Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many of the reports in relation to (a) fatal outcomes and (b) adverse reactions in patients who have received a COVID-19 vaccine received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency under its statutory function to operate a system of post marketing surveillance were judged as (i) likely, (ii) possibly and (iii) unlikely to have been caused by Covid-19 vaccine; and how many such reports lacked sufficient information to make a judgement.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
While the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency carefully assesses Yellow Card reports of suspected adverse reactions, including those with a fatal outcome, to determine whether additional information is required to facilitate assessment of the link between a medicine and the reported adverse event, they do not assign causality at the level of individual reports.
Cumulatively, Yellow Card data is thoroughly analysed for patterns or evidence which might suggest a causal link between the vaccination and the reported reaction, alongside other relevant data. In relation to fatal reports, it is the role of a Coroner to determine the likely cause of death for an individual.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what further steps she plans to take to ensure that clinicians operating in (a) the NHS and (b) private practice adhere to the NHS clinical guideline not recommending puberty suppressing hormones as a routine commissioning option for the treatment of children and adolescents who have gender incongruence or dysphoria.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We have always been clear that children’s safety and well-being is paramount, so we welcome this landmark decision by the National Health Service. Ending the routine prescription of puberty blockers will help ensure that care is based on evidence, expert clinical opinion and is in the best interests of the child.
We expect the private sector to follow suit. There are no private providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to prescribe puberty blockers to children under the age of 16. If a private organisation registered with the CQC fails to meet the conditions of its registration, then the regulator can take enforcement action.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much her Department has spent on research into carbon capture utilisation and storage in each (a) research institution and (b) science and technology cluster in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland in the last three years.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
UK Research and Innovation has a list of research in carbon capture and storage by area. It is available at https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOChooseTTS.aspx?Mode=ResearchArea&ItemDesc=Carbon+Capture+and+Storage
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting the wellbeing of gay, lesbian and bisexual young people.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Equality Hub Ministers regularly engage with their counterparts across Government on matters relating to LGB equality. This is because this Government is committed to improving the health and well-being of young people and we recognise that gay, lesbian and bisexual young people often face specific challenges.
This is why spending for children and young people’s mental health services has increased from £841 million in 2019/20 to just over £1 billion in 2022/23.
A further £3 million of funding has also been divided between five anti-bullying organisations to tackle bullying in schools. This includes projects that target homophobic and biphobic hate-related bullying.
In October 2022, we launched a Victim Support Service for anyone affected by or at risk of conversion practices, regardless of their sexual orientation, sex or transgender identity. The helpline can provide a safe, confidential listening and information service to anyone over the age of 13.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on Government support for the health of gay, lesbian and bisexual young people.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
This Government is committed to improving the health and well-being of young people. We recognise that gay, lesbian and bisexual young people often face specific challenges.
We have ended the ban on blood donations from sexually active gay men, and are eliminating barriers for same sex couples to access IVF.
Spend for children and young people’s mental health services has increased from £841 million in 2019/20 to just over £1 billion in 2022/23.
And in 2021, we published our HIV Action Plan which sets our commitment to ending all new HIV transmissions, AIDS and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030.