Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider the fortification of foods with vitamin D in order to implement the Reference Nutrient Intake for vitamin D recommended by the report of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on <i>Vitamin D and health</i>.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Following the recommendations of the report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on Vitamin D and Health, Public Health England has updated advice on vitamin D on the NHS Choices website. A copy of the NHS Choices advice webpage is attached.
The Government has looked at groups where dietary recommendations are not being reached and has decided that in these cases mandatory fortification is not the right way forward. There is no plan to introduce it for vitamin D in England.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the recommendations of the report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on<i> Vitamin D and health</i>, what steps they are taking in conjunction with Public Health England to raise public awareness of the need for greater intake of vitamin D through dietary supplementation and safe sun exposure.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Following the recommendations of the report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on Vitamin D and Health, Public Health England has updated advice on vitamin D on the NHS Choices website. A copy of the NHS Choices advice webpage is attached.
The Government has looked at groups where dietary recommendations are not being reached and has decided that in these cases mandatory fortification is not the right way forward. There is no plan to introduce it for vitamin D in England.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the future of the European Health Insurance Card in the light of the EU referendum result.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
As the Prime Minister stated on 20 July 2016, as long as we are a member of the European Union we will respect the rights and obligations of EU membership, therefore the current arrangements for European Health Insurance Cards remain in place. As we move to a new relationship with Europe, our guiding principle will be ensuring the best possible outcome for British people.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations took place with the government of New Zealand prior to their decision to introduce new charges for New Zealand citizens for health and dental treatment in the UK from 6 April.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
On 6 April 2015 the United Kingdom introduced an immigration health surcharge for non-European Economic Area nationals who come to the UK to temporarily reside for a period of over six months. At the time New Zealand nationals were granted a temporary exemption and we entered into a series of discussions with the New Zealand Government on the introduction of the surcharge for its nationals. The Secretary of State for Health wrote to the New Zealand High Commissioner confirming introduction of the surcharge on 17 December 2015. Introduction of the surcharge for New Zealand nationals was publicly announced by the Home Office on 4 February 2016 and subject to Parliamentary approval, it will come into effect from 6 April 2016.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average waiting time for a result to be given of a DEXA bone density scan in each NHS region in England; and what assessment they have made of the average waiting time for such results in (1) Scotland, and (2) Wales.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Data are not collected on the average waiting time for a result to be given for a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Data are collected on the average waiting time from referral to test, and these are shown in the following table for the four NHS England commissioning regions for most recent period, which is November 2015. Health is a devolved matter in Scotland and Wales.
Table: average median waiting times in weeks for a DEXA scan from referral by NHS England commissioning region, November 2015
Region | Number of weeks |
North of England | 2.1 |
Midlands and East of England | 1.7 |
London | 1.8 |
South of England | 1.8 |
England | 1.9 |