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 on (a) MMR, (b) Covid-19 and (c) all other vaccinations have been made to the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme in each of the last three years; and how many of each are awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
In 2021 there were 27 claims related to measles, mumps or rubella (MMR) received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), one of which is still awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024. Additionally in 2021, 616 claims were received relating to COVID-19, with 42 still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024. 43 claims were received for all other diseases covered by the Vaccine Damage Payment Act (VDPA) 1979, and in this category, seven applications were awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024.
In 2022 there were 19 claims related to MMR received by the VDPS, one of which is still awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024. Furthermore in 2022, 2723 claims were received relating to COVID-19 with 266 still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024. 86 claims were received for all other diseases covered by the VDPA 1979, and of these, 12 applications were still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024.
In 2023 there were five claims related to MMR received by the VDPS, one of which is still awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024. In this same year, 5383 claims were received relating to COVID-19 with 3519 still awaiting an outcome on 1 February 2024. 222 claims were received for all other diseases covered by the VDPA 1979, and of these, 139 applications were still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Government response to the call for evidence on the review of park homes legislation, published in October 2018, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to help tackle the use of complex and opaque company structures to (a) limit park home residents' security of tenure and (b) avoid liability for enforcement action; and if he will make an assessment of trends in the level of the use of such company structures since 2018.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department has published two guidance documents relating to the fit and proper person test.
My Department continues to work closely with the four national residents’ associations to address their members’ concerns about rights and responsibilities in the sector.
We remain committed to improving the sector further and will introduce primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, to prevent the use of complex company structures, clarify the definition of a pitch fee and prevent the use of variable service charges in written agreements.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Government response to the call for evidence on the review of park homes legislation, published in October 2018, whether his Department has taken recent steps to (a) help raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of park home residents and (b) issue guidance on best practice to local authorities.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department has published two guidance documents relating to the fit and proper person test.
My Department continues to work closely with the four national residents’ associations to address their members’ concerns about rights and responsibilities in the sector.
We remain committed to improving the sector further and will introduce primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, to prevent the use of complex company structures, clarify the definition of a pitch fee and prevent the use of variable service charges in written agreements.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Government response to the call for evidence on the review of park homes legislation, published in October 2018, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) amend and clarify the definition of a park home pitch fee and (b) prevent the use of variable service charges in written agreements.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department has published two guidance documents relating to the fit and proper person test.
My Department continues to work closely with the four national residents’ associations to address their members’ concerns about rights and responsibilities in the sector.
We remain committed to improving the sector further and will introduce primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, to prevent the use of complex company structures, clarify the definition of a pitch fee and prevent the use of variable service charges in written agreements.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the legal rights to redress for park home residents that have been adversely impacted by (a) companies in the Royale Life Group being put into administration and (b) the bankruptcy of Robert Bull.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
My Department has provided the national park home residents’ associations with advice to share with their members, about the rights and protections in place for those affected by those companies that have gone to administration.
My Department has also written to the relevant local authorities to remind them of their site licensing duties and to ensure the administrators continue to meet their legal obligations.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to help support park home residents that have been adversely impacted by (a) companies in the Royale Life Group being put into administration and (b) the bankruptcy of Robert Bull.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
My Department has provided the national park home residents’ associations with advice to share with their members, about the rights and protections in place for those affected by those companies that have gone to administration.
My Department has also written to the relevant local authorities to remind them of their site licensing duties and to ensure the administrators continue to meet their legal obligations.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the consultation entitled Public Sector Exit Payments: a new controls process for high exit payments, which closed on 17 October 2022, for what reason his Department has not yet responded to that consolation; and when he plans to respond.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government is considering the responses to this consultation and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of levels of public sector productivity in each financial year between 2018-19 and 2022-23; and what his planned timetable is for publication of the Public Service Productivity Review.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
ONS publish annual National Statistics on public service productivity up to 2020. The next annual statistic for 2021 will be published in March. ONS also publish estimates of annual public service productivity for 2021 and 2022. An experimental estimate for 2023 will come after the Spring Budget. This information is available online
There will be an update on the Public Sector Productivity Programme at Spring Budget.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many public sector exit payments were made in excess of £95,000 in the financial years ending 31 March (a) 2017, (b) 2018, (c) 2019, (d) 2020, (e) 2021, (f) 2022 and (g) 2023; and what the total cost was of those payments in each of those years.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
information on the number and costs of exit payments over £100,00 is published in the Whole of Government Accounts.
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, for what reason covid-19 vaccines are only available through the NHS as of 31 January 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government is committed to protecting those most at risk from COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Those eligible receive vaccination for free through the National Health Service. Whether and when a private market for COVID-19 vaccines emerges is a matter for private companies, and the Government has no formal role in this. However, the Government is supportive of the emergence of a private market for COVID-19 vaccines, to increase choice for consumers.