Written answers

Tuesday, 17 October 2023

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Kettering General Hospital: Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to expedite the approval process for a new net zero energy plant at Kettering General Hospital.

    • Perinatal Mortality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings of the MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance State of the Nation Report published in September 2023,...

      General Practitioners: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to check GP surgery buildings for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

      Question

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for NHS treatment.

      NHS: Complaints

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes his Department has put in place to respond to concerns raised by NHS staff and patients.

      Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

      Cystic Fibrosis: Prescriptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has held discussions with NHS England on the potential merits of making cystic fibrosis prescriptions free.

      Heart Diseases: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a pilot programme for screening cardiac conditions...

      Commercial Clinical Trials in the UK Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the independent report entitled Commercial clinical trials in the UK: the Lord O’Shaughnessy review - final...

      Health Professions: Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure there are an adequate number of oncologists in each region.

      Cancer: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people with cancer aged between 13 and 24 are enrolled in clinical trials.

      Public Health: Cost of Living

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of rises in the cost of living on public health.

      Rare Diseases: Medical Treatments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the potential merits of taking steps to help prevent the withdrawal of medical (a) products and (b) treatments...

      Cancer: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that policies on supporting young people affected by cancer are included in the Major...

      Hepatitis and HIV Infection: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the opt-out (a) HIV and (b) hepatitis testing programme.

      Health Professions: Prescriptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of levels of independent prescribing responsibilities for (a) the retention of...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the most recent metrics report for the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access; and if he...

      Clinical Trials

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it is his Department's policy to authorise novel pharmaceutical products, therapies or medical devices for first-time human...

      NHS: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answers to Questions 197489, 198434, 198842, whether NHS staff records are available to (a) Ministers and (b) officials...

      Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children living in Tooting constituency are waiting for an ADHD assessment.

      Autism: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children living in Tooting constituency are waiting for an Autism assessment.

      Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to issue national guidance on implementing the proposals set out in the policy paper entitled National Partnership...

      Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled National Partnership Agreement: Right Care, Right Person, if he will make an assessment of...

      Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) other steps his Department is taking to increase access to NHS dentistry in (i) Coventry, (ii) the West...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing regular reporting to Parliament on (a) the progress and (b) the...

      Cancer: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department held discussions with (a) cancer charities and (b) clinicians on changes to NHS cancer waiting time targets.

      Community Hospitals: Discharges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2023 to Question 198332 on Community Hospitals: Discharges, what steps his Department is taking to...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Disposable Wipes: Plastics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what legal mechanism her Department plans to use to ban wet wipes containing plastic.

    • Public Lavatories: Incontinence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring local authorities to provide bins for the disposal...

      Forests: Commodities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to identify (a) cocoa, (b) coffee, (c) soy and (d) other forest-based commodities in...

      Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the economic benefits of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

      Sewage: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the economic impact of the use of combined sewer overflows on coastal...

  • Home Office

    • Passports: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to use data in the UK passport database for the (a) prevention and b) detection of crime.

    • Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of Afghans people based in Pakistan awaiting applications to be processed by the Visa Application...

      Aviation: Immigration Controls

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many General Aviation Reports were submitted in (a) 2017 and (b) 2022.

      Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she (a) last met and (b) plans to meet the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

      Biometric Residence Permits

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to explain changes made to Biometric Residence Permit cards to employers.

      Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when will appoint the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

      Police: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how she plans to measure the success of the Right Care, Right Person approach.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • F-35 Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent incidents involving US Air Force F-35B aircraft on the Royal Air Force's fleet of F-35B...

    • Armed Forces: Absenteeism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer to Question 198853 on Armed Forces: Absenteeism, how many of the personnel absent without leave were absent for 48 hours or more.

      Unidentified Flying Objects

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 196630 on Unidentified Flying Objects, for what reason his Department ceased to investigate...

      Unidentified Flying Objects

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 196630 on Unidentified Flying Objects, whether his Department holds a register of reported...

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Written Statement of 19 September 2023 on New Accommodation Offer, HCWS1053, what estimate he has made of the number...

