Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to 130 horses dying on course in 2020, what steps he plans to take to ensure that horses are not killed as the result of racing.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Ensuring the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards is a priority. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), British racing’s governing and regulatory body, is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses. The BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.
The Government welcomed the creation of the racing industry’s Horse Welfare Board (HWB), which was formed in March 2019. The Board is chaired by Barry Johnson, former President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (who is independent of the BHA) and includes members from across the racing industry, veterinarians and animal health and welfare experts. The Board has assured Defra that it is committed to doing all it can to make the sport safer and improve welfare outcomes. The HWB published its five-year horse welfare strategy “A life well lived” last year:
http://media.britishhorseracing.com/bha/Welfare/HWB/WELFARE_STRATEGY.pdf.
The strategy contains 20 recommendations for the industry aimed at ensuring the best possible safety and quality of life for racehorses.
One of the plan’s five identified outcomes (outcome 3 - 'Best possible safety') aims to reduce and minimise, as far as reasonably possible, avoidable injuries and fatalities to racehorses. This targets a reduction in injuries and fatalities on racecourses but also those that occur in, or as a result of, training or pre-training methods, or which are linked to breeding. The HWB has underlined the importance of data to better understand the causes of injuries and fatalities to help achieve this outcome.
Defra does not hold any information related to racehorse fatalities including those that have occurred during training. However, as well as collating and publishing data on racing fatalities, the BHA, following the recommendations contained within the HWB’s strategy, is working to improve data gathering in relation to thoroughbred racehorse fatalities in training. This includes analysis of data and reporting mechanisms which already exist regarding horses in training, and how these can be improved to provide additional data on fatal injuries.
The Secretary of State has not met representatives of either the BHA or the HWB between 2019 and now. I can confirm that the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at that time met with the BHA’s Director of Equine Health and the HWB’s Independent Chair in May 2019 where both sides agreed that further action was required to make the sport safer and to improve animal welfare standards across the industry. My officials plan to meet with the BHA in due course and will continue to engage with the sector to ensure that the welfare of racehorses, and reducing the fatalities and injuries that result from racing, remain at the forefront of the BHA’s priorities in delivering the plan’s outcomes.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk posed to the health of (1) individuals, and (2) the general public, of extending restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic for specific groups including (a) all over 60s regardless of health, (b) all over 70s regardless of health, (c) all BAME citizens, (d) all male citizens, and (e) all those with a body mass index over 30; how many people in each such group have been admitted to intensive care due to COVID-19; and what proportion of the total population of each group such numbers represent. [T]
Answered by Lord Bethell
On 2 June Public Health England published Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19. This report was subsequently updated in August 2020. The report finds that among people already diagnosed with COVID-19, people who were 80 years or older were seventy times more likely to die than those under 40. It also sets out that the risk of dying among those diagnosed with COVID-19 was also higher in males than females; higher in those living in the more deprived areas than those living in the least deprived; and higher in those in black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups than in white ethnic groups. The report notes that these inequalities largely replicate existing inequalities in mortality rates in previous years, except for BAME groups, as mortality was previously higher in white ethnic groups. The report’s analyses take into account age, sex, deprivation, region and ethnicity, but it does not take into account the existence of co-morbidities, which are strongly associated with the risk of death from COVID-19 and are likely to explain some of the differences. A copy of the report is attached.
On 22 October the Minister for Equalities, (Kemi Badenoch MP) published the first Quarterly report on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities report to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on progress to tackle COVID-19 disparities experienced by individuals from an ethnic minority background, making 13 recommendations. This includes reviewing the effectiveness and impact of current actions being undertaken by relevant Government departments to directly lessen disparities in infection and death rates of COVID-19. As well as taking action to modify existing policy and policy in development to address these disparities, all of which the Prime Minister has accepted. A copy of this quarterly report is attached.
