First elected: 6th May 2010
Left House: 30th March 2015 (Defeated)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Eric Ollerenshaw, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Eric Ollerenshaw has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Eric Ollerenshaw has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Eric Ollerenshaw has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Building on the success of City Deals, we extended the opportunity to every Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in the Country, to negotiate a bespoke Growth Deal with Government.
These Growth Deals, announced in July, put significant funding into the hands of LEPs, and saw the agreement of significant new freedoms and flexibilities. In Lancaster, £17m of Growth Deal funding (with £58m of private match) will establish new facilities at the Lancaster Health Innovation Park.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has a secure reporting mechanism, SFO Confidential, which can be accessed through its website.
I have regular discussions with Ofcom and the subjects discussed include all aspects of the regulation of the telecoms markets.
A range of infrastructure providers is playing a part in extending the coverage of superfast broadband across the UK. In general, the most effective and efficient way to provide superfast broadband on the Openreach network is to upgrade existing cabinets to fibre. This is feasible for most of the 95% of UK premises that are covered under the existing BDUK programme.
Openreach is not the only provider of Next Generation Access (NGA) infrastructure – i.e. fibre - in the UK. Virgin Media and KCOM (in the Hull area) and a number of other network providers are also rolling out their own networks to provide broadband or superfast broadband services. The smaller providers have smaller networks, usually where Openreach and Virgin Media’s NGA networks are not present. Many operators, such as Sky and TalkTalk, provide services using the BT Openreach network.
There are also a range of community-led broadband projects across the UK, many of which have been supported by Government funding and receive technical, procurement and legal support from Government. There are also projects that are community owned, built and operated; for instance Broadband 4 the Rural North (B4RN) The Honourable Member’s own constituency; as well as small commercial investors in fibre and wireless technology broadband.
Since 2011, BT has been obliged to offer passive infrastructure access (PIA) to operators across the UK for the deployment of access networks. In Ofcom’s Fixed Access Market Review, published in June 2014, the Regulator decided to maintain this obligation on BT.
Ofcom is responsible for regulation of the UK telecommunications markets and the Government's broadband programme is consistent with the UK regulatory regime operated by Ofcom. Ofcom’s regulatory approach has been to encourage commercial investment by allowing for pricing flexibility to incentivise commercial providers to roll out fibre to the maximum extent. By incentivising providers and achieving maximum commercial coverage, there are fewer areas in which the Government has had to become involved.
I have regular discussions with Ofcom and the subjects discussed include all aspects of the regulation of the telecoms markets.
A range of infrastructure providers is playing a part in extending the coverage of superfast broadband across the UK. In general, the most effective and efficient way to provide superfast broadband on the Openreach network is to upgrade existing cabinets to fibre. This is feasible for most of the 95% of UK premises that are covered under the existing BDUK programme.
Openreach is not the only provider of Next Generation Access (NGA) infrastructure – i.e. fibre - in the UK. Virgin Media and KCOM (in the Hull area) and a number of other network providers are also rolling out their own networks to provide broadband or superfast broadband services. The smaller providers have smaller networks, usually where Openreach and Virgin Media’s NGA networks are not present. Many operators, such as Sky and TalkTalk, provide services using the BT Openreach network.
There are also a range of community-led broadband projects across the UK, many of which have been supported by Government funding and receive technical, procurement and legal support from Government. There are also projects that are community owned, built and operated; for instance Broadband 4 the Rural North (B4RN) The Honourable Member’s own constituency; as well as small commercial investors in fibre and wireless technology broadband.
Since 2011, BT has been obliged to offer passive infrastructure access (PIA) to operators across the UK for the deployment of access networks. In Ofcom’s Fixed Access Market Review, published in June 2014, the Regulator decided to maintain this obligation on BT.
Ofcom is responsible for regulation of the UK telecommunications markets and the Government's broadband programme is consistent with the UK regulatory regime operated by Ofcom. Ofcom’s regulatory approach has been to encourage commercial investment by allowing for pricing flexibility to incentivise commercial providers to roll out fibre to the maximum extent. By incentivising providers and achieving maximum commercial coverage, there are fewer areas in which the Government has had to become involved.