      Armed Forces: Private Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Written Statement of 19 September 2023 on New Accommodation Offer, HCWS1053, what the maximum (a) monthly and (b)...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Older Workers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to older jobseekers in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d)...

    • Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons is there an average 5-week wait for claimants to receive a first payment of Universal Credit; and whether he has made an...

      Buildings: Concrete

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to identify and assess buildings on its estate that contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

      Department for Work and Pensions: Incentives

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2022 to Question 97594, what was the total value of non-cash vouchers awarded to staff working for his...

      Housing Benefit: Deductions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to end non-dependant reductions from Housing Benefit for disadvantaged groups.

      Social Security Benefits: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the welfare system in helping to alleviate levels of (a) pensioner, (b) in-work, (c)...

      Poverty: Coventry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in employment that are living in poverty in (a) Coventry North East constituency...

      Pensions Regulator: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether employees of the Pension Regulator will receive the government-wide 4.5% pay increase deal.

      Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his planned timetable is for implementing the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023.

  • Attorney General

    • Crown Prosecution Service: ICT

      To ask the Attorney General, on how many working days did the Crown Prosecution Service’s case management system experience (a) planned and (b) unplanned outages that prevented staff from...

    • Crown Prosecution Service: ICT

      To ask the Attorney General, if she will publish a list of the (a) dates when the case management system experienced its ten longest outages, (b) the number of hours the case management system...

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

    • China: National Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of inviting China to participate in the global summit on...

    • Broadband: Social Tariffs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will hold further discussions with telephone and broadband providers on increasing take up of broadband social tariffs.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Cabinet Office: Aviation

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the figure of 275 tonnes for CO2e emissions from domestic flights in 2021-22 on page 68 of his Department's Annual Report for 2021-22...

    • Veterans: Homelessness

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce homelessness amongst the veteran population.

  • Department for Transport

    • Fuels: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of fuel prices at (a) supermarkets and (b) other fuel retailers on (i) haulage and...

    • Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to increase the number of public electric vehicle charge points in Bolton.

      Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) availability and (b) reliability of electric vehicle charging points on (i) public roads and...

      Motorways: Air Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to improve air quality on the A6 between junctions 33 and 34 of the M6 motorway.

      Department for Transport: Incentives

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2022 to Question 97597 on Department for Transport: Incentives, what the total value was of non-cash vouchers...

      Railways: Lancaster

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the level and quality of service provided to rail users at Lancaster station using (a) Northern, (b)...

      Roads: Lighting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to promote the erection of heritage and traditional street lamps.

      Railways: Ticket Offices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of rail station ticket office closures on people who (a) cannot afford and (b) struggle to...

      Driving Tests: Reading

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test examiners were based at the Reading Driving Test Centre as of 19 September 2023; and whether he has made an assessment of that...

      Railway Stations: Swansea

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on plans for a new Swansea Parkway train station.

      Roads: Oxford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department made an assessment of the potential (a) impact of extending Network Rail's closure of Botley Road on local (i) residents and...

      Rapid Transit Systems: Cardiff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to support the Cardiff Crossrail project; and what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of...

      Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Hammersmith Bridge Task Force last met; and when the next meeting will be.

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Iran: Sanctions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to UN Security Council Resolution 2231, what assessment his Department has made of the potential...

    • Iran: Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of Iranian interference on (a) Iraq and (b) the...

      Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many expressions of interest have been made to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme in each month since the...

      UN Assistance Mission for Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq on disputes between the...

      Iran: Nuclear Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) French and (b) German counterparts on Iran’s decision to...

      Darfur: UN Security Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) bilateral and (b) multilateral meetings he has had on the interim report of the UN Panel of Experts on Darfur.

      The Gambia: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Gambian President Adama Barrow on democratic...

      The Gambia: Administration of Justice

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has provided (a) financial aid and (b) technical support for the implementation of the...

      The Gambia: Administration of Justice

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Gambian counterpart on the potential merits of a (a) substantive and...

