Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of NHS and NHS foundation trusts in financial deficit in 2021-2022.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department has set out in its Annual Report and Accounts 2021/22 the following table which shows the number of National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts in a financial deficit position in each financial year. The table shows that at the end of the financial year 2021/22, 24 of 215 trusts were in a financial deficit position.
| 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 |
Gross Deficit | (2,433) | (2,755) | (1,560) | (158) | (126) |
Gross Surplus | 1,337 | 1,889 | 567 | 363 | 442 |
Adjustments | 105 | 39 | 323 | 450 | 240 |
Net (Deficit) / Surplus | (991) | (827) | (670) | 655 | 556 |
Number of trusts in deficit | 101 | 107 | 53 | 42 | 24 |
Number of trusts in surplus / balance | 133 | 123 | 173 | 177 | 191 |
Note: Other adjustments relate to minor reporting adjustments relating to differences between control totals and reported surplus/(deficit), where reported surplus/(deficit) includes items such as donated asset income and depreciation, changes in provisions discount rates and prior period adjustments not included in control totals.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has had discussions with National Grid on the potential impact of the East Anglia GREEN proposals on Wattisham Air Base.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Following the discussion on 14 July 2022 between National Grid and Wattisham Flying Station (WFS) regarding the East Anglia GREEN proposal, WFS await technical data from National Grid to allow the Airfield's safeguarding team to carry out an assessment.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the East Anglia GREEN proposals on operations at Wattisham Air Base.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
I refer the hon. Member to the answer the then Minister for Defence Procurement (Alec Shelbrooke) gave him on 12 September 2022.
Wattisham Flying Station (WFS) continues to await a response from the National Grid project team before a full assessment regarding the impact on operations can be made.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether National Grid has consulted with Wattisham Air Base on the potential operational implications for that air base of East Anglia GREEN proposals and how those implication might be mitigated.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Consulting on East Anglia Green is a matter for National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET). The Ministry of Defence is a Statutory Consultee under the Planning Act, and the Government understands that NGET are engaging with RAF Wattisham on any potential impacts of the project on Wattisham Air Base.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether National Grid has consulted his Department on the potential impact of the East Anglia GREEN proposals on operations at Wattisham Air Base.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Consulting on East Anglia Green is a matter for National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET). The Ministry of Defence is a Statutory Consultee under the Planning Act, and the Government understands that NGET are engaging with RAF Wattisham on any potential impacts of the project on Wattisham Air Base.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether National Grid has consulted Wattisham Air Base on the East Anglia GREEN project.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Consulting on East Anglia Green is a matter for National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET). The Ministry of Defence is a Statutory Consultee under the Planning Act, and the Government understands that NGET are engaging with RAF Wattisham on any potential impacts of the project on Wattisham Air Base.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of the A12 to accommodate the additional construction traffic associated with the construction of Sizewell C nuclear power station.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
My officials have regular discussions with Suffolk County Council to discuss the A12, East of Ipswich Major Road Network scheme. Part of these discussions have included consideration of the role of the A12 in the construction of Sizewell C nuclear power station. It is for Suffolk County Council, as normal practice for a Local Highways Authority, to work with developers to understand and mitigate impacts on their road network from any up coming developments.
In addition, National Highways has worked with the promoter of Sizewell C and Suffolk County Council on the expected traffic impacts to the A12 during construction and operation of the power station.
A Statement of Common Ground between the promoter and National Highways was agreed as part of the planning process for Sizewell C and is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the capacity of the A12 to accommodate the additional construction traffic associated with the construction of Sizewell C nuclear power station.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As I believe I stated to the House in November, the current Secretaries of State for Transport and for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have not held discussions about the traffic impact of Sizewell C. However, National Highways worked with the promoter of Sizewell C and Suffolk County Council on traffic impacts to the A12 during construction and operation of the power station.
A Statement of Common Ground between the promoter and National Highways was agreed as part of the planning process for Sizewell C and is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of working with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to amend legislation to allow avian influenza vaccines to be used in the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The vaccination of poultry and captive birds excluding those in licensed zoos against avian influenza is not currently permitted. While authorised avian influenza vaccines are available in the UK, these vaccines are unlikely to provide full protection for the current strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza circulating in the UK and continental Europe, or cross-protection to other strains which may circulate in the future. At present, vaccination can help to reduce mortality, but it is likely that some vaccinated birds would still be capable of transmitting avian influenza if they became infected. This would increase the time taken to detect and eradicate the virus and many trading partners will not accept the use of vaccination.
Defra in conjunction with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will continue to monitor the development and availability of vaccines for their utility in preventing and responding to avian influenza outbreaks as they are put forward for market authorisation by vaccine manufacturers. Any future decisions on disease control measures, including the use of vaccination, will be based upon the latest scientific, ornithological, and veterinary advice.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason there are no avian influenza vaccine trials taking place in the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The vaccination of poultry and captive birds excluding those in licensed zoos against avian influenza is not currently permitted. While authorised avian influenza vaccines are available in the UK, these vaccines are unlikely to provide full protection for the current strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza circulating in the UK and continental Europe, or cross-protection to other strains which may circulate in the future. At present, vaccination can help to reduce mortality, but it is likely that some vaccinated birds would still be capable of transmitting avian influenza if they became infected. This would increase the time taken to detect and eradicate the virus and many trading partners will not accept the use of vaccination.<br/> <br/> Defra in conjunction with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate will continue to monitor the development and availability of vaccines for their utility in preventing and responding to avian influenza outbreaks as they are put forward for market authorisation by vaccine manufacturers. Any future decisions on disease control measures, including the use of vaccination, will be based upon the latest scientific, ornithological, and veterinary advice.