We recognise some smaller schools will face particular challenges in implementing universal infant free school meals. We have therefore allocated an extra £22.5 million transitional funding in 2014-15 to help schools with 150 pupils or fewer to implement the policy. Each qualifying small school received a minimum of £3,000. This is on top of the £2.30 per meal taken which all schools have been given for their newly eligible infants.
The Environment Agency inherited jurisdiction over flood defences within the Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency that were previously maintained by the National Rivers Authority, and prior to that North West Water. Several Acts of Parliament have accompanied these changes.
The Environment Agency understands that responsibilities and obligations from predecessor bodies have been consolidated and remain in place.
Coastal jurisdiction is split between local authorities for coast protection and the Environment Agency and its predecessors for sea defences. This position was clarified by the Shoreline Management Plan 2010.
Inland, the Environment Agency has a role in managing flood risk from “main rivers” (as defined by Defra). This can include maintenance of flood risk management assets on a permissive and affordable basis and in line with Treasury Rules and Defra Guidance. Maintenance work is undertaken as identified by the Catchment Flood Management Plans that guide the level of work needed at a particular location.
The Government is working with the Beak Trimming Action Group (BTAG), which includes representatives from industry, welfare groups and scientists, to find ways to manage flocks of laying hens without the need to trim beaks.
As part of this process, Defra is currently funding a peer reviewed research study by the University of Bristol to assess the effectiveness of management strategies in reducing injurious pecking in non-beak trimmed laying hens. Our intention is to consider all available advice and evidence, including the outcome of the on-going research study, in the review we are conducting in 2015.
The MOT test does not, as a matter of principle, involve modifying the vehicles tested in any way. This is in part to ensure that the vehicle owner can have confidence that their vehicle is not damaged by the test. We would be happy to consider proposals to make enforcement against noisy motorcyclists easier. It is doubtful a mandatory seal is a practical and proportionate measure, as many motorcyclists need to make legitimate repairs or modifications to their exhausts between annual tests.
Enforcement of legislation including punishment of offenders is a matter for the Home Office. The police decide whether an offence may be being committed and take such action as they consider appropriate in each case. Action might range from informal advice to, for specified offences, the offer of a fixed penalty, to prosecution.
The current motorcycle MOT test already includes an inspection for excessive noise from the exhaust. A machine will be rejected where the noise from a silencer is clearly in excess of that which would be produced by a similar machine fitted with a standard silencer in average condition.
There are currently no services on either the TransPennine Express (TPE) or Northern franchises that use driver only operation (DOO). In the consultation on the future of these franchises, which concluded on 28th August, we stated that: "on the Northern franchise, we expect to require bidders to set out how DOO may be introduced onto suitable services. On TPE, this will be left at bidders' discretion." Driver only operation is a safe method that is already the working practice on around 30% of existing franchise services (including for instance many commuter services in London and Glasgow).
The tables below show the number of drivers that have voluntarily surrendered, or had their driving licence refused/ revoked on medical grounds, during 2013 and since applied to restore their licence and the average timescale for processing these applications:
The CPRD GOLD primary care database (former GPRD) includes information about all prescriptions issued in primary care for a subset of approximately 8% of the United Kingdom population. This database has previously been used to study prescribing of anxiolytic, hypnotic and psychotropic medication, commonly referred to as tranquilisers.
It would be possible to use the database to estimate the number of patients in the UK with a long-term dependency on prescription tranquilisers. However, as dependence will not be systematically identified by general practitioners, expert clinician advice would also be required to develop a definition. This could be based on frequency of prescribing and medication strength but could also include clinical codes for medical conditions including indications for these products, drug dependency and substance abuse, if recorded.
This work would represent a research project and as such, a scientific protocol would need to be submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s Independent Scientific Advisory Committee for assessment and possible approval.
