Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate international travel, based on secure records of COVID-19 vaccination history.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are working with international partners to ensure a safe return to international travel, utilising mutual recognition and verification of COVID certification solutions. To facilitate international travel, we are supporting United Kingdom (UK) residents to demonstrate their vaccination status using the ‘NHS COVID PASS’ which can be used for their outbound travel. Since 19 July, passengers arriving from amber countries (except France) who have been fully vaccinated through the UK vaccination programme do not have to quarantine when entering England or take a polymerase chain reaction test on or after day 8 post arrival. From 2 August passengers who are fully vaccinated in many European countries with vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency or Swissmedic and can show an EU Digital COVID Certificate, or who have been fully vaccinated in the United States of America (US) with vaccines authorised by the Food and Drug Administration and can show a CDC card and proof of US residency, will be able to travel to England from amber list countries (except France) without having to quarantine or take a day 8 test on arrival.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their report UK COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan, published on 11 January, what criteria they use to assess whether to use the mobile model to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to people experiencing homelessness.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Working with local community partners, it is for local systems to determine the appropriate vaccine delivery model for their populations. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement have been clear that they should consider pop-ups in community venues and mobile facilities. They have also highlighted the need for in-reach mobile delivery to hostels and hotels providing accommodation for people experiencing homelessness, as well as outreach delivery where clinically safe, to people who remain living on the streets and mobile delivery connected to places people access and feel safe including foodbanks and other community-based support. To support this, NHS England has developed COVID-19 vaccination programme: JCVI Cohort 6 - Homelessness and rough sleeping Mobilisation support pack. A copy is attached.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered night clinics for the vaccination of Muslims during Ramadan.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government and NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working closely with local vaccination providers and system partners to put arrangements in place to help support Muslims to receive their vaccination, particularly if they are invited during Ramadan.
We have ensured through key messaging from scholarly leaders and the British Islamic Medical Association that it is permissible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while fasting during Ramadan. We have provided advice and reassurances on questions and concerns around vaccination and Ramadan and we are working closely with local authorities, charities, faith and community groups to ensure these messages are disseminated widely. Effort has been made to promote key messages in faith-based radio stations, TV channels and multi-lingual messages developed by clinical and faith leaders.
We have issued guidance to our local partners on actions they should consider with reference to the needs of their local Muslim population during Ramadan which includes:
- Extending vaccination sites opening hours during twilight hours in places with high Muslim populations;
- Supporting pop-up/roving/temporary vaccination sites in areas with a high Muslim population;
- Allowing greater flexibility in booking schedules for later appointments;
- Outreach into homes to support those who are housebound and for women; and
- Flexibility to vaccinate where needed across Muslim groups, such as vaccinating members of multi-generational households on single visits.
We have been working closely with our system partners to support these actions and many are already being implemented. Additionally, we have also been supporting the organisation of women’s only vaccine clinics.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are they putting in place for COVID-19 vaccinations for Muslims during Ramadan
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government and NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working closely with local vaccination providers and system partners to put arrangements in place to help support Muslims to receive their vaccination, particularly if they are invited during Ramadan.
We have ensured through key messaging from scholarly leaders and the British Islamic Medical Association that it is permissible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while fasting during Ramadan. We have provided advice and reassurances on questions and concerns around vaccination and Ramadan and we are working closely with local authorities, charities, faith and community groups to ensure these messages are disseminated widely. Effort has been made to promote key messages in faith-based radio stations, TV channels and multi-lingual messages developed by clinical and faith leaders.
We have issued guidance to our local partners on actions they should consider with reference to the needs of their local Muslim population during Ramadan which includes:
- Extending vaccination sites opening hours during twilight hours in places with high Muslim populations;
- Supporting pop-up/roving/temporary vaccination sites in areas with a high Muslim population;
- Allowing greater flexibility in booking schedules for later appointments;
- Outreach into homes to support those who are housebound and for women; and
- Flexibility to vaccinate where needed across Muslim groups, such as vaccinating members of multi-generational households on single visits.
We have been working closely with our system partners to support these actions and many are already being implemented. Additionally, we have also been supporting the organisation of women’s only vaccine clinics.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those traveling to the UK indirectly from 'red list' travel ban countries quarantine in a hotel upon arrival.
Answered by Lord Bethell
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to promote take-up of COVID-19 vaccines amongst black and other ethnic minority communities.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We frequently engage with local authorities, faith leaders and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) organisations to provide advice and information about COVID-19 vaccines and how they will be made available. Our communications include targeted information and advice via TV, radio and social media. This has been translated into 13 languages. Print and online material, including interviews and practical advice has appeared in hundreds of national, local and specialist titles including BAME media outlets. In addition, since February a number of mosques and other places of worship have been hosting pop-up COVID-19 vaccination centres.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote a global vaccine passport scheme.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government committed to explore whether and how COVID-19 status certification might be used to reopen the economy, reduce restrictions on social contact and improve safety. COVID-19 status certification aims to provide reassurance that an individual is at reduced risk of transmission. This could allow some freedoms to be restored more safely, for example by allowing mass events to admit more participants, increased passenger numbers and reduced border restrictions for travellers and social distancing rules to be relaxed.
The Government believes that COVID-19 status certification could have an important role to play both domestically and internationally, as a temporary measure. Equally, we want to be sure that the benefits of any such approach is rigorously tested, along with analysis of the potential economic impacts that COVID-status certification would have across different settings. We will continue to gather evidence on the extent to which COVID-19 status certification is an effective measure to control the epidemic and reduce hospitalisations and deaths and continue to explore the equity and ethical concerns. The Government will set out its conclusions from the COVID-status certification review in advance of 21 June in order to inform the safe reopening of society and the economy.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to control the amount of sugar in food.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Public Health England (PHE) oversees the voluntary sugar reduction programme on behalf of the Government. The programme challenges retailers, manufacturers and the eating out, takeaway and delivery sector to reduce the amount of sugar in foods that contribute the most to children’s intake by 20% by 2020.
PHE supports industry to achieve sugar reduction through a continued programme of engagement and provides regular reports on its progress. PHE will publish the fourth report on industry’s progress on sugar reduction later in 2021 and will provide further expert advice on measures to address excess sugar consumption to the Government so it can consider next steps.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Israel's approach to administering vaccinations for COVID-19; and what aspects of that approach, if any, they have drawn on for the implementation of the UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We have not made a formal assessment. However, the Department continues to monitor vaccine deployment programmes across the world, including Israel, to share learning and collaborate internationally on the role of deploying safe, effective vaccines in the response to COVID-19.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to deliver a 24 hour a day COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Answered by Lord Bethell
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Nottinghamshire's Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been piloting 24 hours a day vaccination services since 20 January. NHS England will continue to test extended opening hours, including 24 hours a day provision and findings will be kept under review.