Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the digitisation of Healthy Start vouchers.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Healthy Start scheme is kept under continuous review and the Government continues working to ensure that eligible families are aware of the scheme and how it will benefit them. The current uptake figure is 47%.
The scheme is promoted through the Healthy Start and Start4Life websites, reminding families to take up the vouchers. The Healthy Start Issuing Unit is also proactive in identifying and making contact with families who may be eligible for Healthy Start and issues invitations to apply for the scheme and pre-populated application forms by post.
The NHS Business Services Authority is delivering the project to digitise the Healthy Start Scheme. As part of the project, the NHS Business Services Authority holds monthly showcase events for stakeholders, this includes representatives from National Health Service trusts and local authorities. The NHS Business Services Authority will continue to communicate with all appropriate stakeholders in advance of each stage of the rollout of the digital project. The digital approach to Healthy Start will make it easier for families to apply for, receive and use Healthy Start benefits.
The project is due to begin the private beta phase later this year, followed by a public beta phase starting in early 2021, where new applicants will be able to apply for and use the digital service. The NHS Business Services Authority will also transfer beneficiaries who currently receive the paper-based voucher onto the new digital service from early 2021.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
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 level of take up of the Healthy Start voucher scheme in 2020.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Healthy Start scheme is kept under continuous review and the Government continues working to ensure that eligible families are aware of the scheme and how it will benefit them. The current uptake figure is 47%.
The scheme is promoted through the Healthy Start and Start4Life websites, reminding families to take up the vouchers. The Healthy Start Issuing Unit is also proactive in identifying and making contact with families who may be eligible for Healthy Start and issues invitations to apply for the scheme and pre-populated application forms by post.
The NHS Business Services Authority is delivering the project to digitise the Healthy Start Scheme. As part of the project, the NHS Business Services Authority holds monthly showcase events for stakeholders, this includes representatives from National Health Service trusts and local authorities. The NHS Business Services Authority will continue to communicate with all appropriate stakeholders in advance of each stage of the rollout of the digital project. The digital approach to Healthy Start will make it easier for families to apply for, receive and use Healthy Start benefits.
The project is due to begin the private beta phase later this year, followed by a public beta phase starting in early 2021, where new applicants will be able to apply for and use the digital service. The NHS Business Services Authority will also transfer beneficiaries who currently receive the paper-based voucher onto the new digital service from early 2021.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) beauty, (b) physiotherapy and (c) other businesses that operate from a person's home can continue to remain open and see clients under Tier 2 (High) covid-19 restrictions in Essex.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
New local alert levels announced on 12 October set out three tiers of restrictions that aim to control the chain of transmission in an area based on specific local circumstances. The Local Alert Level: High restrictions (tier 2) are primarily aimed at targeting household to household transmission by placing restrictions on indoor gatherings, which is recognised as a significant route of transmission.
Businesses based in a person’s home may remain open at this level, provided they follow COVID-secure guidance and are not subject to other closure rules, e.g. closure of hospitality venues between 10pm and 5am. Close contact services must also follow relevant guidance, including mandatory use of face coverings.
Further guidance is available at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-level-high#business-and-venues
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/close-contact-services
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when GP surgeries will resume face to face consultations.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
General practice is open and people should continue to access services by phone, online or in person.
On 31 August, NHS England and NHS Improvement issued guidance stating that general practitioner (GP) practices must offer face-to-face appointments at surgeries and continue to use remote triage, video, online and telephone consultations where appropriate – whilst also considering those unable to access or engage with digital services. On 14 September, NHS England and NHS Improvement wrote to GPs and their commissioners reiterating the importance of providing face to face appointments for those who need them and shared a communications toolkit designed to support clear communication with patients about how they can access the right type of appointment.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the decision to require individuals to wear face coverings in places of worship during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Members of the public must wear a face covering in a range of indoor public settings in England, which includes places of worship.
The wearing of face covering does not replace or change existing advice on other measures – such as hand washing, social distancing and self-isolation – which remain more important (because of stronger evidence and larger effects).
The Government is committed to following the evidence and will keep reviewing evidence from around the world and update our position as and when needed.
Guidance around using places of worship safely during the pandemic can be found online at the following link:
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
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 10 September 2020 to Question 81811 on Patients: Monitoring, whether he has had discussions with the Israeli company EarlySense on the NHS Long Term Plan and remote monitoring solutions.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
No discussions have been held with EarlySense to discuss the NHS Long Term Plan or remote monitoring solutions.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the 30 person limit on funerals during the covid-19 outbreak includes funeral directors and staff members.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Funerals should have no more than 30 attendees. Attendance should also be kept within the capacity constraints of the venue, so that social distancing can continue to be adhered to.
Anyone working, for example officiants, staff employed by the venue or third party staff are not included in the 30 person limit.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent on Healthy Start vouchers in 2019-20.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The total expenditure on Healthy Start vouchers in England, for the most recent year that data is available, 2018/19, was £44,787,081. This expenditure includes the expenditure on Healthy Start vouchers redeemed and the administrative costs for the scheme.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what value of Healthy Start vouchers have been redeemed in 2019-20.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The total expenditure on Healthy Start vouchers in England, for the most recent year that data is available, 2018/19, was £44,787,081. This expenditure includes the expenditure on Healthy Start vouchers redeemed and the administrative costs for the scheme.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children living in food insecure households in England.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department’s Healthy Start scheme provides a nutritional safety net to hundreds of thousands of pregnant women and families with children under four in lower-income families. Healthy Start encourages a healthy diet by providing vouchers that can only be spent on fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, plain cow’s milk and infant formula.
Free school meals, led by the Department for Education, play an important role in ensuring disadvantaged children receive a healthy, nutritious meal each day. They are aimed at families who are out of work or on low incomes.
Under the benefits-related criteria, there are currently around 1.4 million pupils eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £400 a year for each child.