Questioner: Caroline Nokes
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) children and (b) adults have suffered from pressure sores over the last 12 months as a result of ill-fitting wheelchairs.
Answer (Helen Whately)
The data requested is not held centrally.
Questioner: Lyn Brown
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS England A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions 2020-21 data for January 2021, what assessment he has made of geographical disparities in the number of patients waiting longer than 12 hours in A&Es after a decision has been made to admit them; and what estimate he has made of the number of patients waiting longer than 12 hours in A&Es after a decision has been made to admit them in Barts Health Trust.
Answer (Edward Argar)
The following table provides data on the number of patients spending more than 12 hours from decision to admit to admission in January 2021, by National Health Service region and Barts Health Trust.
| Number of patients spending more than 12 hours from decision to admit to admission |
NHS England East of England | 246 |
NHS England London | 1,534 |
NHS England Midlands | 405 |
NHS England North East and Yorkshire | 59 |
NHS England North West | 405 |
NHS England South East | 141 |
NHS England South West | 1,019 |
Barts Health NHS Trust | 376 |
It should be noted that Barts Health NHS Trust data is not comparable with other hospitals as it has three hospitals with major emergency departments within the Trust.
COVID-19 rates in London were higher compared to the rest of the country in January.
The increased number of 12-hour trolley waits seen in January 2021 reflects the extreme demand for beds in the system at this time, with delays reported due to awaiting COVID-19 test results, reduced bed stock due to social distancing and intensive treatment unit capacity expansion and reconfiguration of beds to meet COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 demand.
Questioner: Preet Kaur Gill
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to publish a health systems strengthening position paper.
Answer (Wendy Morton)
We expect to publish a health systems strengthening position paper this year. This approach will form a central part of the government's wider effort towards ending the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children, and strengthening global health security. It will take account of the lessons learnt from the response to COVID-19, and the need to build resilient health systems for the future.
Questioner: Jack Dromey
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants to the Windrush Compensation Scheme have been deemed to be ineligible by (a) resident country, (b) reason for decision and (c) ages of the applicants.
Answer (Priti Patel)
The Home Office has no published data to answer these questions. The information is not readily available in a reportable format nor held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Questioner: Jack Dromey
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many claims under the Windrush Compensation Scheme have been resolved in (a) less than two months, (b) between two and four months, (c) between four and six months, (d) between six and 12 months and (e) over 12 months.
Answer (Priti Patel)
The Home Office has no published data to answer these questions. The information is not readily available in a reportable format nor held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Questioner: Jack Dromey
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many awards of legal fees have been made under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Answer (Priti Patel)
The Home Office has no published data to answer these questions. The information is not readily available in a reportable format nor held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Questioner: Jack Dromey
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many claimants under the Windrush Compensation Scheme received advice from the Citizens Advice; and how many of those claimants were successful.
Answer (Priti Patel)
The Home Office has no published data to answer these questions. The information is not readily available in a reportable format nor held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Questioner: Marion Fellows
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of personal independence payments (PIP) have been migrated to the 10 yearly light touch review process; what criteria must be met for that migration to take place; and whether her Department is advising people in receipt of PIP that they may migrate to that process.
Answer (Justin Tomlinson)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Once someone has been awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which can be paid at one of eight rates, that award will be reviewed. Reviews of PIP are a key part of the benefit and ensure that not only do awards remain correct where needs may change but that we also maintain contact with the claimant. Importantly, the length of an award is based on an individual’s needs and the likelihood of change, regardless of the award outcome, and can vary from nine months to an on-going award, with a light touch review at the ten-year point.
Following changes to the guidance for those who are awarded the highest level of support under PIP, and whose needs are expected to stay the same or increase, and those who are of State Pension age, existing claimants are being identified prior to their award review and being put onto ongoing awards instead. Claimants do not need to contact the Department and decisions on whether someone falls within either group remain subject to Case Manager decision making in line with the guidance. Claimants who are subject to a review of their award may also be placed on to an ongoing award depending on the nature of their needs and the likelihood of change in the future.
Questioner: Liam Byrne
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) policies and (b) grant and funding programmes her Department has introduced to provide support to individuals and organisations in response to the covid-19 outbreak; and what funding has been allocated to each of those programmes in the 2020-21 financial year.
Answer (Victoria Atkins)
Details of the Home Office’s additional funding for domestic abuse support services during the Covid-19 pandemic is available on Gov.uk, where the Home Office has allocated £2m of funding to charities with a national or regional presence and for which the other domestic abuse-focused funding streams were not specifically designed. Please refer to the link below.
Funds launched in response to covid-19 outbreak include: the Covid-19 Vulnerable Children National Charities Strategic Relief Fund
and Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Fund.
The Home Office has also awarded other grants to provide support to individuals and organisations in response to the covid-19 outbreak. The details of these grants will be published by Cabinet Office in due course
Questioner: Rebecca Long Bailey
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has held with the devolved Administrations on improving the clarity of the regulatory framework that applies to the import of colonies and packages of bees to Great Britain via (a) Northern Ireland or (b) other routes since the end of the transition period.
