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.
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.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to protect access to cash in the last 12 months.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recognises that cash remains an important part of daily life for millions of people across the UK, and remains committed to legislating to protect access to cash.
As part of the Financial Services Act 2021, the Government made legislative changes to support the widespread offering of cashback without a purchase by shops and other businesses.
From 1 July to 23 September last year, the Government held the Access to Cash Consultation on further proposals for new laws to make sure people only need to travel a reasonable distance to pay in or take out cash. The Government’s proposals intend to support the continued use of cash in people’s daily lives and help to enable local businesses to continue accepting cash by ensuring they can access deposit facilities.
The Government received responses to the consultation from a broad range of respondents, including individuals, businesses, and charities. The Government has carefully considered responses to the consultation and will set out next steps in due course.
Following the Government’s commitment to legislate, firms are working together through the Cash Action Group to develop new initiatives to provide shared services. The Government welcomes the direction set by industry’s commitments at the end of last year and looks forward to seeing what results they deliver in protecting cash facilities for local communities across the UK.
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.
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.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dwellings have secured home insurance through the Flood Re scheme in Belfast East constituency in each year since that scheme's commencement in 2016.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Flood Re’s statistics run from October 2017 and are reported twice a year, with the most recent confirmed data in April 2021. The data shows a steady increase in the number of properties ceded to the Flood Re scheme within Belfast East.
Country | Constituency | Q4 2017 | Q2 2018 | Q4 2018 | Q2 2019 | Q4 2019 | Q2 2020 | Q4 2020 | Q2 2021 |
Northern Ireland | Belfast East | 392 | 364 | 395 | 479 | 550 | 550 | 583 | 635 |
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many paediatric doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been received in the UK as of 25 January 2022.
Answered by George Freeman
The precise details of our vaccine orders and deliveries are commercially sensitive, but we have sufficient vaccines available to enable us to meet current, and any future updates to JCVI guidance. We continue to plan for future scenarios.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many paediatric doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been ordered as 25 January 2022.
Answered by George Freeman
The precise details of our vaccine orders and deliveries are commercially sensitive, but we have sufficient vaccines available to enable us to meet current, and any future updates to JCVI guidance. We continue to plan for future scenarios.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to extend the temporary VAT rate of 12.5 per cent for the hospitality sector beyond March 2022.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As announced at Spring Budget 2021, the Government extended the 5 per cent temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September 2021. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent was introduced for these goods and services to help ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. This new rate will end on 31 March 2022.
This relief has cost over £8 billion and, whilst all taxes are kept under review, there are no plans to extend the 12.5 per cent reduced rate of VAT. The Government has been clear that this relief is a temporary measure designed to support the sectors that have been severely affected by COVID-19. It is appropriate that as restrictions are lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increases, the temporary tax reliefs are first reduced, and then removed, to rebuild and strengthen the public finances.
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.