Asked by: Lord Porter of Spalding (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that cancer survival rates are not adversely impacted by the cancellation or delay in cancer screening, diagnostic testing, and cancer treatments.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Although some appointments for cancer screening, diagnostics and treatments have been rescheduled during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect vulnerable patients, NHS England and NHS Improvement have taken a robust approach to ensuring that people at highest risk are seen as a matter of priority. NHS England and NHS Improvement have minimised the impact on those most at risk of dying of cancer by ensuring that urgent and essential cancer treatments continue throughout the pandemic.
Restoring full operation of all cancer services is a key commitment and is well underway, as set out in NHS England’s letters dated 10 June and 31 July 2020. The number of people waiting in screening pathways is reducing and there is a continued focus on sending out invites for routine screening appointments that were previously delayed.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of men dying as a result of prostate cancer.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In April 2018, the Government announced £75 million over five years for prostate cancer research, which will focus on improving early diagnosis and survival rates as well as exploring options for different treatments for men affected by the disease. Funding will be invested through the National Institute for Health Research to support a wide range of research.
NHS England has invested £130 million to fund the modernisation of radiotherapy across England. This has ensured that older linear accelerators (LINACs - radiotherapy machines) being used by hospitals are being upgraded or replaced, giving cancer patients access to the latest leading edge technology regardless of where they live. Over 80 machines have been replaced or upgraded.
In September 2019, the Government committed to funding £200 million for new equipment to drive earlier diagnosis of cancer and improve survival. More than 300 diagnostic machines will be installed across the country from this year, replacing outdated MRI machines and CT scans with cutting edge technology. The new machines will be AI-enabled to keep pace with future advances in technology, which allow tasks now done by humans to be done by computer.
Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to assist families in implementing advance care plans for relatives receiving end-of-life care.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
On 5 July 2016 we published Our Commitment to you for end of life care, which set out what everyone should expect from their care at the end of life and the actions we are taking to make high quality, personalised care a reality for everyone by 2020. Our Commitment stated that everyone should have the opportunity to develop and document a personalised care plan based on what matters to them, including: advance decisions; preferences about where they would like to be cared for and would want to die; and to review and revise this plan throughout the duration of their illness.
NHS England and the Ambitions for End of life Care partnership have made available a range of resources to support commissioners to deliver advance care planning for families and patients, including an end of life care toolkit and care planning guidance. Over the last year, additional support has been made available in the form of new guidance on end of life care planning for people with dementia, as well as an online training course to support volunteers to understand what advance care planning is and how to deliver it; as well as how to assist others with advance care planning. Both resources can be found at the links below:
www.endoflifecareambitions.org.uk/thinking-planning-ahead-learning/
The Government commitment also set out plans to work with voluntary sector partners to raise public awareness nationally of issues around death and dying and the importance of enabling individuals to make end of life care plans in advance. NHS England contributed funding to the Dying Matters campaign in 2016/17 and also promoted Dying Matters Week via the National End of Life Care Programme Board and through the National Palliative and End of Life Care Network. In addition, in October 2017, Age UK published a booklet and animation; Let's Talk About Death and Dying, that provides information about conversations, care and choices at the end of life. It was promoted through their media channels including radio and trade press.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provisions are in place for palliative care in privately managed prisons.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
There are five privately managed prison contracts, all of which have provisions in place for palliative care. For those prisons where NHS England holds commissioning responsibility, they commission end of life and palliative care provision, support the prisons’ approach to the local authorities’ assessment and management of social care, and ensure that elderly patients are supported in accessing healthcare services.
NHS England has developed a ‘Dying Well in Custody Charter’, mirroring the community based Dying Well Charter, scheduled to be published this spring.
Information on receiving palliative care from Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service by age is not held centrally.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prisoners aged over (a) 60, (b) 70 and (c) 80 receive palliative care from Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
There are five privately managed prison contracts, all of which have provisions in place for palliative care. For those prisons where NHS England holds commissioning responsibility, they commission end of life and palliative care provision, support the prisons’ approach to the local authorities’ assessment and management of social care, and ensure that elderly patients are supported in accessing healthcare services.
