Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the corporate report entitled Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report 2022, published on 25 April 2024, if he will make an assessment of the reasons for increases in incidents involving failure to provide adequate care for animals.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The numbers of non-compliance cases vary in any given year. In 2022 the Animals in Science Regulation Unit introduced improvements in how non-compliance is reported, which includes self-reporting. The self-reporting of non-compliance by establishments is vital to assure a culture of compliance. The increase in numbers of reported non-compliances in the annual report was driven by increased self-reporting.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit will further evaluate trends in non-compliance as its regulatory reform programme develops. Every case is investigated, and remedies and sanctions applied according to its published non-compliance policy.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to strengthen sanctions for those who breach conditions of a licence to conduct animal experiments for scientific research.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit applies sanctions in cases of non-compliance in accordance with its compliance policy, which aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.
More rigorous sanctions are used in cases where animal welfare is impacted or there are significant systems failures.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) South Gloucestershire Council and (b) National Highways on the delivery of M4 junction 18A.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and National Highways recognises the creation of a proposed new Junction 18A on the M4 to the northeast of Bristol as a priority for South Gloucestershire Council and other local stakeholders. I know the Department and National Highways look forward to working with South Gloucestershire Council on suitable proposals.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of plans to reform the fit note process on people with mental ill health.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Good work is good for health. We know that good work can positively impact people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. We also know that tailored work and health support can help break down the kinds of barriers that can make finding and staying in a job more difficult for those with mental health conditions.
In 2023, 24% of fit note episodes had a known diagnosis and of those, 33% are for mental and behavioural disorders. We are reforming the fit note process so that it starts with an assessment of what someone can do with the right support, rather than what they cannot. This builds on the £795m investment we made at Autumn Statement for additional funding over five years for mental health services to help support people with mental ill health to gain and/or retain employment, as well as our successful Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies programme, which is now being rolled out across England.
Our ambition is to bring together preventative healthcare and employment systems to support people who are at risk of falling out of work or who have already fallen out of work due to ill health. We continue to work with stakeholders including mental health organisations and those with lived experience, to co-develop this policy, this includes seeking insight and evidence via a public call for evidence.
This work is an essential part of the Government’s ambition to improve health outcomes, and help people get access to the support they need to return to, remain and thrive in work.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral answer of 29 April 2024 by the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing to Question 902545, Official Report, columns 32-33, if she will publish an update on the Youth Endowment Fund's schools-based work to reduce children's involvement in crime following the Minister's meeting with the Director of that Fund on 30 April 2024.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Engagement in education provides an important opportunity to identify and support children and young people at risk of serious violence. Through the department’s Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed (SAFE) Taskforce and Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (APST) programmes, the department is investing over £50 million to fund specialist support in mainstream schools and alternative provisions in the areas where serious violence is most prevalent.
The SAFE taskforce programmes are underpinned by evidence-based approaches to tackling serious violence, including utilising the Youth Endowment Fund’s (YEF) Toolkit for how to put these approaches into action. The department continues to work closely with YEF as they build up their evidence base for 'what works' in preventing serious violence, and as they fund the evaluations of the department's taskforce programmes. Updates to the YEF’s school-based work can be found on their website.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a cross-departmental strategy to end youth homelessness.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
This Government is committed to tackling all forms of homelessness including youth homelessness.
The Government’s ‘Ending Rough Sleeping for Good’ Strategy, published in 2022 and backed by £2.4 billion, recognises young people face particular challenges. The strategy confirmed a £200 million investment in the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP) which will deliver homes for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping, including young people. In addition, £2.5 million of Rough Sleeping Initiative funding for 2022-2025 supports youth services in local areas.
The department will continue to work with local authorities and partners in the voluntary and community sector and private sector to tackle youth homelessness.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the assessment of lead ammunition restrictions by the Health and Safety Executive between March 2021 and 2024.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the period 1 March 2021 to 31 March 2024 the Health and Safety Executive full economic cost estimate is £500,000 which includes the costs of both HSE and independent scientific experts engaged in this work but excludes work undertaken by the Environment Agency.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the (a) dates and (b) agenda items are for future meetings of the Net Zero Council.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Meetings of the Net Zero Council are currently scheduled to take place on 3 July 2024, 9 October 2024 and 15 January 2025.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech on Net Zero on 20 September 2023, whether the Prime Minister had discussions with the Net Zero Council on the content of that speech prior to its delivery.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Net Zero Council is co-chaired by myself and CEO of the Co-operative Group, Shirine Khoury-Haq. Minutes of its meetings can be found on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/net-zero-council
Ministers and officials have regular discussions with 10 Downing Street on a range of issues across our departmental responsibilities, including net zero.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the minutes of the meeting of the Net Zero Council on 9 November 2023, which member of the Net Zero Council has been nominated to lead its public engagement workstream; and what steps the Council has taken to encourage consumer engagement.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A public engagement working group has been convened under the Net Zero Council, meeting an ask from businesses for consumer-facing information on net zero to support their own engagement. The group is chaired by Council member Chris Hulatt, Co-founder of Octopus Investments, and includes representatives from key business sectors, behaviour change experts and public engagement specialists. The group is working with trade bodies to develop resources to support businesses to communicate effectively on the net zero transition, and advising the UK Government as it delivers on the public engagement commitments set out in Powering Up Britain: Net Zero Growth Plan.