Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 20 of his Department's written opening statement to Module 4 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry of 20 December 2024, INQ000474799, on what evidential basis his Department said that the covid-19 vaccine programme had prevented (a) over 230,800 hospitalisations and (b) between 119,500 and 126,800 deaths by September 2021.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The evidential basis refers to page four of the COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report: Week 38, published by Public Health England on 23 September 2021. The report is available at the following link:
The report assessed the impact of the vaccination programme on the population by taking into account vaccine coverage, evidence on vaccine effectiveness, and the latest COVID-19 disease surveillance indicators. These figures were, at the time of the report, the latest estimates on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination programme on mortality.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 20 of his Department's written opening statement to Module 4 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry of 20 December 2024, INQ000474799, on what evidential basis his Department said that the covid-19 vaccine programme had prevented between 23.7 and 24.1 million infections.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The evidential basis refers to page four of the COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report: Week 38, published by Public Health England on 23 September 2021. The report is available at the following link:
The report assessed the impact of the vaccination programme on the population by taking into account vaccine coverage, evidence on vaccine effectiveness, and the latest COVID-19 disease surveillance indicators. These figures were, at the time of the report, the latest estimates on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination programme on mortality.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) claims and (b) mandatory reversal claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme on Covid-19 vaccinations have been outstanding for more than (i) six months, (ii) 12 months and (iii) 18 months.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
As of 17 January 2025, 3,714 claims and 201 mandatory reversal claims have been outstanding for more than six months. Of those, 1,041 claims and 82 mandatory reversals have been outstanding for more than 12 months, and of those, 517 claims and 32 mandatory reversals have been outstanding for more than 18 months.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme relating to Covid-19 vaccinations have been (a) made and (b) successful for (i) Vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis, (ii) Guillain-Barré syndrome and (iii) other conditions.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
As of 3 January 2025, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) had received 183 assessed claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) relating to COVID-19 for vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. These 183 claims reflect 1.9% of the total number of claims which have undergone a completed medical assessment. Of these 183 claims, 92, or 50.3%, have been successful. The NHS BSA also received 224 assessed claims to the VDPS relating to COVID-19 for Guillain-Barré syndrome. These 224 claims reflect 2.3% of the total number of claims which have undergone a completed medical assessment. Of these 224 claims, 63, or 28.1%, have been successful. Finally, the NHS BSA also received 9,480 assessed claims to the VDPS relating to COVID-19 for other conditions. These 9,480 claims reflect 95.9% of the total number of claims which have undergone a completed medical assessment. Of these 9,480 claims, 199, or 2.1%, have been successful.
These figures reflect conditions which have been identified from the medical records of claimants. Claims may relate to a combination of these conditions and other conditions from the medical records of claimants.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 stop the spread of the HMPV virus from China.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is one of many viruses within the United Kingdom that cause illness each winter. It has been in circulation for many decades. Most people have been infected by the age of five and reinfection occurs throughout life.
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) monitors activity and publishes data every week through the winter period. UKHSA’s long-term surveillance of hMPV in England, through systems covering general practice surgeries and hospital laboratories, indicates that hMPV levels in winter 2024-25 are in line with what we would expect to see at this time of year.
UKHSA has issued general public advice on prevention of transmission of respiratory viruses, this includes the importance of good hand hygiene, catching coughs with tissues, and avoiding vulnerable people while symptomatic. These measures would be expected to reduce transmission of hMPV.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment of the probability of an increase in youth smoking rates of illegal tobacco products as a result of the implementation of a generational ban on tobacco sales.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Smoking is still the biggest killer. It claims approximately 80,000 lives a year and puts huge pressure on our National Health Service, and costs taxpayers billions. By creating the first smoke-free generation we are stopping people from ever starting smoking. Our published modelling shows that smoking rates in England for 14 to 30-year-olds could be close to 0% as early as 2050, from an estimated 11.2% in 2023.
