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Written Question
Animal products: EU law
Tuesday 27th June 2023

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of repealing 4.1 and 4.2 of Annex III of EU Regulation 1069/2011.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for the safety of high caffeine drinks and foods, including the caffeine labelling requirements set out in Articles 4.1 and 4.2 of Annex III of retained EU Regulation No. 1169/2011.

These articles require information to be provided on the level of caffeine, in milligrams per 100 millilitres or per 100 grams and helps to highlight the existence of caffeine in a product where, unlike a coffee or tea, people may not expect it to be present.

We have no current plans to remove these requirements as some people need to limit their caffeine consumption such as pregnant women where high caffeine consumption can increase the risk of pregnancy complications. However, the FSA is considering the UK Government’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill and what opportunities there are to reform legislation, where needed.

The FSA advises that children, or other people sensitive to caffeine, should only consume caffeine in moderation. Pregnant and breast-feeding women should limit their caffeine consumption to less than 200 mg a day. As the level of caffeine can vary between high caffeine ‘energy’ drinks and caffeinated foods, the labelling requirement provide useful information for consumers who need to limit their caffeine consumption.


Written Question
Energy Drinks: Children
Monday 26th June 2023

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Welsh Government on its proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children under 16; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward a similar proposal.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

We have consulted on a proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children in England and we will be setting out our full response to the consultation in due course. There have been no such recent discussions.


Written Question
Energy Drinks: Children
Monday 26th June 2023

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's policy is on a potential ban on the sale high energy drinks to children.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

We have consulted on a proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children in England and we will be setting out our full response to the consultation in due course. There have been no such recent discussions.


Written Question
Long Covid
Monday 25th April 2022

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have been (a) assessed at long covid clinics and (b) discharged since the creation of those clinics; and what treatments have been offered to those patients at those clinics.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Between 5 July 2021 to 13 March 2022, 37,154 people have received a specialist assessment following referral to a post COVID-19 syndrome service. Clinics will assess and provide advice, where appropriate, for symptom management and onward referral. Where they would benefit, patients are also offered a course of rehabilitation. However, post COVID-19 syndrome is a new condition and our understanding continues to grow, including the appropriate treatments which should be offered. Data on onward referral pathways and discharge is not currently collected.


Written Question
Long Covid: Thromboembolism
Thursday 21st April 2022

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to commission research into long covid and the presence of micro-clots in patients blood.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Department is aware of clinical trials currently taking place internationally, which are researching possible links between the long term effects of COVID-19 and micro-clots. The Department will assess the impact of research findings as they emerge and update its guidance accordingly.

Through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research Institute (UKRI), over £50 million has been invested in research projects for post-COVID-19 syndrome to improve our understanding and treatment of the condition. While it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics, the NIHR and UKRI welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the long term effects of COVID-19.


Written Question
Long Covid: Clinical Trials
Thursday 21st April 2022

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of clinical trials in Germany and South Africa that have determined a link between long covid and micro-clots.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Department is aware of clinical trials currently taking place internationally, which are researching possible links between the long term effects of COVID-19 and micro-clots. The Department will assess the impact of research findings as they emerge and update its guidance accordingly.

Through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research Institute (UKRI), over £50 million has been invested in research projects for post-COVID-19 syndrome to improve our understanding and treatment of the condition. While it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics, the NIHR and UKRI welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the long term effects of COVID-19.


Written Question
Long Covid: Thromboembolism
Thursday 21st April 2022

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will introduce routine screening of blood for micro-clots in patients presenting with long covid.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific body which makes recommendations to the Government and the National Health Service. The UK NSC has not reviewed evidence to offer routine blood screening blood for micro-clots in patients presenting with the long term effects of COVID-19. Population screening programmes aim to offer tests to people who appear healthy or who are symptom-free to assess the risk of developing a specific disease or to detect disease at an earlier, more easily treatable stage. Post COVID-19 is a new condition and our understanding continues to grow.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Monday 7th March 2022

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many paediatric doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been administered in each region of the UK as of 25 January 2022.

Answered by Maggie Throup

The information requested is not held centrally. COVID-19 vaccination in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Monday 7th March 2022

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many paediatric doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been delivered to each region of the UK as of 25 January 2022.

Answered by Maggie Throup

This information is not held in the format requested.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Screening
Monday 29th November 2021

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's rational is for requesting vaccination status from someone when registering their covid-19 lateral flow test results.

Answered by Maggie Throup

Vaccination status is not requested when an individual reports the result of a lateral flow test they have taken in England via GOV.UK. However, there may be other instances where an individual is asked to provide details of their vaccination status. This information is requested in order to understand the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the effectiveness against different strains and variants of the virus and, where appropriate, to ask individuals to complete a repeat test.