Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to promote the availability of the Disabled Persons Railcard to all people in the UK living with Multiple Sclerosis.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Railcards are administered by the Rail Delivery Group. Details of an individual's qualifying disability or progressive medical condition are not recorded centrally for Disabled Persons Railcard holders or applicants. Therefore, information on how many people with Multiple Sclerosis applied for, or obtained, a Disabled Person’s Railcard, or any information as to the proportion of applicants who have Multiple Sclerosis, is not available.
With regards to promoting the availability of the Disabled Persons Railcard, as per our Inclusive transport strategy commitment, the Department alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is currently undertaking a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard. The review is considering the eligibility criteria and also the options to verify entitlement. We expect to complete this review in the first part of 2023.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of applicants for a Disabled Person’s Railcard had Multiple Sclerosis in each year since 2018.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Railcards are administered by the Rail Delivery Group. Details of an individual's qualifying disability or progressive medical condition are not recorded centrally for Disabled Persons Railcard holders or applicants. Therefore, information on how many people with Multiple Sclerosis applied for, or obtained, a Disabled Person’s Railcard, or any information as to the proportion of applicants who have Multiple Sclerosis, is not available.
With regards to promoting the availability of the Disabled Persons Railcard, as per our Inclusive transport strategy commitment, the Department alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is currently undertaking a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard. The review is considering the eligibility criteria and also the options to verify entitlement. We expect to complete this review in the first part of 2023.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people applied for a Disabled Person’s Railcard in each year since 2018.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Railcards are administered by the Rail Delivery Group. Details of an individual's qualifying disability or progressive medical condition are not recorded centrally for Disabled Persons Railcard holders or applicants. Therefore, information on how many people with Multiple Sclerosis applied for, or obtained, a Disabled Person’s Railcard, or any information as to the proportion of applicants who have Multiple Sclerosis, is not available.
With regards to promoting the availability of the Disabled Persons Railcard, as per our Inclusive transport strategy commitment, the Department alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is currently undertaking a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard. The review is considering the eligibility criteria and also the options to verify entitlement. We expect to complete this review in the first part of 2023.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on access to Fampridine for people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Will Quince
There have been no specific discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether medicines represent a clinical and cost-effective use of resources. NICE was unable to recommend fampridine in its clinical guideline on managing multiple sclerosis which was originally published in 2014 and updated in 2022.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 adequacy of the availability of support for people with multiple sclerosis in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) North Staffordshire.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will commission an independent review of the adequacy of disability benefits rates at covering the costs and needs of disabled people, including for people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 60904 given by my Hon. Friend, on 17 October 2022.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 monitor the effectiveness of (a) Parkinson's, (b) Multiple Sclerosis and (c) other specialist nurse practitioners who are employed under integrated care systems.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The quality and safety of services, including specialist nurse practitioners, is monitored by NHS England through the NHS Oversight Framework and by the Care Quality Commission through its assessment and inspection processes.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing a targeted financial support package for (a) people living with multiple sclerosis and (b) their carers.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government understands that people across the UK and especially the most vulnerable members of society, such as those suffering from long-term health conditions and their carers, are worried about the rising cost of living. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.
If individuals have extra-costs arising from multiple sclerosis, then they may qualify for disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payments (PIP). People in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as PIP, Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help disabled people with the rising cost of living. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments. Carers will also benefit from this payment if they live in the same household as the person for whom they care.
A one-off £650 Cost of Living Payment is also being delivered to those on means-tested benefits. Individuals who have limited ability to work because of their health condition, and are in receipt of means-tested benefits such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the Universal Credit Health top up, are eligible for this support. Carers with low incomes and in receipt of qualifying benefits such as Universal Credit will also benefit from this Cost of Living Payment.
Those living with a long-term health condition such as multiple sclerosis, and their carers, can also benefit from other forms of non-means-tested support which the Government is providing to assist with household energy bills. We have taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive further support this year through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme. The £150 Council Tax rebate will also mean that all households in Council Tax bands A-D will receive a rebate, and 99% of eligible households have already received this. Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials until the end of March 2023, via the Household Support Fund.
We are continuing to keep the situation under review and are focusing support on the most vulnerable whilst ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to develop a clinical network for neurological conditions.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) invests in research, clinical expertise, specialist facilities, workforce and support services across a range of clinical areas, including neurological conditions. The NIHR brings together its research centres through clinical networks. The NIHR Dementia Translational Research Collaboration is a network of leading universities, NHS trusts and research centres in the UK who carry out early translational research for dementia. The NIHR Clinical Research Network supports participation in research to advance knowledge and improve care. It has speciality areas for neurological disorders such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, dementia and neurodegeneration including Motor Neurone Disease and stroke. These speciality areas provide clinical leadership and expertise to effectively deliver studies.
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, how many and what proportion of eligible patients are receiving a biologic for (a) rheumatoid arthritis, (b) dermatology, (c) immunology, (d) multiple sclerosis and (e) severe asthma as of 17 October 2022.
Answered by Will Quince
The information requested is not held centrally.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has made recommendations on the use of the biological medicines for the treatment of a range of conditions. Further information is available on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk
NHS commissioners in England are legally required to make funding available for NICE recommended treatments so that they are available for clinicians to prescribe to patients, normally within three months of NICE’s guidance.