Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 shingles vaccines for all over 65s.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
From September 2023, the routine shingles vaccination programme changed from the Zostavax vaccine to the two dose Shingrix vaccine, to better protect individuals from the effects of shingles, provide better clinical outcomes, and reduce pressures on the health system. The programme was also expanded, and as a result, almost 1 million more people became eligible for the shingles vaccination.
The expansion of the shingles programme currently includes those turning 65 years old on or after 1 September 2023, as well as those aged 50 years old and over who are at increased risk of serious complications. Once everyone aged 65 to 70 years old has received the vaccine, the eligible age will be reduced to 60 years old. Phasing the roll-out of the shingles vaccination over time to everyone aged 60 years old maximises cost effectiveness and population benefit, ensures consistent messaging over time to maximise coverage, and takes account of National Health Service capacity, all while being consistent with the approach taken by all four nations in the United Kingdom. This is a newly expanded programme, and anyone unsure if they are eligible for the shingles vaccination should check online, on the NHS.UK website, or should speak to their general practice.
In November, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation provided advice to the Department on eligibility for the shingles vaccination programme. This included advice that the Government should consider expanding the shingles vaccination offer to include older adult cohorts aged 80 years old and over. The Department will consider this advice and will update in due course.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to improve the energy efficiency of homes for winter 2024-25.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income and fuel poor households. Current schemes include the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), and the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG).
For this winter, support is also available through the Warm Home Discount scheme which provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with energy suppliers on providing additional support for households with energy bills in winter 2024-25.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government and industry have worked together to deliver a £500m Winter Support Commitment for customers, and we applaud suppliers stepping up on this matter. I also meet regularly with energy suppliers to outline the Government’s expectations of the standard of service that should be provided to their customers, including supporting vulnerable consumers and those struggling to pay their bills this winter.
Additional energy suppliers are delivering Government support this winter through the Warm Home Discount, providing an annual £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households.
As part of its Warm Homes Plan, the Government have committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency.
At the Autumn Budget 2024, my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that an additional £1 billion, including Barnett impact, will be invested to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England until 31 March 2026, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales. This builds on the previous commitment of £421 million in England to extend the HSF until 31 March 2025.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to provide vulnerable households with emergency home insulation in winter 2024-25.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We recently announced the next steps on our Warm Homes Plan, which will see 300,000 homes upgraded in the next year.
The government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, through the Warm Homes Plan. With £1 billion of this allocated to next year.
Our ambitious Plan will upgrade five million homes by investing in insulation and other improvements such as solar panels, batteries and low carbon heating, helping to make them cheaper and cleaner to run.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing local supply rights to allow smaller-scale renewable energy schemes to sell their power directly to local customers.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The ability to access local energy supply is an important part of our energy system. Some suppliers already offer local tariffs, and other products and services are available that provide community benefits.
Ofgem has a consultation open at the moment on innovation in the retail market which aims to progress a conversation on the key barriers and enablers of retail innovation. Specifically, the consultation focuses on regulatory routes to market and presents options to help enable new innovative products and services that benefit consumers, including local and small-scale generation. Officials will continue to have conversations with Ofgem on this topic over the coming months.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will hold discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on the regulation of family trusts sold by building societies.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers and officials meet with their counterparts at the Financial Conduct Authority often, as part of their regular engagement on various topics.
The Financial Conduct Authority is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry across the UK. It monitors firms to make sure they provide products that are fair value, and where necessary, it will take action.
Whether a financial services activity is regulated is decided by the Government and Parliament and set out in legislation. The boundary between what is regulated and what is not is called the regulatory perimeter. The Government keeps the regulatory perimeter under constant review, and it engages with the regulators where there are developments which suggest a new activity should be brought within the regulatory perimeter. In addition to this regular engagement, the Financial Conduct Authority publishes an annual perimeter report, which sets out its views on the perimeter.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a new dementia strategy which references the use of music to support people living with dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Quality Standard on Dementia, published in June 2019, recommends that therapeutic use of music be considered as a means of non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia. Localities should take account of this guidance.
The Department funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC, and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted on two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a social care strategy which includes support for the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Quality Standard on Dementia, published in June 2019, recommends that therapeutic use of music be considered as a means of non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia. Localities should take account of this guidance.
The Department funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC, and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted on two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including a digital option in the UK’s deposit return scheme to enable consumers to recycle their in-scope containers from home.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through our regular industry engagement and international learnings from other schemes, there has been a broad consensus that a return to retail approach is the most effective way to launch a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across the UK and begin to realise its benefits.
However, Defra recognises the broad benefits a digital model could bring and welcome the trials that are being held. I remain encouraged by this and keen to see the testing of the feasibility for introducing a digital solution in the future.
Regarding local authority revenue streams, Defra recognises the concerns expressed by some local authorities over the potential impact of DRS.
Defra officials are in regular contact with local authority representative associations and will continue to assess this important aspect of the deposit return scheme.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a return-to-retail deposit return scheme on local council revenue streams.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through our regular industry engagement and international learnings from other schemes, there has been a broad consensus that a return to retail approach is the most effective way to launch a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across the UK and begin to realise its benefits.
However, Defra recognises the broad benefits a digital model could bring and welcome the trials that are being held. I remain encouraged by this and keen to see the testing of the feasibility for introducing a digital solution in the future.
Regarding local authority revenue streams, Defra recognises the concerns expressed by some local authorities over the potential impact of DRS.
Defra officials are in regular contact with local authority representative associations and will continue to assess this important aspect of the deposit return scheme.