Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress has been made towards publishing the final report on the impact of the UK voluntary sugar reformulation programme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The fourth progress report for the sugar reduction programme will be ready for publication in early 2022. Analytical work is underway of the programmes food categories, drinks subject to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and a second year of progress in juice and milk- based drinks.
There are no current plans to introduce further measures. We will continue to review expert advice and next steps are being considered.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations he has received from relevant stakeholders and health organisations on plans to tackle the dementia diagnosis backlog.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Department has received correspondence from stakeholders on the dementia diagnosis backlog. The Department also has regular discussions with NHS England and NHS Improvement on this issue.
NHS England and NHS Improvement continue to monitor the dementia diagnosis rate on a monthly basis and analyse trends at regional and sustainability and transformation partnership level to aid targeted recovery efforts. We have allocated to £17 million to NHS England and Improvement to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. We will be setting out our plans on dementia for England for future years in 2022.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, how the £2.3 billion funding announced for diagnostic services will be used to help tackle the dementia diagnosis backlog.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
This funding will be used to increase the availability and capacity of services and equipment to diagnose a range of conditions. However, funding will not be specifically allocated for individual conditions. Earlier this year we made £17 million available to NHS England and NHS Improvement to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. This funding was made available to clinical commissioning groups in June 2021. We will be setting out our plans for dementia services in England for future years in 2022.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the progress made on the Government's commitment to five extra years of healthy life for UK citizens by 2035.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We regularly review progress against a range of important indicators including life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
We have already taken a range of actions including implementing an ambitious obesity strategy, supporting interventions to reduce smoking and investing in improving access to health services across the country. On 1 October we launched the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) work in partnership with national and local government, the National Health Service, the voluntary sector, industry and the wider public health system to improve in health outcomes and disparities. The OHID will continue publishing the Productive Healthy Ageing profile providing data on a range of indicators including healthy life expectancy and will monitor the commitment to five extra years of healthy life for United Kingdom citizens by 2035.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
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 meet the Government's target to provide five extra years of healthy life for UK citizens by 2035; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We regularly review progress against a range of important indicators including life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
We have already taken a range of actions including implementing an ambitious obesity strategy, supporting interventions to reduce smoking and investing in improving access to health services across the country. On 1 October we launched the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) work in partnership with national and local government, the National Health Service, the voluntary sector, industry and the wider public health system to improve in health outcomes and disparities. The OHID will continue publishing the Productive Healthy Ageing profile providing data on a range of indicators including healthy life expectancy and will monitor the commitment to five extra years of healthy life for United Kingdom citizens by 2035.