Even with such an approach, the rate of drug dependency in the population could only be estimated, and in order to assess whether this estimate was a true representation of the actual rate of drug dependency in this population, a validation study would be encouraged.
The Department is looking into the feasibility of commissioning further research on patterns of long-term prescription of dependency-forming medicines, including analyses of relevant prescribing data.
The information requested is attached. It provides a count of the number of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of T36-T50 for male and female adults and children for the year 2013-14. Explanatory footnotes have also been provided.
It should be noted that this is not a count of patients as the same patient may have been admitted more than once in a year.
The public health responsibilities which were transferred to local authorities by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 include the commissioning of specialist treatment for people who are dependent on drugs including prescribed medicines. The responsibility of clinical commissioning groups in this area is medicines management, which includes ensuring good prescribing practice, ensuring that prescribers are supported to manage withdrawal in non-complex cases and facilitating referral to specialist help where appropriate.
Public Health England (PHE) is supporting several local authorities that have expressed an interest in developing their support for people affected by addictions to medicines. This pathfinder work is locally designed and led.
PHE is assisting each area to develop their work plans, establish management, monitoring and oversight as well as working with them to ensure that appropriate clinical governance is in place. It will subsequently work with them to support delivery and monitor outcomes.
Information is not held centrally on the number of people prescribed particular medicines or the duration of treatment.
The public health responsibilities which were transferred to local authorities by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 include the commissioning of specialist treatment for people who are dependent on drugs including prescribed medicines. The responsibility of clinical commissioning groups in this area is medicines management, which includes ensuring good prescribing practice, ensuring that prescribers are supported to manage withdrawal in non-complex cases and facilitating referral to specialist help where appropriate.
Public Health England (PHE) is supporting several local authorities that have expressed an interest in developing their support for people affected by addictions to medicines. This pathfinder work is locally designed and led.
PHE is assisting each area to develop their work plans, establish management, monitoring and oversight as well as working with them to ensure that appropriate clinical governance is in place. It will subsequently work with them to support delivery and monitor outcomes.
Information is not held centrally on the number of people prescribed particular medicines or the duration of treatment.
The public health responsibilities which were transferred to local authorities by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 include the commissioning of specialist treatment for people who are dependent on drugs including prescribed medicines. The responsibility of clinical commissioning groups in this area is medicines management, which includes ensuring good prescribing practice, ensuring that prescribers are supported to manage withdrawal in non-complex cases and facilitating referral to specialist help where appropriate.
Public Health England (PHE) is supporting several local authorities that have expressed an interest in developing their support for people affected by addictions to medicines. This pathfinder work is locally designed and led.
PHE is assisting each area to develop their work plans, establish management, monitoring and oversight as well as working with them to ensure that appropriate clinical governance is in place. It will subsequently work with them to support delivery and monitor outcomes.
Information is not held centrally on the number of people prescribed particular medicines or the duration of treatment.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) plays a vital role in ensuring that National Health Service resources deliver the maximum benefit to patients and it has helped to secure access to clinically and cost effective drugs and treatments for many thousands of patients, including those with cancer. NICE is an independent body and is responsible for the development of its methods and processes.
The Government has announced an external review of the pathways for the development, assessment and adoption of innovative medicines and medical technologies. This review will consider how to speed up access for NHS patients to cost-effective new diagnostics, medicines and devices.
NHS England published quarter two 2014-15 Cancer Drugs Fund figures on its website on 19 November 2014. Further information is available at:
www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/cdf/
Since October 2010, over 60,000 patients in England have benefitted from the Cancer Drugs Fund.
Public Health England (PHE) has convened an expert group, chaired by Professor John Strang, to consider the responses to the consultation on a possible update to the United Kingdom guidelines on the clinical management of drug misuse and dependence.
PHE is providing secretariat to the group, and we will place consultation responses in the Library after the expert group has had the opportunity to review them in full. The expert group has not yet determined when this will be.
