Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the consultation entitled Updating labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives, published on 28 September 2023, whether his Department plans to take steps to update labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A consultation published in 2023 considered options for updating labelling guidance for no and low alcohol alternative drinks.
We will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers to make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
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 bringing forward legislative proposals to standardise the term alcohol-free at 0.5% ABV for no and low-alcohol alternatives.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A consultation published in 2023 considered options for updating labelling guidance for no and low alcohol alternative drinks.
We will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers to make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the PPE High Priority Lane during the covid-19 pandemic, what recent steps he has taken to pursue contractual remedies to recover funding in instances where contracts failed to deliver.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The High Priority Lane prioritised offers of personal protective equipment (PPE), with all offers of PPE going through a structured, documented process regardless of the source of the offer.
The Department established a Contract Dissolution Team to maximise the value obtained from contracts for PPE. Where a contract has been found to have underperformed, or the PPE provided was not up to standard, the team will commence a process, up to and including legal action, to reach the best possible outcome for taxpayer’s money.
We cannot go into the detail of individual contracts at this stage while negotiations and other activities, including legal process, are on-going. Once all activity is complete, we will be able to release more information.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps she has taken to reclaim public funds provided to PPE MedPro.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Department had been in a mediated process and protected conversations with PPE Medpro over a contested contract. The discussions did not prove fruitful, and the Department commenced the process of litigation by filing papers with the High Court on 19 December 2022. The Department cannot discuss active legal proceedings, although a Humble address covered this issue in January 2023, and notes were laid in both houses.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of claims submitted to the Vaccine Damages Payment Scheme have (a) started processing, (b) been referred for medical assessment and (c) been settled as on 13 July 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
As of 13 July 2022, there are 2,249 registered active claims relating to all vaccinations, with all active claims processed in accordance with the criteria of the Scheme. Of these, 167 claims or 7% have been referred for medical assessment, following the award of the contract for medical assessments in March 2022 to increase capacity. As of 13 July 2022, 25 claim decisions or 1% had been communicated to claimants.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many post legislative reviews (a) their Department or (b) their predecessor Department has undertaken on (i) primary and (ii) secondary legislation in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The number of post legislative reviews the Department has undertaken on primary and secondary legislation in each of the last five years is not held centrally within the Department.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many pieces of (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation their Department has sponsored in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2021, the Department’s Secretary of State and Lords Minister have sponsored 9 Government bills which became Acts of Government. In the same period the Department made 692 statutory instruments.
This information is only held for internal administrative reasons by the Department and may not be exhaustive.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of the (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation sponsored by (i) their Department or (ii) their predecessor Department has undergone a post legislative review in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The number of post legislative reviews the Department has undertaken on primary and secondary legislation in each of the last ten years is not held centrally.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of staffing levels in the health and social care sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Social care workers are at the frontline of our battle with COVID-19. We are grateful to all care workers, caring for our loved ones every day.
Care workers must follow the guidance on isolating if they or a household member have COVID-19 symptoms - which means that there are higher absence levels than normal – but there must also be enough staff to provide essential care.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been monitoring staff absence rates to see where there are particular risks.The CQC is sharing this information with local authorities and the Government has provided them with guidance on supporting care providers. We are encouraging returning health and social care professionals to work in social care and we have launched a national recruitment campaign with the ambition to attract 20,000 people into adult social care.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effect on health of negative ion products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jo Churchill
Public Health England has not undertaken a recent assessment of the possible health effects associated with the use, or wearing, of negative ion products.