Written questions by Chope.

What has been the cost to his Department of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme in each of the last four years for which information is available.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

How many awards had been made under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for claims arising from Covid-19 vaccines as at 31 December 2025.

Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), shows that as of 31 December 2025, 246 VDPS awards have been made for claims relating to COVID-19 vaccinations.Information on COVID-19 claims to the VDPS is published on a quarterly basis by the NHS Business Service Authority. Further information is available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19

How many patients died from hospital acquired pneumonia at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon in each of the first six months of 2025.

The UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) Healthcare-Associated Infection (HCAI) Data (public HCAI statistics) does not currently publish routine counts of hospital-acquired pneumonia deaths. Pneumonia is not one of the standard HCAIs in the UKHSA dashboard.The Office of National Statistics is the official source of mortality statistics for England. More information is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/methodologies/mortalitystatisticsinenglandandwalesqmiThe Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (OHID) also provide details of mortality indicators that assess outcomes across a range of causes of death in England. These are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mortality-profile-december-2025-update/mortality-profile-statistical-commentary-december-2025

With reference to the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention and the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 November 2025, what progress has been made on consulting with the Cabinet Office on increasing the limitation period for court claims relating to harm from Covid-19 vaccinations.

I am grateful for the Hon. Member's continued focus on this important issue, and for meeting with me on 5 November 2025.I continue to actively review options for the reform of the scheme, and the Department is engaging with other Government departments as part of this process. Discussions have taken place on limitation period for court claims, following the meeting on 5 November 2025.Any reforms would need to be prioritised as part of future business planning processes.I am meeting with vaccine bereaved families in the coming weeks to provide them with a further update on this work.

With reference to the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention and the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 November 2025, what progress has been made on possible reform to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for claims relating to Covid-19 vaccinations; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Budget on the affordability of proposals for change.

I am grateful for the Hon. Member's continued focus on this important issue, and for meeting with me on 5 November 2025.I continue to actively review options for the reform of the scheme, and the Department is engaging with other Government departments as part of this process. Discussions have taken place on limitation period for court claims, following the meeting on 5 November 2025.Any reforms would need to be prioritised as part of future business planning processes.I am meeting with vaccine bereaved families in the coming weeks to provide them with a further update on this work.

What has been the cost to the public purse of the indemnity to pharmaceutical companies in the context of Covid-19 vaccines.

The Government cannot comment on the terms on which COVID-19 vaccinations were procured, which are confidential.

How many data subject access requests were received by the NHS in England in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those requests were responded to with the requested data within (a) one and (b) three months.

Information on the number of data subject access requests received by National Health Service organisations, and the time taken to respond, is not collected centrally.

How many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied on (a) 1 April and (b) 1 October 2025 by patients with no criteria to reside.

Information about how many beds are occupied by patients with no criteria to reside by trust is published by NHS England, and this information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays/acute-discharge-situation-report/The following table shows how many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied by patients with no criteria to reside for 1 April 2025 and 1 October 2025:DateNumber of patients remaining in hospital who no longer meet the criteria to reside1 April 20251861 October 2025194Source: NHS EnglandTo support trusts to reduce the number of beds occupied by patients with no criteria to reside, the Government published a new policy framework in January 2025 for the £9 billion Better Care Fund. This holds the National Health Service and local authorities accountable for setting and achieving joint goals for reducing discharge delays and preventing avoidable emergency admissions. Some challenged systems are also receiving a programme of improvement support.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 33850 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, how many of the 69 cases referred to the First-Tier Tribunal were (a) successful and (b) rejected; and how many have been outstanding for more than (i) three and (ii) six months.

Data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), which administers the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that of the 69 claims identified in Question 33850:32 claims have been rejected by the First-Tier Tribunal;one claim has been upheld with instruction to undertake a disablement assessment;one claim has been considered as a “live claim unresolved” for more than three months;28 claims have been considered as “live claim unresolved” for more than six months; andseven claims have been closed by the HM Courts and Tribunal Service with either a status of Appeal Struck out or Appeal Withdrawn.Appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal are managed by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and therefore the NHSBSA must follow the directions and timescales specified by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The data is based on the date the HM Courts and Tribunals Service notified the NHSBSA of an appeal. The NHSBSA is not always provided the date the appellant made the appeal application to the HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

How many claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for damage caused by covid-19 vaccines were received between 1 April and 30 September 2025; how many awards were made to claimants in that period; how many claims were rejected (a) through lack of causation and (b) because they were below the disability threshold; how many claims remained outstanding on 30 September 2025; and how many of those claims have been outstanding for over 12 months.

My deepest sympathies are with those who have experienced harm following vaccination and to their families.Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrator of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that during the period of 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025:2,146 COVID-19 claims were registered;15 COVID-19 claims were awarded;3,419 COVID-19 claims, with the causation claimed to be due to a vaccine, were not accepted; and54 COVID-19 claims had causation due to vaccine accepted, but had disablement assessed as less than 60%.As of 30 September 2025, there were 4,882 total COVID-19 claims that were unresolved, 1,672 of which had been so for over 12 months. Information on COVID-19 claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is published on a quarterly basis by the NHS Business Service Authority. Further information is available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19I recognise many of the concerns that have been raised regarding the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. This input will shape our ongoing consideration of reforms to the scheme and I will keep Parliament updated, as appropriate.

When the application for a mandatory reversal of the decision of the NHS Business Services Authority with reference VAD20662 will be actioned; and for what reason it has not yet been actioned.

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). It would not be appropriate to comment on the status of an individual claim to the VDPS, which is a matter for NHSBSA

With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Secondary Care on 3 September 2025, Official Report, column 107WH, whether the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health plans to meet the hon. Member for Christchurch.