NHS England has developed a ‘Dying Well in Custody Charter’, mirroring the community based Dying Well Charter, scheduled to be published this spring.
Information on receiving palliative care from Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service by age is not held centrally.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what arrangements Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has with the NHS in relation to palliative care for prisoners.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
There are five privately managed prison contracts, all of which have provisions in place for palliative care. For those prisons where NHS England holds commissioning responsibility, they commission end of life and palliative care provision, support the prisons’ approach to the local authorities’ assessment and management of social care, and ensure that elderly patients are supported in accessing healthcare services.
NHS England has developed a ‘Dying Well in Custody Charter’, mirroring the community based Dying Well Charter, scheduled to be published this spring.
Information on receiving palliative care from Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service by age is not held centrally.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of women dying as a result of breast cancer.
Answered by David Mowat
The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July 2015, recommending improvements across the cancer patient pathway, including for breast cancer. An implementation plan, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: Taking the strategy forward, was published on 12 May 2016 and we hope to see great progress as it is delivered.
Earlier diagnosis makes it more likely that patients will receive effective treatments. We have committed to implementing recommendation 24 of the report that by 2020, everyone referred with a suspicion of cancer will receive either a definitive diagnosis or the all-clear within four weeks. This standard will be underpinned by investment of up to £300 million more in diagnostics each year by 2020.
On breast cancer specifically, the cancer strategy recommended that we:
- ensure that chemo-prevention is being used appropriately to reduce the risk of developing breast cancers, particularly in younger women at high risk of developing cancer;
- commission the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to develop updated guidelines for adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, including the use of bisphosphonates and aromatase inhibitors to prevent secondary cancers in women previously treated for early stage breast cancer;
- ensure that all patients treated for cancer are given advice on how best to manage their risk level and ensure that the risk of developing secondary cancers is reduced, as well as ensuring that there is a fast and efficient route back into treatment for patients who suffer recurrence; and
- ensure that, by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, live well beyond cancer, including psychological and social support for those whose cancer recurs, or who live for a long time with cancer or its consequences, as is often the case in women with secondary breast cancer.
We have also run two national Be Clear on Cancer campaigns in 2014 and 2015 to raise awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer in women aged over 70. The campaigns targeted women over 70 because the disease is often diagnosed at a later stage in this age group. Breast screening for asymptomatic cancer saves an estimated 1,300 lives a year in the United Kingdom. A major randomised controlled trial is testing whether extending breast screening to women aged 47-49 and 71-73 will save more lives. Over 2 million women have been randomised into the trial, and results are expected in the early 2020s.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will issue a response to the Dying for Justice report published by the Institute of Race Relations in March 2015.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Every death in custody is a tragedy. Each one is investigated independently by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman or the Independent Police Complaints Commission, and is the subject of a coroner’s inquest. Every effort is made to learn lessons from these investigations, and the prevention of further deaths is a priority for police, prisons and immigration detention services. The very small number of cases in which criminal offences are believed to have been committed are referred for further investigation by the police and/or to the Crown Prosecution Service, and where appropriate charges are brought. The final outcome in such cases is a matter for the courts.
The Dying for Justice report by the Institute of Race Relations, published in March 2015, highlighted the particular issue of deaths of Black and Minority Ethnic people in custody The Government is not intending to issue a response to the report though has considered its findings.
The report acknowledges some of the improvements that have been made during that period. It also reminds us of the enduring nature of many of the issues related to deaths in custody, particularly that the families of the deceased and others in the Black and Minority Ethnic community continue to lack confidence that appropriate action is being taken in response to such deaths. The Government is working to address this, for example through more effective liaison with families, as well as improvements to restraint techniques and training.
The Prime Minister has asked David Lammy MP to lead a review of the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales to investigate evidence of possible bias against black defendants and other ethnic minorities. With significant overrepresentation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals in the criminal justice system, the review will consider their treatment and outcomes to identify and help tackle potential bias or prejudice.