NHS England is currently reviewing the National Cancer Peer Review programme with a view to considering how its success might be extended into other new areas of specialised commissioning. Regardless of the outcome of this review, cancer peer review will continue to play a critical part of any broader peer review programme NHS England may look to introduce.
The number of visits undertaken by the programme changes based on how many risk visits and how many comprehensive visits are carried out. The highest number of visits completed in any one year since the programme began was 535 in 2012-13, when comprehensive visits to acute oncology were carried out. Generally, between 400 and 450 visits are completed each year.
As the programme has moved to risk assessed visits only rather than comprehensive visits (as comprehensive visits to all tumour sites have been completed) the number of visits has reduced; in 2013-14 there were 424 cancer visits.
This year, between April 2014 and October 2014, 100 cancer visits and 28 major trauma centre visits have been carried out.
Public Health England (PHE) has convened an expert group, chaired by Professor John Strang, to consider the responses to the consultation on a possible update to the United Kingdom guidelines on the clinical management of drug misuse and dependence.
PHE will be providing an update on the plans of the expert group in winter 2014-15 following its initial meeting on 7 October 2014. The expert group plans to complete its advice to PHE and the devolved administrations by early 2016.
NHS England is currently reviewing the National Cancer Peer Review programme with a view to considering how its success might be extended into other new areas of specialised commissioning. Regardless of the outcome of this review, cancer peer review will continue to play a critical part of any broader peer review programme NHS England may look to introduce.
The number of visits undertaken by the programme changes based on how many risk visits and how many comprehensive visits are carried out. The highest number of visits completed in any one year since the programme began was 535 in 2012-13, when comprehensive visits to acute oncology were carried out. Generally, between 400 and 450 visits are completed each year.
As the programme has moved to risk assessed visits only rather than comprehensive visits (as comprehensive visits to all tumour sites have been completed) the number of visits has reduced; in 2013-14 there were 424 cancer visits.
This year, between April 2014 and October 2014, 100 cancer visits and 28 major trauma centre visits have been carried out.
NHS England is currently reviewing the National Cancer Peer Review programme with a view to considering how its success might be extended into other new areas of specialised commissioning. Regardless of the outcome of this review, cancer peer review will continue to play a critical part of any broader peer review programme NHS England may look to introduce.
The number of visits undertaken by the programme changes based on how many risk visits and how many comprehensive visits are carried out. The highest number of visits completed in any one year since the programme began was 535 in 2012-13, when comprehensive visits to acute oncology were carried out. Generally, between 400 and 450 visits are completed each year.
As the programme has moved to risk assessed visits only rather than comprehensive visits (as comprehensive visits to all tumour sites have been completed) the number of visits has reduced; in 2013-14 there were 424 cancer visits.
This year, between April 2014 and October 2014, 100 cancer visits and 28 major trauma centre visits have been carried out.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The CQC has provided the following information:
CQC are not currently conducting a review of the prescribing of benzodiazepine.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) collect data on the prescribing of benzodiazepine but this is not collated nationally. The CQC would be alerted to any prescribing trends and outliers during discussions with the CCGs when a GP practice is inspected.
The Department has been reviewing policy on addiction to prescription medicine over this period, and the Government’s Drug Strategy, published in December 2010, highlights our commitment to reduce dependence on prescription and over the counter medicines.
In 2009, the Department identified a lack of information on this important subject. The Department commissioned a literature review from the National Addiction Centre and a report from the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) which interrogated data on specialist treatment and surveyed local commissioners and specialist treatment providers. These reports were peer reviewed and published in May 2011. The cost to the Department for the National Addiction Centre literature review was £9,750 and the cost for the NTA review was £80,000.
The reports informed the discussions of roundtable meetings of expert stakeholders which were convened by the Minister for Public Health to agree action to tackle addiction to medicines. The roundtable produced a consensus statement, endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and other organisations which was published in January 2013. The only direct cost to the Department concerning the roundtables, and other meetings, was £1,928.09 in travel expenses for non-Departmental staff.
