Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
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 raise awareness of (a) the potentially fatal clotting conditions that may occur during pregnancy and (b) how early intervention can prevent fatal outcomes.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Midwives discuss venous thromboembolism (VTE) with all women during pregnancy, advising them if they are at increased risk, explaining the signs and symptoms and sources of advice. Women will often be provided with a printed or digital information leaflet and NHS.UK provides accessible advice and guidance, emphasising the urgency if they have any symptoms of a VTE.
Clinicians assess a woman's risk factors for VTE at the first antenatal appointment and following any hospital admission or significant health event during pregnancy. A referral to an obstetrician may be made if risk factors are present. Prophylactic treatment from early pregnancy is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence if the risk of thromboembolism is very high or later in pregnancy if the risk is lower.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to assist Congleton constituents who are confined in a locked-down apartment compound in Shanghai due to covid-19 restrictions and who want to return to the UK.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
British nationals who require assistance in Shanghai should contact the British Consulate for assistance. For British nationals wanting to leave Shanghai there are commercial routes available and the British Consulate can arrange a letter of support for them to travel to the airport if this is required by their local community leader. Further information for British nationals living in China can be found at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the announcement of £7,310,000 allocated to the North West to secure additional dental appointments, what assessment he has made of the impact of that funding on access to dental appointments for people in Congleton constituency.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
No formal assessment has been made. National Health Service regional teams are currently commissioning additional activity supported by this funding.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Government Department is administering medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine; and if she will provide information on how a company in Congleton constituency can make direct and urgent contact with the relevant Department on that matter.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and the region. Our support will ensure that Ukrainians have access to basic necessities and medical supplies. The UK Government encourages people to visit the following webpage: Ukraine: what you can do to help - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-what-you-can-do-to-help) to guide them on the best way to direct their donations.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
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 potential merits of (a) extending access for 12 to 17 year olds to a second dose of the covid-19 vaccine and (b) making it possible for 12 to 17 year olds to be able to prove that they have had the virus on the covid-19 travel passport to enable those people to travel to countries that require proof of double vaccination.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 15 November 2021, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to offer a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination to all 16 and 17-year-olds. On 29 November 2021, the Government accepted further advice from the JCVI to offer all 12-17-year-olds a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the second dose being offered at a minimum of 12 weeks from their first dose, or 12 weeks after testing positive for COVID-19 infection.
The NHS COVID Pass has been available for people aged 16 or over to demonstrate their COVID-19 status for travel purposes since 17 May 2021. Since 13 December 2021, children in England aged 12-15-years-old who have had a full course of COVID-19 vaccination are eligible for an NHS COVID Pass letter for travel with an internationally recognised 2D barcode, following the decision to offer two doses of vaccine to all 12-15-year-olds in the United Kingdom. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-covid-pass-for-12-15-year-olds-for-international-travel
Since 3 February 2021, children in England have been able to prove their vaccination or proof of prior infection via a digital NHS COVID Pass for outbound travel. The COVID Pass is available via the NHS.UK website for those aged 12 and over and via the NHS App for those aged 13 and over. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/get-digital-covid-pass/
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) her Department has made an estimate of the number of UK citizens who own properties in Ireland affected by defective concrete blocks used in construction in Donegal and (b) the Government is taking steps to work with the Irish Government on that matter.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Whilst the UK and Ireland cooperate closely on many policy areas, domestic housing in Ireland is a matter for the Irish Government, and the UK Government has not made estimates of affected British nationals or been approached to cooperate on this particular issue.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what Government support is offered to families in which someone lives with Noonan's Syndrome; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing a blue badge for the carer of that person.
Answered by Will Quince
The department recognises that Noonan’s syndrome can cause a range of needs and difficulties for individuals, which may mean that they, or their families, require additional support. For children, support can be provided through both the education system, and through children’s social care services.
Schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils they support and to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. Local authorities (LAs) have a statutory responsibility to assess whether children and young people have SEN that require the support of an education, health and care (EHC) plan. If the local authority issues an EHC plan, it also has a statutory duty to secure the provision specified in the plan, working with its education, health, and social care partners.
Outside education, the department believes that it is right for LAs, who know their areas’ needs best, to determine what services are required locally, including early help. In line with this, respite care services for disabled children (which are sometimes known as Short Breaks) are provided based on an individual assessment of each child and family’s needs. The Children and Families Act 2014 (Section 97) requires local authorities to assess and support the needs of parents/carers as well as those of children with SEN or a disability. Assessments are based on individual needs but should include parents’ well-being and ‘control over day-to-day life’.
This year LAs have access to £51.3 billion to deliver their core services, including a £1.7 billion grant for social care. In addition to statutory services, we are providing £27.3 million to the Family Fund in financial year 2021-22 to support over 60,000 families on low incomes raising children and young people with disabilities or serious illnesses. Grants can be used for a range of purposes, including family breaks.
The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with a range of disabilities and medical conditions to enable them to park closer to the places they wish to visit. Eligibility for a blue badge is not restricted to specific conditions. People with conditions such as Noonan’s Syndrome could receive a badge if they meet the eligibility criteria. It is for the relevant LA to decide if an applicant meets the criteria. If an individual is eligible for a badge, then their carer can use it when accompanying the badge holder.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the findings of the judgment of the Uyghur Tribunal, chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, published on 9 December 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government notes the findings of the Uyghur Tribunal, and welcomes its contribution to building international awareness and understanding of the human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang. The UK has led international efforts to hold China to account at the UN, imposed sanctions on senior Chinese government officials, and announced measures to help ensure no UK organisations are complicit in human rights violations through their supply chains. The policy of successive UK governments is that any determination of genocide or crimes against humanity is a matter for a competent court.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support Uyghurs.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK government had led international efforts to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang. We led the first two statements on Xinjiang at the UN and have utilised our diplomatic network to raise the issue up the international agenda. On 21 October, a global diplomatic effort by the FCDO helped to secure the support of 43 countries for a joint statement at the UN Third Committee that underlined our serious concerns about the human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang. On 29 October, the Prime Minister raised the situation in Xinjiang in a telephone call with President Xi, as did the Foreign Secretary in her introductory call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 22 October . Furthermore, the UK has imposed sanctions on senior Chinese government officials and one entity responsible for human rights violations in Xinjiang, and announced measures to help ensure no UK organisations are complicit in these violations through their supply chains. We will continue to work with our partners to increase the pressure on China to change its behaviour.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking towards imposing sanctions on individuals responsible for oppressing the Uyghur people.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 22 March, the Government announced that, under the UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime, the UK has imposed asset freezes and travel bans against four senior Chinese government officials and an asset freeze on one entity. These measures were taken alongside the US, Canada and the EU, and sent a clear message to the Chinese Government that the international community will not turn a blind eye to such serious and systematic violations of basic human rights. Sanctions are just one tool at our disposal, and the UK will continue to work closely with our partners in holding China to account for the egregious human rights situation in Xinjiang, including at the United Nations.