Evidence shows that when we have introduced targeted tobacco control measures, they have had a positive impact on tackling the problems of illicit tobacco. Consumption of illicit cigarettes has gone from 15 billion cigarettes in 2000/2001 to 1.5 billion cigarettes in 2022/2023.
In 2007, the legal age of sale for tobacco products was raised from 16 to 18 years old, which helped reduce youth smoking rates in children aged 11 to 15 years old from 9% in 2005, to less than 1.1% in 2021. This age increase created 1.3 million more people who were no longer able to be sold cigarettes, and who in theory would be in the market for illicit cigarettes. However, in practice the number of illicit cigarettes consumed fell by 25%, from 10 billion in 2005/06 to 7.5 billion in 2007/08.
The Government is investing over £100 million over five years to boost HM Revenue and Customs and Border Force’s enforcement capability to tackle illicit tobacco, supporting their Illicit Tobacco Strategy. In 2025/26 we will invest £30 million of new funding in total for enforcement agencies, including Trading Standards.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there is a maximum time within which applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding to NHS Dorset must be actioned; and whether redress is available to applicants whose applications have not been decided within 12 months.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Statutory guidance and assurance regimes are in place in respect of NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) so that people are assessed and receive care in a timely way. NHS CHC guidance sets the expectation that the overall assessment and eligibility decision-making process should, in most cases, not exceed 28 calendar days from when the integrated care board (ICB) receives a positive NHS CHC Checklist, or other notice of potential eligibility, to the eligibility decision being made. To support this, NHS England’s assurance standard requires ICBs to ensure that in more than 80% of referrals for standard NHS CHC, the eligibility decision should be made within 28 days of this notification.
An individual should not be left without appropriate support while they await the outcome of the NHS CHC assessment and decision-making process. Redress is not available to applicants whose applications have not been decided within twelve months. If, however, an individual is unhappy with how their application has been handled, they can make a complaint to the relevant ICB. If an individual remains dissatisfied with the ICB’s response, they can make a complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 probability of young people switching from vaping to smoking tobacco products as a result of the implementation of a generational ban on tobacco sales.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
It is very unlikely that young people will switch from vaping to smoking, as the generational ban on tobacco sales will make it illegal for children born on or after 1 January 2009 to ever legally be sold cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Our modelling shows that smoking rates in England for 14 to 30-year-olds could be close to 0% as early as 2050. More information on the modelling and impact from raising the legal age of sale for tobacco products can be seen in the published impact assessment, which is available at the following link:
Alongside the generational ban, we have announced strong measures through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to bring about definitive and positive change to stop future generations from becoming hooked on nicotine, whether that is through cigarettes, vapes, or other nicotine products.
The bill will stop vapes from being deliberately branded and advertised to children, by providing regulatory making powers to restrict flavours, packaging, and changing how and where they are displayed in shops.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme on Covid-19 vaccinations have been (a) received, (b) successful, (c) unsuccessful as a result of the claim not meeting the 60 per cent disability threshold, (d) rejected and (e) still awaiting resolution.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
As of 22 November 2024, the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) has received 17,379 claims related to COVID-19 vaccinations. Of these, 194 claims have resulted in a payment being awarded, 9,196 have been rejected, 7,173 are awaiting resolution, and 816 were found to be invalid due to either being outside the scope of the VDPS or for being a duplicate claim. Of the 9,196 rejected claims, 416 were rejected for not meeting the 60% disability threshold.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any of the vials of (a) Pfizer and (b) Moderna covid-19 vaccines supplied to patients in the United Kingdom contained (i) variable and (ii) excessive levels of residual plasmid DNA.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
All batches of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines released in the United Kingdom to date have passed their release specifications for DNA levels. The specifications are set in line with their respective controlled manufacturing process and in accordance with, for example, World Health Organization guidance on the quality, safety, and efficacy of vaccines. No batches that have excessive levels of residual DNA have been released.