Other Departmental costs associated with reviewing policy on addiction to prescription medicine are not separately identifiable.
Public Health England (PHE) organised a seminar in February 2013 to improve the commissioning of services to treat addiction to medicine, and following the seminar, in June 2013 published a guide for the National Health Service and local authorities on commissioning treatment for dependence on prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency published in March 2013 a learning module on benzodiazepines which includes advice for prescribers on preventing and treating dependence on these medicines.
In July 2014, with the approval of the Department and the devolved administrations, PHE launched a public consultation on whether there should be an update to the 2007 United Kingdom clinical guidelines on drug misuse and dependence. The guidelines include advice on treating dependence on benzodiazepines.
The potential merits and impact of adaptive licensing and early access to medicine schemes were considered by the Expert Group on innovation in the regulation of healthcare that was established in June 2012 following the Prime Minister's 2011 Life Science Strategy. The Expert Group was composed of a range of experts from government, industry, patient and health professional stakeholders.
In their 2013 report, the group welcomed the proposal for the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS), for highly promising unlicensed medicinal products in areas of high unmet medical need, and urged the Government to introduce it as soon as possible. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency launched the EAMS on 7 April 2014.
On adaptive licensing, the group saw opportunities for more use of the existing legal flexibilities to facilitate patient access to innovative products. The Group urged for the pilot on adaptive licensing by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to be launched at the earliest opportunity.
The EMA published its adaptive licensing pilot project on 19 March. The Government sees this pilot as a test for current licensing flexibilities and the methodology of adaptive licensing. We welcome the pilot and will continue to be actively engaged in the debate in Europe.
A copy of the report of the Expert Group on innovation in the regulation of healthcare has been placed in the Library.
There are various sources of data on medicines in hospitals. The Health and Social Care Information Centre publishes annually the document Hospital Prescribing: England, the latest copy of which is available at:
www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB12651
Information on the number of prisoners who are prescribed a particular medicine or class of medicine is not collected centrally, nor are data held relating to prescription items dispensed in prisons.
NHS England commissions all pharmacy services in prisons in England. It is responsible for the quality of service and for ensuring that good practice guidelines are followed in relation to the prescribing, safe use and treatment following withdrawal of psychotropic drugs treatments, including benzodiapines and Z-drugs. Where healthcare professionals have concerns about prescribing decisions in relation to psychotropic drug treatment in prisons, they should record these as medication safety incidents and report them to the local medicines management committee for possible further investigation. NHS England commissioners also require healthcare providers to report these incidents in patient safety contract monitoring.
Prison pharmacy services currently follow guidelines set out in A Pharmacy Service for Prisoners, issued by the Department in 2003. NHS England is currently reviewing this guidance, and updated guidance will be published in due course. A copy of the current guidance has already been placed in the Library.
Detailed guidance on benzodiazepine detoxification for prisoners is included in Clinical Management of Drug Dependence in the Adult Prison Setting, published by the Department in 2006. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Clinicians are expected to follow this and other relevant guidance such as that published by the Royal College of General Practitioners' Secure Environments Group on Safer Prescribing in Prisons.
NHS England works with system partners, including training agencies, professional bodies and professional regulators to urge that staff, including those working in hospitals, are appropriately trained, supervised and appraised to monitor practice. In mental health, NHS England is exploring how to modernise the electronic care records system so that it is easier for appropriate prescribing and monitoring to be undertaken.
The Secretary of State and NHS England would also expect hospitals to take account of relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.
NHS England works with system partners, including training agencies, professional bodies and professional regulators to urge that staff, including those working in hospitals, are appropriately trained, supervised and appraised to monitor practice. In mental health, NHS England is exploring how to modernise the electronic care records system so that it is easier for appropriate prescribing and monitoring to be undertaken.
The Secretary of State and NHS England would also expect hospitals to take account of relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.
