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Written Question
Neurodiversity: Diagnosis
Tuesday 21st November 2023

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with (a) autism, (b) ADHD and (c) dyslexia in the East of England in the last five years.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The information requested is not held centrally but may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.


Written Question
Care Homes: Staff
Tuesday 19th July 2022

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

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 support care home workers.

Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education

I would like to recognise the enormous contribution care home workers, and all the care workforce, make to this country.

In our People at the Heart of Care White Paper, we set out a landmark investment of £500 million to develop and support the workforce.

This a five-fold increase in public spending on workforce training, creating hundreds of thousands of training places with clear pathways for development and progression.

These measures will make a real difference to the support that care workers get to develop and progress their career.


Written Question
Immunosuppression: Evusheld
Thursday 24th March 2022

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2021 to Question 92097 and following the Conditional Marketing Authorisation awarded by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on 17 March 2022, what plans he has to ensure that severely immunocompromised patients have access to Evusheld; and what estimate he has made of when the first patients will start to receive that treatment.

Answered by Maggie Throup

We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive. Any public announcement on the procurement of treatments would be made after an agreement is reached with companies. The Department is scoping the potential introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis. This includes identification of the most appropriate patient groups which could benefit and the potential deployment and administration process. However, treatments must be clinically cost-effective and demonstrate sufficient efficacy against Omicron and new variants.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Protective Clothing
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the Government does not recommend (a) FFP2 and (b) FFP3 face masks as offering additional protection to the wearer against covid-19.

Answered by Maggie Throup

The Health and Safety Executive does not recommend the routine use of FFP2 masks in clinical practice as these are of lower efficacy than FFP3 masks. FFP3 masks are recommended for use in some health and care settings. Infection prevention and control guidance for staff in all health and care settings states that FFP3 masks should be worn by staff caring for patients where a risk assessment indicates the need.

FFP3 masks and other higher specification personal protective equipment must be professionally fit tested to ensure that air flows through the filter rather than around the mask. If these masks are provided without fit testing, it is not clear that they will be effective. Additionally, it may be difficult for members of the public to safely and comfortably wear a fitted mask for extended periods of time. Face coverings are no longer mandated by law.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2021 to Question 89686 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, when 16-17 year olds with chronic asthma in group 6 will be (a) eligible and (b) prioritised for a covid-19 booster vaccination; and whether he will use the flu jab list as a basis for efficiently identifying those who need to be prioritised for any future covid-19 booster vaccinations.

Answered by Maggie Throup

The Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) that those aged 16 to 49 years old with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 should be offered a booster vaccine. This included individuals with 'poorly controlled asthma', defined as:

- Receiving two or more courses of oral corticosteroids in the preceding 24 months;

- Being on maintenance oral corticosteroids; and

- Having one or more hospital admission(s) for asthma in the preceding 24 months.

The flu clinical risk groups were initially considered as a potential way to identify and prioritise individuals at risk of COVID-19. However, when evaluating the data, the JCVI found that, although there was some overlap between the influenza clinical risk groups and those at high risk of severe COVID-19, there were some differences. At this stage no decision has been made about who will be prioritised for any for any future booster vaccinations, and whether the flu clinical risk groups will be used as part of the considerations.


Written Question
Evusheld
Monday 20th December 2021

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

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 effectiveness of the AstraZeneca drug Evusheld for immunosuppressed people in the UK; what plans he has to use that drug as a (a) prophylactic and (b) treatment; and what his timeline is for the rollout of that drug for use in the UK.

Answered by Maggie Throup

We continue to monitor the emerging data for AstraZeneca’s long-acting antibody therapy, AZD7442, also known as Evusheld. AstraZeneca have discussed potential approvals with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency .

The Department published a Prior information Notice (PIN) on 5 October 2021 inviting suppliers to submit an expression of interest on neutralising antibody treatments being developed for treating and preventing COVID-19. The PIN is accessible by suppliers and enables the Department to undertake a fair and transparent market engagement process with suppliers. We are unable to provide further information on the deployment of Evusheld as it is commercially sensitive.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Tuesday 14th December 2021

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

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 prioritise those under 40 who were vaccinated for covid-19 as part of group 6 previously part of the booster roll out programme; when he expects 16-17 years old in group 6 to be (a) eligible and (b) prioritised for a booster, including chronic asthmatics; what assurances his Department plans to provide those groups; and if his Department will use the flu jab list as a basis for identifying those who need to be prioritised for covid-19 booster vaccinations.

Answered by Maggie Throup

On 29 November 2021 the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to accelerate the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme. All adults over 18 years old are now eligible for a booster dose, which will be given no sooner than three months after completion of the primary course.

The flu clinical risk groups were initially considered as a potential way to identify and prioritise individuals at risk of COVID-19. However, when evaluating the data, the JCVI found that, although there was some overlap between the influenza clinical risk groups and those at high risk of severe COVID-19, there were some differences.


Written Question
Travel: Quarantine
Monday 11th October 2021

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) clarify the rationale and (b) make available the data that informed the decision for people returning from France regardless of vaccination status to quarantine for 10 days in the UK from 19 July 2021.

Answered by Maggie Throup

As of 19 July, GISAID data showed there have been to date 2,959 cases of the Beta variant in France or 5.2% of all cases, compared to 1,052 cases of the Beta variant in the United Kingdom or 0.2% of all cases, 44 cases or 0.5% of all cases in Greece and 621 cases or 1.4% of all cases in Spain since the start of the pandemic. As of 14 July, more sequences uploaded to the GISAID international database in the last three to four months were attributed to the Beta variant in France, than in Spain or Greece. The precautionary measure of the current quarantine rules and testing for travellers into the UK from France was meant to significantly reduce the risk of importing cases of the Beta variant, preventing community clusters or outbreaks.

From 8 August, arrivals from and those who have transited through France in the last ten days who have been fully vaccinated under the UK vaccination programme approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency do not need to quarantine. They are still expected to take a day two test.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Wednesday 8th September 2021

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings of (a) the ONS that chronic lower respiratory disease is the third most common underlying condition with death as a result of covid-19 in quarter 2 of 2021 and (b) of the British Lung Foundation, in its 2012 survey, that 81 per cent of chronic lower respiratory disease is asthma, if he will make it his policy that people with asthma who receive a free annual flu vaccination will be included in any covid-19 booster vaccination programme.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) interim advice is that COVID-19 booster vaccinations should first be offered to the most vulnerable. The JCVI advises a two stage approach, with individuals in stage one offered a booster vaccine and flu vaccine, as soon as possible from September. Individuals in stage two would be offered a booster vaccine as soon as practicable after stage one, with equal emphasis on deployment of the flu vaccine where eligible. The JCVI suggests those aged 16 to 49 years old who are in an influenza or COVID-19 at risk group, including some patients with chronic respiratory disease and asthma are currently included in stage two.

Final decisions on the timing and scope and cohort eligibility, booster programme will be confirmed once the JCVI has provided their final advice.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Monday 28th June 2021

Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)

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 (a) using the existing 2020-21 flu vaccination list for all future covid-19 booster vaccines and (b) the potential merits of using that list to protect all vulnerable people, including those with asthma who take daily Inhaled steroids.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

We are preparing for a potential booster vaccination programme from the autumn. Whilst we are planning for several potential scenarios, final decisions on the timing and scope of the booster programme will not be taken until later this year, in line with results from key clinical studies and independent advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI will review the emerging scientific evidence from studies on co-administering the flu and COVID-19 vaccines safely, alongside data supplied by manufacturers, to inform the Government in the decision-making process.