Every parliamentary written question tabled by Christopher Chope this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 77 · Department of Health and Social Care
Whether the Department of Health and Social Care or NHS England made or commissioned a clinical or patient safety impact assessment of the duty in paragraph 11C(2) of Schedule 3 to the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2015, inserted by SI 2026/532, before that instrument was laid before Parliament.
Awaiting answer.
How many cataract operations were carried out (a) by and (b) on behalf of the NHS in England in 2025; how many of those were by (i) NHS providers directly and (ii) private sector providers; and wha
In April 2026, for ophthalmology, performance against the standard for 92% of patients to start first treatment within 18 weeks of referral was 73.1%, 5.3% higher than a year earlier.In most cases, contracts will have to comply with National Health Servic...
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 June to Question 6319 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, how much were the (a) assessment, (b) staff and (c) non-staff costs in each of those years.
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Whether the Government accepts the recommendations of the Covid-19 Inquiry (Module 4) published on 16 April 2026 in relation to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.
As set out by the Prime Minister in his Written Ministerial Statement of 16 April responding to the publication of Module 4 of the COVID-19 Inquiry, the Government is carefully considering the findings of the inquiry, including the recommendations on refo...
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.
I would like to apologise for not being able to provide a substantive response to Question 119822 in the previous parliamentary session, which asked what the cost had been of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS) in each of the ...
With reference to the Answer of 29 April 2026 to Question 119822 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, for what reasons his Department was unable to answer the Question before 29 April 2026; and whethe
I would like to apologise for not being able to provide a substantive response to Question 119822 in the previous parliamentary session, which asked what the cost had been of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS) in each of the ...
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.