Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a response to Early Day Motion 479 on Staffing reductions at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Answered by Edward Argar
We support the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) objective to be a world-leading regulator that protects public health and puts patients first. As an executive agency of the Department, the MHRA will make a robust assessment of its transformation plans, including the structural changes involved.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
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 the UK joining the EU Digital Covid certificate scheme.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The NHS COVID Pass for international travel was launched on 17 May, prior to the European Union Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC). We have engaged with the European Commission on a technical basis to align the NHS COVID Pass with the EUDCC system. The United Kingdom already accepts the EUDCC as proof of vaccination for international travel, and UK COVID-19 certification is recognised in the majority of EU countries.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with representatives of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the time taken to publish updated guidance on Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
Answered by Jo Churchill
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for developing its guidelines in line with its established methods and processes.
NICE has advised that it plans to host a roundtable event in September to gain support for the guideline to ensure effective implementation.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total amount of NHS charges that have been (a) charged to and (b) collected from refused asylum seekers was in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Edward Argar
The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015, include exemptions from charge for certain categories of vulnerable migrants and overseas visitors. Failed asylum seekers who are receiving state support are exempt from National Health Service charges on the basis of recognised barriers to return or because they have children. The Department continues to consider evidence relating to the Regulations under review, including evidence on charges for failed asylum seekers.
The Department does not hold the requested data on the amount charged to and collected from, failed asylum seekers.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
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 exempting refused asylum seekers from NHS overseas charges.
Answered by Edward Argar
The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015, include exemptions from charge for certain categories of vulnerable migrants and overseas visitors. Failed asylum seekers who are receiving state support are exempt from National Health Service charges on the basis of recognised barriers to return or because they have children. The Department continues to consider evidence relating to the Regulations under review, including evidence on charges for failed asylum seekers.
The Department does not hold the requested data on the amount charged to and collected from, failed asylum seekers.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
What steps he is taking to help support the recruitment and retention of medical and nursing staff.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
We are on track to increase the number of nurses in the National Health Service by 50,000 over this Parliament. There are over 9,000 more nurses working in the NHS now compared to this time last year and 4,000 more doctors.
Applications to study nursing and midwifery are up 21% this year, following a 15% increase last year. Through the NHS People Plan we are working hard to support and retain the NHS workforce.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish data on the total number of (a) covid-19 tests taken and (b) covid-19 tests returned positive by people required to go into managed isolation on arrival at the UK Border since the introduction of that requirement.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The data on the number of COVID-19 tests taken by people in managed quarantine is published as part of the weekly NHS Test and Trace statistics, which are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nhs-test-and-trace-statistics-england-weekly-reports
The data on the number of COVID-19 tests returned positive by people in managed quarantine will be validated and published in due course.