Answer (Rebecca Pow)
Since only queen honey bees can be imported into Great Britain, packages or colonies arriving here would be returned to the country of export. Guidance on the new rules for importing bees was published and known importers were contacted prior to the end of the transition period.
Movements of queens, packages and colonies from Northern Ireland to Great Britain remain permitted. There is, and will remain, unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods including honey bees to the rest of the UK market.
We are aware of concerns raised by some beekeepers and we continue to listen to beekeepers and their associations as part of our monitoring of the new trading arrangements. We have continued to update guidance in response to questions raised.
Regular discussions take place between Defra and colleagues in the devolved Administrations working in this policy area. We are keeping the situation under review to ensure that there are suitable trading arrangements for the UK beekeeping sector.
Questioner: Stephen Hammond
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to further extend planning permission beyond 1 May 2021 for those permissions which lapsed between 23 March and 31 December 2020 during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answer (Christopher Pincher)
The Business and Planning Act 2020 introduced measures to enable certain planning permissions and listed building consents in England which had lapsed or were due to lapse during 2020 to be extended to 1 May 2021. These measures provide for the power to extend the eligibility date for permissions and the time period for implementation. This is being kept under review at this time.
Questioner: Alexander Stafford
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse has been of reviewing gamebird releasing on European protected sites compared with the cost of reviewing other outdoor sports, leisure activities and recreation activities in the last two years.
Answer (Rebecca Pow)
I can confirm that it is the Government's policy to introduce an interim licensing regime for the 2021 releases of common pheasant and red-legged partridge within European protected sites and within a 500m buffer zone around the sites. A consultation has been launched that sets out the proposals.
The cost to the public purse of reviewing gamebird releasing on European protected sites has not been specifically calculated or compared to other outdoor pursuits.
Questioner: Craig Whittaker
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposed restrictions on (a) advertising and (b) promotion of on foods high in fat, salt or sugar on alcohol marketing and advertising.
Answer (Jo Churchill)
Policies on advertising restrictions and restricting the promotion of foods high in fat, salt and sugar by location and by volume are part of a package of measures with the primary aim of reducing childhood obesity. Our promotions policy is focused on food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Questioner: Emma Hardy
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Care Quality Commission's review of the application without consent of do not apply cardio-pulmonary resuscitation notices during the covid-19 outbreak will be completed; and whether that review will cover recent reports of the application of those notices.
Answer (Helen Whately)
In October 2020 the Department asked the Care Quality Commission to review how Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation decisions were used throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Interim findings were published on 3 December 2020, with a final report due shortly. The review will take a national view of how these decisions were made and will inform national learning and good practice development as the nation continues to respond to the pandemic.
Questioner: Chi Onwurah
Question
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's timescale is for responding to the scope of qualifying expenditures for R&D Tax Credits consultation that closed on 13 October 2020.
Answer (Jesse Norman)
The Government sought views from stakeholders on the scope of qualifying expenditures for R&D Tax Credits between 21 July and 14 October 2020. Officials are currently considering responses to the consultation and the Government will respond in due course.
The Government keeps all tax reliefs under review. When considering making any changes to tax reliefs, HM Treasury must ensure they provide support to businesses across the economy in a fair way and represent good value for money for the taxpayer.
Questioner: Ed Davey
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the resumption of local authority carers’ respite services.
Answer (Helen Whately)
Throughout the pandemic we have worked with local authorities to support them to maintain services and support for unpaid carers. After the first wave of the pandemic we worked with the Social Care Institute for Excellence to publish guidance on the safe reopening of day/respite services.
We have also enabled some of the money provided to local authorities through the Infection Control Fund to be used to help services reopen safely or be reconfigured to work in a COVID-19 secure way to continue to provide community and day support services, which we know in turn provide respite for carers. The restrictions on leaving home and gathering during the current lockdown have been drafted to ensure that day services can continue to operate with up to 15 service users per session and for people to leave home for respite and receive respite care in their own homes. These respite provisions apply to both unpaid carers and those they care for.
We know that day services and other forms of respite care are vital services and we are working with local authorities, in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Ministerial counterparts in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure, where possible, the safe resumption of services.
Questioner: Greg Smith
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) merits and (b) commercial opportunities arising from the proposal to develop a new Disruptive Innovation in Space Centre at Westcott.
Answer (Amanda Solloway)
The Government believes that the Space Sector offers opportunities to drive economic growth across the country.
In order to better understand the pipeline of space research, development & innovation infrastructure proposals, which could be funded through a number of routes, the UK Space Agency has initiated a space infrastructure road mapping exercise and has been in touch with Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership to seek further details of this proposal for a Disruptive Innovation in Space Centre.
Questioner: Craig Whittaker
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the proposed ban on advertising online food and drink high in salt, fat and sugar, whether products designated as high in fat, salt or sugar will be re-categorised if the fat, salt and sugar content is reduced.
Answer (Jo Churchill)
The current proposal for what food and drink is classed as in scope of further advertising restrictions online and on TV, is to use the categories originally put forward by Public Health England (PHE) as part of the calorie reduction programme, sugar reduction programme and the soft drinks industry levy overlaying this with the 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model. Officials are considering the final list put forward by PHE as well as views fed in as part of the consultation process to come to a final decision on what products are in scope and will publish our full response to the consultation shortly.