This is an issue that the Government takes very seriously. A meeting has been scheduled with the hon. Member for Christchurch.

Pursuant to the Answer 30 June 2025 of Question 58911 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, if he will set out a timetable for completion of the (a) consideration of options and (b) recommendations for change.

I reiterate my sincere condolences to individuals, and their families, who have experienced harm following vaccination.At this stage, I am not in a position to comment on timelines for the consideration of options for reform or recommendations for change. Ministers continue to consider options covering both potential reforms to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, and the situation of those who have suffered harm following COVID-19 vaccination.In parallel, the Department has been working with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the scheme, to take steps to improve the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme and process claims at a faster rate.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 58911 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, if he will set out whether the options for reform to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme include the (a) limitation period for court claims, (b) maximum award, and (c) disability threshold.

I would like to express my sincerest sympathies to those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families. At this stage, I am not in a position to comment further on the details of the options being considered, and will update Parliament in due course, as needed.

With reference to his Department's of 3 June 2025, what options his Department is considering for (a) reform of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme reform and (b) the situation of those (i) injured or (ii) bereaved as a result of Covid-19 vaccines.

The Government recognises how difficult it is for those individuals who have sadly experienced harm following vaccination. Ministers are considering several options covering both potential reforms to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, and the situation of those who have suffered harm following COVID-19 vaccination.

If he will make a comparative estimate of the number of people who underwent NHS elective care in Dorset in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial years; and how many people were forecast to undergo elective care in the 2025-26 financial year (i) with and (ii) without elective Care demand management.

In the financial year 2023/24, there were 17,411,620 completed Referral-to-Treatment (RTT) pathways in the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board. In the financial year 2024/25, there were 18,116,099 completed pathways. Please note that patients may be on more than one RTT pathway. These figures exclude non-consultant led care, and the subsequent care or monitoring that occurs after a patient has had their first definitive treatment. Forecasts of those who will undergo elective care in 2025/26, with and without elective care demand management, are not available.

With reference to the letter of 16 May 2025 from NHS England to ICBs on referrals for elective surgery, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing the rate of referrals for elective surgery on waiting times for NHS operations in Dorset.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of reducing the rate of referrals for elective surgery on waiting times for operations in Dorset.Actions to ensure care is delivered in the most appropriate clinical setting, to reduce unnecessary demand on elective care, are set out in the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, which also details all the reform efforts needed to deliver our commitment that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029.The Government has set out expectations that integrated care boards (ICBs) should focus on strategic commissioning, by planning services that meet the needs of local populations. In this regard, NHS England’s letter of 16 May 2025 calls on ICBs to implement strategies to reduce unwarranted demand for all elective care, including surgery. By reducing unnecessary appointments and tests, these interventions will free up clinical time and resources for patients who do require elective surgery and other forms of elective care, and will reduce the time these patients wait for their care.

How many full-time equivalent (a) GPs and (b) other clinical practitioners were employed at (i) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (ii) Christchurch Medical Centre, (iii) Burton Brunch Surgery, (iv) Stour Surgery and (v) The Grove Surgery on (A) 1 June 2024 and (B) 14 May 2025.

Figures are provided in the tables below on full time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs) and other clinical practitioners employed at the practices for which the Department holds data. We have provided the most recent data available, which captures staff employed on 31 March 2025, and compared this to 31 March 2024.Data for the Burton Medical Centre is not available as it was a branch of the Christchurch Medical Practice. The Burton Medical Centre became a branch practice in October 2017, and was subsequently closed in October 2024.The following table shows the number of FTE GP doctors and other clinical staff in the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Centre, the Burton Brunch Surgery, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Surgery, as of 31 March 2025:Practice nameGP doctorsOther clinical staffHighcliffe Medical Centre9.911.4Christchurch Medical Practice10.221.7Stour Surgery4.77.1The Grove Medical Centre11.116.2 In addition, the following table shows the number of FTE GP doctors and other clinical staff in the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Centre, the Burton Brunch Surgery, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Surgery, as of 31 March 2024:Practice nameGP doctorsOther clinical staffHighcliffe Medical Centre8.711.4Christchurch Medical Practice10.723.0Stour Surgery4.97.1The Grove Medical Centre1217.3Notes:the data does not include estimates for practices that did not provide fully valid staff records; andFTE refers to the proportion of full time contracted hours that the post holder is contracted to work. 1 would indicate they work a full set of hours, 37.5 hours, and 0.5 that they worked half that time. For GPs in training grade contracts, 1 FTE is equal to 40 hours, and in this table these FTEs have been converted to the standard Workforce Minimum Data Set measure of 1 FTE equalling 37.5 hours, for consistency.

How much was spent on GP services by Dorset Integrated Care Board in Christchurch in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-25; and what the budget is for 2025-2026.

In 2022/23, total National Health Service payments to general practices in the Christchurch constituency, including COVID-19 and primary care network payments, were £17,452,214, including any deductions for Pensions, Levies and Prescription Charge Income. Data for the years after 2022/23 has not been published yet.

What information his Department holds on the number of new patients registered at (a) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (b) Christchurch Medical Centre, (c) Burton Brunch Surgery, (d) The Stour Surgery and (e) The Grove Surgery in the (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25 financial years; and how much was paid to each practice for those additional patients.

Changes in the number of registered patients reflects both new registrations as well as existing patients being taken off a practice’s list, such as where they have moved practice or have died. As a result, it is not possible to identify the number of new registrations from the published data, and it is not possible to determine the additional funding practices have received from new registrations. Practices receive global sum payments based on their registered patient list, which are weighted using the Carr-Hill formula. This takes into consideration factors such as the age and sex of patients, and additional pressures generated by factors such as geographical location and patient turnover.