Andrew Selous Portrait

Andrew Selous

Conservative - South West Bedfordshire

First elected: 7th June 2001

Second Church Estates Commissioner

(since January 2020)

European Statutory Instruments
18th Jul 2018 - 6th Nov 2019
Health and Social Care Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
European Statutory Instruments Committee
18th Jul 2018 - 6th Nov 2019
Draft Health Service Safety Investigation Bill (Joint Committee)
17th Apr 2018 - 27th Jul 2018
Draft Health Service Safety Investigations Bill (Joint Committee)
17th Apr 2018 - 27th Jul 2018
Health and Social Care Committee
31st Oct 2016 - 3rd May 2017
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
4th Nov 2014 - 17th Jul 2016
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
15th Jul 2014 - 17th Jul 2016
Ecclesiastical Committee (Joint Committee)
26th Oct 2010 - 17th Jul 2014
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
8th Nov 2006 - 6th May 2010
Opposition Whip (Commons)
15th Jun 2004 - 8th Nov 2006
Work and Pensions Committee
16th Jul 2001 - 12th Jul 2005


Oral Question
Thursday 7th December 2023
09:30
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Oral Question No. 2
What steps his Department is taking to help reduce food waste.
Save to Calendar
Division Votes
Monday 4th December 2023
Victims and Prisoners Bill
voted No - in line with the party majority
One of 274 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 193 Noes - 279
Speeches
Thursday 30th November 2023
Oral Answers to Questions
In my constituency I have companies such as EyeOL, Lindal Valve, Peli Biothermal, Friction Marketing, Signature Flatbreads and 198 smaller …
Written Answers
Monday 16th October 2023
Schools: Food
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to (a) review School Food …
Early Day Motions
None available
Bills
Tuesday 13th November 2018
Gypsy and Traveller Communities (Housing, Planning and Education) Bill 2017-19
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will …
MP Financial Interests
Monday 18th October 2021
1. Employment and earnings
Payment of £200 expected from CMD Polling Ltd, 31 Carolside Avenue, Glasgow G76 7AA, for a survey completed on 11 …
EDM signed
Monday 16th October 2023
International day of the older person
That this House, celebrating the International Day of the Older Person on Sunday 1 October, equally celebrates the contribution of …
Supported Legislation
Tuesday 18th April 2023
Public office (child sexual abuse) Bill 2022-23
A Bill to make provision for the purpose of preventing a person who has failed to discharge a duty in …

Division Voting information

During the current Parliamentary Session, Andrew Selous has voted in 755 divisions, and 4 times against the majority of their Party.

24 Jun 2020 - Demonstrations (Abortion Clinics) - View Vote Context
Andrew Selous voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 43 Conservative No votes vs 56 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 213 Noes - 47
17 Jun 2020 - Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Andrew Selous voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 23 Conservative Aye votes vs 283 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 31 Noes - 400
2 Jun 2020 - Proceedings during the Pandemic - View Vote Context
Andrew Selous voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 31 Conservative Aye votes vs 240 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 185 Noes - 242
2 Jun 2020 - Proceedings during the Pandemic - View Vote Context
Andrew Selous voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 11 Conservative No votes vs 257 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 261 Noes - 163
View All Andrew Selous 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
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(30 debate interactions)
Penny Mordaunt (Conservative)
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(29 debate interactions)
Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party)
Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Human Rights)
(24 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(43 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(34 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Andrew Selous's debates

South West Bedfordshire 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).

Petitions with highest South West Bedfordshire signature proportion
Petitions with most South West Bedfordshire signatures
Petition Debates Contributed

The Education Committee has recently recommended introducing a statutory home educated register, and greater assessment of home educated children. These recommendations are in contrast to the views of many parents who home educate.

Remove the clauses relating to 'Children not in school' from Part 3 of the Schools Bill, and do not pursue compulsory registration of all home-schooled children. We see no evidence that this would be beneficial, and we believe the proposals place a discriminatory burden on supportive parents.

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.

Invest in FOP research to support this ultra-rare disease community. Research into FOP could inform the understanding/treatment of many more common conditions such as osteoporosis, hip replacements, DIPG (a rare childhood brain cancer) and many common military injuries.

Recognise the state of Palestine to help stop the conflict from Israel. Not recognising the Palestinian state allows Israel to continue their persecution of the Palestinians.

The Government should introduce sanctions against Israel, including blocking all trade, and in particular arms.

Weddings take months and even years of intricate planning. Myself and many others believe the maximum number of guests authorised at wedding ceremonies should be increased. The number of guests permitted at weddings should be calculated according to venue capacity.

Extend funding to nightclubs, dance music events and festivals as part of the £1.57bn support package announced by the government for Britain's arts and culture sector to survive the hit from the pandemic. #LetUSDance


Latest EDMs signed by Andrew Selous

18th September 2023
Andrew Selous signed this EDM as a sponsor on Monday 16th October 2023

International day of the older person

Tabled by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
That this House, celebrating the International Day of the Older Person on Sunday 1 October, equally celebrates the contribution of Christian charity Faith in Later Life and its partners to change the societal narrative of ageism towards older people as called for by the United Nations and acknowledges the contribution …
8 signatures
(Most recent: 19 Oct 2023)
Signatures by party:
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Conservative: 2
Scottish National Party: 2
Labour: 1
18th May 2023
Andrew Selous signed this EDM on Thursday 18th May 2023

90th anniversary of the Council for At-Risk Academics

Tabled by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
That this House celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara), a charity founded – as the Academic Assistance Council – at the The Royal Society on 22 May 1933 by leading academics and scientists in the UK to rescue their counterparts in Nazi Germany who were …
21 signatures
(Most recent: 22 May 2023)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 6
Labour: 5
Liberal Democrat: 3
Plaid Cymru: 3
Scottish National Party: 2
Independent: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Andrew Selous's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Andrew Selous, 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.


Andrew Selous has not been granted any Urgent Questions

4 Adjournment Debates led by Andrew Selous

Tuesday 27th June 2023
Thursday 1st December 2022
Wednesday 28th April 2021

2 Bills introduced by Andrew Selous


The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision about periodical local authority reviews of the housing needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities; to make provision for the conversion of caravan sites into settled accommodation; to require local authorities to provide temporary caravan stopping sites where there is a demonstrated need; to create a criminal offence of unauthorised encampment; to make provision about the education of Gypsy and Traveller children; to require schools to have regard to Gypsy and Traveller culture and heritage in teaching; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 13th November 2018
(Read Debate)

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 19th June 2013

19 Bills co-sponsored by Andrew Selous

Public office (child sexual abuse) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Alexander Stafford (Con)

Children not in school (register) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Flick Drummond (Con)

Supply of Drugs to Children Under 16 (Aggravated Offence) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Kevin Hollinrake (Con)

Marine Protected Areas (Bottom Trawling) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Chris Grayling (Con)

Dogs (DNA Databases) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Andrew Griffith (Con)

Electric Vehicle Charging Points (New Buildings) (No. 2) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Felicity Buchan (Con)

Youth Courts and Sentencing Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Rob Butler (Con)

Supported Housing (Regulation) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Kerry McCarthy (Lab)

Food Labelling (Environmental Sustainability) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Chris Grayling (Con)

Local Welfare Assistance Provision (Review) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Paul Maynard (Con)

Dockless Bicycles (Regulation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Daniel Zeichner (Lab)

Flexible Working Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Whately (Con)

Gambling (Industry Levy Review and Protections for Vulnerable People) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Richard Graham (Con)

Access to Fertility Services Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Steve McCabe (Lab)

Health Impacts (Public Sector Duty) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Luciana Berger (LD)

Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2018
Sponsor - Maria Caulfield (Con)

Registration of Marriage (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Caroline Spelman (Con)

Food Advertising (Protection of Children from Targeting) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Kirstene Hair (Con)

Family Justice Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - None ()


141 Written Questions in the current parliament

(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
15th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government (a) practices and (b) encourages the public sector to practice name blind recruitment; and if he will make a statement.

'Anonymised' recruitment (where candidates' personal details are removed from the application form prior to shortlisting) is considered the "default" for external Civil Service recruitment.

16th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to attract battery recycling investment to the UK.

The Critical Minerals Refresh published in March, sets out our approach to delivering on the Critical Minerals Strategy, and confirms our participation in the Minerals Security Partnership. Working with international partners, this aims to spur investment in supply chains across four pillars, including recycling and reuse, and will support our work to accelerate a circular economy of critical minerals in the UK.

The Government is also funding record investment in battery innovation and commercialisation, including in recycling. The £541m Faraday Battery Challenge is supporting projects such as REBLEND, which is developing commercial processes to directly recover valuable cathode active materials (CAM) for reuse in automotive batteries. The project is led by Ecoshred, with University of Leicester, University of Birmingham, Minviro, Iconichem Widnes, Watercycle Technologies, Ecolamp Recycling, and Cornish Lithium.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
16th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support electric vehicle manufacturing in the UK.

The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) aims to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. The government continues to work with industry via the ATF to unlock strategic investments in gigafactories, motors and drives, power electronics, and fuel cell systems.

In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the government will build on the ATF and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
22nd Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of gold mined for import into the UK on the UK's environmental footprint.

The Department for Business and Trade has not assessed the potential impact of gold mined for import into the UK on the UK's environmental footprint.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) she and (b) her predecessors have had discussions with their Mercosur counterparts on the status of gold in negotiations around a UK-Mercosur trade agreement.

The UK is not negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the Mercosur bloc. Neither the Secretary of State nor her predecessors have discussed the status of gold within any possible future negotiation with their Mercosur counterparts.

Mercosur countries are important partners for the UK. We are working to strengthen our trading relationships in a way which supports sustainable development, removes barriers to trade, and helps British businesses to export.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions (a) she has and (b) her predecessors have had with businesses on removing illegally-mined gold from their supply chains.

Since the creation of the position of Secretary of State for Business and Trade, there have been no such discussions.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
6th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether any penalties apply for failure to register land holdings with HM Land Registry.

HM Land Registry does not hold enforcement powers to impose penalties for failing to register land holdings and this department has no plans to introduce such penalties. However, there are consequences for failing to register land which can impact the landowner’s ability to deal with the land.

For unregistered land, transactions such as transfers, leases or mortgages trigger compulsory first registration. Failure to apply for first registration within two months means that the transaction does not take effect at law.

For registered land, the transactions referred to above do not take effect at law until they are completed by registration.

Kevin Hollinrake
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
17th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Citizens Advice report Home Advantage: Unlocking the Benefits of Energy Efficiency, published in June 2023, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the realisation of the economic and social benefits of improving the energy efficiency of homes.

The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament in clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, through schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant.