      Hardeep Singh Nijjar

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Canadian counterparts on the potential implications for (a) the UK and (b)...

      Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian and security situation in Nagorno-Karabakh; and when he last spoke...

      Sierra Leone: Elections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with political parties in Sierra Leone on resolving the disputed presidential...

      Ukraine: Armed Conflict

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts in the Black Sea region on facilitating (a)...

      Iraq: Kurds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to provide economic support to the Kurdistan Regional Government in the...

  • Department for Business and Trade

    • Export Credit Guarantees: Russia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2022 to Question 131130, how much of the £49,970,667 of UK Export Finance’s exposure from the...

    • Zero Hours Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of people on zero hour contracts in (a) Ealing Central and Acton constituency and (b) the UK.

      Business: Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement the Sustainability Disclosure Standards.

      Zero Hours Contracts: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to reduce the number of people on zero hour contracts in (a) Enfield North constituency, (b) the London Borough...

      UK Export Finance: China

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether UK Export Finance is considering applications for trade (a) finance and (b) insurance for projects delivered by Chinese companies...

      Economic Growth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with the devolved Administrations on policies to support growth in the (a) digital technology, (b)...

  • Women and Equalities

    • Department for Business and Trade: EU Law

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether it is her policy to retain (a) Article 157 of the Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and (b) case...

  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

    • Regional Planning and Development: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Government on the distribution of (a) the UK Shared...

    • First Time Buyers: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support first-time home buyers in the North East.

      Housing: York

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help more young people onto the housing ladder in Yorkshire.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Wandsworth Prison: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what funding his Department provided Wandsworth Prison in each year since 2010.

    • Wandsworth Prison: Prison Officers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions did the number of prison officers on shift fall below the minimum staffing level required by Wandsworth Prison’s Regime...

      Reading Prison: Sales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress his Department has made on the sale of Reading Gaol.

      Young Offenders: Disclosure of Information

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to update the Disclosure of Youth Criminal Records processes for records becoming sealed.

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Gambling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Leader of the House on parliamentary time for legislation on gambling reforms.

    • Football: Ethnic Groups

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will meet the Black Footballers Partnership to discuss black representation in football.

      Football

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Leader of the House on parliamentary time for legislation on football governance.

      Draft Media Bill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Leader of the House on parliamentary time for the Draft Media Bill.

      Performing Arts: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase the number of post-production film and tv industry jobs in the UK.

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

    • Energy: Meters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had recent discussions with Ofgem on the adequacy of its scope of its Market Compliance Review into prepayment meters.

    • Warm Home Discount Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when her Department plans to publish the eligibility requirements for the 2023-24 Warm Home Discount Scheme.

      Fuels: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of fuel prices at (a) supermarkets and (b) other fuel retailers on the...

      Warm Home Discount Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to publish the eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount Scheme 2023-2024.

      Energy Bills Rebate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to provide funding through the Energy Bill Support Scheme to people who did not apply before the deadline.

      Energy: Newport West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she has taken to help (a) lower energy costs and (b) improve energy security for (i) households and (ii) businesses in...

      Energy: Fossil Fuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of the UK's energy output that will be produced by fossil fuels by 2050;...

  • Department for Education

    • Childcare: Washington and Sunderland West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2023 to Question 198639 on Childcare, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the adequacy of (a)...

    • Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education of 14 September 2023 on Kinship Care, Offical...

      Special Educational Needs: Tooting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with SEND living in Tooting constituency are not in formal education.

      National Tutoring Programme: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much and what proportion of the (a) National Tutoring Programme and (b) recovery premium funding per eligible pupil went to pupils in (i) the...

      Pupil Premium

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of per-pupil funding on educational outcomes for pupils in...

      Schools: Tooting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has provided to each school in Tooting constituency in each year since 2010.

  • Treasury

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • British Museum: Africa

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 20 September (HL9874), how many of the 3.5 million items not in the British Museum's public...

    • British Museum: Wales

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to have discussions with senior staff at the British Museum about returning the Mold Gold Cape to Wales.

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

What is this?

The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

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