Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Kidney Care UK entitled Left Out in the Cold, published on 30 March 2023; and if he will take steps to reduce the variance of home dialysis reimbursement payments made by NHS trusts.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans to undertake an assessment of the potential merits of standardising reimbursement for all types of home dialysis, or to reduce variance in payments. Commissioned renal providers in England have a contractual obligation to reimburse the additional utility costs for patients who receive home haemodialysis therapy, as stipulated within the national Haemodialysis to treat established renal failure performed in a patients home service specification and the Paediatric medicine renal service specification, and reimbursement costs are managed directly between providers and patients. Currently, information about patients seeking reimbursement costs is not collected centrally. Further information on the Haemodialysis to treat established renal failure performed in a patients home service specification and the Paediatric medicine renal service specification is available, respectively, at the following two links:
Increasing access to home therapies is a priority for NHS England and this is reflected in its inclusion in the Renal Transformation Toolkit that was published in 2023, which recommends that 20% of all patients on kidney replacement treatment should receive treatment at home.
Commissioned renal clinical networks across England have included improving access to home therapies in their work plans as per the recommendations within the toolkit. The NHS England national team supports renal clinical networks with the implementation of home dialysis transformation.
The renal clinical networks and the renal services clinical reference group are providing input into the Department’s 10-Year Health Plan development process. As part of this, it is highlighted that increasing home dialysis provision will reduce in-centre dialysis demand and this will shift care from a hospital to a community setting. Renal clinical networks are working towards increasing home dialysis rates in line with the Renal Service Transformation Programme Toolkit’s recommendations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has made an assessment of the potential merits of standardising reimbursement for all types of home dialysis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans to undertake an assessment of the potential merits of standardising reimbursement for all types of home dialysis, or to reduce variance in payments. Commissioned renal providers in England have a contractual obligation to reimburse the additional utility costs for patients who receive home haemodialysis therapy, as stipulated within the national Haemodialysis to treat established renal failure performed in a patients home service specification and the Paediatric medicine renal service specification, and reimbursement costs are managed directly between providers and patients. Currently, information about patients seeking reimbursement costs is not collected centrally. Further information on the Haemodialysis to treat established renal failure performed in a patients home service specification and the Paediatric medicine renal service specification is available, respectively, at the following two links:
Increasing access to home therapies is a priority for NHS England and this is reflected in its inclusion in the Renal Transformation Toolkit that was published in 2023, which recommends that 20% of all patients on kidney replacement treatment should receive treatment at home.
Commissioned renal clinical networks across England have included improving access to home therapies in their work plans as per the recommendations within the toolkit. The NHS England national team supports renal clinical networks with the implementation of home dialysis transformation.
The renal clinical networks and the renal services clinical reference group are providing input into the Department’s 10-Year Health Plan development process. As part of this, it is highlighted that increasing home dialysis provision will reduce in-centre dialysis demand and this will shift care from a hospital to a community setting. Renal clinical networks are working towards increasing home dialysis rates in line with the Renal Service Transformation Programme Toolkit’s recommendations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase awareness among women with Neurofibromatosis type 1 that they are entitled to breast screening from the age of 40; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of GPs taking an increased role in (a) identifying and (b) referring such women for screening.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites women between the ages of 50 and 71 years old to a screening every three years. However, women with an increased risk of breast cancer, such as those with neurofibromatosis type 1, are invited for screening from 40 years old.
Any woman who has neurofibromatosis type 1 and who hasn’t been referred for breast screening at 40 years old, or who has noticed changes to their breasts, should speak to their general practitioner.
The National Health Service website, available to the public and professionals, has information on neurofibromatosis and the increased risk of breast cancer, and advises breast screening from 40 years old.
In 2023, the England Rare Diseases Action Plan committed to improving the registration of national data for exemplar rare genetic conditions which cause an inherited predisposition to cancer, building on the success of the national Lynch syndrome registry.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS is taking to ensure that women with Neurofibromatosis type 1 are informed of their increased risk of breast cancer at an early age.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites women between the ages of 50 and 71 years old to a screening every three years. However, women with an increased risk of breast cancer, such as those with neurofibromatosis type 1, are invited for screening from 40 years old.
Any woman who has neurofibromatosis type 1 and who hasn’t been referred for breast screening at 40 years old, or who has noticed changes to their breasts, should speak to their general practitioner.
The National Health Service website, available to the public and professionals, has information on neurofibromatosis and the increased risk of breast cancer, and advises breast screening from 40 years old.
In 2023, the England Rare Diseases Action Plan committed to improving the registration of national data for exemplar rare genetic conditions which cause an inherited predisposition to cancer, building on the success of the national Lynch syndrome registry.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to hold discussions with the EU on enabling UK citizens to extend their stay in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days in a 180 day period; and if he has made an assessment of the potential merits of a six month visa waiver for UK citizens in the Schengen Area.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens short-term visa-free travel for up to six months. Meanwhile, the EU allows for travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. This may require a visa and/or permit.The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many households received a possession proceedings order after receiving a Section 21 notice in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) North Tyneside in 2024; and what proportion of those households had to pay court costs.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested is not held. The Ministry of Justice publishes data about possession proceedings at: Mortgage and landlord possession statistics: October to December 2024 - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of giving people who have missed a single council tax payment more than seven days to pay before the remaining annual sum is made due in full.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local councils are responsible for the collection and enforcement of council tax and have powers to agree alternative payment plans at any point in the collection process. The government’s guidance on council tax collection makes clear that councils are expected to be sympathetic to those in financial hardship and willing to negotiate payments at any point in the process. The government keeps all council tax policies under review.
The government will publish a consultation in 2025 to consider options to improve council tax billing and wider council tax administration changes to support taxpayers.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the level of reasonable costs that local authorities can recover when issuing a liability order for council tax arrears.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Councils are responsible for the collection and enforcement of council tax, and it is for them to assess the reasonable costs incurred in issuing a liability order. This is an important matter which the government continues to keep under review. The government will publish a consultation in 2025 to consider options to improve council tax billing and wider council tax administration changes to support taxpayers.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her policy that only charities accredited by the Gambling Commission will be eligible for funding under the statutory levy for gambling research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms; and whether organisations involved in gambling lobbying will be excluded.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Since 1 January 2020, operators have been required to direct their annual financial contribution for gambling research, prevention and treatment as required by Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) SR code 3.1.1 to one or more of the organisations on a list maintained by the Gambling Commission. The purpose of this list is to demonstrate to operators how to be compliant with the LCCP requirement. Once the levy system is in force, it is likely that the LCCP RET will be no longer relevant or needed. The Commission has consulted on this and will publish their response in due course.
It is a priority for levy funding to be directed where it is needed most. This is why we have appointed statutory bodies to lead on research, prevention and treatment which will be led by the evidence of what works to improve and expand efforts to understand, tackle and treat gambling-related harm. We will also put in place robust governance arrangements to ensure that levy funding is spent in line with our objectives.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timeline is for the review of the implementation of unpaid carer's leave.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Plan to Make Work Pay set out a commitment to review the implementation of Carer’s Leave, and that work is now underway. To deliver on this, we are bringing forward the Post Implementation Review of this legislation to complete before the end of this parliament.