Information on the number of prisoners who are prescribed a particular medicine or class of medicine is not collected centrally, nor are data held relating to prescription items dispensed in prisons.
NHS England commissions all pharmacy services in prisons in England. It is responsible for the quality of service and for ensuring that good practice guidelines are followed in relation to the prescribing, safe use and treatment following withdrawal of psychotropic drugs treatments, including benzodiapines and Z-drugs. Where healthcare professionals have concerns about prescribing decisions in relation to psychotropic drug treatment in prisons, they should record these as medication safety incidents and report them to the local medicines management committee for possible further investigation. NHS England commissioners also require healthcare providers to report these incidents in patient safety contract monitoring.
Prison pharmacy services currently follow guidelines set out in A Pharmacy Service for Prisoners, issued by the Department in 2003. NHS England is currently reviewing this guidance, and updated guidance will be published in due course. A copy of the current guidance has already been placed in the Library.
Detailed guidance on benzodiazepine detoxification for prisoners is included in Clinical Management of Drug Dependence in the Adult Prison Setting, published by the Department in 2006. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Clinicians are expected to follow this and other relevant guidance such as that published by the Royal College of General Practitioners' Secure Environments Group on Safer Prescribing in Prisons.
Information on the number of prisoners who are prescribed a particular medicine or class of medicine is not collected centrally, nor are data held relating to prescription items dispensed in prisons.
NHS England commissions all pharmacy services in prisons in England. It is responsible for the quality of service and for ensuring that good practice guidelines are followed in relation to the prescribing, safe use and treatment following withdrawal of psychotropic drugs treatments, including benzodiapines and Z-drugs. Where healthcare professionals have concerns about prescribing decisions in relation to psychotropic drug treatment in prisons, they should record these as medication safety incidents and report them to the local medicines management committee for possible further investigation. NHS England commissioners also require healthcare providers to report these incidents in patient safety contract monitoring.
Prison pharmacy services currently follow guidelines set out in A Pharmacy Service for Prisoners, issued by the Department in 2003. NHS England is currently reviewing this guidance, and updated guidance will be published in due course. A copy of the current guidance has already been placed in the Library.
Detailed guidance on benzodiazepine detoxification for prisoners is included in Clinical Management of Drug Dependence in the Adult Prison Setting, published by the Department in 2006. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Clinicians are expected to follow this and other relevant guidance such as that published by the Royal College of General Practitioners' Secure Environments Group on Safer Prescribing in Prisons.
Reports by the British Geological Survey’s clearly demonstrate the potential for shale gas in the UK. Shale gas has the potential to increase our energy security, generate growth and support thousands of jobs, and the government is doing everything it can to support the safe and sustainable development of shale gas. This is why we introduced the onshore allowance, to incentivise investment in onshore oil and gas projects and kick-start exploration. Last year, the industry also announced that local communities would receive £100,000 when a test well is fracked – and a further 1 per cent of revenues if shale gas is discovered.
More work is needed to determine the extent of the gas that can be technically and commercially recovered. While there is clearly potential for shale gas to provide substantial revenue to the Exchequer in the future, no forecasts have been produced on the scale or timing of the revenue.
Since 2010, we have helped create over 360 town teams, given over £18 million to towns - funding successful initiatives such as ‘Love your Local Market’. We have increased business rate discounts for 300,000 businesses, strengthened the role of Business Improvement Districts, introduced new permitted development rights and are tackling aggressive parking enforcement.
The National Planning Framework Policy states that in preparing local plans local authorities should support the expansion of high-speed broadband and engage with developers and providers. In December 2014 we published “Better Connected”, a guide agreed between housing developers and utility companies which includes voluntary performance standards for the connection of broadband. Separately Government is also considering whether new buildings should be required to provide certain technology to ensure connections to broadband infrastructure.
This Government remains committed to helping all coastal communities thrive. The Coastal Communities Fund is supporting 117 projects across the UK, to the tune of £62 million, and we are looking forward to announcing a further tranche of successful projects in the New Year.