Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the operational cost of running each Category Tower of NHS Supply Chain Coordination Limited was in NHS financial years (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22 as of 10 June 2022.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The operational cost of each Category Tower of NHS Supply Chain was £60 million in 2020/21 and £61 million in 2021/22. An estimated £390 million to £400 million has been spent on services provided by Unipart Logistics in each year since the start of the contract.
The Department has spent an estimated £13 billion through the Category Tower Model by NHS Supply Chain, with an estimated £1.4 billion in savings.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of overturning the ban on oral tobacco products such as snus.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We have no plans to make such an assessment as the Department has no intention to legalise banned tobacco products. Snus use is associated with raised all-cause mortality. Whilst the risks of adverse health outcomes caused by snus are lower than smoking, we have found no evidence that introducing snus to the United Kingdom market will bring health benefits given the existing availability of non-tobacco nicotine pouches. It remains the Government’s policy to help people to quit all forms of tobacco use.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care,if he will make an assessment of the accuracy of the Action on Smoking and Health finding that the use of snus is over 100 times less harmful than smoking.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We have no plans to make such an assessment as the Department has no intention to legalise banned tobacco products. Snus use is associated with raised all-cause mortality. Whilst the risks of adverse health outcomes caused by snus are lower than smoking, we have found no evidence that introducing snus to the United Kingdom market will bring health benefits given the existing availability of non-tobacco nicotine pouches. It remains the Government’s policy to help people to quit all forms of tobacco use.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Government has made of the implications for its policies of Professor Andrew Stephen's Expert Opinion and analysis of proposals in the Health and Care Bill relating to advertising of high far, sugar and salt products.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The introduction of restrictions on the advertising of products high in fat, salt or sugar on TV and paid for advertising online is part of a range of measures to tackle obesity. A post-implementation review will be undertaken within five years of the introduction of restrictions. A sunset clause would pre-empt this evaluative work and could undermine compliance with the regulations.
The impact assessment for this policy published in June 2021 shows the health benefits outweigh the costs to business and the Government. The health benefits accrued when appraised over 100 years are estimated at around £2 billion. Additionally, the policy will provide savings for the National Health Service of £50 million, in social care £40 million and reduced premature mortality is expected to deliver an additional £119 million of economic output. Professor Andrew Stephen’s analysis was considered alongside other responses to the consultation and, where appropriate, the impact assessment was updated.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Government has made of the potential economic impact of advertising restriction provisions in the Health and Care Bill.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The introduction of restrictions on the advertising of products high in fat, salt or sugar on TV and paid for advertising online is part of a range of measures to tackle obesity. A post-implementation review will be undertaken within five years of the introduction of restrictions. A sunset clause would pre-empt this evaluative work and could undermine compliance with the regulations.
The impact assessment for this policy published in June 2021 shows the health benefits outweigh the costs to business and the Government. The health benefits accrued when appraised over 100 years are estimated at around £2 billion. Additionally, the policy will provide savings for the National Health Service of £50 million, in social care £40 million and reduced premature mortality is expected to deliver an additional £119 million of economic output. Professor Andrew Stephen’s analysis was considered alongside other responses to the consultation and, where appropriate, the impact assessment was updated.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
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 potential merits of including a sunset clause for the advertising restrictions contained in the Health and Care Bill in the event that they cannot be shown to have been effective in reducing levels of childhood obesity following the review period.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The introduction of restrictions on the advertising of products high in fat, salt or sugar on TV and paid for advertising online is part of a range of measures to tackle obesity. A post-implementation review will be undertaken within five years of the introduction of restrictions. A sunset clause would pre-empt this evaluative work and could undermine compliance with the regulations.
The impact assessment for this policy published in June 2021 shows the health benefits outweigh the costs to business and the Government. The health benefits accrued when appraised over 100 years are estimated at around £2 billion. Additionally, the policy will provide savings for the National Health Service of £50 million, in social care £40 million and reduced premature mortality is expected to deliver an additional £119 million of economic output. Professor Andrew Stephen’s analysis was considered alongside other responses to the consultation and, where appropriate, the impact assessment was updated.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the spring booster vaccine is not being offered to people under the age of 75 with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from covid-19.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 21 February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on offering a further dose to individuals as part of the spring COVID-19 vaccination programme. The primary aim of the programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease. As protection against severe COVID-19 disease appears to decline slowly, the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised for vaccination.
The programme targets the oldest age groups and those who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19. A dose will be offered to those over the age of 75 years old, residents in care homes for older adults and the immunosuppressed. The JCVI continues to consider the latest available data in relation to the timing and value of further doses.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide people with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from covid-19 with access to free tests for their asymptomatic immediate family members and carers beyond 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details of eligible groups will be made available in due course. We will continue to review the impact of this policy on those with motor neurone disease, underlying health conditions and their close contacts.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a process for acquiring free covid-19 tests from 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there will be a limit on the number of free covid-19 tests that eligible people can receive from 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups and any limits on the number of free tests will be made available in due course.