To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Coronavirus
Friday 9th June 2023

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify the origins of Covid-19, other than by cooperating with the WHO; and what estimate they have made of the cost of that work.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The United Kingdom Government believes that an impartial scientific and expert group is best-placed to lead the review into the origins of COVID-19. As the only independent, technical health organisation with the mandate of 194 Member States, it is right that the investigation sits within the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO’s Scientific Advisory Group on Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) is composed of experts acting in a personal capacity and therefore can provide independent technical and scientific advice on the origin and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK continues to support SAGO’s review, including through the provision of technical support via the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

In light of COVID-19, the UK has strengthened our pandemic preparedness approach to ensure we are prepared for all possible pathways of disease emergence, we have conducted a thorough assessment across the breadth of our pandemic capabilities, including surveillance, diagnostics, contact tracing, clinical countermeasures, non-pharmaceutical interventions, technology, and data, which will allow us to protect the health of the UK population from the spread of infectious diseases.

Responsibility for leading on animal diseases resides with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an executive agency of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. APHA leads on identifying and controlling zoonotic diseases including surveillance, scientific research, and food safety. UKHSA works closely with APHA to understand and control the risk new infectious diseases pose to health and society when they emerge.

The UK also seeks to ensure the highest possible controls over laboratory biosafety and security to mitigate any threat of research-related incidents in the UK. Biosafety inspection and enforcement is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland in Northern Ireland. The UK approach to biosafety is underpinned by a risk-based regulatory framework designed to facilitate the effective and proportionate management of the risks that exist at facilities where work is undertaken with dangerous pathogens.

We will also continue to use the UK’s international influence to encourage other countries to have appropriate laboratory biosafety. UKHSA staff attend the European Biosafety Association (EBSA) and the American Biosafety Association (ABSA) meetings, and are also members of the Biosafety Level 4 Zoonotic Laboratory Network (BSL4ZNET) and Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI) Lab Network. UKHSA staff regularly monitor developments to ensure UKHSA adopts the highest standards of biosafety and biosecurity.


Written Question
Coronavirus
Friday 9th June 2023

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent finding of the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that the "Covid-19 pandemic was, more likely than not, the result of a research-related incident".

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Investigations into the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic are ongoing. The United Kingdom notes the latest reports from the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee but is also aware of other studies that have reached different conclusions, for example that the likely source of COVID-19 was a natural spill over event from animals to humans. The global scientific community does not yet have sufficient data to determine conclusively where the virus originated. The UK is keeping the evidence under review and closely tracking the work of the independent investigations led by the Scientific Advisory Group on Origins of Novel Pathogens into the origins and spread of COVID-19.

Regardless of the origins of this pandemic, it is imperative that the UK seeks to ensure the highest possible controls over laboratory biosafety and security in order to mitigate any threat of research-related incidents in the UK. Biosafety inspection and enforcement is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland in Northern Ireland. The UK approach to biosafety is underpinned by a risk-based regulatory framework designed to facilitate the effective and proportionate management of the risks that exist at facilities where work is undertaken with dangerous pathogens.

We will also continue to use the UK’s international influence to encourage other countries to have appropriate laboratory biosafety. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) staff attend the European Biosafety Association (EBSA) and the American Biosafety Association (ABSA) meetings, and are also members of the Biosafety Level 4 Zoonotic Laboratory Network (BSL4ZNET) and Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI) Lab Network. UKHSA staff regularly monitor developments to ensure UKHSA adopts the highest standards of biosafety and biosecurity.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Death
Friday 5th May 2023

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of deaths in the UK to date attributed to COVID-19.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government records deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the following ways: deaths that have COVID-19 recorded on their death certificate/registration; and any death that occurs 28 days after a positive COVID-19 test.

As of 24 March, 223,396 deaths in the United Kingdom have had COVID-19 recorded on death certificates/registrations.

As of 17 April, 213,637 deaths have been recorded in the UK 28 days after a positive COVID-19 test.

These two measures serve different purposes. Death registrations are a reference for overall death toll from COVID-19 (along with excess mortality estimates) and the 28-day death measure is most useful as a rapid indicator of death following COVID-19 infection, with peak utility when a new variant emerges, or during a new wave which requires timely monitoring of severity for public health purposes.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Friday 5th May 2023

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total cost to date of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The total cost to date of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is approximately £7.3 billion.


