Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2022 to Question 2655, on Dialysis Machines: Children, what the terms of reference are under which the Renal Services Clinical Reference Group are reviewing the reimbursement process for children receiving home dialysis.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Specialised Paediatric Renal Services, including dialysis, are currently in the remit of the Paediatric Medicine Clinical Reference Group. The Terms of Reference for the review of the reimbursement process for children and young people receiving home haemodialysis in England are expected to be agreed by July 2022.
Timelines for reporting on the review and implementing its recommendations will be established once the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve awareness among patients receiving haemodialysis treatment at home of their right to receive a reimbursement for the energy costs induced by their treatment.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Department expects providers of home haemodialysis services to inform patients of the National Health Service-funded financial support available to help with increased direct energy costs. For adult home haemodialysis, patients’ additional utility costs are met through the payment of the national tariff to the provider, which reimburses the patient.
NHS England is communicating with all commissioned providers of home dialysis and renal clinical networks to reiterate the existing reimbursement arrangements and ensure that providers alert eligible patients. NHS England will also work with Kidney Care UK and other national charities to promote awareness of reimbursement arrangements.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support families with a child receiving home dialysis with energy costs.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Children undergoing renal dialysis may qualify for the middle rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Depending on when and where they dialyse, they may be treated as satisfying the disability tests for the day or night. DLA can also enable families to access a range of additional support, such as the blue badge scheme and exemption from the benefits cap.
Paediatric home haemodialysis services are commissioned by NHS England and provided by specialist renal centres. There is currently no national tariff for paediatric home dialysis and as such it is at the discretion of individual providers as to whether additional direct utility costs for patients are reimbursed. The Renal Services Clinical Reference Group has begun a review of the reimbursement process for children receiving home dialysis.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his department has to work with its devolved counterparts to ensure consistent access for patients across UK to equal reimbursement of the energy costs incurred by home dialysis.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
We have no current plans to do so as this is a devolved matter. For adult home dialysis NHS England do not reimburse patients directly. Patients’ additional direct utility costs, which may include electricity, water, gas and telephone, are met through the payment of the national tariff to providers, which provide reimbursement to the individual.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
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 adequacy of product placement regulations for (a) alcohol and (b) low or zero alcohol on television.
Answered by Maggie Throup
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of requiring zero or low alcohol products to be named and branded differently from existing alcohol products.
Answered by Maggie Throup
No specific assessment has been made.
Products above 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) are subject to the UK Advertising Codes and the Portman Group Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks. The Portman Group Code is consistent with the UK Advertising Codes and both are in place to ensure that alcohol is marketed in a socially responsible way and that children and young people are suitably protected.
The Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice are consulting on new rules and guidance to regulate alcohol alternative products and provide clarity to advertisers for products of products at and below 0.5% ABV.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
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 adequacy of the British Standard Institution’s Standard 8877 on tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches; whether he plans for the Post-Implementation Review of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 to recommend establishing a regulatory framework for tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches; and if he will take steps to help ensure that tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches are regulated appropriately.
Answered by Maggie Throup
No assessment has been made. The Post Implementation Review into the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 is expected to be published shortly and will set out if the legislation is achieving its aims. We are reviewing the regulatory framework for tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many equines were slaughtered in UK abattoirs in 2020; and how many of those equines held horse passports issued by Weatherbys passport issuing agencies.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) holds the responsibility for delivering Official Controls in abattoirs in England and Wales. Official Controls in Northern Ireland are delivered by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on behalf of the FSA. No equines have been slaughtered in Northern Ireland in 2020. We are unable to provide figures on the slaughter of equines in Scotland as this is a matter for Food Standards Scotland. The number of horses slaughtered in England and Wales in 2020 is 1,314.
The FSA is unable to provide the information requested regarding Weatherbys passport issuing agency as it would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of Weatherbys as a Passport Issuing Organisation.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
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 on Committee on Toxicity’s review of the toxicological risks associated with oral nicotine pouches; and what the planned timetable is for completion of that review.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Committee on Toxicity of Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is considering tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches and the review is in progress. An initial discussion paper was presented to the Committee in May 2021 and further information was requested. This information is being prepared. It is currently estimated this work will be completed in mid-2022.