Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to healthcare professionals on wearing facial coverings in the presence of clinically vulnerable patients who request them to do so while delivering care.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Face coverings have been required in healthcare settings throughout the pandemic, as set out in the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidance. The United Kingdom IPC Cell monitor and review emerging evidence and continue to recommend universal masking in healthcare settings in IPC measures.
To accompany the updated IPC guidance with new COVID-19 pathogen-specific advice for health and care professionals, on 1 June 2022, the National Health Service advised that universal masking should be considered in settings where patients are at high risk of infection due to immunosuppression, such as oncology or haematology. This should be guided by local risk assessment. Face coverings should be worn by all care workers and encouraged for visitors in care settings and when providing care in people’s homes.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of funding raised by the Health and Social Care Levy will be allocated to supporting primary healthcare.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
NHS England and NHS Improvement will set out allocations to local systems through annual planning guidance in due course.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
What steps his Department is taking to help the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors recover from the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This Government has provided around £400 billion of direct support to the economy during the pandemic, and as part of that it has provided £16 billion of business rates relief to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England.
At Autumn Budget 21, the Government announced a new temporary relief worth almost £1.7 billion for these sectors to support local high streets as they adapt and recover.
At Spring Budget 21, the Government extended the 5% temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of VAT at 12.5% was introduced to help ease businesses back to the standard rate. This rate will end on 31 March 2022. There are no plans to extend the length of this relief again.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Royal Yachting Association on the VAT status of UK-owned yachts currently outside British waters.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has not had any discussions with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) on this topic. In November 2020, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury responded to a letter from the RYA explaining the Government’s position on the availability of relief from customs duty and import VAT under the Returned Goods Relief for goods and possessions (including yachts) located in the EU on 31 December 2020. HMRC officials met the RYA in September 2020 and February 2021 to discuss this issue.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
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 maximise covid-19 vaccination uptake among front-line health and care staff.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
NHS England publishes data on the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in total since vaccinations began and to the current eligible population on a weekly basis. Published data shows 80% of care home staff have received their first dose of the vaccine and the latest weekly data published 22 April 2021 shows over 65% of National Health Service trust health care workers in the NHS Electronic Staff Record have received the second dose of their vaccine or 945,776 out of 1,378,502. The data available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
The NHS, with local and regional delivery partners, is encouraging people in all communities to come forward and accept the offer of vaccination. On 13 February we published the UK COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Plan. A priority for the uptake strategy is to increase the rate of vaccination amongst health and social care staff. We know that the reasons health and social care workers feel hesitant include a lack of knowledge about the vaccine, misinformation and mistrust of Government and perceptions of equality and discrimination in health and public services. We are working at a local and national level to give health and social care workers information about the vaccine in a format that connects with them, to share information from trusted, local leaders who understand people’s specific circumstances and to ensure there is appropriate outreach from clinicians and their vaccine services.
COVID-19 vaccines are not currently mandated for any groups, but the Government strongly encourages health and social care workers to be vaccinated in order to protect those that they care for. On 14 April, Government launched a five-week consultation to inform decision making about whether to make vaccination a condition of employment for staff working in older adult care home providers. The consultation was launched as, despite efforts to address concerns among the adult social care workforce, vaccine uptake amongst care home workers remains lower than the recommended level to minimise COVID-19 outbreaks. All care home workers, including those aged 16 and 17 years old, who would like to be vaccinated can contact their general practitioner.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of covid-19 vaccine uptake rates among (a) NHS staff and (b) staff in care homes.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
NHS England publishes data on the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in total since vaccinations began and to the current eligible population on a weekly basis. Published data shows 80% of care home staff have received their first dose of the vaccine and the latest weekly data published 22 April 2021 shows over 65% of National Health Service trust health care workers in the NHS Electronic Staff Record have received the second dose of their vaccine or 945,776 out of 1,378,502. The data available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
The NHS, with local and regional delivery partners, is encouraging people in all communities to come forward and accept the offer of vaccination. On 13 February we published the UK COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Plan. A priority for the uptake strategy is to increase the rate of vaccination amongst health and social care staff. We know that the reasons health and social care workers feel hesitant include a lack of knowledge about the vaccine, misinformation and mistrust of Government and perceptions of equality and discrimination in health and public services. We are working at a local and national level to give health and social care workers information about the vaccine in a format that connects with them, to share information from trusted, local leaders who understand people’s specific circumstances and to ensure there is appropriate outreach from clinicians and their vaccine services.
