Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has held discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the reported air strike on two Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulances in Gaza on 5 December 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is aware of reports of attacks against healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Healthcare workers, emergency services personnel, civilian buildings including hospitals and medical facilities not used for military purposes must not be targeted. We support Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas, but Israel must ensure its campaign protects civilians in Gaza, complies with International Humanitarian Law and targets Hamas fighters and military objectives only. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary continue to press these in engagements with Israeli counterparts.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times his Department has made an estimate of the savings to the public purse attributable to charity air ambulance services in the last five years.
Answered by Will Quince
We recognise the vital role the air ambulance service plays in providing life-saving treatment to patients across the country.
The National Health Service does not directly fund air ambulances, which are operated by independent charities. No such estimate has been made by the Department.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to reply to the correspondence dated 16 January 2023 from the Rt Hon Member for Chingford and Woodford Green and others on the fundraising appeal by London’s Air Ambulance; and whether he has held discussions with representatives of that charity on its fundraising appeal since 16 January 2023.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
My Rt Hon Friend the Health secretary has responded to the letter on behalf of the Government commending the fantastic service provided by London Air Ambulance and setting out the benefits of the current charitable funding model for air ambulances which was supported by an additional £10m of central government funding in 2019 and a further £6m during the pandemic.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has previously supported air ambulance charities with targeted funding support; and if he will provide funding specifically targeted at air ambulance charities.
Answered by Will Quince
Air ambulances are not directly funded by the National Health Service. However, the Government has provided significant and sustained support to the sector. In 2019, the Department launched a three year capital grant programme which allocated £10 million to nine air ambulance charities across England, of which London’s Air Ambulance Charity and Barts Health NHS Trust received £1,393,552.
In addition, the Department provided £6 million of COVID-19 emergency funding to all 21 air ambulance charities across the United Kingdom, to ensure that each charity could continue to provide their life-saving services during the pandemic. London’s Air Ambulance Charity received £252,500 of this funding.
There are no current plans to provide further funding to the sector which operates through a longstanding and successful charitable model.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to provide funding for the London Air Ambulance to purchase two new helicopters.
Answered by Will Quince
Air ambulances are not directly funded by the National Health Service. However, the Government has provided significant and sustained support to the sector. In 2019, the Department launched a three year capital grant programme which allocated £10 million to nine air ambulance charities across England, of which London’s Air Ambulance Charity and Barts Health NHS Trust received £1,393,552.
In addition, the Department provided £6 million of COVID-19 emergency funding to all 21 air ambulance charities across the United Kingdom, to ensure that each charity could continue to provide their life-saving services during the pandemic. London’s Air Ambulance Charity received £252,500 of this funding.
There are no current plans to provide further funding to the sector which operates through a longstanding and successful charitable model.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide funding to London’s Air Ambulance Charity to help it maintain air ambulance provision.
Answered by Will Quince
Air ambulances are not directly funded by the National Health Service. However, the Government has provided significant and sustained support to the sector. In 2019, the Department launched a three year capital grant programme which allocated £10 million to nine air ambulance charities across England, of which London’s Air Ambulance Charity and Barts Health NHS Trust received £1,393,552.
In addition, the Department provided £6 million of COVID-19 emergency funding to all 21 air ambulance charities across the United Kingdom, to ensure that each charity could continue to provide their life-saving services during the pandemic. London’s Air Ambulance Charity received £252,500 of this funding.
There are no current plans to provide further funding to the sector which operates through a longstanding and successful charitable model.
Asked by: Earl of Dundee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take, together with other countries, to provide a supply of (1) military equipment, and (2) other necessary equipment, to Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The UK and our allies and partners are responding decisively to provide military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
On 16 January 2023 the Secretary of State for Defence announced to Parliament the UK’s most significant package of military support for Ukraine to-date. The UK has led the world with the gifting of modern main battle tanks in addition to heavy artillery, air defence, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine’s defence. This substantial assistance to Ukraine comes from our own national stocks, and resources illustrating the mutual understanding of the severity of the situation and our commitment to urgently increase and accelerate support for Ukraine.
In addition to military equipment we have delivered a range of other assistance to Ukraine, including 25,000 sets of extreme cold winter clothing, 20,000 sleeping bags and 150 insulated tents. We have also provided bilateral assistance direct to the government of Ukraine, including food, medical supplies, 75 ambulances and over 800 generators.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 help improve the capacity of air ambulance provision in the UK.
Answered by Will Quince
The Government has provided significant support to the air ambulance sector. In 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care launched a three-year capital grant programme which allocated £10 million to 9 air ambulance charities across England. A total of £6 million of COVID-19 emergency funding was made available to all 21 air ambulance charities across the UK in 2020, assisting the continuity of air ambulance response during the pandemic. This is alongside direct support from NHS ambulance trusts, who may provide staffing and equipment depending on local arrangements.
Air ambulance services are charitable organisations and not directly funded by the NHS. Air Ambulances UK, the sector’s independent professional body, share our view that this is the most appropriate funding model.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
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 help expand the capacity of air ambulance services.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In 2019, the Department launched a three-year capital grant programme which allocated £10 million to nine air ambulance charities across England. A further £6 million of COVID-19 emergency funding was provided to Air Ambulances UK in 2020 to distribute to the 21 air ambulance charities in the United Kingdom.
The Government continues to support a charitable model for the funding of air ambulance services as this allows charities the independence to deliver specialised services tailored to the needs of patients in each locality.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of providing funding to regional air ambulance services in England.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
No recent assessment has been made. In 2019, the Department launched a three-year capital grant programme which allocated £10 million to nine air ambulance charities in England. A further £6 million was provided in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was allocated to Air Ambulances UK to distribute to the 21 air ambulance charities in the United Kingdom. We continue to support a charitable model for the funding of air ambulance services. Decisions on the provision of services are made locally and maintaining a charitable model allows charities the independence to deliver specialised services tailored to the needs of patients.