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 awards had been made under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for claims arising from Covid-19 vaccines as at 31 December 2025.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), shows that as of 31 December 2025, 246 VDPS awards have been made for claims relating to COVID-19 vaccinations.
Information on COVID-19 claims to the VDPS is published on a quarterly basis by the NHS Business Service Authority. Further information is available at the following link:
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the analysis carried out by HMRC which was used as evidence to conclude that removing the requirement to charge VAT on local authority sports and leisure activities would not significantly distort competition in the sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The analysis carried out by HMRC relating to the VAT treatment of local authority sports and leisure activities is not suitable for publication.
The detailed analysis drew on information from a range of sources, some subject to contractual non-disclosure conditions and confidential taxpayer information.
Disclosure of the analysis could prejudice possible future policy decisions and negatively impact the honesty and openness of similar future analytical exercises.
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 the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention and the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 November 2025, what progress has been made on possible reform to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for claims relating to Covid-19 vaccinations; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Budget on the affordability of proposals for change.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I am grateful for the Hon. Member's continued focus on this important issue, and for meeting with me on 5 November 2025.
I continue to actively review options for the reform of the scheme, and the Department is engaging with other Government departments as part of this process. Discussions have taken place on limitation period for court claims, following the meeting on 5 November 2025.
Any reforms would need to be prioritised as part of future business planning processes.
I am meeting with vaccine bereaved families in the coming weeks to provide them with a further update on this work.
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 the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention and the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 November 2025, what progress has been made on consulting with the Cabinet Office on increasing the limitation period for court claims relating to harm from Covid-19 vaccinations.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I am grateful for the Hon. Member's continued focus on this important issue, and for meeting with me on 5 November 2025.
I continue to actively review options for the reform of the scheme, and the Department is engaging with other Government departments as part of this process. Discussions have taken place on limitation period for court claims, following the meeting on 5 November 2025.
Any reforms would need to be prioritised as part of future business planning processes.
I am meeting with vaccine bereaved families in the coming weeks to provide them with a further update on this work.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will set out the evidential basis for his statement at Column 258 of Hansard on 25 November 2025 that "Thirty years of COPs have reduced global warming forecasts from 4°—indeed 5°—to something like 2.3° to 2.5°".
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Before the Paris Agreement, policies in place put the world on track for around 4°C of warming by 2100. In 2013, Climate Action Tracker estimated close to 4°C of warming, with a one-in-three chance of exceeding 4°C. In 2010, the Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations Environment Programme estimated that even if announced climate pledges were delivered, temperatures could increase by up to 5°C. The latest Emissions Gap Report estimates that Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), mandated by the Paris Agreement, put the world on course for 2.3°C-2.5°C, or 1.9°C if all countries meet their NDC and net zero commitments.
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 patients died from hospital acquired pneumonia at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon in each of the first six months of 2025.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on what date BCP Council applied for permission to increase its council tax for 2026/7 above the 4.99% limit without the need for a local referendum; and whether he plans to invite (a) oral and (b) written representations from local hon. Members before making a decision.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Whilst the government works towards a local government funding system fit for the future and delivering reforms that move funding to the places where it is most needed, the government recognises the potential for some continued instability and that some local authorities may be in a challenging financial position.
That is why, as set out in the local government policy statement in November, we confirmed for those councils in the most challenging financial positions there will be – similar to previous years – an Exceptional Financial Support framework and the ability for local requests for council tax flexibility where an authority views additional council tax increases as critical to managing financial risk.
In considering any requests for council tax flexibility, the government will carefully consider a local authority’s specific circumstances and the impacts of any proposed council tax increase to local taxpayers, the most vulnerable and the authority’s ability to provide key services. Additionally, unlike the previous government, this government would not agree to requests for additional flexibilities from authorities where council tax payers are already paying more than average.
The government will continue to work constructively with local authorities requesting support but remains clear that authorities should take reasonable steps locally to manage financial pressures and deliver for their residents and only seek support in exceptional circumstances.
In line with the position of the previous government, we treat all discussions in confidence and do not publish details of requests from individual authorities ahead of decisions being made.
As ever, I remain happy to meet with Members to discuss any local concerns and would invite them to share their views.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 96081, if she will publish the representation made by the hon. Member for Whitehaven and Workington.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury does not publish individual representations on behalf of respondents.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 96081, if she will publish the representation made by the hon. Member for Na-h Eileanan an Iar.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury does not publish individual representations on behalf of respondents.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 96081, if she will publish the representation made by the hon. Member for Kensington and Bayswater.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury does not publish individual representations on behalf of respondents.