COVID-19 vaccines are not currently mandated for any groups, but the Government strongly encourages health and social care workers to be vaccinated in order to protect those that they care for. On 14 April, Government launched a five-week consultation to inform decision making about whether to make vaccination a condition of employment for staff working in older adult care home providers. The consultation was launched as, despite efforts to address concerns among the adult social care workforce, vaccine uptake amongst care home workers remains lower than the recommended level to minimise COVID-19 outbreaks. All care home workers, including those aged 16 and 17 years old, who would like to be vaccinated can contact their general practitioner.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
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 support care homes in financial difficulty but not deemed by the CQC to be a risk or a priority which will not now receive an additional CQC inspection for more than a year.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations. Under the Care Act 2014 they are required to shape their local markets, and ensure that people have a range of high-quality, sustainable and person-centred care and support options available to them, so that they can access the services that best meet their needs. We have made £4.6 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services.
The Care Act 2014 also provides for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to monitor the financial health of the largest and most difficult-to-replace adult social care providers. This allows the CQC to warn local authorities if a provider is likely to fail for financial reasons and gives local authorities time to stand up their contingency plans.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the CQC has adapted its way of working in order to continue to deliver its core regulatory role of keeping people safe during challenging circumstances. This has included developing a range of tools to identify providers that needed extra support and undertaking additional Infection Prevention and Control inspections in care homes.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what bilateral negotiations are planned or underway between officials of his Department and representatives of the Governments of (a) France, (b) Spain and (c) other EU countries on securing a reciprocal rights for UK citizens to travel visa-free in the EU beyond the 180 day period set out in the Schengen Borders Code for third-country nationals.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Government discussed arrangements with the EU for British Citizens travelling to the Schengen Area. Regrettably, the EU consistently maintained that British Citizens will be treated as Third Country Nationals under the Schengen Borders Code from 1 January 2021. This means that British Citizens will be able to travel visa-free for short stays for up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period. This is the standard length of stay that the EU offers to nationals of eligible third countries that offer visa-free travel for EU citizens, in line with existing EU legislation. British Citizens planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. This may require applying for a visa and/or permit.
The UK's Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU confirms that both the UK and EU currently provide for visa-free travel for short-term visits for each other's nationals in accordance with their respective laws. The detail of those arrangements is set by domestic law. The Government does not typically enter into bilateral agreements on visa-free travel. However, the UK keeps its visa system under regular review, and the new points-based immigration system has been developed in the national interest. The Government also keeps arrangements and advice for British Citizens travelling abroad under regular review.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department is putting in place to provide covid-19 vaccinations to (a) hospice staff and (b) hospice volunteers.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that for phase one of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, the vaccine first be given to care home residents and staff and those aged over 80 years old, followed by frontline health and social care workers, and then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors.
As set out in Public Health England’s Green Book, which contains the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures, frontline healthcare workers include those working in independent, voluntary and non-standard healthcare settings, such as hospices. Temporary staff, including those working in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, students, trainees and volunteers who are working with patients must also be included.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make additional support available to care homes as a result of increasing insurance premiums and mortgage costs.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that the adult social care sector is facing significant pressures in light of the pandemic and we are working closely across Government and with care providers to better understand the impact of cost increases across the sector. We have already made £4.6 billion of support available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. In addition, we have made £1.1 billion available to social care, the majority for care homes, to support them with additional infection prevention and control costs related to Covid-19, and a further £149 million to help with additional costs of testing
As part of the 2020 Spending Review, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government will provide councils with access to an additional £1 billion for social care next year and we also expect to provide them with estimated funding of around £3 billion to help manage the impact of COVID-19 across their services, including in adult social care and to compensate for income losses.