK. We continue to monitor humanitarian need and response plans in Tigray through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). We are also investing in improved data and evidence to enable the humanitarian community to make informed decisions on the humanitarian response.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with CAFOD.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I recently met with members of the Bond network, including CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), to discuss the Autumn Budget. We value CAFOD's work internationally tackling poverty, humanitarian crises and global environmental challenges. We look forward to working with them in the future as we shape more modern partnerships with civil society.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help improve men's health; and if he will use the upcoming Men's Health summit to commission a new men's health strategy consultation.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government's mission is getting the National Health Service back on its feet, so that it is there for everyone. The Government looks forward to its discussions with everyone interested in men’s health, to hear views and ideas on how to improve outcomes for men. We are developing a 10-Year Health Plan so that we are better able to meet the needs of the population, including men.
The forthcoming men’s health summit will help inform the Department on future actions.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support for (a) children and (b) adults with cystic fibrosis in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (ii) Staffordshire.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of support for children and adults with cystic fibrosis in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.
NHS England commissions 47 specialised cystic fibrosis centres for adults and children across England, in addition to supporting the optimal monitoring of patients with cystic fibrosis at home, and supporting best practice in remote consultations. Service specifications published by NHS England clearly define the standards of services, care, and outcomes that people can expect from these centres. Service specifications aim to deliver improvements to life expectancy and quality of life for adults and children with cystic fibrosis.
Services for children and adults with cystic fibrosis in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire are provided by multi-disciplinary teams at the North West Midlands Cystic Fibrosis Centre. Further information is available at the following link:
NHS England recently produced the RightCare Cystic Fibrosis Toolkit which is supporting service improvement and better care for patients with cystic fibrosis. The toolkit is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/rightcare-cystic-fibrosis-toolkit/
The Midlands region will be undertaking a review of local services over the coming months, based on the recommendations in the toolkit.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps she has taken to support pensioners with the lowest incomes in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The last Labour Government lifted more than 1 million pensioners out of poverty, and this Government remain absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. We are honouring our commitment to the Triple Lock with a 4.1% increase to the basic State Pension, the new State Pension, and to the standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit. As such, according to the latest OBR projections, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,900 over the course of this parliament whilst the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,500.
We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we are urging pensioners to come forward and check their eligibility for Pension Credit to ensure as many people in need as possible have access to this support. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.
Low income pensioners and others struggling with the cost of living should contact their local council to see what support may be available to them, as they may be able to receive support from the Household Support Fund, Council Tax Reduction, or through energy support programmes such as the Homes Upgrade Grant and Energy Company Obligation.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the implementation of existing free trade agreements.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Government continually assesses the implementation of free trade agreements in order to maximise their benefit for business and support economic growth. We exploit opportunities to protect and secure further access to these markets, and will align our implementation approach with the upcoming Trade Strategy that will consider how to use every lever available to drive growth, including FTAs.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with representatives from the Church Urban Fund since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My officials are in regular contact with the Church Urban Fund and I am pleased to say that my department has recently agreed to fund the Church Urban Fund up to £515,000 in this financial year to deliver the Near Neighbours programme. This funding is subject to clearance through the department’s internal finance and due diligence processes.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, if she will meet with the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme to discuss the condition of the Church estate in that constituency.
Answered by Marsha De Cordova
My responsibilities relate to the work of the seven National Church Institutions, and I can give best-practice advice about diocesan and parish activity. I would be happy to meet with the Hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme to discuss his constituency and any specific concerns he may have. However, he may find a discussion with the Bishop of Lichfield and the team in the Diocese of Lichfield, who are responsible for the condition of the church estate in Newcastle-under-Lyme, more productive. I will write to him to arrange an introduction.