Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure the importation of medicines into the UK that are manufactured in the EU.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We continue to work closely with other Government departments, including the Department for Transport, HM Revenue and Customs and the Cabinet Office’s Transition Task Force, the pharmaceutical industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to deliver the shared goal of continuity of safe patient care under all circumstances.
The Department wrote to all suppliers of medicines and medical products coming to the United Kingdom from or via the European Union on 17 November 2020. The letter sets out how we are continuing to work across Government and with suppliers to deliver our multi-layered approach to mitigate any potential disruption to supply of medicines into the UK. The letter is available at the following link:
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role (a) he and (b) officials in his Department played in the design of the covid-19 public advice to stay alert, control the virus, save lives.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government has developed a strong national campaign across all four nations of the United Kingdom to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19. This is a cross-Government campaign involving multiple departments and is being coordinated centrally by the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contribution his Department has made to television broadcasts on covid-19 advice issued by the UK Government and aired in Scotland.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The COVID-19 Communications Hub in the Cabinet Office has been working closely with the four nations on the development and delivery of the campaign. There are regular meetings on a weekly basis between central communications teams and those in the devolved administrations at both a senior and operational level. Before communications are aired in the nations, the devolved administrations have sight and are invited to input changes to ensure COVID-19 messaging is tailored to suit audiences in their respective nations.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contribution his Department made to the 11 May 2020 Cabinet Office Staying alert and safe (social distancing) advice.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department works closely across Government in developing COVID-19 guidance. The 11 May 2020 Staying Alert and Safe (social distancing) guidance, published by the Cabinet Office, included contributions from Departmental policy units and Public Health England (an arm’s length body of the Department) and was approved by Public Health England, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
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 ensure that covid-19 social distancing advice is accessible to young people.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Public Health England has worked with members of the National Health Service Youth Forum and young ‘I Will’ Ambassadors to create COVID-19 guidance that is more young people friendly. The tailored guidance adapts the advice, resources and language to be more relevant to young people aged 11-19 years. The involvement of young people, including those that are shielding, demonstrates the double benefits of youth social action.
Guidance for young people on shielding and protecting people most likely to become unwell if they catch COVID-19 has been published on the GOV.UK website. Guidance on social distancing for young people will be published shortly.
The published guidance is available to view at the following link: