Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made in ensuring that medical cannabis containing THC is available on the NHS for patients whom clinicians deem it clinically appropriate to prescribe it to.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The law was changed on 1 November 2018 to allow clinicians on the General Medical Council’s ‘Specialist Register’ to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use, where clinically appropriate and in the best interest of patients. The Government has been clear that decisions on whether to prescribe these products must remain a clinical one.
Following a meeting in Parliament with the families of patients seeking access to medicinal cannabis, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care asked NHS England and NHS Improvement to undertake a rapid process review into any barriers to prescribing on the National Health Service, where clinically appropriate. The review report is now published, and the Department is working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement and other delivery partners to implement the report’s recommendations. This includes committing public funds through the National Institute for Health Research to establish clinical trials to develop the evidence base and exploring alternative studies to help children and young adults with treatment resistance epilepsy who are currently receiving cannabis-based medicines. We have also contacted all producers of cannabis-based products, known to have an interest in supplying the United Kingdom market, to encourage and support research applications to develop the evidence base further.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the (a) information he holds on the effect on disadvantaged communities of the UK leaving the EU without a deal and (b) plans he has in place to mitigate that effect.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government is making all necessary preparations to ensure that we are ready for leaving the EU whatever the circumstances. We want to ensure the country is prepared at every level.
HM Treasury routinely monitors economic conditions and risks, and the Government has a range of mechanisms available to support vulnerable people. We stand ready to take appropriate action if economic conditions change. Furthermore, officials make estimates of the direct impact of spending decisions on household living standards, and would continue to do so in responding to challenges arising from leaving the EU without a deal.
We are committed to a strong safety-net for those who need it. This includes a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans as an additional safeguard for those who need them. Additionally, the government has been working with local authorities to understand how a no-deal exit might impact upon their services, including services for vulnerable people.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the ability of his Department to support Birmingham City Council in implementing a system to collect payments from the proposed Clean Air Zone.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Joint Air Quality Unit vehicle checking software will be ready by February 2020.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Yes.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has plans to bring forward legislation to ban the racing of pregnant mares.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government is keen that the welfare needs of all racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of all racehorses and already have rules in place to regulate the welfare of all racehorses including that of pregnant mares.
Under these rules, the BHA must be notified within 25 days of a mare being found in foal. A mare that is in foal is permitted to run until 120 days of pregnancy. No evidence has been found to suggest that there is any detriment to the health and welfare of either the mares or foetuses during this period. According to BHA, in 2018 there were 91 runs by 33 pregnant mares on British racecourses, and there have been 38 runs by 18 pregnant mares to date in 2019. The Government understands that the recent fatality at Hexham racecourse is the only fatality from all pregnant mares notified to the BHA as having run within the last five years.
As such, the Government is satisfied that the BHA rules provide adequate protection for the welfare of pregnant mares in British horseracing and we do not plan to bring forward legislation to ban the racing of pregnant mares. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met with the BHA and stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results. I intend to stay in regular contact with the industry to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare for all racehorses including pregnant mares.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the British Horseracing Authority on the death of a pregnant mare on 21 May at Hexham racecourse; and if he will request a report from the course vet on the decision to allow the mare to race.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government is keen that the welfare needs of all racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of all racehorses and already have rules in place to regulate the welfare of all racehorses including that of pregnant mares.
Under these rules, the BHA must be notified within 25 days of a mare being found in foal. A mare that is in foal is permitted to run until 120 days of pregnancy. No evidence has been found to suggest that there is any detriment to the health and welfare of either the mares or foetuses during this period. According to BHA, in 2018 there were 91 runs by 33 pregnant mares on British racecourses, and there have been 38 runs by 18 pregnant mares to date in 2019. The Government understands that the recent fatality at Hexham racecourse is the only fatality from all pregnant mares notified to the BHA as having run within the last five years.
As such, the Government is satisfied that the BHA rules provide adequate protection for the welfare of pregnant mares in British horseracing and we do not plan to bring forward legislation to ban the racing of pregnant mares. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met with the BHA and stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results. I intend to stay in regular contact with the industry to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare for all racehorses including pregnant mares.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ask the British Horseracing Authority to publish data on the number of pregnant mares that have raced in this country in (a) 2019 and (b) 2018.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government is keen that the welfare needs of all racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of all racehorses and already have rules in place to regulate the welfare of all racehorses including that of pregnant mares.
Under these rules, the BHA must be notified within 25 days of a mare being found in foal. A mare that is in foal is permitted to run until 120 days of pregnancy. No evidence has been found to suggest that there is any detriment to the health and welfare of either the mares or foetuses during this period. According to BHA, in 2018 there were 91 runs by 33 pregnant mares on British racecourses, and there have been 38 runs by 18 pregnant mares to date in 2019. The Government understands that the recent fatality at Hexham racecourse is the only fatality from all pregnant mares notified to the BHA as having run within the last five years.
As such, the Government is satisfied that the BHA rules provide adequate protection for the welfare of pregnant mares in British horseracing and we do not plan to bring forward legislation to ban the racing of pregnant mares. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met with the BHA and stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results. I intend to stay in regular contact with the industry to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare for all racehorses including pregnant mares.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many (a) private tower blocks and (b) social housing blocks in Birmingham have been identified as requiring the removal and replacement of unsafe aluminium composite cladding.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
As of 30 April, Birmingham has between 1 and 5 private sector high-rise buildings identified with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations which are yet to be remediated. This data is published in the April 2019 Building Safety Programme Data Release.
There has been no funding allocated to Birmingham City Council as we are not aware of any social sector high-rise buildings with ACM cladding in Birmingham.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been allocated to Birmingham city council to remove and replace unsafe aluminium composite cladding in council and housing association blocks since such funding was made available in 2018.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
As of 30 April, Birmingham has between 1 and 5 private sector high-rise buildings identified with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations which are yet to be remediated. This data is published in the April 2019 Building Safety Programme Data Release.
There has been no funding allocated to Birmingham City Council as we are not aware of any social sector high-rise buildings with ACM cladding in Birmingham.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to promote arts and creative subject provision in secondary schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
All state-maintained secondary schools must teach art and design and music to pupils at Key Stage 3 (pupils aged 11 – 14). Drama is taught as part of the English curriculum and dance is included in PE & sport. At Key Stage 4 (pupils aged 14 – 16), there is a statutory entitlement for every pupil to take an arts subject, if they wish to do so. Academies must teach a broad and balanced curriculum.
Ofsted’s new education inspection framework, which comes into effect in September, has a strong emphasis on ensuring schools provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all their pupils.
Between 2016-20 we are spending almost £500 million on a range of arts and cultural education programmes.