The Nutrient Profiling Model uses a simple scoring system where points allocated for ‘C’ nutrients (fruit, vegetables and nut content, fibre and protein) are subtracted from ‘A’ nutrients (energy, saturated fat, total sugar and sodium). Foods scoring four or more points, and drinks scoring one or more points, are classified as ‘less healthy’ and will be subject to the restrictions.
Products that are reformulated and achieve the Nutrient Profiling Model threshold will be out of scope of the restrictions and therefore able to advertise.
Questioner: John Spellar
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to toilets for taxi, bus, van delivery, lorry and other professional drivers.
Answer (Rachel Maclean)
The government recognises the hard work and commitment from transport workers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and expects them to have easy and safe access to toilets and hand washing facilities to support their health and wellbeing whilst carrying out their important work, which supports the economy.
All motorway service stations in England are open to Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers and critical workers, providing takeaway food only, toilet facilities and fuel. Operators of Motorway Service Areas (MSAs) have also been given an exemption, along with other transport hubs, to have their seating within the concourse still available throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, because they offer a safe place for HGV drivers and other critical workers to stop and rest.
In addition, the Department for Transport has published a joint letter with the Health and Safety Executive on gov.uk, reminding businesses of their legal obligation to provide toilet and handwashing facilities to drivers visiting their premises to deliver or collect goods as part of their work. The joint letter with the Health and Safety Executive is available to download and print, via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/887867/dft-hse-letter-drivers-facilities.pdf
Questioner: Liam Byrne
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a) policies and (b) grant and funding programmes his Department has introduced to provide support to individuals and organisations in response to the covid-19 outbreak; and what funding has been allocated to each of those programmes in the 2020-21 financial year.
Answer (Paul Scully)
The Government has provided an unprecedented support package totalling over £280 billion for individuals, businesses and organisations. This includes billions in loans, grants, and business rates relief. We have also published Safer Workplaces guidance for a number of sectors, supporting businesses and employees to operate in a Covid-secure way. Businesses can also access tailored advice through the Business Support Helpline, the Business Support website or through local Growth Hubs in England.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme are all delegated schemes introduced by BEIS and overseen in conjunction with the British Business Bank.
As of 24 January 2021:
Between March and September last year, over £11.68 billion was paid out to over a million business premises under the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF), the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF) and the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF). Grant funding has also been made available via Local Authorities to help businesses forced to close due to national and localised restrictions, and for businesses severely impacted by restrictions even if not required to close. This includes the Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment (CBLP), the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), and the different Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) schemes.
Questioner: Carla Lockhart
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much has been lent to firms in Northern Ireland under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS); and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the repayment terms of CBILS borrowings.
Answer (Paul Scully)
As of 10th January 2021, businesses in Northern Ireland have been offered 1,501 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facilities, with a value of £496,806,683.
Lenders are able to extend the repayment period for CBILS facilities beyond 6 years (up to a maximum of 10 years) where this is needed in connection with the provision of forbearance. CBILS term extensions are offered at the discretion of lenders.
Questioner: John McNally
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the UK fashion industry on the effect on that industry of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answer (Paul Scully)
I last spoke with various representatives from the UK fashion industry, including the UK Fashion and Textiles Association (UKFT), on the effect of the Trade and Cooperation agreement on 9 February.
Across Government, we have recently held specific workshops for Retail & Consumer Goods stakeholders as well as a webinar with the British Fashion Council (BFC) on key Trade and Cooperation Agreement issues including Rules of Origin.
We are also working closely with UKFT on guidance and case study examples for businesses to help them understand and adapt to new requirements.
Questioner: Luke Evans
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to develop a road map to support the wedding sector to open up in a safe and controlled manner following the covid-19 lockdown announced in January 2021.
Answer (Paul Scully)
On 22 February, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister published the Government’s COVID-19 Response-Spring 2021. The roadmap is a step-by-step plan to ease restrictions in England gradually, starting with education. Across the four steps, the roadmap sets out the sequencing and indicative timing for easing restrictions, including those on the wedding sector.
Questioner: Dan Poulter
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of people with a recorded infection of covid-19 make a full recovery following successful hospital treatment.
Answer (Nadine Dorries)
This information is not collected centrally.
Questioner: Olivia Blake
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that both adults' and under 18s' eating disorders services have adequate resources to respond to the level of urgent referrals that those services are receiving.
Answer (Nadine Dorries)
For children and young people, we are enhancing capacity in community eating disorder services to ensure appropriate support including crisis care and intensive home treatment. The community team can provide support during an admission to a paediatric ward for medical stabilisation or inpatient mental health bed if required.
For adults, we are increasing our investment in community mental health care year-on-year, up to almost £1 billion extra by 2023/24. Twelve areas in England have transformation funding since 2019/20 to test new integrated models of primary and community mental health care. Eight of these sites have also received specific additional funding to transform the eating disorders pathway, including early intervention for young adults with eating disorders.