Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had formal discussions with representatives of the Serbian Government on the opening of a Wagner Group branch in Belgrade, Serbia in December 2022.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We regularly discuss the implications and impact of Russia's activity in the Western Balkans region and beyond with Serbian Ministers and officials, including during my [Minister for Europe] recent visit to Serbia, and when the Foreign Secretary met his Serbian counterpart last month. We will always oppose Russian attempts to destabilise the region. We are aware of unconfirmed reports that the Wagner Group has opened a branch in Belgrade and that some Serbian nationals have connections with that organisation.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what data her Department holds on the average length of time between (a) a suspect admitting committing an offence to the police and (b) that suspect being prosecuted for that offence.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold data on the time between a suspect confessing to a crime and them being charged. The CPS is able to provide the average number of days between the first referral by the police for early advice or a charging decision and the CPS authorising charge. Once the CPS authorise charge the case is returned to the police to charge the defendant. In the 2021/2022 period, the average number of calendar days between when a referral is made to the CPS by the police and when the suspect is charged was 41.9 days. |
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what the average time is for the Crown Prosecution Service to bring charges once a suspect has confessed a crime to the police.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold data on the time between a suspect confessing to a crime and them being charged. The CPS is able to provide the average number of days between the first referral by the police for early advice or a charging decision and the CPS authorising charge. Once the CPS authorise charge the case is returned to the police to charge the defendant. In the 2021/2022 period, the average number of calendar days between when a referral is made to the CPS by the police and when the suspect is charged was 41.9 days. |
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of public pension rules on early retirement rates of health professionals from the NHS.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department announced in 'Our plan for patients' intentions to implement new retirement flexibilities to support our most experienced doctors and nurses to stay in the workforce longer and change pension scheme rules to make it easier and more attractive for retired staff to return to service. A consultation on detailed proposals has been published on the 5th of December. This is expected to propose a new partial retirement flexibility and allowing retired staff to build up more pension when returning to service. It will also propose the permanent removal of the 16-hour rule that limited the amount of work retired staff could do in the first month upon returning to service.
In addition, the Department has extended until 31 March 2025 the suspension of pension abatement for nurses and other staff who claimed their pension early using special class retirement rights. This means they can contribute additional hours without affecting their pension. We are also working with NHS England to encourage NHS Trusts to explore local solutions for senior clinicians affected by pension tax charges, including the option of employer pension contribution recycling.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will supply generators to Ukraine's meat industry to ensure continued supplies of meat despite damage to the Ukrainian energy grid.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK is the third largest bilateral humanitarian donor to Ukraine, providing £220 million in humanitarian assistance including more than 850 mobile generators. Our latest £16 million package will help provide the most vulnerable with shelter, water and energy during winter. The UK has committed £10 million to the Energy Community's Ukraine Support Fund, to help Ukraine's efforts to repair infrastructure and reconnect households and key facilities to electricity and gas supply. The Prime Minister recently announced £4 million for the International Organisation for Migration in Ukraine. This new support includes the provision of generators for households and collective centres.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ban Conversion Therapy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government remains committed to protecting everyone from these practices. We are carefully considering the responses to the public consultation on the issue, which closed earlier this year, and will respond in due course. In the meantime, we have launched a support service open to all victims and those at risk of conversion practices regardless of their background or circumstances.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve dementia care in rural areas.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision of dementia care services. NHS England expects ICBs to commission services based on local population needs.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to make it easier to secure planning permission for new onshore wind turbines.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government understands the strength of feeling that some people have about the impact of wind turbines in England. The Government is considering all options for increasing deployment in ways which are supported by local communities.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to improve dementia care in the NHS in the next 10 years.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2021/22, £17 million was made available to clinical commissioning groups to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. Work to improve dementia diagnosis rates will continue in 2022/23.
We will also double funding for dementia research to £160 million a year by 2024/25. This will include research into its causes, prevention, treatment and care.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent progress the Government has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to ban conversion therapy; and what his timetable is for the publication of the Government response to the consultation entitled Banning conversion therapy which closed in February 2022.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We will give careful consideration to our public consultation on the issue and respond in due course. In the meantime, we have launched a support service open to all victims or those at risk of conversion practices regardless of their background or circumstances.