Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 expanding the primary care services that can be delivered by pharmacists.
Answered by James Morris
The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 sets out how community pharmacy will support the NHS Long Term Plan through greater integration with the National Health Service and providing more clinical services to relieve pressures, including in primary care.
The Community Pharmacist Consultation Service allows general practices and NHS 111 to refer patients to community pharmacies for minor illnesses and the NHS Community Pharmacy Blood Pressure Check Service. Other services have been expanded, such as the New Medicines Service, to support patients who have been prescribed specific new medicines. NHS England is piloting services which could be introduced, including the direct referral of people with potential symptoms of cancer, minor illness referrals from urgent and emergency care settings and the supply of contraception.
New standards for initial education and training will ensure that all new pharmacists will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver these services, such as undertaking clinical checks and becoming independent prescribers upon registration.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the potential change has been in the number of (a) people, (b) children and (c) pensioners living in absolute poverty since 2010.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2020/21, there were 1.2m fewer people, 200,000 fewer children and 400,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty (before housing costs) in the UK than in 2009/10.
Latest statistics for the number of people, children and pensioners who are in absolute poverty in the UK can be found at: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing support with fuel costs to (a) mountain rescue teams, (b) the RNLI and (c) other voluntary organisations and their volunteers who provide vital public services as charities.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise this is a worrying time for many organisations, including charities, that are facing pressures due to the significant increases in global gas prices.
In the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, the government announced a temporary 12 month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre. This is the biggest cut, in cash terms, that has ever been applied across all fuel duty rates at once.
We will continue to monitor the impact of fuel costs on volunteers and voluntary sector organisations. More information on volunteers’ pay and expenses is available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of removing guidance on mask wearing in care homes for all staff and patients and making mask-wearing discretionary for the individual or staff member.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
In adult social care, the guidance continues to recommend that all staff and visitors wear masks to provide protection for residents from COVID-19. The guidance provides scope for mask removal to be considered as part of a risk assessment if the usage is particularly challenging for the resident. Further personal protective equipment may also be recommended to carry out specific tasks. The wearing of face masks by care home residents has never been recommended. The Department continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency to review the relevant guidance to ensure it reflects safe and proportionate infection prevention and control principles.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has raised concerns on the breeding, shipping, killing and eating of dogs in China with the Government of the People's Republic of China.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK Government is committed to raising standards of animal welfare at home and abroad. The consumption of dog meat is legal in many countries, including China, and there are no international norms, laws or agreements governing this. We believe that it is necessary to work with Governments around the world to gain agreement on animal welfare standards, and to phase out cruel and inhumane practices. We have raised our concerns regarding the consumption of dog meat in China with the Chinese authorities, including recently with the Chinese Embassy in London, and will continue to raise this and other animal welfare issues.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the details of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) Scheme to help householders will be released.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Statutory Instrument for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) Scheme was laid in Parliament on 22 June and is subject to the affirmative procedure.
The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has published ECO4 scoring details is expected to publish other delivery and administrative guidance in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what Government grants or support are available for (a) residential and (b) commercial properties for (i) solar, (ii) wind and (iii) ground source heat energy.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Schemes including the Local Authority Delivery, Home Upgrade Grant, and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund enable installing solar panels and ground source heat pumps.
VAT on installing solar panels, including with storage in Great Britain’s residential settings is now 0%. The Smart Export Guarantee enables small-scale renewable electricity generators, including from solar panels and small wind turbines, to receive payment for what they export.
The Government offers tax-relief to businesses installing solar panels, including for onsite-renewable generation, and will review existing permitted development rights that, subject to conditions, allow solar on and around domestic and commercial buildings without planning permission.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Health Disparities White Paper will be published.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The health disparities white paper will be published later this year.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of trends in the level of interest rates on people who are mortgage prisoners.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry, trade bodies, and regulators to understand their policies and the impact of the increased cost of living on all mortgage borrowers. I am also in regular contact with mortgage prisoner campaigners about their concerns.
The Treasury continues to work with industry to determine if there are any further solutions which would meaningfully benefit mortgage prisoners and are fair to other borrowers in the wider mortgage market, including those who are also paying variable rates.
The Government continues its efforts to support mortgage borrowers by offering Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit to help prevent repossession. Recently, the Prime Minister announced a package of homeownership measures, including changes to SMI Loans. When introduced, these changes will provide support more quickly to homeowners by reducing the qualifying period for SMI loans and remove the ‘zero earnings rule’. There is also protection in place in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol which stipulates that repossession should always be a last resort for lenders.
On the cost of living more broadly, the Government has introduced over £15bn of additional support, targeted particularly at those with the greatest need. This package builds on the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive at least £1,200 of one-off support in total this year to help with the cost of living.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the withdrawal cost on Lifetime ISAs to 20 per cent in response to cost of living increases.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Lifetime ISA (LISA) was designed as a long-term savings product to encourage people to save for either a first home or for later life by providing a generous 25% government bonus on up to £4,000 of contributions each year. Money held in a LISA, including the government bonus, can be withdrawn from the age of 60 or at an earlier stage if used as a deposit for the account holder’s first home worth up to a maximum of £450,000. All other withdrawals are subject to a 25% government charge made to reflect the account’s specific intention.
The Government has no current plans to reduce the LISA withdrawal charge to 20%. This would mean that the LISA would provide greater benefits than a current account or traditional savings account and undermine its positioning as a long-term savings vehicle. There are a range of other savings products allowing for immediate access of savings, including cash ISAs.
The government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review in the context of future fiscal events.
However, to support millions of households across the UK who are struggling to make their incomes stretch to cover the rising cost of living, the government is providing over £15bn of additional support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package builds on the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.