This summer the Government will launch the £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme, meaning approximately 300,000 of the country’s least energy efficient homes could save £300-£400 each year

The Government has committed a further £6bn of funding for energy efficiency and low carbon heating from 2025 to 2028.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of gold minded for import into the UK on the UK's environmental footprint.

This is not a matter for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
25th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, which closed on 8 December 2020.

The consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes closed on 8th January 2021. The Government has carefully analysed the responses received and is considering how best to ensure the cost relating to energy efficiency improvement are fair and proportionate to landlords and tenants. The Government will publish a response in due course.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the Government's policy support for heat pumps is targeted at heat pumps which heat water rather than those that heat air.

BEIS analysis indicates that hydronic heat pumps, which use hot water to provide heat using a central heating system, are a more cost-effective means of decarbonising heat in the majority of homes and businesses across the UK. Therefore, the Government anticipates hydronic heat pumps will be the principal means of decarbonising heat in homes.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
25th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Principal councils are running local electricity schemes.

This information is not compiled centrally, but all councils have a role to play in our transition to Net Zero. We are helping them through funding for Public Sector decarbonisation, Heat decarbonisation and support for Electric Vehicle charging.

12th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals published on 20 December 2017, when she plans to respond the recommendations of that review; and if she will make a statement.

Following the publication of the Taylor Review, my Department responded to the Review’s recommendations by working with Historic England to explore a new model of funding and advice through two pilot projects in Manchester and Suffolk. The pilots tested the recommendations of the Review and an evaluation of their impact was published here. My officials continue to work closely with key parties to understand and respond to issues affecting our ecclesiatical heritage.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Jan 2022
What recent discussions she has had with representatives of the UK film industry on that sector's compliance with health and safety legislation.

The Government is dedicated to improving the creative industries, upskilling individuals, and promoting health and safety.

My department recognises the importance of the film industry’s compliance with relevant health and safety legislation and we engage regularly with the sector, including through the British Film Institute.

Julia Lopez
Minister on Leave (Minister of State)
20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether online pornography operators based outside of the UK will be required to meet the requirement to provide a duty of care as proposed in the Online Harms White Paper Initial Consultation Response.

We published our Online Harms Initial Consultation Response in February this year. Under the new regulatory framework, the duty of care will apply to all companies that provide services which facilitate the sharing of user generated content or user interactions. Where pornography sites have such functionalities (including video and image sharing, commenting and live streaming) they will be subject to the duty of care.

The duty of care will apply to all companies who provide services to UK users. Noting the particularly serious nature of some of the harms in scope and the global nature of many online services, the White Paper proposed that there should be a level playing field between those companies that have a legal presence in the UK, and those that operate from overseas.


20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps online pornography operators must take to protect children from harm under the proposals in the Online Harms White Paper Initial Consultation Response.

Our Online Harms proposals will deliver a higher level of protection for children than for the typical adult user. As we set out in the initial response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation on 12 February, we expect companies to use a proportionate range of tools, including age assurance and age verification technologies, to prevent children accessing age-inappropriate content such as online pornography, and to protect them from other harms.

20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the final Government response to the Online Harms Consultation responses will be published.

The Government is firmly committed to making the UK the safest place to be online, and we are working at pace on our proposals. We will publish a full government response later this year.

19th Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to (a) review School Food Standards to incorporate any developments in dietary guidance and (b) require schools to report on food available in their schools using a mandatory reporting template as set out in the Levelling Up White Paper.

The current School Food Standards (SFS) provide a robust yet flexible framework to ensure pupils in England continue to receive high quality and nutritious food. The Department continues to keep the SFS under review.

In February 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper outlined a number of things the Department is doing to strengthen adherence with the SFS, including piloting work with the Foods Standards Agency, investing up to £200,000 in a pilot Governor Training Scheme, and encouraging schools to publish a school food policy on their school websites.

The Department will promote accountability and transparency of school food arrangements by encouraging schools to develop and publish a policy that sets out their approach to food. The reporting would be voluntary initially, with the intention that this will become mandatory when schools can do this effectively. The Department is currently working closely with stakeholders to develop this scheme of work.

27th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the uptake of degree apprenticeships.

The department continues to see strong growth in degree-level apprenticeships with over 170,000 starts since 2014. We are making £8 million available to higher education providers to grow their degree apprenticeship provision and are partnering with UCAS, so young people can use their website to search and apply for these apprenticeships, alongside degrees.

Robert Halfon
Minister of State (Education)
22nd Apr 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the employer representative body for Central Bedfordshire has been constituted; who the proposed members of that body are; whether that body has met; and what its objectives are.

There are not currently any designated employer representative bodies for local areas in England. Subject to the Royal Assent of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, the department intends to launch an open and competitive ‘expressions of interest’ process shortly for eligible employer representative bodies in all areas of England who are interested in being designated to lead the development of Local Skills Improvement Plans. Further details will be announced in due course.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
13th Dec 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department will publish its response to the consultation on national standards for unregulated provision.

This government firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality setting that meets their needs and keeps them safe.

We are clear that semi-independent provision can be the right option for some older children, which includes supported lodgings provision. The government is equally clear that this provision must always be of high quality and the young person must be ready for the level of independence it promotes. That is why, following our recent consultation, through which we received views from over 215 respondents and 45 care experienced young people, we have announced that we will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards and Ofsted registration and inspection for providers of this provision. These vital reforms are a landmark change for children’s social care, with all providers that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 now being regulated by Ofsted. We will lay the regulations and accompanying statutory guidance for these reforms in 2022.

The department has published a full consultation response which provides further details of our plans and associated timescales in this area, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/children-in-care-and-permanence/introducing-national-standards-for-unregulated-pro/.

These vital reforms will not only increase the quality of provision and ensure we have effective levers for acting where provision is not good enough, but they will also enable us to develop a much better understanding of the different types of provision in this area, and potentially the extent of the role each provision type should play in meeting the needs of children in future. We will continue to work closely with providers, including those who offer supported lodgings, to ensure the sector can provide high quality placements for young people that meet their needs and keep them safe.

The department collects information on where looked after children are placed. This information is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.

On 31 March 2021, some 4,180 children were placed in ‘Semi-independent living accommodation not subject to children’s homes regulations’’ which includes lodgings, flats and bedsits where supervisory staff or advice workers are specifically employed and available to provide advice and support to the residents. This information can be found in table A2 of the release here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/673c7602-892f-4b03-5aff-08d98e357d76.

The department also collects data on care leavers, whose 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st birthday falls within the collection period, including the type of accommodation that a care leaver is living in. Supported lodgings describes where care leavers receive formal advice and support from a “host family”, usually in a family home. These figures are also published in the annual statistical release.

On 31 March 2021, some 1,450 care leavers aged 19 to 21 were located in this type of accommodation. The equivalent figure for 17 and 18 year olds was 810 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8706180c-2bdb-481e-20da-08d99c9bf8eb.

As we implement the reforms set out above, we will consider changes to our data collections, including providing a more granular breakdown of this type of provision.

13th Dec 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will collect and publish data on the number of young people placed in supported lodgings settings, as part of the statistics on looked after children released annually by his Department.

This government firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality setting that meets their needs and keeps them safe.

We are clear that semi-independent provision can be the right option for some older children, which includes supported lodgings provision. The government is equally clear that this provision must always be of high quality and the young person must be ready for the level of independence it promotes. That is why, following our recent consultation, through which we received views from over 215 respondents and 45 care experienced young people, we have announced that we will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards and Ofsted registration and inspection for providers of this provision. These vital reforms are a landmark change for children’s social care, with all providers that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 now being regulated by Ofsted. We will lay the regulations and accompanying statutory guidance for these reforms in 2022.

The department has published a full consultation response which provides further details of our plans and associated timescales in this area, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/children-in-care-and-permanence/introducing-national-standards-for-unregulated-pro/.

These vital reforms will not only increase the quality of provision and ensure we have effective levers for acting where provision is not good enough, but they will also enable us to develop a much better understanding of the different types of provision in this area, and potentially the extent of the role each provision type should play in meeting the needs of children in future. We will continue to work closely with providers, including those who offer supported lodgings, to ensure the sector can provide high quality placements for young people that meet their needs and keep them safe.

The department collects information on where looked after children are placed. This information is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.

On 31 March 2021, some 4,180 children were placed in ‘Semi-independent living accommodation not subject to children’s homes regulations’’ which includes lodgings, flats and bedsits where supervisory staff or advice workers are specifically employed and available to provide advice and support to the residents. This information can be found in table A2 of the release here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/673c7602-892f-4b03-5aff-08d98e357d76.

The department also collects data on care leavers, whose 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st birthday falls within the collection period, including the type of accommodation that a care leaver is living in. Supported lodgings describes where care leavers receive formal advice and support from a “host family”, usually in a family home. These figures are also published in the annual statistical release.

On 31 March 2021, some 1,450 care leavers aged 19 to 21 were located in this type of accommodation. The equivalent figure for 17 and 18 year olds was 810 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8706180c-2bdb-481e-20da-08d99c9bf8eb.

As we implement the reforms set out above, we will consider changes to our data collections, including providing a more granular breakdown of this type of provision.

13th Dec 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to increase the use of supported lodgings provision for young people aged 16 and over; and if he will make a statement.

This government firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality setting that meets their needs and keeps them safe.

We are clear that semi-independent provision can be the right option for some older children, which includes supported lodgings provision. The government is equally clear that this provision must always be of high quality and the young person must be ready for the level of independence it promotes. That is why, following our recent consultation, through which we received views from over 215 respondents and 45 care experienced young people, we have announced that we will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards and Ofsted registration and inspection for providers of this provision. These vital reforms are a landmark change for children’s social care, with all providers that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 now being regulated by Ofsted. We will lay the regulations and accompanying statutory guidance for these reforms in 2022.

The department has published a full consultation response which provides further details of our plans and associated timescales in this area, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/children-in-care-and-permanence/introducing-national-standards-for-unregulated-pro/.

These vital reforms will not only increase the quality of provision and ensure we have effective levers for acting where provision is not good enough, but they will also enable us to develop a much better understanding of the different types of provision in this area, and potentially the extent of the role each provision type should play in meeting the needs of children in future. We will continue to work closely with providers, including those who offer supported lodgings, to ensure the sector can provide high quality placements for young people that meet their needs and keep them safe.

The department collects information on where looked after children are placed. This information is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.

On 31 March 2021, some 4,180 children were placed in ‘Semi-independent living accommodation not subject to children’s homes regulations’’ which includes lodgings, flats and bedsits where supervisory staff or advice workers are specifically employed and available to provide advice and support to the residents. This information can be found in table A2 of the release here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/673c7602-892f-4b03-5aff-08d98e357d76.

