Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has held discussions with Bayer on the potential effects of Primodos.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Whilst the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has not had discussions with Bayer more broadly on the topic of Primodos and adverse effects in pregnancy, it has held discussions with Bayer on whether Bayer held scientific data for consideration by the Expert Working Group on Hormonal Pregnancy Tests. All data considered by the Group were published, and further discussions between MHRA and Bayer were therefore held to discuss whether the data required redaction of names or personal information prior to publication.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to raise awareness among (a) healthcare professionals and (b) patients of the safe (i) prescription and (ii) use of sodium valproate.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Information to support the safe use of medicines such as valproate is provided in the product information which consists of the summary of product characteristics for healthcare professionals and the patient information leaflet that is supplied with each pack of medicines. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued many communications in its Drug Safety Update bulletin informing and raising awareness among healthcare professionals about safety concerns associated with valproate, particularly the risks associated with use of valproate during pregnancy.
Preparations are underway to introduce new measures to ensure all healthcare professionals and patients are aware of the reproductive risks associated with valproate which will be supported by a comprehensive information once the details are finalised.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
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 help ensure that full-time carers have access to support to help (a) prevent burnout and (b) maintain their (i) mental and (ii) physical well-being.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The Care Act (2014) requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for unpaid carers. Local authorities are required to undertake a Carer’s Assessment for any unpaid carer who appears to have a need for support and to meet their eligible needs on request from the carer.
For 2023/24, the Better Care Fund earmarked £327 million to support local authorities with health and care services, including providing carers with advice, support, short breaks, and respite services.
The NHS Long Term Plan has also committed an additional £2.3 billion this year for the expansion and transformation of mental health services in England by March 2024 so that an additional two million people, including full-time carers, can get the National Health Service-funded mental health support that they need.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve financial support for people caring full-time for multiple individuals with disabilities and (b) other full-time carers.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.
Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person.
Carer’s Allowance is therefore not a payment for providing a care service, so only one payment is made even if a carer is caring for more than one severely disabled person.
In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £185.86 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for carers in Pension Credit is £42.75 a week.
Around 550,000 (May 2023 data) carer households on Universal Credit can receive around an additional £2,230 a year through the carer element. The Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most.
The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to provide additional Carer’s Allowance for people caring for more than one person.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.
Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person.
Carer’s Allowance is therefore not a payment for providing a care service, so only one payment is made even if a carer is caring for more than one severely disabled person.
In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £185.86 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for carers in Pension Credit is £42.75 a week.
Around 550,000 (May 2023 data) carer households on Universal Credit can receive around an additional £2,230 a year through the carer element. The Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most.
The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the average number of trains that will leave Warrington Bank Quay each hour following the construction of HS2 phase (a) 2a and (b) 2b.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be taken nearer the time of delivery, drawing on advice from the West Coast Partnership and Network Rail. These proposals will be subject to public consultation and will cover the high-speed services as well as the recommended use of the capacity that will become available on the West Coast Main Line.
The Department is clear that the high-speed and West Coast services will complement each other to seek to maximise the benefits for passengers across the region.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the average number of trains that will leave Wigan North Western each hour following the construction of HS2 phase (a) 2a and (b) 2b.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be taken nearer the time of delivery, drawing on advice from the West Coast Partnership and Network Rail. These proposals will be subject to public consultation and will cover the high-speed services as well as the recommended use of the capacity that will become available on the West Coast Main Line.
The Department is clear that the high-speed and West Coast services will complement each other to seek to maximise the benefits for passengers across the region.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the average number of trains that will leave Blackpool each hour following the construction of HS2 phase (a) 2a and (b) 2b.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be taken nearer the time of delivery, drawing on advice from the West Coast Partnership and Network Rail. These proposals will be subject to public consultation and will cover the high-speed services as well as the recommended use of the capacity that will become available on the West Coast Main Line.
The Department is clear that the high-speed and West Coast services will complement each other to seek to maximise the benefits for passengers across the region.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the average number of trains that will leave Lancaster each hour following the construction of HS2 phase (a) 2a and (b) 2b.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be taken nearer the time of delivery, drawing on advice from the West Coast Partnership and Network Rail. These proposals will be subject to public consultation and will cover the high-speed services as well as the recommended use of the capacity that will become available on the West Coast Main Line.
The Department is clear that the high-speed and West Coast services will complement each other to seek to maximise the benefits for passengers across the region.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the average number of trains that will leave Preston each hour following the construction of HS2 phase (a) 2a and (b) 2b.
Answered by Huw Merriman
No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate when HS2 opens. These decisions will be taken nearer the time of delivery, drawing on advice from the West Coast Partnership and Network Rail. These proposals will be subject to public consultation and will cover the high-speed services as well as the recommended use of the capacity that will become available on the West Coast Main Line.
The Department is clear that the high-speed and West Coast services will complement each other to seek to maximise the benefits for passengers across the region.