answer on 01 October 2020<\/a>, competitive tenders are used across government, including by the Cabinet Office. It is also the case that there are certain circumstances where regulations permit that contracts can be awarded without a competition, including where there is extreme urgency.<\/p>As has been the case under successive administrations, this Government works with a number of suppliers to provide polling and focus group work. Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction to government messaging, including focus groups for COVID-19 research. Details of this contract have been published on GOV.UK in the usual way.<\/p>
No ministerial sign off was sought for the award of a contract to Public First. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.<\/p>
A claim for Judicial Review was issued by the High Court on 10 July 2020 in relation to the award of this contract. It would not, therefore, be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4647", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julia Lopez"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornchurch and Upminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Julia Lopez"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-10-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "76729"}
, {"_value" : "76730"}
, {"_value" : "76731"}
, {"_value" : "76733"}
, {"_value" : "77726"}
, {"_value" : "77727"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-10-06T09:19:18.153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) Minister or (b) official initiated discussions with Public First on the focus group contract.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4365", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Neil Gray"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Airdrie and Shotts"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Neil Gray"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230049", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230049/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Leicester Biomedical Research Centre is leading our research into the long-term health impacts of COVID-19. This includes a study of 10,000 patients who were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, which will give us valuable information about the longer-term effects of the disease and how we can best support recovery.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"}
}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-09-01T15:13:59.507Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "NHS: Coronavirus"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "What assessment he has made of the effect on the NHS of the long-term health consequences of covid-19.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4716", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ruth Jones"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ruth Jones"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230050", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230050/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Care homes were hard hit by COVID-19 despite all the efforts of Government, local authorities and care homes themselves.<\/p>
Our understanding of this cruel disease has informed all the steps taken to protect residents.<\/p>
And there is ongoing work by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies care home working group to improve our understanding which will in turn inform our actions.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"}
}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-09-01T15:31:23.44Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Care Homes: Coronavirus"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "What recent assessment he has made of the causal factors for the mortality rate in the care home population during the covid-19 outbreak.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4505", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Kyle"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hove"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Kyle"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230051", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
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The Government\u2019s £8 million Wellbeing for Education Return programme will support staff to respond to the emotional and mental health pressures some children and young people may be feeling.<\/p>
We are continuing to establish mental health support teams in schools, including two teams in the Sheffield area.<\/p>
This complements the new Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum, which makes mental health a key part of primary- and secondary-school education.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-09-01T15:11:15.897Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mental Health Services: Schools"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "What steps the Government is taking to ensure adequate provision of mental health services in schools when they reopen as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230052", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
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The Government\u2019s strategy, based at all times on scientific advice, has been to stay alert, control the virus, save lives, and avoid or minimise a second wave.<\/p>
Our strategies around controlled relaxations of national measures, local lockdowns and test and trace are all designed to manage that risk.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "What steps he is taking to help prevent a second wave of covid-19.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4440", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Marion Fellows"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1228651", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
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We have welcomed this report and we are considering Baroness Cumberlege\u2019s recommendations carefully.<\/p>
It is important \u2013 for the sake of patients and especially those who have suffered greatly \u2013 that we give this independent report the full consideration it deserves.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations in the July 2020 Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1228630", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
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The Government is leading efforts to find and manufacture a vaccine, working with industry and experts, both here in the UK and internationally\u202fto\u202fensure\u202fwe are in the best position possible to support the discovery, manufacture and mass-deployment of a successful vaccine\u202fshould a candidate prove successful. A number of\u202fagreements to procure millions of doses of vaccines have been made, ensuring the greatest possible chance of securing access to a safe and effective vaccine.\u202fThe UK has now secured access to 6 different candidates, across 4 different vaccines types, including University of Oxford\u2019s vaccine being developed with AstraZeneca and agreements with\u202fBioNTech/Pfizer alliance, Valneva, Novavax, Janssen and GSK/Sanofi Pasteur.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4372", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Amanda Solloway"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-08-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coronavirus: Vaccination"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress his Department has made on finding a safe and effective vaccination against covid-19.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1500", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Theresa Villiers"}
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