Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 19 May (HL236), why they consider the list of companies that were placed on the “VIP” fast-track for potential contracts related to the COVID-19 pandemic to be commercially sensitive, given that the question put sought no contractual or payment information; and whether they will now answer the question put.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department has to consider the position of suppliers which were referred to the high priority channel in terms of the likely publicity and attention releasing a list would attract. The impact on a supplier’s reputation, unrelated to the terms of their particular contract with the Department or ability to deliver the contracted outcomes, can affect a supplier’s competitive position in their respective market and confidence that its customers and investors may have in its commercial operations.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to publish a list of all the actions that have been made lawful under changes to COVID-19 regulations, but which have been described by Ministers of the Crown as “dangerous” within 24 hours of those changes taking effect.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We have no current plans to do so.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which companies were placed on the “VIP” fast-track for potential contracts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are unable to provide the list of suppliers requested as this information is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have spent on setting up COVID-19 mass vaccination hubs to date.
Answered by Lord Bethell
This information is not held in the format requested. It is not possible to separate the costs incurred for setting up COVID-19 mass vaccination hubs from the overall investment in vaccination sites because of their utilisation of cross-programme resources for workforce, logistics and other support. Overall, approximately £4.8 million has been spent on setting up vaccination centres in England.
Data on the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered to people through the different vaccine delivery models is currently in the process of being validated and is expected to be published shortly.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 3 February (HL12379), without naming individual locations or the number of stockpiles held, how many COVID-19 vaccines have been administered at (1) mass-vaccination centres, (2) GP surgeries hubs, and (3) community pharmacies.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Data relating to COVID-19 vaccines administered through the different vaccine delivery models is currently in the process of being validated and is expected to be published shortly.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that GP and hospital vaccination hubs are pausing vaccination programmes due to a lack of COVID-19 vaccination deliveries; and whether mass vaccination hubs in the same areas that GP and hospital hubs are pausing vaccinations, are experiencing similar delays.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Mass vaccination centres, general practitioners and hospital hubs are not pausing their vaccination programmes due to a lack of deliveries. NHS England and NHS Improvement and Public Health England continue to work with sites across the United Kingdom to ensure an adequate and consistent supply of vaccines.
We met our 15 April target of offering the vaccine to all those in priority cohorts one to four, as identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings Ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care have had since March 2020 with (1) individuals, or (2) representatives of companies, that have made donations to the Conservative Party; and what the purpose of any such meeting was.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The information is not held in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have spent to date on the COVID-19 test and trace system; and, of the total amount, how much has been spent on consultancy fees.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Around 2500 consultants from approximately 72 different consultancies have been hired by the Department for any period from 1 March 2020 to the present day to undertake work on the planning and then rollout of the NHS Test and Trace programme. The figures have changed week on week since the programme began. Information how these figures are apportioned between the planning and rollout phases is not held in an appropriate format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
In financial year 20-21, £450 million is budgeted for Professional Services, which includes management consultants. This was revised on 28 Feb 2021 from £438 million. We do not have an audited figure which differentiates between what was spent on the planning and the rollout stages of the Test and Trace Programme. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.
Every consultancy contract awarded by the Department contains a set of service objectives and activities which the suppliers will deliver. These are set out in the individual contracts which are published. The service objectives are linked to the overall programme plan and
business objectives for the Test and Trace initiative. Each contract has a different timeframe for the delivery and completion of its objectives; progress and performance is monitored by regular meetings and engagement with the supplier.
£450 million of the £22 billion funding for Test and Trace, is allocated to ‘professional services’ which includes management consultants. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what targets they set for each consultancy appointed to work on the COVID-19 test and trace system; and when each of these targets was met.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Around 2500 consultants from approximately 72 different consultancies have been hired by the Department for any period from 1 March 2020 to the present day to undertake work on the planning and then rollout of the NHS Test and Trace programme. The figures have changed week on week since the programme began. Information how these figures are apportioned between the planning and rollout phases is not held in an appropriate format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
In financial year 20-21, £450 million is budgeted for Professional Services, which includes management consultants. This was revised on 28 Feb 2021 from £438 million. We do not have an audited figure which differentiates between what was spent on the planning and the rollout stages of the Test and Trace Programme. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.
Every consultancy contract awarded by the Department contains a set of service objectives and activities which the suppliers will deliver. These are set out in the individual contracts which are published. The service objectives are linked to the overall programme plan and
business objectives for the Test and Trace initiative. Each contract has a different timeframe for the delivery and completion of its objectives; progress and performance is monitored by regular meetings and engagement with the supplier.
£450 million of the £22 billion funding for Test and Trace, is allocated to ‘professional services’ which includes management consultants. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount they have spent to date on consultants in the (1) planning, and (2) rollout, of the COVID-19 test and trace system.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Around 2500 consultants from approximately 72 different consultancies have been hired by the Department for any period from 1 March 2020 to the present day to undertake work on the planning and then rollout of the NHS Test and Trace programme. The figures have changed week on week since the programme began. Information how these figures are apportioned between the planning and rollout phases is not held in an appropriate format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
In financial year 20-21, £450 million is budgeted for Professional Services, which includes management consultants. This was revised on 28 Feb 2021 from £438 million. We do not have an audited figure which differentiates between what was spent on the planning and the rollout stages of the Test and Trace Programme. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.
Every consultancy contract awarded by the Department contains a set of service objectives and activities which the suppliers will deliver. These are set out in the individual contracts which are published. The service objectives are linked to the overall programme plan and
business objectives for the Test and Trace initiative. Each contract has a different timeframe for the delivery and completion of its objectives; progress and performance is monitored by regular meetings and engagement with the supplier.
£450 million of the £22 billion funding for Test and Trace, is allocated to ‘professional services’ which includes management consultants. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.