{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood&_metadata=all", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&_page=0&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1453586", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1453586/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust does not hold data before 2017. The following table shows the number of patients registered under the Trust who have waited more than 78 weeks for an operation in each year since 2017/18.<\/p>

<\/p>

2017/18<\/p><\/td>

5<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

2018/19<\/p><\/td>

0<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

2019/20<\/p><\/td>

0<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

2020/21<\/p><\/td>

42<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

2021/22 \u2013 to February 2022<\/p><\/td>

387<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

<\/p>

The \u2018Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care\u2019, published in February 2022, sets out how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years. The plan commits to eliminate waiting times of over 18 months by April 2023.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-03-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-03-29T09:43:23.3Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Surgery: Waiting Lists"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients registered under the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust have waited over 18 months for an operation in each year since 2014; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "145795"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1452451", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1452451/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

This information requested is not collected centrally.<\/p>

The redundancy terms for employees are outlined under Section 16 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook. Any decision to enter into redundancy arrangements must be mainly or wholly attributable to the fact that:<\/p>

- the employer or the business need for which the employee was appointed has ceased, or is intended to cease or the type of number of roles needed to carry out a particular kind of work has changed; and<\/p>

- the need for staff to carry out work in the place they were originally employed has ceased or is relocating.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-03-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-03-24T13:51:04.323Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "NHS: Redundancy"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any NHS staff have been made redundant while suffering from long covid; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "142423"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1416070", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1416070/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The information requested is not held centrally. Average monthly call answer times by ambulance trust are published by NHS England and NHS Improvement at the following link:<\/p>

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/<\/a><\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-03-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "110239"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-03-10T13:49:01.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a list of each regional call centre that handles emergency calls to ambulance services in England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "110236"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1416073", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1416073/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The information requested is not held centrally. Average monthly call answer times by ambulance trust are published by NHS England and NHS Improvement at the following link:<\/p>

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/<\/a><\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-03-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "110236"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-03-10T13:49:01.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the average waiting time for answering an emergency call to ambulance services (a) nationally and (b) by regional ambulance emergency call centre on a (i) Friday night and (ii) Saturday night in each of the last 5 years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "110239"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1416074", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1416074/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Department does not hold the information requested.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-01-31T11:07:05.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff have been employed to answer emergency calls to ambulance services (a) nationally (b) at each regional hub in each of the last 5 years; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "110240"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1401347", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1401347/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Department has recorded expenditure between July 2019 and March 2021 with Clifford Chance LLP under a call-off contract from a Crown Commercial Services framework contract for legal work involved in exiting an IT contract. No expenditure is recorded against FTI Consulting or Fenchurch Advisory Partners.<\/p>

Establishing whether officials at the Department have held meetings with these companies could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-02-02T17:54:43.48Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-01-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care: Consultants"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had any (a) financial contract and (b) meetings with (i) Clifford Chance LLP, (ii) FTI Consulting and (iii) Fenchurch Advisory Partners in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "100412"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363959", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363959/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

All offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) were subject to the same assurance process which selected suppliers based on the product type, clinical acceptability, price, forecasted delivery dates, volume and financial standing. The overall basis for awarding contracts, including the value for money consideration, involved a balanced judgement of all these factors. While the price per unit is a factor, FFP3 masks require FIT testing onto the wearer which is required by law. Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd offered a mask which was already in use within the National Health Service and one which healthcare workers had provided a positive evaluation of.<\/p>

<\/p>

Information on the unit price of PPE ordered under each contract is commercially sensitive. While the unit price for the FFP3 masks under this contact were higher, the Department considered the urgent need for the product; the product had previously passed FIT testing and was in use within the health system; and that other tried and tested FFP3 masks were not available from other European sources at the time.<\/p>

<\/p>

The demand and supply signals for PPE varied on a daily basis in light of infection rates within the United Kingdom. The availability of product also fluctuated regularly due to competition over manufacturing capacity and scarce supply. The Government supported the UK Make programme for UK suppliers to develop manufacturing capacity for PPE at the end of 2020. The Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd contract provided a clinically approved product before UK Make suppliers were able to distribute their products.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "64524"} , {"_value" : "64525"} , {"_value" : "64526"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-19T14:25:48.143Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pharmaceuticals Direct: Contracts"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the value for money to the public purse of contracts awarded to Pharmaceuticals Direct since February 2020; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "64522"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363961", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363961/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

All offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) were subject to the same assurance process which selected suppliers based on the product type, clinical acceptability, price, forecasted delivery dates, volume and financial standing. The overall basis for awarding contracts, including the value for money consideration, involved a balanced judgement of all these factors. While the price per unit is a factor, FFP3 masks require FIT testing onto the wearer which is required by law. Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd offered a mask which was already in use within the National Health Service and one which healthcare workers had provided a positive evaluation of.<\/p>

<\/p>

Information on the unit price of PPE ordered under each contract is commercially sensitive. While the unit price for the FFP3 masks under this contact were higher, the Department considered the urgent need for the product; the product had previously passed FIT testing and was in use within the health system; and that other tried and tested FFP3 masks were not available from other European sources at the time.<\/p>

<\/p>

The demand and supply signals for PPE varied on a daily basis in light of infection rates within the United Kingdom. The availability of product also fluctuated regularly due to competition over manufacturing capacity and scarce supply. The Government supported the UK Make programme for UK suppliers to develop manufacturing capacity for PPE at the end of 2020. The Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd contract provided a clinically approved product before UK Make suppliers were able to distribute their products.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "64522"} , {"_value" : "64525"} , {"_value" : "64526"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-19T14:25:48.207Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pharmaceuticals Direct: Protective Clothing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the basis was for awarding Pharmaceuticals Direct a £102.6 million contract to provide 20 million FFP3 masks, at £5.13 per unit; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "64524"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363962", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363962/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

All offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) were subject to the same assurance process which selected suppliers based on the product type, clinical acceptability, price, forecasted delivery dates, volume and financial standing. The overall basis for awarding contracts, including the value for money consideration, involved a balanced judgement of all these factors. While the price per unit is a factor, FFP3 masks require FIT testing onto the wearer which is required by law. Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd offered a mask which was already in use within the National Health Service and one which healthcare workers had provided a positive evaluation of.<\/p>

<\/p>

Information on the unit price of PPE ordered under each contract is commercially sensitive. While the unit price for the FFP3 masks under this contact were higher, the Department considered the urgent need for the product; the product had previously passed FIT testing and was in use within the health system; and that other tried and tested FFP3 masks were not available from other European sources at the time.<\/p>

<\/p>

The demand and supply signals for PPE varied on a daily basis in light of infection rates within the United Kingdom. The availability of product also fluctuated regularly due to competition over manufacturing capacity and scarce supply. The Government supported the UK Make programme for UK suppliers to develop manufacturing capacity for PPE at the end of 2020. The Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd contract provided a clinically approved product before UK Make suppliers were able to distribute their products.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "64522"} , {"_value" : "64524"} , {"_value" : "64526"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-19T14:25:48.27Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pharmaceuticals Direct: Protective Clothing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average price paid per unit was, by Government, for a FFP3 mask in June 2020; and what the average price paid per unit was for FFP3 masks as part of the £102.6 million contract awarded to Pharmaceuticals Direct in the summer of 2020; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "64525"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363963", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1363963/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

All offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) were subject to the same assurance process which selected suppliers based on the product type, clinical acceptability, price, forecasted delivery dates, volume and financial standing. The overall basis for awarding contracts, including the value for money consideration, involved a balanced judgement of all these factors. While the price per unit is a factor, FFP3 masks require FIT testing onto the wearer which is required by law. Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd offered a mask which was already in use within the National Health Service and one which healthcare workers had provided a positive evaluation of.<\/p>

<\/p>

Information on the unit price of PPE ordered under each contract is commercially sensitive. While the unit price for the FFP3 masks under this contact were higher, the Department considered the urgent need for the product; the product had previously passed FIT testing and was in use within the health system; and that other tried and tested FFP3 masks were not available from other European sources at the time.<\/p>

<\/p>

The demand and supply signals for PPE varied on a daily basis in light of infection rates within the United Kingdom. The availability of product also fluctuated regularly due to competition over manufacturing capacity and scarce supply. The Government supported the UK Make programme for UK suppliers to develop manufacturing capacity for PPE at the end of 2020. The Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd contract provided a clinically approved product before UK Make suppliers were able to distribute their products.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "64522"} , {"_value" : "64524"} , {"_value" : "64525"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-19T14:25:48.3Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pharmaceuticals Direct: Protective Clothing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons his Department agreed a £102.6 million deal with Pharmaceuticals Direct for FFP3 face masks subsequent to correspondence with alternative suppliers who were told that further supplies were not needed as Government had sufficient supplies in place; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/177", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Thomas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrow West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Thomas"} ], "uin" : "64526"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Gareth+Thomas&_page=1&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Charnwood", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 55, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }