Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
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 cost effectiveness of the use of abiraterone as a treatment for prostate cancer by the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically- and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.
NICE has published guidance recommending abiraterone for the treatment of hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer before chemotherapy is indicated and for the castration-resistant variant of that cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen. NHS England funds abiraterone for these indications of prostate cancer in line with NICE’s recommendations, making it routinely available for the treatment of eligible patients.
Abiraterone is not licensed for the treatment of non-metastatic prostate cancer and has therefore not been appraised by NICE for such use. NHS England is considering a clinical policy proposal for abiraterone as a treatment option for patients newly diagnosed with high risk, non-metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or in whom prostate cancer has relapsed after at least 12 months without treatment. This specific policy proposal is due to be discussed later in November 2023 and if supported by a clinical panel it will progress to stakeholder testing by January 2024.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward the planned review of abiraterone as a treatment for prostate cancer on the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically- and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.
NICE has published guidance recommending abiraterone for the treatment of hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer before chemotherapy is indicated and for the castration-resistant variant of that cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen. NHS England funds abiraterone for these indications of prostate cancer in line with NICE’s recommendations, making it routinely available for the treatment of eligible patients.
Abiraterone is not licensed for the treatment of non-metastatic prostate cancer and has therefore not been appraised by NICE for such use. NHS England is considering a clinical policy proposal for abiraterone as a treatment option for patients newly diagnosed with high risk, non-metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or in whom prostate cancer has relapsed after at least 12 months without treatment. This specific policy proposal is due to be discussed later in November 2023 and if supported by a clinical panel it will progress to stakeholder testing by January 2024.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the level of availability of abiraterone on the NHS on the health of prostate cancer patients.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically- and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.
NICE has published guidance recommending abiraterone for the treatment of hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer before chemotherapy is indicated and for the castration-resistant variant of that cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen. NHS England funds abiraterone for these indications of prostate cancer in line with NICE’s recommendations, making it routinely available for the treatment of eligible patients.
Abiraterone is not licensed for the treatment of non-metastatic prostate cancer and has therefore not been appraised by NICE for such use. NHS England is considering a clinical policy proposal for abiraterone as a treatment option for patients newly diagnosed with high risk, non-metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or in whom prostate cancer has relapsed after at least 12 months without treatment. This specific policy proposal is due to be discussed later in November 2023 and if supported by a clinical panel it will progress to stakeholder testing by January 2024.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Section 2 of the Suicide Act 1961, how many times his Department has asked internet service providers to remove websites that encourage suicide in each of the last five years.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department has not asked internet service providers to remove such websites in the last five years. However, we recognise the role of internet service providers in protecting people online. We are working with a range of organisations across the suicide prevention sector, and more widely, on this issue to enable better protection for individuals.
The Online Safety Act, which received royal assent on 26 October 2023, will tackle illegal and legal forms of self-harm and suicide content in several ways. All services in scope will need to proactively prevent all users from being exposed to priority illegal content, including content that encourages or assists suicide.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of the work of the Counter Disinformation Unit and (b) impact of that work on freedom of speech.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU), now called the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT), is focused exclusively on risks to national security and public safety.
Preserving freedom of expression is an extremely important principle underpinning the team’s work. The Government believes that people must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely.
The NSOIT does not monitor the social media accounts of individuals and does not take any action that could impact anyone’s ability to discuss and debate issues freely. When the NSOIT identifies content which is within one of the areas of focus ministers have agreed, is assessed to pose a risk to national security or public safety and which is assessed to breach the terms and conditions of the relevant platform it may share that content with the platform. No action is mandated by the Government, it is entirely up to the platform to determine whether or not to take any action in line with their terms of service. Under no circumstances is content from Parliamentarians or journalists ever referred to platforms. Ministers continue to keep the work of the NSOIT under review and the approach to sharing any content with platforms.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a UK central bank digital currency on the right to privacy.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Individuals’ privacy, user control and the proper use of data in line with UK data protection laws are of paramount importance to the design of any digital currency.
A digital pound would be subject to rigorous standards of privacy and data protection. Neither the Government nor the Bank of England would have access to personal data, nor be able to see how consumers use their money.
The Government has committed to bring forward legislation in Parliament prior to any Digital Pound being introduced.
The Government and Bank of England consulted on these privacy features of the potential digital pound over February-June 2023, and are currently reviewing the feedback received. A consultation response will be published in due course.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish maps of the (a) properties and (b) land purchased by HS2 Ltd for Phase 2b east of the HS2 project.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The ownership of properties by the Secretary of State for Transport is a matter of public record and available through the Land Registry.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a list of properties purchased by HS2 Ltd for Phase 2a of the HS2 project.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The ownership of properties by the Secretary of State for Transport is a matter of public record and available through the Land Registry.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a list of properties purchased by HS2 Ltd for Phase 2b west of the HS2 project.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The ownership of properties by the Secretary of State for Transport is a matter of public record and available through the Land Registry.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a list of properties purchased by HS2 Ltd for Phase 2b east of the HS2 project.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The ownership of properties by the Secretary of State for Transport is a matter of public record and available through the Land Registry.