The department also collects data on care leavers, whose 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st birthday falls within the collection period, including the type of accommodation that a care leaver is living in. Supported lodgings describes where care leavers receive formal advice and support from a “host family”, usually in a family home. These figures are also published in the annual statistical release.

On 31 March 2021, some 1,450 care leavers aged 19 to 21 were located in this type of accommodation. The equivalent figure for 17 and 18 year olds was 810 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8706180c-2bdb-481e-20da-08d99c9bf8eb.

As we implement the reforms set out above, we will consider changes to our data collections, including providing a more granular breakdown of this type of provision.

17th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the register of children who are home educated will come into force; and if he will ensure that register is in place for the 2022-23 school year.

The department remains committed to a form of local authority register for children not in school. We will set out further details on this in the government response to the ‘Children Not in School’ consultation, which we hope to publish before the end of the year.

1st May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department makes of parents's competence in (a) reading, (b) writing and (c) mathematics in relation to home schooling; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has made no such assessment. The Government does not expect parents to act as teachers or to provide the activities and feedback that a school or nursery would. Parents and carers should do their best to help children and support their education while dealing with other demands. We have issued information, guidance and support to parents and carers of children who are learning from home, which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

2nd Mar 2020
What assessment he has made of the capacity of further education colleges to meet future demand for training in (a) electric vehicle maintenance and (b) the building of zero energy bill homes.

We have been supporting colleges up and down the country to ensure they have the capacity to deliver provision for the future. We are working with the Construction sector to plan and deliver the skills needed to decarbonise the industry and create more energy efficient builds.

I was delighted to read that Central Bedfordshire College in my honourable friend’s constituency has opened a £3.5 million Technology and Skills Centre to deliver the high-end technology and construction skills that businesses in his area need to thrive.

Gillian Keegan
Secretary of State for Education
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to tackle littering from cigarette butts.

Cigarette butts continue to be the most littered item according to a survey commissioned by Defra. On our behalf, WRAP have explored options for tackling littering of cigarette butts, including making the industry financially responsible for the costs of dealing with littered butts.

The research, which will be published in due course, highlighted the need for further data. We will therefore continue to monitor the available evidence on the prevalence of littered cigarette filters before taking further action.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase recycling of chewing gum.

Defra, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy and chewing gum producers, have established the Chewing Gum Task Force through which gum producers will take greater responsibility for the litter and staining caused by their products. Gum producers will be investing up to £10 million over five years to help tackle the issue. As part of the programme of works the Task Force will look at ways of supporting innovation and sharing latest research, which might include recycling of chewing gum.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase rates of recycling of mattresses.

We are exploring options in relation to bulky furniture waste, which includes mattresses, having identified this category in the Resources and Waste Strategy.

We are looking at the best ways to reduce waste arising, increase recycling and reuse and minimise the materials ending up in landfill or incineration.

This work includes consideration of extended producer responsibility along with other non-EPR policy options.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating an extended producer responsibility scheme for (a) tyres, (b) mattresses, (c) white goods and (d) other items.

The Government committed in its Resources and Waste Strategy for England to review and consult on potential measures such as extended producer responsibility and product standards for five new waste streams (including tyres and bulky waste such as mattresses) by the end of 2025. We are considering what policy and legislative framework would be most appropriate for these and other waste streams.

We will shortly be publishing our consultation on reforming the existing producer responsibility regime for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) which includes white goods, and invite the Member to respond to those proposals at his convenience.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to incentivise (a) recycling and (b) reuse of textiles.

The Government’s 2018 Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action. Our ambitions to minimise textile waste will be outlined in the upcoming document Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste, which constitutes a new Waste Prevention Programme for England. We expect to publish this in summer 2023.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
20th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring dogs which have attacked livestock to be (a) destroyed and (b) trained with e-collars.

The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. New measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales are to be brought in through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021.

The reforms being introduced have been designed with proportionality in mind. Destruction orders would only be made post-conviction and similar powers are already available in relation to dogs that are dangerous and not kept under proper control under existing legislation (e.g. the Dogs Act 1871). Ancillary orders can be effective tools against reoffending and incorporating these orders into the general scheme of the specific livestock worrying legislation will provide greater clarity to the general public on the potential consequences of committing the offence of livestock worrying.

The Government’s proposed ban on electric shock collars will protect the welfare of dogs as hand-held remote-controlled devices can be all too easily open to abuse and can be harmful for animal welfare. Dog owners can prevent incidents of livestock worrying through keeping their dogs on a lead in the vicinity of livestock and/or undertaking appropriate training. It is important that dogs are trained to behave well, ideally from a young age, and introduced gradually and positively to different environments, people and animals. Reward-based training for dogs is widely regarded as the preferred method of training. Owners who have concerns about controlling their dog’s behaviour may take advice from their vet or a suitably qualified dog behaviourist or trainer. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council maintains national registers of appropriately qualified trainers and behaviourists.

The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs also includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animals and to keep their dogs safe and under control, including in the vicinity of livestock. The best proven method of preventing a dog from attacking livestock is to keep the dog on a lead when exercising around other animals, as advised by farmers and other keepers of livestock.

Natural England has also published a refreshed version of the Countryside Code, which makes specific reference to keeping dogs in sight and under control to make sure they stay away from livestock, wildlife, horses and other people unless invited. Moreover, the Countryside Code helpfully sets out certain legal requirements, encouraging visitors to always check local signs as there are locations where you must keep your dog on a lead around livestock for all or part of the year.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
20th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of dog ownership for the mental health of elderly and disabled people; and what estimate he has made of the number of physically impaired dog owners who use electronic training aids.

The Government recognises the beneficial effect that pets can have on people’s emotional and mental wellbeing, including for elderly and disabled people, and appreciates that pets provided their owners with a valuable level of emotional support during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have not made a specific assessment of the potential merits of dog ownership from a mental health perspective. However, the Government remains committed to our ambitions in the NHS Long Term Plan to expand and transform mental health services in England and to invest an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24.

The Government has considered evidence from Defra-funded research, the results of a public consultation, and information from other relevant sources to inform its policy on the use of e-collars for the control of dogs. The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the effects of such a ban. When considered alongside the academic research, the public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector, the Government concluded that electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices present a risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.

Concerns have been raised about the potential for a ban on the use of e-collars to adversely affect elderly dog owners, or dog owners with disabilities. We consider that e-collar users with protected characteristics, such as the elderly or those with physical impairments, would not be significantly affected by the impact of a ban because alternatives are available to assist in controlling their dogs. Further, we intend to allow time between the completion of the ban’s legislative process and its coming into force for owners to retrain their dogs.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
7th Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a legally binding target which would match or exceed the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation to increase hedgerow coverage by 40 per cent by 2050, with interim targets of 20 per cent by 2035.

Hedgerows are one of the most important ecological building blocks in our farmed landscape. They maintain the distinctive character of our countryside, providing crucial habitats and food for wildlife. Our future farming schemes will incentivise the planting and sustainable management of hedgerows across England.

We are required by the Environment Act 2021 to set at least one long term biodiversity target, in addition to our target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. This target, and others set under the Act, will help target the causes of decline and drive actions to deliver nature recovery. We will shortly be carrying out a public consultation on proposed targets, including for biodiversity.

We will also be setting out our pathways to meet these targets in the Environmental Improvement Plan due in 2023. In order to meet our species abundance target we will need to create more, better joined up habitats, which will include hedgerows.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of Countryside Stewardship funding will be allocated towards planting new hedgerows; and what assessment he has made of the contribution that will make to increasing hedgerows to meet the Climate Change Committee’s target of 40 per cent increase in hedgerows by 2050, with an interim target of 20 per cent by 2035.

The Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme provides important funding for the planting and maintenance of hedgerows. In 2021, 3870 agreements included hedge-planting, creating over 2,700km of new hedgerows. In 2021, there were also over 9,000 CS agreements with the management of hedgerows option, covering over 46,000 km of hedgerows. The new round of CS opened for applications on 8 February.

The rollout of standards in the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme (SFI), and other environmental land management schemes, will support the delivery of our environmental and climate goals, and the delivery of our 2030 species abundance target. The hedgerow standard, part of the new SFI scheme, will continue to recognise and fund the management of hedgerows. We will pay farmers to plant more hedgerows, leave them uncut or raise the cutting height.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his department will provide information his Department on the 2020 bias adjustment factor for the Dunstable air quality management area to enable Central Bedfordshire Council to produce the 2020 air quality figures for that area.

In January, Defra invited local authorities to complete a short survey on the impact of Covid-19 on their local air quality management (LAQM) activities to inform the publication of supplementary Covid-19 guidance on LAQM duties for English local authorities for the upcoming reporting year.

The response from local authorities indicated that on the whole, submissions of local bias studies into the national survey were unaffected. This informed the decision to continue the release of the national bias adjustment factors within the usual cycle. As a result, the first round of National Diffusion Tube Bias Adjustment Factors for 2020 diffusion tube monitoring data were released in April 2021 and local authorities were notified. The national bias adjustment factors are available at https://laqm.defra.gov.uk/bias-adjustment-factors/national-bias.html.

Central Bedfordshire Council should therefore have the bias adjustment information they require in order to process 2020 air quality data for the Dunstable air quality management area. Should the council require further advice they should contact the LAQM Helpdesk.

Defra provides technical support to local authorities via a dedicated LAQM Helpdesk (phone, email and webpage) to support local authorities in their monitoring and modelling efforts to ensure a consistent approach.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the Air Quality Expert Group review of air pollution during the covid-19 lockdown period.

The Air Quality Expert Group Report entitled "Estimation of changes in air pollution emissions, concentrations and exposure during the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK" was published on 1 July and is available on Defra’s UK-Air website: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/reports.php?report_id=1005.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
16th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department has taken to develop practical programmes of assistance which take into account the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable (a) religious communities and (b) other groups.

The UK is firmly committed to the protection of ethnic and religious minorities. We work to ensure that the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups are taken into account when practical programmes of assistance are developed.

DFID undertakes interdisciplinary analysis to ensure that religious groups are factored into all of our country programmes. The situation of minority communities is taken into account when assessing those most in need of protection and assistance. This includes when a community is being targeted or is otherwise vulnerable because of their faith. We actively consult civil society including faith-based organisations to understand how best to support vulnerable groups.

Vulnerable religious minority groups will experience crises such as COVID-19 outbreaks differently. Crises are likely to reinforce their marginalised position in society, their experience of discrimination, violence and stigma, and further limit their access to essential support and services. For this reason, guidance was circulated across DFID highlighting that inclusion must be central to our response and the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups should be taken into account when developing practical programmes of assistance.

On 8 June, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, hosted a roundtable to hear from faith leaders and faith-based development organisations about the specific challenges minority faith communities are facing during this COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work closely with partners to ensure that vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups are being supported through our programming.

21st Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Philip New independent review on sustainable aviation fuel will be published.

In October 2022, the Department commissioned Philip New to lead an independent evaluation into ‘Developing a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry’, with the aim of stress testing its evidence base on the barriers to investment in UK SAF production and consider options for addressing those barriers. The Department will publish the report shortly.

17th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to take steps with Cabinet colleagues to incentivise the manufacture of new zero emissions aircraft in the UK for use on (a) regional and (b) sub-regional routes.

The Government published the Jet Zero Strategy in 2022 which sets out it’s approach to achieving net zero aviation by 2050. The Strategy considers the potential for zero emission flight alongside other measures. This includes exploring the feasibility of using zero emission aircraft on existing UK government funded PSO routes, as well as noting the balance between reducing aviation emissions and ensuring value for money on routes supported by public funding.

As part of the Jet Zero Council, the Department has established a dedicated Delivery Group to convene activity across Government, industry and academia on the development of zero emission flight.

The Government is also investing £685 million between 2022 and 2035 through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme to co-fund, with industry, the development of zero-carbon and ultra-efficient aircraft technology. A recent example, announced at the seventh meeting of the Jet Zero Council in February, was £113 million of joint government and industry investment in R&D projects to develop liquid hydrogen combusting jet engines and high-end lightweight batteries for small aircraft.

ATI funding is also supporting the current flight testing by ZeroAvia of a 19- seater aircraft using hydrogen propulsion. If successfully brought to market such aircraft could provide zero emission flight on regional and sub-regional routes.

17th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of using public service obligation air routes to introduce zero emissions regional flights in the UK.

The Government published the Jet Zero Strategy in 2022 which sets out it’s approach to achieving net zero aviation by 2050. The Strategy considers the potential for zero emission flight alongside other measures. This includes exploring the feasibility of using zero emission aircraft on existing UK government funded PSO routes, as well as noting the balance between reducing aviation emissions and ensuring value for money on routes supported by public funding.

As part of the Jet Zero Council, the Department has established a dedicated Delivery Group to convene activity across Government, industry and academia on the development of zero emission flight.

The Government is also investing £685 million between 2022 and 2035 through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme to co-fund, with industry, the development of zero-carbon and ultra-efficient aircraft technology. A recent example, announced at the seventh meeting of the Jet Zero Council in February, was £113 million of joint government and industry investment in R&D projects to develop liquid hydrogen combusting jet engines and high-end lightweight batteries for small aircraft.

ATI funding is also supporting the current flight testing by ZeroAvia of a 19- seater aircraft using hydrogen propulsion. If successfully brought to market such aircraft could provide zero emission flight on regional and sub-regional routes.

16th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to open the second sustainable aviation fuels mandate consultation.

The Government is planning to publish a consultation on the detailed design of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate shortly. The Government recognises the need to get legislation in place to launch the mandate in 2025, and the likely importance in helping to secure investment in SAF production in the UK.

6th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) providing funding and (b) implementing mechanisms to help support sustainable aviation fuel through a (i) Contracts for Difference mechanism or (ii) equivalent scheme.

The Government recognises the significant challenges facing investment in emerging technologies such as SAF. That is why the Government launched the £165 million Advanced Fuels Fund in July and is actively looking at what more is needed to create the long-term conditions for competitive SAF projects in the UK. The Department recently commissioned an independent review to look at evidence that industry has provided regarding the barriers, opportunities and conditions required for a competitive SAF industry in the UK. More information will be provided on this in due course, subject to interactions with wider fiscal events.

13th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to open a fourth round of applications for the Active Travel Fund.

Active Travel England was launched in January 2022 to manage the £710m Active Travel budget and to drive up the standards of Local Authority projects.

Further information on the process will be published shortly.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
22nd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bridleways have been incorporated into safe cycling routes to date.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the public has good access to the countryside through the creation of new, waymarked and maintained paths. It is, however, for local authorities to decide how and where to incorporate bridleways into their cycling networks and to maintain them accordingly, and the Department does not hold a central record of this. The UK-wide National Cycle Network, managed by Sustrans, incorporates a number of bridleways, and the Department has provided £20 million to Sustrans during the current financial year to improve and resurface parts of the network.

Trudy Harrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will have discussions with Ministers in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about design standards for flats to allow for (a) safe cycle storage in common parts and (b) sufficient space standards in flats for bicycles.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to discuss a range of issues including the role of the planning system in supporting the Government’s walking and cycling ambitions. The Department updated its Cycle Infrastructure Design Guidance in 2020 and this includes advice on the provision of residential facilities for cycle parking.

Trudy Harrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role he expects cycling and electric bicycles to have in Local Transport Plan 4 and the decarbonisation of transport.

The Department aims to consult later this year on the future of Local Transport Plans (LTPs) and will issue guidance to Local Authorities making clear that decarbonisation is one of the central requirements in the development of their LTPs. As part of their LTPs, Local Authorities will be expected to incorporate plans to enable more short journeys to be made on foot or by cycle, including electrically assisted bicycles.

Trudy Harrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Home Office on the (a) enforcement of the law against aggression towards cyclists and (b) number of successful prosecutions in relation to the extent of that matter.

The Department agrees that all road users should be treated with respect and does not condone any form of aggression against cyclists or any other road user. The recent changes to The Highway Code are designed to bring about a positive shift in road user behaviour between those who drive, walk, cycle and ride horses. Decisions on enforcement priorities are entirely a matter for individual police forces, however, and the Department does not hold data on the number of successful prosecutions.

Trudy Harrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements he places on train operating companies to provide sufficient and certain bicycle storage on trains.

The government currently contractually requires Train Operating Companies to permit folding cycles on all passenger services and non-folding cycles where reasonable. All Train Operating Companies currently allow carriage of cycles on trains, though provision varies by operator. In The Williams Shapps Plan for Rail the government committed to increasing space for cycles on existing trains wherever practically possible and that all future train fleets will need to include more cycle spaces relevant to the markets served. The government also committed to making it easier to reserve cycle spaces on trains online.

In addition, the government has provided over £42m funding since 2012 through the Cycle Rail Fund to support over 20,000 new secure cycle storage spaces at train stations, as well as access improvements, security enhancements, cycle maintenance equipment and cycling routes to stations.

2nd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when funds for Active Travel 3 will be available; and if he will make a statement.

The Department hopes to make an announcement on this matter shortly.

Trudy Harrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to implement the Airspace Modernisation strategy.

The Government recognises that airspace modernisation is an important enabler to allowing us to build back better and to meet out carbon commitment

Airspace modernisation is vital to the future of aviation, to delivering net zero and create opportunities for airports to manage how noise impacts local communities. It is a critical infrastructure programme of national importance that will supporting the aviation sector’s recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, in light of the pandemic, we recognise that the timescales in which airspace modernisation will take place will change. We are working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to review the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to consider the recommendations from Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG’s) recent report ‘Remobilising the Airspace Change Programme’, and will advise stakeholders of our preferred approach shortly.

My officials have and will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to identify ways forward for the programme, considering all options for the future.

19th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Jet Zero Council has for airspace modernisation.

At the request of DfT and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Airspace Change Organisation Group (ACOG) was established in 2019 to coordinate the delivery of key aspects of the Government’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS), namely the national programme of airspace change amongst major UK airports.

The Jet Zero Council (JZC) will take into account all of the decarbonisation levers available to ensure the sector reaches its net zero goals, including Airspace Modernisation. However, it will be primarily focused on driving forward areas that require further coordination where previously, cross-sectoral collaboration was missing; such as zero emission aerospace technology and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Critically, the JZC is not seeking to duplicate areas already progressing, such as an agreement on international emissions, or aviation modernisation which has an existing governance/delivery structures in ACOG.

30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made in delivering the 4,000 zero emission buses announced by the Prime Minister in February 2020.

The Government is committed to delivering at least 4,000 zero emission buses. Further details, including government support for the additional costs of purchasing zero emission buses, will be announced after the Spending Review has concluded.

30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to support bus operators with the additional costs of purchasing zero emission buses to deliver the Government's policy of 4,000 new zero emission buses.

The Government is committed to delivering at least 4,000 zero emission buses. Further details, including government support for the additional costs of purchasing zero emission buses, will be announced after the Spending Review has concluded.

7th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when part six of the Road Traffic Act 2004 will be implemented.

The Department has started discussions with key stakeholders about implementing Part 6 of the Traffic Management 2004 and this will inform the drafting of regulations and statutory guidance. Implementation will require a number of statutory instruments to be made covering matters such as enforcement, level of penalties, approved devices, adjudication, representations and appeals. It is not possible at this stage to say when the powers will be available to local authorities.

6th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been allocated from the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme guidance to Central Bedfordshire Council.

The On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is a demand-led funding scheme which assists local authorities with the cost of installing chargepoints in residential streets. The funding available is for 75% of the capital costs of procuring and installing the chargepoint and an associated dedicated parking bay, and is administered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). In October 2019, I wrote to all local authorities encouraging them to send their strategies for infrastructure deployment and to take advantage of ORCS funding. Last month we announced that Government funding will be doubled to £10 million for the installation of chargepoints on residential streets next year. This could support as many as 3,600 chargepoints for those that do not have off-street parking.

To date, no applications have been made for funding through ORCS from Central Bedfordshire Council. Luton Borough Council, which is in Bedfordshire, has applied for funding under the scheme and has been awarded £23,336 to support the installation of nine chargepoints.

Grant Shapps
Secretary of State for Defence
13th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2023 to Question 189864 on Public Lavatories: Men, what the expected timescale is for when the Health and Safety Executive will have concluded its review of the guidance on the disposal of sanitary dressings in toilets; and whether the guidance will be open to public consultation.

Officials at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will ensure web-based guidance is clear that provisions must be made for any workers with a disability to enable them to have access to facilities which are adjusted to their use if necessary. This work is in hand and will be completed in the autumn. As this is a simple clarification, it will not be open for public consultation.


HSE is the workplace regulator therefore the legislation and guidance will apply to toilets for used by workers in workplaces, made available to them as a place of work.

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to take steps to update the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) 1992 Regulations and Approved Code of Practice to ensure that there are sufficient toilets in workplaces for men experiencing incontinence following a radical prostatectomy to (a) dispose of their incontinence products hygienically and (b) not have to use facilities for disabled people.

Regulation 2(3) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulation 1992 aims to ensure that workplaces meet the health, safety and welfare needs of any worker. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has informed me that they believe the Regulations are fit for purpose in this respect.

Additionally, the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) (para 189) already states that provision must be made for any workers with a disability to enable them to have access to facilities which are adjusted to their use if necessary.

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people lost their Carer’s Allowance because they had reached pensionable age in each of the last 20 years .

The information requested on how many people lost their Carer’s Allowance because they had reached pensionable age in each of the last 20 years is not held. The department does not hold data on the reason Carer’s Allowance claimants lose their Carer’s Allowance award.

There is no upper age limit to claiming Carer’s Allowance, however, it cannot normally be paid with the State Pension.

It has been a long-held feature of the UK’s benefit system that where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency, then whilst there may be entitlement to both benefits, only one will be paid. Although entitlement to State Pension and Carer’s Allowance arise in different circumstances, they are nevertheless paid for the same contingency – as an income replacement: Carer’s Allowance replaces income where the carer has given up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person, while the State Pension replaces income in retirement. For this reason, social security rules operate to prevent them being paid together, to avoid duplicate provision for the same need.

If a carer’s State Pension is less than Carer's Allowance, State Pension is paid and topped up with Carer's Allowance to the basic weekly rate of Carer's Allowance, which is currently £76.75. Where Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid, the person will keep underlying entitlement to the benefit. This gives access to the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit of £42.75 a week and even if a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, he or she may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.  

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many men in England are classified as disabled due to incontinence.

I can confirm that the department does not hold the information requested. The department does not hold health records for each individual in England. In relation to disability benefits, the department does not classify or register disabilities or hold a disability register. The information held for disability benefit claimants is usually based on the primary disabling condition and claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based.

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to (a) amend the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and (b) recommend changes to the Code of Practice and Guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive to ensure provision of and access to hygiene bins in men's toilets equal to that in women's toilets.

Regulation 20 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (‘Workplace Regulations’) state that toilets should be kept in a clean and orderly condition. The Approved Code of Practice covers provisions of a disposal method for sanitary dressings in toilets used by women.

Regulation 2(3) of the Workplace Regulations aims to ensure that workplaces meet the health, safety and welfare needs of each member of the workforce, therefore, HSE believe the current Workplace Regulations are fit for purpose in this respect though they intend to consider whether the guidance regarding disposal of sanitary dressings in toilets fulfils that aim.

Provisions for public toilets, including hygiene bins in men’s toilets, would be the responsibility of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
13th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to prioritise type 2 diabetic patients for Ozempic prescriptions; and if he will make a statement.

There are global supply issues with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), which are licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes, including the branded medicine Ozempic. This appears to be largely driven by off-label prescribing for weight loss, which has led to shortages of these medicines for patients with type 2 diabetes.

We have issued guidance in the form of a Medicine Supply Notification (MSN), addressing all GLP-1 RAs, advising healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring these medicines. We are considering whether further communications are required.

The Government expects all providers of healthcare services, whether National Health Service or private, and all those with responsibility for prescribing to take appropriate account of national guidance such as MSNs. The guidance is clear that these medicines should only be prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in order to protect supply for diabetes patients. Medicines which are solely licensed to treat type 2 diabetes should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.

We are working closely with national diabetes specialists, the NHS, wholesalers, all manufacturers of these medicines and the relevant regulatory bodies and agencies to address this problem and to understand how we can help ensure type 2 diabetic patients continue to get access to treatment.

21st Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of best practice for the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Lyme disease in the (i) United States and (ii) Germany.

The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.

Published research, for example the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)

UK Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-prevention

Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
21st Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) capacity and (b) capability of the NHS to diagnose Lyme disease.

The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany.

Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.

Published research, for example the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link:

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)

UK Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-prevention

Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
20th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make (a) an assessment of the adequacy of the NHS (i) capacity and (ii) capability to diagnose Lyme disease and (b) a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in (A) the UK, (B) the US and (C) Germany.

The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany.

Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.

Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
6th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of NHS treatment for people admitted to hospital with urinary tract infections in each financial year between 2018-19 and 2021-22.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are admitted to hospital each year with urinary tract infections; what the cost was to the public purse of the NHS of treating people with urinary tract infections in the last financial year; and whether the NHS plans to take steps to improve options for community-based services to treat urinary tract infections.

The following table shows the number of people admitted to hospital each year in the last five years with urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Year

Admissions

2018/19

184,794

2019/20

179,785

2020/21

135,594

2021/22

152,695


Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS England

Data for 2021/22 is latest data available. We cannot provide data on the total cost to the NHS of treating patients with UTI in the last financial year (2022/23).

NHS England published on 9 May 2023 its Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care. This sets out proposals to improve options for community-based services to treat urinary tract infections. Appropriately trained community pharmacists will be commissioned to provide a clinical service to care for patients with urinary symptoms, providing timely access to assessment, information and advice.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to commission a new Continence Care Audit.

NHS England does not monitor the implementation of the Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines. NHS England will consider next steps on Excellence in Continence Care through its National Bladder and Bowel Health Project and will report shortly. NHS England does not currently have any plans to commission a new Continence Care Audit.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made in monitoring the implementation of the Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines.

NHS England does not monitor the implementation of the Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines. NHS England will consider next steps on Excellence in Continence Care through its National Bladder and Bowel Health Project and will report shortly. NHS England does not currently have any plans to commission a new Continence Care Audit.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
12th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are patient representatives on the boards of integrated care boards and on primary care, commissioning and assurance committees; and if he will make a statement.

The Health and Care Act 2022 sets out minimum membership requirements for integrated care boards (ICBs) that includes representatives from NHS Trusts, Primary Care and Local Authorities and does not mandate patient representation on ICBs. However, the local areas can, by local agreement, go beyond the legislative minimum requirements in order to address their local needs.

Primary care, commissioning and assurance committees are non-statutory ICB committees. There are no national requirements set by NHS England for how ICBs constitute any committee responsible for the discharge of any delegated primary care responsibilities including patient representation.

ICBs’ constitutions are expected to include principles and arrangements for how the ICB will work with patients and communities. ICBs are also legally bound (under section 13Q of the National Health Service Act 2006) to involve the public in the commissioning of services for National Health Service patients.

Currently there are no plans for the Secretary of State to make a statement to mandate any additional requirements for ICBs.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Medical Technology Group’s Manifesto report entitled Improving patient access to medical technology, published November 2021, if his Department will take steps in line with the recommendations of that report to (a) ensure that wound care technologies recommended by NICE guidance are taken up at pace and (b) introduce measures to hold Integrated Care Systems accountable for the implementation and uptake of that technology.

Medical supplies and equipment are procured via NHS Supply Chain, which ensures value for money. The National Wound Care Strategy Programme recognises that in certain instances, specific wound care materials are required which are not available via NHS Supply Chain. In these instances, alternative supply routes are being sourced.

There are no current plans for integrated care systems (ICSs) to be accountable for the implementation and uptake of this technology. However, it is expected that ICSs will make the appropriate procurement decisions to support the local population.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of NHS Supply Chain's decision to reduce the number of wound care products and suppliers available to the NHS on Medtech supply chain resilience; and in what way those procurement activities align with the Government Life Sciences' vision to increase UK Medtech manufacturing capability and capacity.

NHS Supply Chain balance the needs of product availability, choice, supply resilience and delivering value for money. The most widely used products are held in stock in the United Kingdom within the NHS Supply Chain network and suppliers are contractually obligated to hold additional minimum stock levels to service the framework contract for wound care products within distribution networks.

Expert clinicians in the National Wound Care Strategy Programme have contributed to the development of appropriate high-quality specifications for products, including a classification system which support clinical decisions on the selection of wound care products. This will provide greater clarity to clinicians on comparable products, make alternative products easier to identify and adopt in the event of supply disruption and enhance supply chain resilience.

The NHS Supply Chain’s procurement activity is not designed to increase the UK’s manufacturing capability and capacity. The Office of Life Science’s Life Sciences Innovation Manufacturing Fund, launched in March 2022, encourages growth in the sector’s capacity and capability. The forthcoming Medical Technologies Directorate’s strategy will align with the Life Sciences Vision to support increased domestic manufacturing.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made by NHS Supply Chain in introducing value-based procurement into the provision of wound care products; and what impact it has had on the choice of products available.

NHS Supply Chain is currently exploring three forthcoming Value Based Procurement opportunities in the provision of wound care products. Initial NHS Supply Chain pilot tests have indicated potential benefits in areas such as waste reduction and number of products used, allowing patients to move from inpatient to day care, reduction in infection rates and operational productivity.

Specific discussions on the introduction of Value Based Procurement in the provision of wound care products are ongoing and further information, including on any expected impact on the choice of products available, will be available in due course.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of NHS patients who have been unable to access ear wax removal service in the last year for which figures are available.

No formal estimate has been made. General practitioner (GP) practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax. However, if a GP practice considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service, depending on the arrangements in place in the local area. Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of the local population and should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to introduce a NHS tariff price for ear wax removal services.

We have no plans to do so. Decisions about the funding and provision of health services, including ear wax removal, are the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups, which plan services to meet the needs of local communities. Local commissioners should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.

If a clinician considers removal clinically necessary, informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in that area.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of removing excess ear wax from a patient in (a) primary care and (b) in hospital departments.

Within hospital settings, the average cost of removing excess ear wax is £127. Information on the average cost in primary care is not held centrally. General practitioner (GP) practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods to support the safe removal of ear wax.

However, if a GP practice considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in that area. Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of their local population and should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
10th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact on general practice of transferring hospital outpatient elective follow-ups to general practice; and if he will make a statement.

NHS England and NHS Improvement launched the National Outpatient Transformation Programme in April 2020. The programme supports patients through improving general practitioners’ access to specialist advice and guidance and empowering patients to initiate follow-up appointments when needed.

However, its aim is not to transfer hospital outpatient elective follow up appointments to general practice. NHS England and NHS Improvement commissioned an independent evaluation to review primary care experiences of advice and guidance services. While qualitative reports showed that it placed time and resource demands on primary care, it can reduce waiting times for specialist input and unnecessary referrals.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
25th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the UK Nutrient Profiling Model 2018 review consultation, what plans his Department has to publish the outcomes of that consultation; and if he will make a statement.

In 2016, Public Health England was commissioned to review the UK Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) 2004/5 algorithm to ensure it aligns with dietary recommendations, particularly for free sugars and fibre, from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. A consultation was held in 2018 which sought views on the modifications made to the UK NPM 2004/5, specifically its alignment with current UK dietary recommendations. The outcome of the review will be published in due course.

16th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provision there is for micro suction for ear wax removal across NHS England; how many micro suction facilities are available in (a) England and (b) Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not collected centrally.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
16th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the latest NICE guidance is on water syringing for the removal of ear wax.

Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) due to risks associated, such as trauma to the ear drum or infection.

The NICE guideline on the assessment and management of hearing loss in adults includes recommendations on ear wax removal. The guidance suggests considering ear irrigation using an electronic irrigator, micro suction, or another method of earwax removal such as manual removal using a probe. Pre-treatment wax softeners are advised for use before carrying out ear irrigation. NICE’s guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations#removing-earwax

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
16th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what course of action is available to patients in the event that ear wax removal is not provided by a CCG and self care does not work.

Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of their local population and should ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax removal services.

If a clinician, informed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in place.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
16th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what alternative arrangements are available for ear wax removal by NHS England where it is not commissioned by a CCG.

Decisions about the funding and provision of health services, including ear wax removal, are the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups. Services should be planned to meet the needs of local communities, including ensuring the appropriate access to ear wax removal services.

General practitioner (GP) practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax. If a GP practice considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in place.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
19th Oct 2021
What steps he is taking to increase patient access to GPs.

On 14 October we published a comprehensive new plan to support general practitioners (GPs) and to make it easier for patients to see or speak to GPs and their teams.

Our plan is supported by a new £250 million Winter Access Fund to assist patients with urgent care needs to be seen by their practitioner on the same day, taking account of their preferences.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
1st Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out a timetable for the inclusion of parental conflict being in factors routinely assessed in mental health services for children and young people.

We have no plans to do so.

The inclusion of family-focused interventions are for local commissioning and clinical determination. There is no single ‘specification’ for children and young people’s mental health services or child and adolescent mental health services. It is not a single service or pathway and the term refers to the range of services that offer support based on different needs. In response to a National Health Service benchmarking project on children and young people’s mental health services, 99% of providers that responded confirmed that they offer family therapy in joint and group work.

1st Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out a timetable for the inclusion of couples therapists trained to address parental conflict in the specification for multi-disciplinary teams working in child and adolescent mental health services.

We have no plans to do so.

The inclusion of family-focused interventions are for local commissioning and clinical determination. There is no single ‘specification’ for children and young people’s mental health services or child and adolescent mental health services. It is not a single service or pathway and the term refers to the range of services that offer support based on different needs. In response to a National Health Service benchmarking project on children and young people’s mental health services, 99% of providers that responded confirmed that they offer family therapy in joint and group work.

9th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the operational false positive rate for population mass screening was for the last four formal internal quality assurance runs, with the supporting report.

In the United Kingdom population screening is offered across 11 screening programmes which cover over 30 conditions, as recommended by the UK National Screening Committee. These screening programmes do not report on the false positive rates but do include information where further testing is required.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
28th Jan 2020
What steps he is taking to help reduce the financial cost to the NHS of treating patients affected by high levels of air pollution.

The best way to reduce National Health Service costs and improve health is by tackling the sources of air pollution, so that less pollution is emitted in the first place. The actions set out in our Clean Air Strategy are targeted at a range of sources and pollutants and will result in the number of people who live in areas where particulate matter is above the World Health Organization’s guidelines being halved by 2025.

14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held discussions with representatives of Indigenous peoples and local communities in Brazil on gold mining on Indigenous land.

The UK regularly engages with the Brazilian Government, indigenous leadership, and civil society to understand the drivers and impacts of illegal gold mining and to promote human rights. In late February, His Majesty's Ambassador accompanied Sonia Guajajara, Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples, to the Javari Valley to discuss these issues with the Association for Indigenous Peoples (UNIVAJA). The UK is funding a three-year initiative to reduce environmental crime in the Amazon region and supports the Challenge Fund which investigates the impact of illegal gold mining across northern Brazil.

David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Brazilian counterpart on preventing illegal gold mining in Brazil since 1 January 2023.

The UK regularly engages with the Brazilian Government, indigenous leadership, and civil society to understand the drivers and impacts of illegal gold mining and to promote human rights. In late February, His Majesty's Ambassador accompanied Sonia Guajajara, Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples, to the Javari Valley to discuss these issues with the Association for Indigenous Peoples (UNIVAJA). The UK is funding a three-year initiative to reduce environmental crime in the Amazon region and supports the Challenge Fund which investigates the impact of illegal gold mining across northern Brazil.

David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking diplomatic steps to support the partnership between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia and Brazil to reduce deforestation.

The UK is committed to working with partners to halt and reverse forest loss globally by 2030. Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Brazil are home to some of the world's most important forests, which must be protected to meet our goal of keeping within 1.5 degrees of temperature rise. The UK is committed to working with forest countries to ensure that we collectively deliver on the commitment made by 145 governments at COP26 in Glasgow to halt and reverse forest loss while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
14th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on tackling illegal gold mining across the world.

The UK Government is committed to responsible gold extraction, for example, through encouraging compliance with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. The UK has funded OECD projects in West Africa and Colombia to promote local capacity building and uptake of the OECD guidance. The UK has also funded European Partnership for Responsible Minerals projects in the Great Lakes region in Africa to increase the proportion of responsibly sourced minerals, working across the whole of the supply chain. In April, we are preparing to discuss responsible mining with industry leaders at the Ghana Responsible Gold Mining Summit as part of Ghana's commitment to eradicate illegal mining.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
12th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Qatari counterpart on (a) the deaths of migrant workers building the World Cup stadia, (b) LGBTQ+ freedoms in Qatar and (c) freedom of religion and belief in Qatar for people of all faiths; and if he will make a statement.

We welcome the steps Qatar has taken on workers' rights. The priority is now full implementation and enforcement of those reforms. The UK Migration and Modern Slavery Envoy visited Doha on 9 October to discuss how the UK can partner with Qatar and the International Labour Organisation to support progress. The Foreign Secretary raised LGBT+ concerns ahead of and during his recent visit to Qatar. We welcome Qatar's establishment of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue which hosts an annual interfaith dialogue. We will continue to encourage equal treatment and the respect of individual rights including LGBT+ and the freedom of religion or belief for all.

David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
11th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether British businesses were given the opportunity to bid for the St Helena airport contract; and if he will make a statement.

British businesses were given the opportunity to bid for the St Helena Airport contract. On three separate occasions the St Helena Government sought expressions of interest through Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), this was in line with UK Government procurement regulations for large infrastructure projects at the time.

9th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken in relation to the shooting of civilians across the Gaza border by the Israel Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement.

The Government is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed by Israel Defense Forces in the West Bank and Gaza. We have repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police the border areas, including the use of live ammunition. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest. We also encourage them to carry out transparent investigations into whether the use of live fire had been appropriate. We did so most recently at the UN Security Council on 21 January.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
9th Mar 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on the (a) economy and (b) public purse of delays in concluding inheritance tax assessments.

No assessment has been made of the impact on the economy and public purse on the time taken to conclude inheritance tax assessments.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
9th Mar 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many estates HMRC has yet to conclude the inheritance tax assessments on within two years after the death.

There are no estates for which IHT400 Accounts (self-assessment of inheritance tax by executors) have been filed for which inheritance tax assessments have not been concluded within two years of death.

Compliance enquiries may be opened within 12 weeks from processing of the IHT Account.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
9th Mar 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the timeliness with which HMRC conclude their assessment of inheritance tax due on estates.

HMRC is currently processing IHT form IHT400 within their agreed service level standards of 80 per cent within 15 working days.

When HMRC have processed the IHT400, if the appropriate amount of tax has been paid, they send the IHT421 to HMCTS. At the same time, a letter is also sent to customers which provides a date by which they will hear from HMRC if a compliance check needs to be undertaken. This date provided will be 12 weeks from the date the tax calculation letter was issued and does not impact the process being undertaken separately by the UK Court Services.

If HMRC has not contacted the customer by the 12 weeks date provided, then HMRC does not have any further questions to ask about the information and values provided in the IHT form and no compliance check will be undertaken.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
11th Feb 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of households who (a) will need debt advice in 2021-22 and (b) needed debt advice in (i) 2019-20 and (ii) 2020-21.

The Government works closely with the Money and Pensions Service to understand the need for debt advice and monitor financial difficulty through an annual survey and notes the Financial Conduct Authority’s biennial Financial Lives Survey.

The Government recognises that some people are struggling with their finances at this challenging time. To help people in problem debt get their finances back on track, an extra £37.8 million support package has been made available to debt advice providers this financial year, bringing this year's budget for free debt advice in England to over £100 million.

In May 2020, the Government announced the immediate release of £65 million of dormant assets funding to Fair4All Finance, an independent organisation that has been founded to support the financial wellbeing of people in vulnerable circumstances. The funding is used to increase access to fair, affordable and appropriate financial products and services for those in financial difficulties.

From May 2021, the Breathing Space scheme will offer people in problem debt a pause of up to 60 days on most enforcement action, interest, fees and charges, and will encourage them to seek professional debt advice.

The Government has delivered unprecedented support for living standards during this challenging time, protecting livelihoods with the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and temporary welfare measures.

The Government has extended the CJRS until 31 March 2021. Eligible employees will continue to receive 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.

The Government has increased the overall level of the third grant under the SEISS to 80% of average trading profits, meaning that the maximum grant available has now increased to £7,500.

The Government has provided local authorities with £500 million to support people who may struggle to meet their council tax payments this year. The Government expects that this will provide all recipients of working age local council tax support with a further reduction in their annual council tax bill of £150 this financial year.

These measures are in addition to the changes this Government has made to make the welfare system more generous, worth over £7 billion according to recent estimates by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The Government has worked with mortgage lenders, credit providers and the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure the financial sector provides support for people across the UK to manage their finances by providing payment holidays on mortgages and consumer credit products.

The Government has also delivered protections for renters, including an extension to the ban on bailiff evictions for all but the most egregious cases until at least 21 February 2021, with measures kept under review.

John Glen
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
6th Feb 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding from the charging infrastructure investment fund for new rapid charge points has been allocated to South West Bedfordshire constituency.

The Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF) was announced at Autumn Budget 2017 and aims to catalyse the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The CIIF is managed and invested on a commercial basis by private sector partners, and Government will invest up to £200m to be matched by private investors. The location of investments will depend on the business plans of the chargepoint companies the fund invests in. As a result, the Government does not hold the requested information.

6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides compensation for financial losses incurred by people who have (a) weddings and (b) other bookings cancelled as a result of her Department's contracts with hotels to accommodate asylum seekers (i) generally and (ii) when standard wedding insurance does not cover the loss. .

Successive years in which record numbers of people have crossed the Channel in small boats has placed our asylum infrastructure under immense strain. In order to meet our statutory obligations to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, we have been forced to temporarily house asylum seekers in hotels. The use of hotels is a short term solution and we are working hard with Local Authorities and our accommodation providers to find more appropriate accommodation.

Hotel owners are under no obligation to enter into a contract with our providers. However, they recognise a commercial benefit from this arrangement. The decision to cancel any pre booked reservations is the responsibility of the hotel and not the Home Office.

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
26th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that perpetrators of shoplifting are charged.

The Government recognises the significant impact that shoplifting can have, not only on businesses but also the wider community and consumers.

We are working closely with retailers, trade organisations, police and enforcement partners across England and Wales via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes affecting the retail sector, including shoplifting, is as robust as it can be.

We also support the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council to help ensure businesses and police are working effectively together to tackle shoplifting. This includes encouraging businesses to report incidents when they occur, gather relevant evidence and work closely with the police to ensure incidents are dealt with appropriately.

The Crime and Policing Minister wrote to PCCs and Chief Constables in September 2020, setting out that the theft of goods valued up to £200 from a shop should be prosecuted as a criminal offence and therefore should not constrain the ability of the police to arrest or prosecute someone in the way they feel is most appropriate.

We expect that all reported crimes, including shoplifting, should be taken seriously and properly investigated.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
1st Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which financial year will the revised police national funding formula take effect.

The Government has committed to reviewing the police funding formula before the next General Election and our intention is to introduce new arrangements at the earliest opportunity.

Reviewing the funding formula will be a complex process that will require close working with the policing sector and relevant experts to develop proposals, and a full public consultation will take place before any new funding arrangements are put in place.

17th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many ongoing cases the Independent Office for Police Conduct has been investigating for more than 12 months.

As at 18 May 2021, the IOPC has 29 cases that have been open for longer than 12 months.

For context, in 2020/21 the IOPC started 465 independent investigations.

Of the investigations it completed in 2020/21, it completed 86% within 12 months. When major investigations are excluded, the IOPC completed 91% of investigations in 12 months or less (against a target of 85%).

17th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff work for the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

As at 30th April 2021, the IOPC workforce totalled 1,004 people.

20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the interim codes of practice will be published under the proposals in the Online Harms White Paper Initial Consultation Response.

The Government will be publishing interim codes of practice on terrorist use of the internet and child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) as part of the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation. This will ensure that companies are provided with the necessary context to understand the expectations around what companies should do to address CSEA and terrorist content and activity online.

We are currently working swiftly to prepare the interim codes of practice and the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper, which we will publish in the autumn.

We will follow this publication with legislation, when Parliamentary time allow.

20th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of tendering sustainable aviation fuel contracts to help support UK production of sustainable aviation fuel.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working with the Department for Transport (DfT) to understand opportunities for Defence to support the UK Jet Zero Strategy. As a baseline, MOD procurement of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will be led by the DfT SAF Mandate which intends to introduce a minimum percentage of sustainably derived fuel into aviation fuel sales from 2025, increasing to 10% by 2030, and continuing to increase beyond that point. The MOD is already seeking to procure SAF earlier than 2025, ahead of the mandate, in order to play its part in the migration towards a zero-carbon economy, including the desire to help create a domestic demand.

James Cartlidge
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
9th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing relevant recommendations of the report entitled Living in our shoes: understanding the needs of UK Armed Forces families, published on 30 June 2020.

The Government responded to the 110 recommendations of the comprehensive Living in Our Shoes report in March 2021 and committed to taking this forward through the Armed Forces Families Strategy. Since the publication of the Strategy in January 2022, a great deal of work has taken place to formulate the priorities under the Action Plan, to understand what changes can be delivered in the short, medium and longer term. As the Living in Our Shoes report acknowledged, many of the recommendations are ambitious and will be delivered towards the middle or latter part of the 10-year programme. However, there is much we can do now and indeed many of the recommendations from Living in Our Shoes have in effect already been delivered. An update on progress with the implementation of the Strategy can be found in the 2022 Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report, published on 19 December 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/armed-forces-covenant-and-veterans-annual-report-2022

Andrew Murrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential role of his Department in helping to meet the Government's nature restoration targets.

As one of the UK's largest landowners the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to contributing to the Government's nature restoration targets and enhancing biodiversity across its estate. Indeed, for 15 years it has funded a programme to improve the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) across the Defence estate to support the Governments targets for protected sites.

The MOD is developing a Nature Recovery Plan as required by the Greening Government Commitments. This will include an assessment of the potential future contribution to protected sites and other nature recovery targets. This plan will take account of the Defence imperative, current and future military requirements and where other land use contribute to Defence outputs such as carbon sequestration, renewable energy schemes and tenant farming.

The MOD will continue to engage with Nature Conservation Bodies and Nature Recovery Networks to complement the Department's approach.

Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
17th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the 106 partly and wholly accepted recommendations from the June 2020 Living in Our Shoes report have been implemented.

The Government responded to the 110 recommendations of the comprehensive Living in Our Shoes report in March 2021. This response, which set the baseline for the new Armed Forces Families Strategy, included input from the Devolved Administrations.

Since the publication of the Strategy in January of this year, a great deal of work has taken place to formulate the priorities under the Action Plan, to understand what changes can be delivered in the short, medium and longer term. As the Living in Our Shoes report acknowledged, many of the recommendations are ambitious and will be delivered towards the middle or latter part of the 10-year programme. However, there is much we can do now and indeed many of the recommendations from Living in Our Shoes have in effect already been delivered. There will be an update on progress with the implementation of the Strategy in the Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report, which is due to be published by the end of the calendar year.

Andrew Murrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will publish the action plan for the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy in order to implement the agreed recommendations of the independent report commissioned by his Department, Living in our shoes; and if he will make a statement.

The Armed Forces (AF) Families Plan is derived from both the Defence Plan, and the AF Families Strategy (the latter of which was published on 19 January 2022). Like the AF Families Strategy, the AF Families Plan reflects - but is not exclusively driven by - the commitments in the Government's response to my hon. Friend's comprehensive and insightful report 'Living in our Shoes'. The Plan provides direction to those organisations with policy and/or delivery responsibilities related to Armed Forces families, wherever those families are based across the world. The Plan is dynamic and will be updated routinely to reflect changes in the wider context, and the continuous development and improvement in families-related policy and delivery. Although the Plan will provide essential coherence, it is important to note that many of the key actions within the Plan are already being delivered through existing measures and will now be absorbed within it. We will shortly be publishing a high level version of the plan [on gov.uk] and we will be including implementation updates through the Covenant Annual Report.

Leo Docherty
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
28th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to develop a viable infantry fighting vehicle capability that meets the Army’s requirements to allow soldiers safely to enter, operate and be supported directly in close combat and high threat environments.

Regular analysis conducted by the Army has confirmed the requirement for a range of armoured vehicles. This analysis includes a review of current and future threats and the environment in which vehicles are required to operate; work continues to focus on these areas to inform the Integrated Review.

28th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the relative tactical mobility performance of the vehicles to be provided under the (a) Warrior Capability Sustainment and (b) Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programmes in weather and terrain in (i) Eastern Europe and (ii) the Baltics.

Regular analysis conducted by the Army has confirmed the requirement for a range of armoured vehicles. This analysis includes a review of current and future threats and the environment in which vehicles are required to operate; work continues to focus on these areas to inform the Integrated Review.

28th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Army’s armoured capability is taking to contribute to (a) enhanced Forward Presence and (b) NATO’s other conventional deterrence tasks.

The UK is firmly committed to the core NATO principles of collective deterrence and defence. Fifth Battalion The Rifles currently lead an Armoured Infantry Battlegroup in Estonia, as a Framework Nation for Enhanced Forward Presence. We currently provide Challenger 2, the Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, and a suite of Armoured capabilities from the UK's Third Division to the multinational presence there. In addition, the UK contributes a Light Cavalry Squadron to the US led Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Poland, currently provided by the Queen's Dragoon Guards and reservists from the Royal Yeomanry.

The UK also makes one of the largest commitments to NATO's high-readiness forces, including the NATO Response Force, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, and we host the headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. NATO's conventional deterrence extends to the enhanced air policing mission and standing maritime groups as well - to which the UK is also a major contributor.

James Heappey
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
20th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Written Statement HCWS172 of 4 July 2022 on Building Regulations, when his Department plans to issue a technical consultation on the provision of toilets.

I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 83564 on 17 November 2022. Preparatory work on a technical consultation on the provision of toilets is underway, with a view to publication later this summer.

Lee Rowley
Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
7th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the use of the land and property register by local authorities for the enforcement of planning law.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

The Government is keen to ensure that local planning authorities have the right tools to allow them to take effective enforcement action. Good quality Land Registry data can be an important source of information to support enforcement action.

22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Private Parking Code of Practice will come into force.

The Private Parking Code of Practice has been temporarily withdrawn to review the decisions to introduce new levels of private parking charges and to ban additional fees that are currently added on top of the late or unpaid parking charge. While I am not able to confirm when the Code will be reissued, I would like to reassure my honourable friend that my department continues to work with industry and consumer groups to do this as quickly as possible. We are committed to reissuing a Code that provides both the best possible protection for motorists and enables effective management of parking.

16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the change to freeholder control of large residential blocks on fire and security risks.

The Government’s priority is to ensure that the fire and structural safety risks for all higher-risk buildings are managed effectively by those responsible for building safety. The Building Safety Act 2022 identifies and places legal obligations with regard to building safety on Accountable Persons, irrespective of tenure and ownership. This is to ensure that building safety will be managed on an on-going basis for all higher-risk buildings. Where Accountable Persons do change, provisions in the Act ensure that key information and duties pass to any new Accountable Person.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of leasehold reform on (a) levelling up and (b) the deliverability of Kings Cross-style regeneration projects.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer and more transparent housing system that works for everyone and to delivering the second phase of our major two-part leasehold reform within this Parliament. Leasehold and commonhold reform supports our mission to level up homeownership and promote true homeownership for all by addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the leasehold system and putting the power into the rightful hands of homeowners.

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (which comes into force on 30 June 2022) is the first part of leasehold and commonhold reforms in this Parliament. The Act will make homeownership fairer and more transparent for thousands of future leaseholders, by preventing landlords under new residential long leases from requiring a leaseholder to pay a financial ground rent. The impact assessment for the Act was published on 12 May 2021 and can be accessed via the Parliamentary Bills website ( https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2864).

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. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.

This is a long-term reform programme; it is complex with many interdependencies and will take time to get the detail right. Once it is enacted the effect will be felt for generations and so we are determined this work considers all the implications and impacts with care.

16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of leasehold reform on investment in the UK economy.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer and more transparent housing system that works for everyone and to delivering the second phase of our major two-part leasehold reform within this Parliament. Leasehold and commonhold reform supports our mission to level up homeownership and promote true homeownership for all by addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the leasehold system and putting the power into the rightful hands of homeowners.

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (which comes into force on 30 June 2022) is the first part of leasehold and commonhold reforms in this Parliament. The Act will make homeownership fairer and more transparent for thousands of future leaseholders, by preventing landlords under new residential long leases from requiring a leaseholder to pay a financial ground rent. The impact assessment for the Act was published on 12 May 2021 and can be accessed via the Parliamentary Bills website ( https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2864).

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. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.

This is a long-term reform programme; it is complex with many interdependencies and will take time to get the detail right. Once it is enacted the effect will be felt for generations and so we are determined this work considers all the implications and impacts with care.

16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of leasehold reform on Britain’s high streets.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer and more transparent housing system that works for everyone and to delivering the second phase of our major two-part leasehold reform within this Parliament. Leasehold and commonhold reform supports our mission to level up homeownership and promote true homeownership for all by addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the leasehold system and putting the power into the rightful hands of homeowners.

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (which comes into force on 30 June 2022) is the first part of leasehold and commonhold reforms in this Parliament. The Act will make homeownership fairer and more transparent for thousands of future leaseholders, by preventing landlords under new residential long leases from requiring a leaseholder to pay a financial ground rent. The impact assessment for the Act was published on 12 May 2021 and can be accessed via the Parliamentary Bills website ( https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2864).

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. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.

This is a long-term reform programme; it is complex with many interdependencies and will take time to get the detail right. Once it is enacted the effect will be felt for generations and so we are determined this work considers all the implications and impacts with care.

21st Apr 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to take steps to assist leaseholders who are enjoined by the terms of the lease not to store their bicycles in their properties, but whose landlord does not provide a secure bicycle store.

The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. We are therefore taking forward a wide-ranging programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market.

The exact terms of individual deeds or leases will vary. Where deeds of covenant or leases place restrictions on the use of a property, this is a matter for individual homeowners to raise with the party with whom they have agreed the lease. If a leaseholder wants to vary or remove a restrictive covenant from their lease, they should first try to reach an agreement with the relevant party. Where the relevant party will not agree to vary or remove a restrictive covenant, the leaseholder can apply to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) for it to be discharged or modified under section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925.

24th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with stakeholders on ensuring general practice capacity increases when large new housing developments are approved.

Local authorities have responsibility for planning for local development and the infrastructure to support it. Our guidance encourages engagement between plan-making bodies and relevant organisations on the provision of health infrastructure. My officials have worked with NHS England and NHS Improvement to ensure there is early engagement in the plan-making process between local authorities and NHS Trusts.

30th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what provisions are available to leaseholders trying to sell their properties whose purchasers’ mortgage lender requires an EWS1 form on buildings in the event that the local Fire and Rescue service have no issues of concern for that property; and if he will make a statement.

EWS1 is not a Government form or regulatory requirement, and it is not a safety certificate. EWS1 was created by industry to help with mortgage valuations for flats in blocks with cladding. It is designed to identify whether a block is likely to need value-affecting remediation work.

On the 8 March, RICS published its updated EWS1 guidance to allow for a more proportionate approach to be taken. It outlines clearly when the EWS1 process is required.

Most major lenders, representing roughly 80% of the whole mortgage market have adopted the approach in the RICS guidance or already take a significantly less risk averse approach. This makes clear the process is for financial valuation and not building safety.

We estimate nearly 500,000 homeowners should no longer need to produce an EWS1 to sell or re-mortgage.

25th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether an inspector can approve a council policy allowing for traveller site development when the council has concluded that there is no unmet accommodation need in the planning period.

The Inspector’s role is to examine whether a submitted plan meets the Tests of Soundness set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and legislative requirements.

The Inspector’s conclusions will be based on a consideration of all the evidence and on the application of professional expertise and judgement.

With regard to traveller sites, as part of this consideration an Inspector will consider plan proposals against policy in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) and NPPF. The PPTS encourages authorities to identify a 5-year supply of specific, deliverable sites and other developable sites to accommodate growth for years 6-10 and, where possible, years 11-15.

16th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Church of England's statement on Local Authority Investment in Church Property, published March 2018, on his Department's implementation of the (a) Local Government Act 1894 and (b) Local Government Act 1972.

The Government recognises and values the important work which churches carry out for their communities. We would encourage local authorities and churches to work together closely to consider the wishes and priorities of local people, as well as how to make the best use of public resources. It is important to ensure that any additional public funding given to local churches, and any consequences for council tax or precepts are considered carefully given the current financial pressures on local council taxpayers.

19th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list the ten prisons which currently have the highest proportion of prison officers off sick and unable to come to work.

The quarterly HMPPS workforce statistics publication covers staffing information, including the working days lost due to sickness absence. The latest publication covers data for the period up to 30 September 2022.

Therefore, the latest data available to provide a ‘current’ proportion of sick absence is for 30 September 2022.

The ten prisons which had the highest proportion of band 3-5 officers who took time off sick on 30 September 2022 is shown in table 1 below.

Table 1: Snaphot of top 10 prisons with highest proportion of band 3-5 officers1 off sick on 30 September 20222(p)

Prison

Headcount of Band 3-5 officers off sick

Headcount of Total band 3-5 officers employed on 30 September 2022

Proportion of band 3-5 officers sick as a percentage of all band 3-5 officers in post

Werrington

25

137

18.25%

Garth

40

284

14.08%

Onley

22

174

12.64%

Woodhill

36

307

11.73%

Foston Hall

13

123

10.57%

North Sea Camp

6

59

10.17%

The Mount

20

200

10.00%

Wandsworth

38

382

9.95%

Liverpool

27

288

9.38%

Thorn Cross

8

86

9.30%

1. Includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.

2. Includes staff who either had sick end date on or after 30 September 2022 or did not have a sick end date at all, as at time of data being produced for September 2022 HMPP workforce publication

(p) Figures relating to current financial year are provisional

In the 12 months to 30 September 2022, band 3-5 officers lost an average of 17.3 workings days. This is an increase from 16.6 working days compared to the 12 months to 31 March 2022. Trends from 2017 are shown below.

Table 2: Band 3-5 officer sickness, 12 months to 31 March 2017 to 12 months to 30 September 2022

12 months to..

Working days lost

Average staff in post

Average Working Days Lost1

31 March 2017

210,880

18,104

11.6

31 March 2018

196,525

19,581

10.0

31 March 2019

225,142

22,223

10.1

31 March 2020

255,782

22,352

11.4

31 March 2021

301,045

21,854

13.8

31 March 2022

365,520

22,154

16.5

30 September 2022

379,439

21,958

17.3

1. Average working days lost per member of staff is calculated as number of working days lost to sickness divided by the average number of full time equivalent staff for a year.

Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
12th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons allow more than half of the prisoners in that prison out of cell for two hours or less a day.

Information about time out of cell for adult prisoners is not held by the Ministry of Justice, as it would require detailed daily monitoring of out-of-cell activity of each prisoner in each establishment. There is no current central instruction prescribing the amount of time prisoners should spend out of their cells. There is a clear commitment, however, to the delivery and performance management of time spent in purposeful activity. Governors have the flexibility to deliver balanced regimes that maintain an appropriate level of time out of cell on a range of activities such as education and employment, which meet the needs of the establishment’s population, with a heavy focus on reducing re-offending. This is alongside basic access to time in the open air and domestic services, such as showers. The Prisons Strategy White Paper (Prisons Strategy White Paper - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) sets out the Government’s commitment to prison regime reform. A new Purposeful Activity performance measure has been introduced for the 2022-23 performance period, and additional measures are in place for attendance at work, education, interventions and services.

Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
8th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list the ten prisons which had the highest proportion of officers off sick over the past 12 months; and if he will make an estimate of the average proportion of total prison officers off sick as a percentage of the total workforce at each of those prisons.

The quarterly HM Prison and Probation Service workforce statistics publication covers staffing information, including the working days lost due to sickness absence.

The ten prisons which had the highest proportion of band 3-5 officers who had at least one period of sickness absence in the 12 months to 30 September 2022 is shown in table 1 below.

Table 1: Top 10 prisons with highest proportion of band 3-5 officers1 with at least one period of sickness absence2, in the 12 months to 30 September 2022(p)

Prison

Band 3-5 officers off sick at least once in period

Total band 3-5 officers employed in period

Proportion of band 3-5 officers sick as a percentage of all band 3-5 officers in post

All staff workforce employed in period

Proportion of band 3-5 officers sick as a percentage of all staff workforce in post

Werrington

148

161

91.9%

274

54.0%

Send

124

139

89.2%

238

52.1%

Hindley

215

244

88.1%

380

56.6%

Liverpool

283

322

87.9%

530

53.4%

Grendon

134

154

87.0%

314

42.7%

Full Sutton

430

496

86.7%

711

60.5%

Isle of Wight

302

349

86.5%

627

48.2%

Eastwood Park

172

199

86.4%

329

52.3%

Littlehey

243

282

86.2%

502

48.4%

Downview

141

165

85.5%

280

50.4%

1. Includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.

2. Individuals are only counted once, even if they have more than one episode of sickness absence recorded.

(p) Figures relating to current financial year are provisional.

Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
21st Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to section 2.23 of his Department's guidance entitled Burial Grounds: Guidance for Managers, which states that burial authorities may contribute towards the provision or maintenance of burial grounds in which their inhabitants may be buried, whether burial grounds in 2.23 includes churchyards.

Paragraph 2.23 of Burial Grounds: Guidance for Managers refers to section 214 of the Local Government Act 1972. Subsection 214(6) provides that a local authority burial authority may contribute towards the provision or maintenance of any cemetery in which their inhabitants are buried. For the purposes of section 214(6), the definition of “cemetery” (in subsection 214(8)) is “a burial ground or any other place for the interment of the dead (including any part of any such place set aside for the interment of a dead person’s ashes).” This would include a churchyard if it is used as a burial ground.

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
8th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders in the United States on promoting investment opportunities in Northern Ireland.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the United States over the course of last week. I met the special envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, where we discussed Northern Ireland’s rich potential for US investors.

I also attended a roundtable with US business leaders in New York and met businesses in Boston. I was greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm shown towards investment in Northern Ireland.

There are huge investment opportunities to deepen UK-US trading links benefiting communities on both sides of the Atlantic, and I look forward to working to strengthen these bonds.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
1st Mar 2023
What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support offshore wind in Wales.

Floating offshore wind will create thousands of high-quality jobs in Wales, drive economic growth and help us reach our net zero and energy security ambitions.

I will continue to work with colleagues across Government and The Crown Estate as they progress plans to bring forward 4 Gigawatts of projects in the Celtic Sea by 2035.

James Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)