Written Question
Coronavirus
Thursday 16th March 2023

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest view on the origins of the COVID-19 virus.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The United Kingdom has been clear on the need for a robust, transparent and science-led review into the origins of COVID-19 and continues to support the World Health Organization’s expert studies into the origins of COVID-19. We recognise that there are questions that need to be answered about the origin and spread of COVID-19, not least so we can ensure we are better prepared for future pandemics.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Tuesday 20th October 2020

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to offer a COVID-19 vaccination to the entire population if such a vaccine is developed.

Answered by Lord Bethell

Whilst there is a desire for all of the United Kingdom population to be vaccinated, there may need to be an element of prioritisation, based on vaccine availability and scientific evidence (when available from clinical trials) on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine within different population groups.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who advise Government on prioritisation at a population level. Based on scientific analysis and modelling data, the JCVI will advise on which cohorts of the UK’s population will be eligible for vaccination, should a safe and effective vaccine be found. This will depend on factors such as the properties of the vaccine, those most at need (including frontline health and social care workers) and the unique medical circumstances of individuals.

The committee’s interim advice is that the vaccine should first be given to care home residents and staff, followed by people over 80 and health and social workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and risk. Further work is being undertaken to understand more about the groups most at risk of serious disease and death from COVID-19 infection. Any advice will need to be modified depending on the characteristics of the vaccines, when these become available.

We will consider the Committee’s advice carefully as we continue to plan for a vaccination campaign.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Death
Monday 18th May 2020

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Bethell on 22 April (HL Deb, col 56), when they will publish their analysis of the increase in non-COVID-19 deaths that has taken place as a result of the restrictions in place to address the pandemic; and when they expect to publish an analysis of (1) the predicted trends, and (2) the estimated totals, for future non-COVID-19 deaths as a result of such restrictions. [T]

Answered by Lord Bethell

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is publishing a report on the increase in non-COVID-19 deaths observed in weekly deaths statistics, in coming weeks. This is mentioned in ONS’s statement of upcoming analysis on deaths and COVID-19. The report will analyse how the number of non-COVID-19 deaths occurring in different places of death, for different age groups and for different causes of death differ from previous years’ data and will suggest how these findings correspond with possible reasons for the increase.


Written Question
Health Professions: Training
Monday 18th February 2019

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of UK students who have become NHS (1) doctors, (2) GPs and (3) nurses in England in each year between 2008 and 2018.

Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford

The information is not collected in the format requested.


Written Question
Out-patients: Attendance
Thursday 14th February 2019

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are conducting research into the (1) causes, and (2) costs of missed appointments in the NHS; and if so, when they expect to publish the results of that research.

Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford

The Department is not currently conducting research into causes, and costs of missed appointments in the National Health Service.

We know, however, that patients may miss appointments for a number of reasons, including mental health and social circumstances. Patients are encouraged to cancel appointments, so they can be used by someone else. New technologies support providers in reminding patients of their forthcoming appointments to reduce missed appointments, for example, the use of text message reminder systems.

NHS Digital publishes did not attend (DNAs) for outpatient appointments annually. Data is available from 2006-07 to 2017-18. Data shows a year on year decrease in the percentage of DNAs. The equivalent data for the number of missed appointments in general practice is not available.

Information surrounding the cost of missed appointments is not collected centrally.


Written Question
Out-patients: Attendance
Tuesday 3rd July 2018

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 19 March (HL6008), why the information surrounding the cost of missed appointments at hospital out-patient services is not collected centrally.

Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy

There is no national performance standard for missed appointments and, as stated in my answer of 19 March, the information is not collected centrally. However, this is an issue which the Minister of State for Health (Stephen Barclay) has asked Departmental officials to consider.

Costs associated with hospital appointments are determined by a range of locally determined factors including appointment duration, the workforce requirement and the clinical complexity of each appointment. This ensures out-patient services meet the needs of patients and these will differ across the country.

National Health Service staff are able to use time resulting from missed appointments productively, however. This may include undertaking a variety of additional tasks including support to other patients, or spending time on personal development and training.