Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Mental Health Support Teams in reducing levels of demand on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
An independent early evaluation commissioned by the Department of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Trailblazer programme was published in January and is available at the following link:
The evaluation examines the development, implementation, and early progress of the first wave of mental health support teams in the first 25 ‘trailblazer’ areas participating in the programme, which became operational from January 2020.
A second independent evaluation, which will consider the longer-term impacts of Mental Health Support Teams has also been commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). This project commenced in June 2023 and is due to complete June 2026. The findings will be published once a final report has been submitted and approved by the NIHR.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will meet with the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society to discuss the proposal of establishing a Freelancer Commissioner.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) is committed to engaging with and supporting freelancers, particularly in the creative industries. As part of the Sector Vision, published in June 2023, HM Government and industry have agreed to work together to address the recommendations of the Good Work Review, published in February by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, and co-funded by DCMS, which highlight specific areas where we can improve job quality and working practices for freelancers.
DCMS officials regularly engage with publishing organisations and individuals to understand the challenges and opportunities facing the sector to inform policy-making. For example, a roundtable discussion is being held with industry representatives on 14 September 2023 to review the impact of AI across the publishing landscape, which the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society will join and contribute to, as part of DCMS's sector engagement on AI.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings her Department has had with (a) authors, (b) scriptwriters and (c) playwright organisations in the last 12 months.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Arts Council England, as national development agency for creativity and culture, engages with a range of organisations on a broad range of artforms, including in the theatre and literature sectors.
Officials at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have, in the last 12 months, attended roundtable meetings convened by Arts Council England where author organisations have been in attendance.
Additionally, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts and Heritage, delivered a speech for the Northern Writers’ Awards on Tuesday 22 June, an event supported by the organisation New Writing North. Lord Parkinson also attended and provided a speech at the London Book Fair on 18 April. He attended a reading and literacy themed roundtable run as part of Baroness Sanderson of Welton’s independent review for public libraries which was attended by a representative of the Society of Authors, and has had meetings and engagements with a range of poets, playwrights and authors in the course of his ministerial engagement.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of allowances to ensure continuity of education for armed forces families.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) continues to be an important mechanism for assisting continuity of education for Armed Forces families.
The Ministry of Defence closely monitors all Armed Forces allowances to evaluate ways they may be refined to improve their effectiveness in supporting our personnel and their families. I am eager to ensure that the Continuity of Education Allowance remains fit for purpose and so I have tasked MOD officials to review the policy and report back with recommendations (where needed) by the end of the year.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to assess the impact of the statutory gambling operator levy on the land-based gambling industry.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government’s recent white paper set out a range of proportionate measures to tackle practices and products which can drive harm and ensure that people who are at risk of gambling harm and addiction are protected. This includes a statutory levy on operators that will help fund research, education and treatment for those struggling with gambling addiction.
We will shortly consult on the details of how the levy will be designed, including proposals on the total amount to be raised by the levy and how it will be constructed, ensuring that a rate is fair and proportionate for different gambling sectors, including the land-based gambling industry. This approach will account for the varying association of different sectors with harm and their financial position.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the prosecution decision in the case of Adam Smith-Connor for praying near an abortion clinic; and what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Section 9 of the Public Order Act and safe access zones on the protection of freedom of thought and assembly outside abortion clinics.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Ahead of the commencement of section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, the College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service are updating relevant public order guidance and training to reflect the inclusion of the offence of interference with access to or provision of abortion services.
In accordance with human rights obligations, the College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service are required to consider the rights provided under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), including the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which is an absolute right under Article 9 of the ECHR, Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and directly linked to freedom of opinion in Article 10 of the ECHR. As an absolute right, there can be no legitimate justification on the part of the public authority to limit, interfere or otherwise penalise persons for their exercise of the right to freedom of thought.
Public bodies must also consider Article 11 of the ECHR (freedom of assembly and association), recognising this is a qualified right, which can sometimes be infringed upon to uphold other rights.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
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 implications for his policies of the report by the Law Commission entitled Leasehold home ownership: buying your freehold or extending your lease published in July 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2017, the Government asked the Law Commission to review the legislation on leasehold enfranchisement. Following extensive consultation, the Commission reported back to Government in July 2020.
On 7 Jan 2021, Government announced measures that will make it easier for leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease, with significant discounts for those trapped with onerous ground rents.
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold. The consultation closed on 22 February 2022 and we received over 2000 responses. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
As part of our programme of reform for the leasehold system, my ministerial colleagues and I have met with a range of parliamentarians from both Houses as well as representatives of both leaseholders and freeholders, and we will continue to do so.
We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with industry stakeholders on the Government's proposed reforms to the leasehold system.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2017, the Government asked the Law Commission to review the legislation on leasehold enfranchisement. Following extensive consultation, the Commission reported back to Government in July 2020.
On 7 Jan 2021, Government announced measures that will make it easier for leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease, with significant discounts for those trapped with onerous ground rents.
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold. The consultation closed on 22 February 2022 and we received over 2000 responses. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
As part of our programme of reform for the leasehold system, my ministerial colleagues and I have met with a range of parliamentarians from both Houses as well as representatives of both leaseholders and freeholders, and we will continue to do so.
We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will hold a consultation with leaseholders and industry before bringing forward legislative proposals for reforms to the leasehold system.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2017, the Government asked the Law Commission to review the legislation on leasehold enfranchisement. Following extensive consultation, the Commission reported back to Government in July 2020.
On 7 Jan 2021, Government announced measures that will make it easier for leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease, with significant discounts for those trapped with onerous ground rents.
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold. The consultation closed on 22 February 2022 and we received over 2000 responses. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
As part of our programme of reform for the leasehold system, my ministerial colleagues and I have met with a range of parliamentarians from both Houses as well as representatives of both leaseholders and freeholders, and we will continue to do so.
We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which Ministers will form the UK’s delegation for the Tenth Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP10).
Answered by Neil O'Brien
There are no plans for Ministers to attend the Tenth Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP 10). The United Kingdom delegation will consist of officials from the Department’s as is usual practice.
The Government has regularly set out our position on vaping at the Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will do so at the next conference in November 2023. The delegation will not agree to any decisions which would impact on our ability to make regulated vapes available for adult smokers who wish to quit smoking.