Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the spring booster vaccine is not being offered to people under the age of 75 with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from covid-19.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 21 February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on offering a further dose to individuals as part of the spring COVID-19 vaccination programme. The primary aim of the programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease. As protection against severe COVID-19 disease appears to decline slowly, the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised for vaccination.
The programme targets the oldest age groups and those who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19. A dose will be offered to those over the age of 75 years old, residents in care homes for older adults and the immunosuppressed. The JCVI continues to consider the latest available data in relation to the timing and value of further doses.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide people with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from covid-19 with access to free tests for their asymptomatic immediate family members and carers beyond 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details of eligible groups will be made available in due course. We will continue to review the impact of this policy on those with motor neurone disease, underlying health conditions and their close contacts.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a process for acquiring free covid-19 tests from 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there will be a limit on the number of free covid-19 tests that eligible people can receive from 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups and any limits on the number of free tests will be made available in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the costs, benefits and risks to the public in line with the Better Regulation guidance when drafting forthcoming Tobacco and Related Products regulations.
Answered by Maggie Throup
A post implementation review (PIR) into The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 has been conducted in accordance with the Better Regulation Framework (BRF) guidance. The PIR has considered the costs, benefits and risks to the public of the current regulations. Any future tobacco and related products regulatory changes would be conducted in accordance with the BRF guidance.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the recently announced £50 million for targeted motor neurone disease (MND) research will be awarded in full to the scientific programme set out in the submission by MND charities to the 2021 Spending Review.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
This funding can be accessed through applications to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The NIHR and UKRI rely on researchers submitting high-quality applications to access funding. All applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish (a) the new Tobacco Control Plan and (b) the updated Tobacco and Related Products Regulations.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The new Tobacco Control Plan will be published later this year. The Department’s response to the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 post implementation review is expected to be published shortly, prior to the Tobacco Control Plan.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish the minutes, including details of the UK delegation, from the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Answered by Maggie Throup
All decisions and documentation from the ninth Conference of the Parties, including details of the United Kingdom’s delegation and a video recording is available at the following link:
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to provide an update on the outcomes of the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Answered by Maggie Throup
All decisions and documentation from the ninth Conference of the Parties, including details of the United Kingdom’s delegation and a video recording is available at the following link: