Aaron Bell Portrait

Aaron Bell

Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme

First elected: 12th December 2019

Assistant Whip

(since November 2023)

Procedure Committee
3rd Nov 2020 - 11th Dec 2023
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 11th Dec 2023
Victims and Prisoners Bill
14th Jun 2023 - 11th Jul 2023
Finance (No. 2) Bill
10th May 2023 - 18th May 2023
Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Bill
8th Mar 2023 - 15th Mar 2023
Powers of Attorney Bill
22nd Feb 2023 - 1st Mar 2023
National Security Bill
29th Jun 2022 - 18th Oct 2022
Professional Qualifications Bill [HL]
12th Jan 2022 - 18th Jan 2022
Animal (Penalty Notices) Bill
1st Dec 2021 - 8th Dec 2021
Elections Bill
15th Sep 2021 - 26th Oct 2021
Compensation (London Capital & Finance plc and Fraud Compensation Fund) Bill
8th Jun 2021 - 15th Jun 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Aaron Bell has voted in 950 divisions, and 6 times against the majority of their Party.

2 Sep 2020 - Recall of MPs (Change of Party Affiliation) - View Vote Context
Aaron Bell voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 41 Conservative No votes vs 47 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 55 Noes - 52
23 Jun 2020 - Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme - View Vote Context
Aaron Bell voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 45 Conservative Aye votes vs 235 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 243 Noes - 238
17 Jun 2020 - Health and Personal Social Services - View Vote Context
Aaron Bell voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 104 Conservative Aye votes vs 124 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 253 Noes - 136
3 Nov 2021 - Committee on Standards - View Vote Context
Aaron Bell voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 13 Conservative No votes vs 247 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 250 Noes - 232
30 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Aaron Bell voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 72 Conservative Aye votes vs 175 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 215 Noes - 188
6 Jun 2023 - Committee on Standards - View Vote Context
Aaron Bell voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 28 Conservative Aye votes vs 32 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 185 Noes - 40
View All Aaron Bell Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Matt Hancock (Independent)
(29 debate interactions)
Rishi Sunak (Conservative)
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
(17 debate interactions)
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
(17 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(63 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(61 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(50 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Aaron Bell's debates

Newcastle-under-Lyme Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

The Government should bring forward legislation to allow assisted dying for adults who are terminally ill and have mental capacity. It should be permitted subject to strict upfront safeguards, assessed by two doctors independently, and self-administered by the dying person.


Latest EDMs signed by Aaron Bell

Aaron Bell has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Aaron Bell, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Aaron Bell has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Aaron Bell

1 Bill introduced by Aaron Bell


A Bill to introduce a presumption against planning applications for new landfill sites liable to cause odorous emissions in built-up areas; to set limits for odorous emissions from landfill sites; to make provision for the payment of compensation by site operators to local residents when emissions exceed those limits; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 9th March 2021
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
4 Other Department Questions
13th Jun 2023
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when the Government plans to publish draft legislation banning conversion practices.

The Government remains committed to protecting everyone who is at risk of conversion practices from harm, and will shortly publish a draft Bill and consultation response setting out our approach to banning these abhorrent practices. The draft legislation will go for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee in this parliamentary session.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th May 2023
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress she has made on implementing the British Sign Language Act 2022.

The British Sign Language Act includes a duty on the DWP Secretary of State to publish a report on the use of British Sign Language in public communications by ministerial departments.

The first reporting period was completed on the 30th of April this year and the report is due to be published in Summer.

In addition, DWP has established a dual language board of BSL users to inform HMG on BSL matters.

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th Mar 2020
To ask the right hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to ensure the maintenance of its burial grounds.

The responsibility for maintenance of Church of England churchyards that are open for burials lies with each Parochial Church Council. However, if the churchyard has been closed for burials by order of the Privy Council or other agreement, the usual practice is for responsibility to transfer to the relevant Local Authority. Maintenance of a closed churchyard is still undertaken in line with the relevant ecclesiastical legislation, which still applies. Each diocese similarly produces its own guidance and regulations.

Advice and guidance is always available for parishes and all local authorities from the Cathedral and Church Buildings Division of the Archbishops’ Council. The Church Buildings Division is currently developing a digital Burial Grounds Management System with external partners. This will in the next few years digitally map all graveyards and burial records to allow a publicly available and searchable records and monuments map to increase access to our churchyards. Following a successful trial in the Diocese of Leeds this project will gradually roll out to the rest of the country.

Andrew Selous
Second Church Estates Commissioner
11th Mar 2020
What steps the Government Equalities Office is taking to support people in returning to work after a career break.

We fully support those looking to return to employment, particularly with caring responsibilities. However, we need more employers like Obelisk Support, who recognise the value of flexible working and can support this huge amount of untapped talent.

17th Oct 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Written Ministerial Statement made on 5 September 2022, what progress the Government has made on the commitment that interim payments be made to those infected and affected by contaminated blood by the end of October 2022.

I can confirm infected individuals and bereaved partners who are registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes will receive interim compensation payments of £100,000 by the end of October. The administrators of the four schemes are writing to beneficiaries this week confirming the £100,000 alongside details of how the money will be paid.

This meets a key government commitment to meet, in full, the recommendations set out by Infected Blood Inquiry Chair Sir Brian Langstaff in his interim report.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
24th Apr 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government will next hold discussions with (a) victims and (b) victims' families of the contaminated blood scandal on a framework for compensation.

In January 2020, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Patient Safety met campaigners representing the people infected and affected, and campaigners raised a number of issues about the support that would assist them outside of the Inquiry process. Ministers have committed to looking at these issues carefully, including to consider a request to look at a framework for compensation before the Inquiry reports, and to report back on where progress can be made. The Paymaster General is the lead Minister for the Inquiry and is taking forward these actions.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
21st Jan 2020
What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on reducing business rates for firms.

This Government will conduct a fundamental review of business rates.

My Retail Sector Council industry co-chair and I have already met the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the Council’s review of the costs retailers face, including business rates.

I will continue to engage with Treasury colleagues as we deliver this important manifesto commitment.

2nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting state schools from the TV licence fee.

In most circumstances, one TV Licence will cover the entire school or college. There are no additional concessions for schools or colleges, and the Government is not considering making changes to the current concessions regime at this time.

The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not the Government, and it is the BBC that administers concession schemes.

9th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the merits of regulating the promotion of cryptoassets in sport; and if she will make a statement.

The Government has noted a growing market of partnerships between sports bodies and crypto asset businesses.

The variety of crypto asset products is wide and evolving. We have always encouraged innovation in sports markets but this must be done with the interests of fans in mind and must be transparent on risks.

My officials have discussed cryptoassets in conversations with the Premier League, the English Football League and the Treasury.

As I stated in the recent Westminster Hall Debate on this issue, the government will continue to monitor the use and promotion of cryptoassets in sport and will factor this into considerations around the wider cryptoasset market and its regulation.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
9th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer (b) the Cryptoasset Taskforce, (c) the Premier League, (d) Premier League Football Clubs, (e) Premier League Football Club Supporter Associations and (f) the Football Supporters’ Association on the regulation of cryptoassets in sport.

The Government has noted a growing market of partnerships between sports bodies and crypto asset businesses.

The variety of crypto asset products is wide and evolving. We have always encouraged innovation in sports markets but this must be done with the interests of fans in mind and must be transparent on risks.

My officials have discussed cryptoassets in conversations with the Premier League, the English Football League and the Treasury.

As I stated in the recent Westminster Hall Debate on this issue, the government will continue to monitor the use and promotion of cryptoassets in sport and will factor this into considerations around the wider cryptoasset market and its regulation.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
9th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with sporting industry stakeholders on cryptoassets with since 4 April 2022; and what assessment she has made of the need to regulate the promotion of cryptoassets in sport.

The Government has noted a growing market of partnerships between sports bodies and crypto asset businesses.

The variety of crypto asset products is wide and evolving. We have always encouraged innovation in sports markets but this must be done with the interests of fans in mind and must be transparent on risks.

My officials have discussed cryptoassets in conversations with the Premier League, the English Football League and the Treasury.

As I stated in the recent Westminster Hall Debate on this issue, the government will continue to monitor the use and promotion of cryptoassets in sport and will factor this into considerations around the wider cryptoasset market and its regulation.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
9th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impacts of cryptoasset schemes promoted by the sporting industry on consumers.

The Government has noted a growing market of partnerships between sports bodies and crypto asset businesses.

The variety of crypto asset products is wide and evolving. We have always encouraged innovation in sports markets but this must be done with the interests of fans in mind and must be transparent on risks.

My officials have discussed cryptoassets in conversations with the Premier League, the English Football League and the Treasury.

As I stated in the recent Westminster Hall Debate on this issue, the government will continue to monitor the use and promotion of cryptoassets in sport and will factor this into considerations around the wider cryptoasset market and its regulation.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
18th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has taken recent steps to help support kinship carers.

The department is supporting the Kinship charity to deliver up to 100 peer-to-peer support groups across England to support kinship carers.

The recently published Independent Review of Children’s Social Care set out recommendations on how the government can support kinship families. The department is now considering these recommendations. We are working up a comprehensive response to the recommendations in the Review, which will set out how the department intends to support kinship families.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
31st Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will provide additional support to students from low-income families to help pay for journeys to and from their (a) school and (b) other place of education in the 2022-23 academic year, in the context of the rise in inflation.

The Department’s home-to-school transport policy aims to ensure that no child is unable to access education because of a lack of transport. Local authorities must provide free home-to-school transport for children of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and cannot walk there due to distance, route safety, or as a result of special educational needs, disability or mobility problems. There are additional rights to free transport for low-income families aimed at helping them exercise school choice. These are known as extended rights. Guidance for local authorities on home-to-school transport is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance.

Local authorities must also publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they consider it necessary to make to support young people of sixth form age to attend post-16 education or training. It is for local authorities to decide on the exact level of post-16 transport support in their area, based on local circumstances and priorities. Some young people may be eligible for support from the 16-19 Bursary Fund. Further information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund.

Most central government funding for home to school transport is provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) administered by the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities. The LGFS made £54.1 billion available to local authorities in the financial year 2022/23, an increase of up to £3.7 billion on 2021/22. This is the largest cash-terms increase in grant funding provided through the settlement in the past 10 years. The Department also provides grant funding to local authorities as a contribution towards the cost of extended rights transport. This amount is £43.3 million in the 2022/23 financial year.

17th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the regulation of the operators of Walley's Quarry landfill site in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Walley’s Quarry has been the source of unacceptable levels of odour for the local community, who have my sympathy. The Environment Agency is using the regulatory framework to drive improvement and continues to make announced and unannounced site inspections. In the five months to the end of September 2022, monitoring data indicates a monthly average hydrogen sulphide concentration close to or below the long-term health-based guidance value.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
31st Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a specific plastic reduction target for local authorities under the Environment Act 2021.

We have not assessed the merits of introducing a specific plastic reduction target for local authorities under the Environment Act 2021. We consulted earlier this year on a target for reducing all residual waste excluding major mineral waste. Our consultation set out the rationale for the Government’s proposed choice.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
31st Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of the trend in the population level of bees in North Staffordshire over the last 10 years.

While the Department does not hold comprehensive historic data on the population level of honey bees, the National Bee Unit does hold some county data, including for Staffordshire as a whole, on its BeeBase website. This data relates to honey bees managed by beekeepers and indicates a rise in the honey bee population in Staffordshire, from around 2,300 colonies in 2012 to around 3,200 colonies in 2022.

It is important to note that the overall number of beekeepers registering on BeeBase has risen dramatically over the last 10 years, and this may account for the apparent rise in the honey bee population suggested by the colony numbers.

We do not hold information specific to the population level of wild bees in North Staffordshire over the last 10 years. More generally, Defra’s indicator recording the distribution of pollinating insects in England between 1980 and 2017 shows long term decline for the majority of the 377 species of hoverflies and bees. In the short term, however, around 40% of these species have become less well distributed, and around 40% have become more well distributed. In the short term, more recorded bee species are becoming more widespread in England than are becoming less widespread. We cannot provide information on which species are declining and which are increasing. We are keeping these trends under review.

10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent healthy dogs from being euthanised in the UK.

We committed in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare to seek greater assurance that alternatives to euthanasia are explored before a healthy dog is put down.

In 2021, we worked closely with the veterinary profession to develop an approach that works for all parties. Following these discussions, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RVCS) agreed to incorporate the principle of microchip scanning before euthanasia into the guidance that underpins their Code of Professional Conduct. This applies to all veterinary surgeons practising in the United Kingdom.

The Code requires veterinary surgeons to scan for a microchip in dogs prior to euthanasia where, in their professional judgement, it is not necessary to put the dog down on animal health or welfare grounds. Checking the details on the relevant microchip database reveals who the animal's registered keepers are and can also alert the veterinary surgeon to anyone else who may have an interest in the animal. This may include rescue centres which have entered support back-up information on the microchip record. This information can help inform consideration about alternatives to euthanasia. We continue to engage with the RCVS about how these changes are working in practice.

In addition, we recently held a consultation to seek views on changes to current microchipping legislation which, if adopted, may make it easier and simpler for veterinary surgeons when they apply this RCVS guidance.

Scott Mann
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle littering in (a) city centres, (b) town centres, (c) the UK and (d) the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Litter policy is a devolved matter. Defra is the lead department for litter policy in England.

In 2017 Defra published the Litter Strategy for England which sets out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. Since publishing the Litter Strategy, we have bolstered councils' enforcement powers, such as by almost doubling the maximum fixed penalty for littering, published guidance on the provision of litter bins and provided nearly £1 million across 44 councils to help councils purchase new bins.

We have also brought together chewing gum producers as part of a voluntary producer responsibility scheme that has recently announced funding of £1.25 million to help more than 40 councils across the United Kingdom clean gum off pavements. It is the first project of the five-year programme through which gum producers will invest up to £10 million to help tackle chewing gum littering.

We are also actively exploring options for tackling cigarette butt littering. Our current proposals for extended producer responsibility for packaging will place the financial costs of managing street bin litter on producers and we have consulted on introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers which we estimate can reduce drinks containers being littered by 85%. Further details for when a deposit return scheme will be introduced will be set out in HM Government response to last year's consultation. We are working towards publication in late 2022.

19th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the World Health Organization air quality guidelines on (a) odorous annoyance and (b) health in respect of hydrogen sulphide emissions from landfill sites.

The World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines are internationally recognised guidelines. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has adopted the WHO air quality guidelines with respect to hydrogen sulphide for assessing odour and short-term exposure in their risk assessment for Walleys Quarry Landfill, available here: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/west-midlands/walleys-quarry-landfill-sliverdale/user_uploads/walley-s-ea-aq-monitoring-health-risk--assessment-august-final.pdf.

The WHO guideline value of 7 µg/m3 (5 ppb) over a 30-minute averaging period is protective of odour annoyance. The WHO guideline value of 150 μg/m3 (107 ppb) as a 24-hour (average) to protect against eye irritation.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to scrutinise the Environment Agency’s strategy in respect of Walley’s Quarry landfill.

Following my recent discussion with the hon. Member, I have taken a close interest in the issue of Walley’s Quarry. I am regularly updated by officials and the Environment Agency about air quality near the site, and the agency’s plans to improve it. The latest reports show a continuing reduction in hydrogen sulphide, which hopefully will improve further still as a result of the ongoing work at the site.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Regulation of Walleys Quarry landfill site, Plan to reduce hydrogen sulphide emissions, published by the Environment Agency in October 2021; and if he will make a statement.

The Environment Agency's plan to reduce hydrogen sulphide emissions arising from Walleys Quarry builds on the work it has done to require the operator to contain, capture, and destroy increasing volumes of hydrogen sulphide. This strategy has seen concentrations decrease at all monitoring stations over recent months, although I recognise there remains significant concern in the local community. In due course, the new capping material installed at the site, and the extra gas wells being dug should further improve the situation.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the cost to the Environment Agency of regulating (a) Walley’s Quarry landfill and (b) all other landfill sites regulated by the Environment Agency in 2021.

The Environment Agency charges an annual subsistence charge to landfill sites to fund their regulation. Landfill sites of the same type as Walleys Quarry are charged £18,221.00.

Poorly performing sites pay higher charges and this year Walleys Quarry was charged £22,776.25 – an additional 25%. The current performance of Walleys Quarry would lead to an additional charge of 50% in 2022.

The Environment Agency can also charge the operators for time and materials to recover the costs of additional regulation. Up to 13 August 2021, the operator of Walleys Quarry has been charged £98,622.20 for the additional costs of regulation and communications. The Environment Agency will continue to charge Walleys Quarry the recoverable costs of additional regulation and expects further recharges to be made throughout the rest of the year.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made on tackling waste crime.

Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020/21 the Environment Agency stopped illegal activity at 722 sites, contributing to a 14% reduction in known illegal sites from the previous year. In the same period, they prosecuted 12 individuals and companies – leading to over £417,000 of fines. They also prevented the export of more than 11,000 tonnes of illegal waste.

Going forward, the government is preparing significant reforms to continue to increase the pressure on illegal waste operators. Our planned electronic waste tracking reforms will make it harder than ever to mis-identify waste or dispose of it inappropriately. Planned changes to the Carriers, Brokers and Dealers licensing regime will modernise licensing and make it harder still for rogue operators to escape detection. This will come in addition to measures in the Environment Act 2021 which gives agencies stronger powers of entry and access to evidence in prosecuting waste crime.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints have been received about each site regulated by the Environment Agency in March 2021.

We provide below the number of unsubstantiated odour reports that have been received about each site regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) for March 2021. The reports have not yet been verified and therefore may not be accurately attributed. The EA seeks to quality-check attributions each month for sites which attract 20 or more reports. This has not yet been done for this data set due to the short timescale involved. To prevent inaccurate attributions, we have anonymised the names of the sites associated with the reports, specifying only the class of activity undertaken. The total number of reports of odour pollution received by the EA in March 2021 was 7516.

The table below provides the full list of the odour reports associated with each of the EA permitted sites for March 2021.

Reports In March 2021

Class

6347

Landfill

122

Landfill

87

Landfill

64

Landfill

51

Landfill

46

Landfill

45

Landfill

37

Biowaste

33

Landfill

29

Farming

26

Landfill

26

Landfill

26

Biowaste

25

Biowaste

23

Biowaste

20

Waste Treatment

19

Landfill

19

Landfill

19

Waste Treatment

17

Food Processing

16

Intensive Farming

16

Landfill

14

Food Processing

14

Food Processing

14

Biowaste

13

Biowaste

12

Other

12

Waste Treatment

11

Landfill

11

Biowaste

10

Manufacturing

9

Food Processing

9

Biowaste

9

Biowaste

8

Biowaste

8

Food Processing

8

Intensive Farming

8

Chemicals

8

Biowaste

6

Chemicals

5

Landfill

5

Intensive Farming

5

Biowaste

5

Food Processing

5

Biowaste

5

Waste Treatment

5

Waste Treatment

4

Biowaste

4

Landfill

4

Landfill

4

Biowaste

4

Intensive Farming

4

Landfill

4

Intensive Farming

4

Intensive Farming

4

Incineration

4

Incineration

4

Biowaste

4

Waste Treatment

4

Biowaste

3

Intensive Farming

3

Landfill

3

Waste Treatment

3

Food Processing

3

Intensive Farming

3

Biowaste

3

Landfill

3

Intensive Farming

3

Landfill

3

Food Processing

3

Waste Treatment

3

Waste Treatment

2

Food Processing

2

Food Processing

2

Food Processing

2

Landfill

2

Intensive Farming

2

Intensive Farming

2

Intensive Farming

2

Biowaste

2

Chemicals

2

Biowaste

2

Food Processing

2

Intensive Farming

2

Manufacturing

2

Farming

2

Other

2

Biowaste

2

Minerals

2

Food

2

Food

2

Biowaste

2

Farming

2

Biowaste

2

Treatment

2

Farming

2

Food

2

Treatment

2

Biowaste

2

Treatment

1

Landfill

1

Landfill

1

Food

1

Treatment

1

Landfill

1

Landfill

1

Landfill

1

Landfill

1

Farming

1

Farming

1

Farming

1

Biowaste

1

Biowaste

1

Food

1

Farming

1

Treatment

1

Food

1

Landfill

1

Biowaste

1

Incineration

1

Farming

1

Landfill

1

Incineration

1

Landfill

1

Chemicals

1

Treatment

1

Landfill

1

Treatment

1

Landfill

1

Treatment

1

Treatment

1

Treatment

1

Treatment

1

Biowaste

1

Treatment

1

Biowaste

1

Landfill

1

Treatment

1

Spreading

1

Unknown

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints have been received by the Environment Agency about Walley's Quarry Landfill in Newcastle-under-Lyme, each day since 27 February 2021.

Walleys Quarry Landfill is a high priority for the Environment Agency (EA). The EA has increased the resource focused on regulation of the site and on partnership working to address local concerns as quickly as possible. The EA continues to receive large volumes of complaints from the community surrounding the site and takes each one very seriously.

Earlier this month, the EA issued Red Industries with an enforcement notice legally requiring specific actions to be completed by 30 April, including the capping of certain parts of the site. This should reduce odours to a level where they do not cause an offence (against permit definition).

The EA is also working alongside its partners to ensure air quality monitoring covers their health remits. The EA has agreed two further locations, in addition to those that went live in early March, to site air quality monitoring equipment. The additional units will be in place as soon as possible. The EA is sharing this data with partners, including Public Health England, on a regular basis and has supported a Staffordshire County Council led multi-agency statement on health advice.

The EA is receiving complaint reports from a number of different avenues including via email and phone. These are being updated to the system at regular intervals so these figures may be subject to change.

Date

Number of complaints

27/02/2021

878

28/02/2021

467

01/03/2021

180

02/03/2021

93

03/03/2021

82

04/03/2021

60

05/03/2021

156

06/03/2021

666

07/03/2021

395

08/03/2021

574

09/03/2021

405

10/03/2021

159

11/03/2021

93

12/03/2021

143

13/03/2021

67

14/03/2021

141

15/03/2021

266

16/03/2021

164

17/03/2021

351

18/03/2021

229

19/03/2021

144

20/03/2021

206

21/03/2021

133

22/03/2021

248

23/03/2021

222

24/03/2021

196

25/03/2021

137

26/03/2021

94

27/03/2021

106

28/03/2021

42

29/03/2021

64

30/03/2021

296

31/03/2021

235

01/04/2021

56

02/04/2021

53

03/04/2021

149

04/04/2021

286

05/04/2021

129

06/04/2021

150

07/04/2021

182

08/04/2021

87

09/04/2021

159

10/04/2021

408

11/04/2021

244

12/04/2021

237

13/04/2021

450

14/04/2021

148

Total

10,430

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints have been received by the Environment Agency about Walley's Quarry Landfill in Newcastle-under-Lyme, each day since 1 November 2020.

The information will be placed in the Library.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints have been received about each site regulated by the Environment Agency in each month since November 2020.

Since November 2020, the Environment Agency (EA) has received substantiated reports of odour incidents at around 50 sites which it regulates.

Table 1 shows the total number of notifications made to the EA in relation to odour in each month since November 2020. This may include a number of notifications that following investigation may be determined not to fall within the remit of the EA. The majority will be associated with sites that the EA regulates.

Table 1. Total odour notifications made to the Environment Agency

November 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

Total odour notifications

1051

1261

2602

4556

Table 2 shows the number of odour incidents which have been substantiated and linked to sites that the EA regulates, in each month since November 2020. It also includes the number of additional notifications associated with each substantiated incident, where a single incident has received multiple notifications. Due to potential ongoing investigations into these incidents the sites have been anonymised. The data in table 2 is taken from a live system and is subject to change as additional incident information is recorded and the data is further quality assured.

Table 2. Substantiated odour incidents at sites regulated by the Environment Agency

November 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

Incidents

Duplicates (additional notifications)

Incidents

Duplicates (additional notifications)

Incidents

Duplicates (additional notifications)

Incidents

Duplicates (additional notifications)

Site 1

1

3

Site 2

1

0

Site 3

1

22

Site 4

1

0

Site 5

1

0

1

0

Site 6

1

5

Site 7

1

26

Site 8

1

2

Site 9

1

1

1

1

1

0

Site 10

1

7

1

3

Site 11

1

8

Site 12

1

0

Site 13

1

4

Site 14

1

2

1

6

Site 15

1

12

1

0

Site 16

1

0

Site 17

1

6

1

2

Site 18

1

0

Site 19

1

1

Site 20

1

0

Site 21

3

0

3

0

1

0

Site 22

1

0

Site 23

1

1

Site 24

1

1

Site 25

1

6

Site 26

1

56

Site 27

2

0

1

0

Site 28

1

34

Site 29

1

4

Site 30

1

1

Site 31

1

2

1

17

1

26

Site 32

1

0

Site 33

1

0

1

2

1

0

Site 34

1

14

Site 35

1

0

Site 36

1

0

1

0

Site 37

2

1

2

7

Site 38

1

196

2

494

6

1918

Site 39

1

0

Site 40

1

1

Site 41

1

0

1

0

Site 42

3

0

1

0

Site 43

1

8

1

2

Site 44

1

2

Site 45

1

3

Site 46

1

0

Site 47

1

1

Site 48

1

0

Site 49

1

0

Site 50

1

0

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of odour complaints about Walley's Quarry landfill in the last six months; and what assessment he has made on the acceptability of the level and type of odour arising from its operations.

The Environment Agency (EA) received 6938 odour complaints relating to Walley’s Quarry Landfill in the last six months, including a significant increase since December 2020.

The EA is completing regular odour assessments within the local area and undertaking more frequent assessments at locations where it receives the most complaints. Over the last six months the EA has completed 28 amenity assessments and formally visited the site on nine occasions. It has also completed seven procedure and report reviews.

Trained EA officers have detected odour at some locations but could not substantiate reports at a level considered to be of annoyance. The EA will continue with odour assessments and visits to ensure all measures are being used to minimise odour impacting local residents.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) mental and (b) physical health effects on communities residing near a landfill site of (i) the Environment Agency's report on Ambient Air Quality at Silverdale reference AAM/TR/2019/12 and (ii) other breaches of World Health Organization’s odour guidelines.

We have not made an assessment of the Environment Agency’s report (AAM/TR/2019/12) on Ambient Air Quality at Silverdale. However, the results of the monitoring that informed this report were shared with Public Health England who confirmed that the levels recorded were low and that no long-term health consequences were expected. Public Health England has no evidence of an increase in general practice (GP) consultations or calls to NHS 111 by the neighbouring population for symptoms of breathing difficulties or eye problems, and similarly for GP in-hours consultations for asthma and wheeze. If residents have health concerns, they are advised to consult their local GP. Public Health England continues to support the Environment Agency and local stakeholders with community engagement. Public Health England maintain that living close to a well-managed landfill site does not pose a significant risk to human health.

The Environment Agency regulates waste disposal sites and monitors compliance with environmental permits, and we have made legislative changes to improve Environment Agency powers to tackle problem waste sites. As of November 2018, waste management facilities must have a written management system, designed to reduce impacts on local communities and the environment, and our Resources and Waste strategy committed to further strengthening technical competence requirements for site operators.

The environmental permitting system for waste sites ensures that the Environment Agency is able to regulate against conditions in permits which aim to protect the environment and human health. The Environment Agency will continue to work with the operator and other local partners to continue to monitor the situation and take action wherever necessary.

Where issues, including odour, could be a statutory nuisance under Section 79(1)(d) the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local councils are responsible for investigating these complaints.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) social and (b) economic effects of (i) the Environment Agency's report on Ambient Air Quality at Silverdale reference AAM/TR/2019/12 and (ii) other breaches of World Health Organization’s odour guidelines on communities residing near a landfill site.

We have not made an assessment of the Environment Agency’s report (AAM/TR/2019/12) on Ambient Air Quality at Silverdale. However, the results of the monitoring that informed this report were shared with Public Health England who confirmed that the levels recorded were low and that no long-term health consequences were expected. Public Health England has no evidence of an increase in general practice (GP) consultations or calls to NHS 111 by the neighbouring population for symptoms of breathing difficulties or eye problems, and similarly for GP in-hours consultations for asthma and wheeze. If residents have health concerns, they are advised to consult their local GP. Public Health England continues to support the Environment Agency and local stakeholders with community engagement. Public Health England maintain that living close to a well-managed landfill site does not pose a significant risk to human health.

The Environment Agency regulates waste disposal sites and monitors compliance with environmental permits, and we have made legislative changes to improve Environment Agency powers to tackle problem waste sites. As of November 2018, waste management facilities must have a written management system, designed to reduce impacts on local communities and the environment, and our Resources and Waste strategy committed to further strengthening technical competence requirements for site operators.

The environmental permitting system for waste sites ensures that the Environment Agency is able to regulate against conditions in permits which aim to protect the environment and human health. The Environment Agency will continue to work with the operator and other local partners to continue to monitor the situation and take action wherever necessary.

Where issues, including odour, could be a statutory nuisance under Section 79(1)(d) the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local councils are responsible for investigating these complaints.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
8th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints have been received by the Environment Agency about landfill sites in the West Midlands in each month since January 2019.

The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs due to time.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
8th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the Environment Agency changing its methodology for estimating the prevalence and impact of odour from using a subjective 0 to 6 scale to using scientific monitoring equipment.

Scientific instrumentation used for detecting odours in the outdoors can only be used to assess a very small number of gases, and the detection limits in these instruments may not be low enough to detect all the compounds responsible for odour annoyance detected by the human nose. The Environment Agency makes use of ambient air monitoring using instruments for specific odorous gases where this will yield useful results.

The Environment Agency regularly reviews new equipment with potential for use in field odour assessments as and when it becomes available. However, so far these solutions have not been found to be as robust and versatile as the current methods used.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
8th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints have been received by the Environment Agency about Walley's Quarry Landfill in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each month since January 2019.

Walley’s Quarry landfill site holds a permit that is issued and regulated by the Environment Agency (EA), and the EA takes seriously any concerns expressed regarding the site. Although no landfill will ever be completely odour free, the level and type of odour arising from such operations should not be causing annoyance.

The table below details the number of odour complaints (reports of incidents received through the EA Incident Communication Service) about Walley’s Quarry Landfill, over the last two-year period.

Month

Number of Odour Complaints

January 2019

81

February 2019

259

March 2019

58

April 2019

49

May 2019

31

June 2019

57

July 2019

48

August 2019

95

September 2019

134

October 2019

82

November 2019

159

December 2019

102

January 2020

37

February 2020

94

March 2020

187

April 2020

74

May 2020

68

June 2020

53

July 2020

77

August 2020

92

September 2020

371

October 2020

225

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many odour complaints the Environment Agency received about each of the sites it regulates in each month since January 2019.

The Environment Agency receives reports of odour from members of the public via the National Pollution Reporting Hotline. The numbers in the table below represent all reports received since January 2019 from members of the public across England, rather than those that have been assessed by a local Environment Agency officer and confirmed to be correctly attributed to a site that the Environment Agency regulates. The Environment Agency does not collate figures centrally for that number.

Year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year Totals

2019

883

1,311

755

1,122

1,223

1,265

2,267

2,219

1,571

1,034

1,093

1,867

16,610

2020

4,160

2,181

1,474

1,468

1,212

1,755

1,673

1,854

2,223

992

NA

NA

18,992

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of hydrogen sulphide in the air in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Defra's national monitoring network does not monitor hydrogen sulphide levels.

The Environment Agency (EA) monitors specific sites within the Newcastle-under-Lyme area. In particular, on the Walley's Quarry Landfill site, the EA carried out an ambient air monitoring study between January 2019 and June 2019. The EA deployed a Mobile Monitoring Facility (MMF) to the north of Walleys landfill site between 15 January 2019 and 12 February 2019. Comparison of the hydrogen sulphide data with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines showed that concentrations were below health limits but exceeded odour limits for 6% of this monitoring period. The MMF was then relocated approximately 60 metres to the east between 28 February 2019 and 25 June 2019. Comparison of the hydrogen sulphide data with the WHO guidelines showed that concentrations were below health limits but exceeded odour limits for 1% of the monitoring period.

The EA will be continuing with its regular odour assessments and site inspections and will take appropriate action as part of its regulation of the Walley's Quarry Landfill site, should it identify any areas where the Operator is not compliant with their permit conditions.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department provides to local authorities to (a) monitor and (b) tackle issues relating to (i) air quality and (ii) odour caused by landfill emissions.

Landfill sites are regulated under Environmental Permitting Regulations by the Environment Agency (EA). The EA operates a national network of air quality monitoring sites on behalf of Defra. These are designed to provide a representative sample of air quality across the UK, and will not be specific to individual regulated sites. In addition to its statutory air quality activities, the EA can use air quality monitoring equipment in some circumstances to monitor for certain trace gases that form odorous compounds. This is carried out using the EA’s mobile monitoring facilities.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on air quality levels in Newcastle-under-Lyme of the environmental permit variation application to increase the annual waste inputs from 250,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes at the Walleys Quarry landfill site.

The Environment Agency (EA) conducted an emissions to air assessment of the new application and is satisfied that air quality levels will not be impacted and there will be no additional emissions from landfill gas or risk of additional odour.

The operator's Odour Management Plan complies with EA guidance and reflects the industry best practice. The EA is satisfied it will minimise the risk of odour pollution, and that they have sufficient controls within the permit conditions to enable further measures to be implemented if required. The benefit of the variation is that the Operator could complete the landfill sooner (by 2024 not 2026) accelerating the progressive capping of the site.

The operator's gas management plan complies with the relevant landfill directive and permit conditions and the EA does not consider emissions from the installation will cause significant pollution to the environment or harm to human health. The increase in annual tonnages at the site would not change the amount of gas produced but would bring forward the peak gas production rate. The site is already permitted to operate a gas utilisation plant which has the capacity to combust the maximum volume of gas which will be produced.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the fitness for purpose of odour regulations as they relate to landfill sites.

No recent assessments have been made of odour regulations. The government considers that current provisions under the Environmental Permitting and Statutory Nuisance regimes provide adequate protection.

Landfill sites in England must be operated in accordance with an environmental permit, regulated by the Environment Agency. Where issues could be a statutory nuisance under Section 79(1)(d) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local councils are responsible for investigating these complaints.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
12th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the illegal dumping of waste.

The illegal dumping of waste, including fly-tipping, is an unacceptable blight on local communities and the environment. The government is committed to cracking down on the waste and carelessness that destroys our natural environment and kills marine life. We are also committed to increasing the penalties for fly-tipping.

Over the last five years we have strengthened and expanded the powers available to tackle the illegal dumping of waste. Local authorities have the power to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 to those caught fly-tipping or to householders who pass their waste to a fly-tipper. Vehicles of those suspected of committing a waste crime, including illegal dumping, can be searched and seized.

Those accused of illegal dumping can be prosecuted and, on conviction, can face a fine, up to 12 months imprisonment, or both in a Magistrates Court; or a fine, up to 5 years imprisonment, or both, in a Crown Court. Local authorities carried out a total of 2,397 prosecutions for fly-tipping offences in England in 2018/19, an increase of 7% on 2017/18. The value of total fines increased by 29% to £1,090,000 compared to 2017/18.

We have invested £60 million in the Environment Agency’s waste crime enforcement work since 2014. This year’s Budget committed the government to investing £7.2 million in the development of electronic waste tracking, as well as £0.5 million in 2020/21 to support innovative approaches to tackling fly-tipping.

In the Resources and Waste Strategy we committed to reforming the regulation of waste carriers, tightening up the regulation of the waste exemptions regime and improving intelligence sharing and joint working between enforcement agencies. The Joint Unit for Waste Crime, led by the Environment Agency and including the National Crime Agency, HMRC, the Police and others, was established earlier this year and has already had a number of operational successes.

The Environment Bill includes a number of measures to help tackle waste crime. It will enable Government to mandate the use of electronic waste tracking; simplify the process for enforcement authorities to enter premises under a warrant; introduce a new power to search for and seize evidence of waste crime; and reduce the cost and bureaucracy when the police seize vehicles involved in waste crime on behalf of the Environment Agency.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of restoring the hard shoulder on the M6 motorway between junction 13 and junction 15.

On 16 April 2023, the Government announced that all plans for new smart motorways have been cancelled, recognising the lack of confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures. This means no new smart motorways will be built.

We are focused on investing £900m to add further safety improvements to existing smart motorways, including constructing 150 extra emergency areas – so that people can continue to get around easily and with increased confidence.

Any reduction in capacity on our motorways, the safest roads in the country, could put more drivers and passengers at risk of death or serious injury by forcing them onto roads that are less safe. Restoring the hard shoulder while maintaining capacity would be hugely disruptive and come at enormous cost.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
31st Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has provided to support (a) cycling and (b) walking activities in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (ii) north Staffordshire in the last 12 months.

We provide significant support to upper-tier councils to make it easier and safer for people to choose to walk or cycle. In the last year, we’ve given Staffordshire County Council over £595,000 in funding for active travel – it is a matter for them how that is then allocated within the county.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
31st Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent trends in the level of staffing at train stations on provision for disabled passengers.

Disabilities shouldn’t stop people using our railways. Rail staff will always provide face-to-face service for passengers who need additional support. We are committed to transforming accessibility across the UK rail network, moving staff out of underused ticket offices and into the station where they can provide help where it is most needed. We are also undertaking a full accessibility audit across 2,564 stations across Great Britain to help shape future investment in accessible rail travel.

Huw Merriman
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
19th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with international counterparts on improving data sharing between international vehicle registration databases.

Department for Transport officials engage with a range of international counterparts on issues including data sharing between international vehicle registration databases, both in the context of wider negotiations and in response to specific queries from international partners.

While it would not be appropriate to comment on the details of these conversations, the UK is committed to honouring its international obligations.

The Secretary of State for Transport has not been involved directly in discussions on this matter.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
19th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic collisions foreign HGV drivers have been involved in the last 10 years on UK roads.

The information requested is not available as the Department’s reported road collisions statistics are not broken down by nationality of driver.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
19th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of arrangements with the Netherlands for sharing foreign HGV registration details.

The Netherlands, like other EU Member States, can request HGV registration details under Mutual Legal Assistance provisions. However, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement suspends timescales for responding to Mutual Legal Assistance requests for vehicle registration data in respect of the enforcement of minor traffic offences until 1 January 2024. Requests are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

We are reviewing our approach to the provision of data once timescales apply.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
7th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the feasibility of restarting face-to-face work capability assessments; and what plans her Department has to expedite the backlog of cases waiting for assessment.

The health and safety of our claimants and staff is our key priority. We suspended all face-to-face assessments for sickness and disability benefits in March. This temporary suspension, brought in to protect people from unnecessary risk of coronavirus at the outset of the pandemic, remains in place, and is being kept under review in line with the latest public health guidance. Any re-introduction of face-to-face assessments would involve additional Covid-related safety measures, and guidance for claimants and assessment providers to ensure compliance with the relevant public health guidance.

Throughout the pandemic our immediate focus has been on supporting people impacted by COVID-19 by putting claims into payment as quickly as possible, as well as paying any additional benefit where claimants may be entitled to a higher award. We continue to complete paper based assessments where possible and have introduced telephone assessments.

2nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of awarding a non-consolidated payment to NHS Bank Staff who assisted in the vaccination efforts.

Many National Health Service bank staff who are directly employed on the Agenda for Change contract, for example, permanent or fixed term contracts, and who undertake additional shifts through an NHS bank, will already be eligible for the non-consolidated payments agreed with the NHS Staff Council. Some will be employed exclusively on locally managed contracts, for example Bank contracts, and thus it will be for individual employers to determine the pay and conditions for those members of staff.