Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential financial impact of uprating the pensions of British pensioners overseas whose state pensions are currently frozen.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
No assessment has been made.
The UK's policy on the up-rating of the UK State Pension for recipients living overseas is a longstanding one. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.
Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas.
Over many years, priority is given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will introduce a medal for (a) seriously injured and (b) medically retired service personnel.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Service personnel who are injured and evacuated from a medal earning operational deployment are awarded the relevant Campaign, Operational, or General Service medal regardless of whether or not they have served the required number of days for the medal.
While, at this time, the Ministry of Defence has no plans to recommend the introduction of a new medal for Service personnel who are seriously injured or medically discharged from Service for non-operational reasons, there is always the opportunity to look into this.
It is important to note that the Department cannot unilaterally introduce such a medal since this would require the agreement of the cross-Government Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, and ultimately The Sovereign.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with the devolved Administrations to help (a) reduce waiting times for gynaecological services and (b) address menstrual health inequalities.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst health is a devolved issue, we intend to work closely with our partners across the devolved administrations in providing support and sharing best practice, to reduce waiting lists and fix the National Health Service. Cutting waiting lists, including for gynaecology, is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government. The Government is committed to putting patients first, which means making sure that they are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, no matter where they are treated in the United Kingdom.
The Government is also committed to prioritising women’s health, as we build an NHS fit for the future, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions. Department officials have met and continue to meet with counterparts across the four nations to share learning across a range of women’s health policy issues, including menstrual health. Together we aim to deliver faster, improved, and more equitable health outcomes for all patients across the UK, and to strengthen our collaboration in achieving these common goals.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to work with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations to help (a) increase the flexibility of NHS appointment systems and (b) reduce the number of missed appointments across the UK.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, no matter where they are treated in the UK. Whilst health is a devolved issue, we intend to work closely with partners across the devolved governments in providing support and sharing best practice to reduce waiting lists and fix the NHS, including the configuration of appointment systems and policies relating to reducing Did Not Attends (DNAs).
Together we aim to deliver faster, improved and more equitable health outcomes for all patients across the UK, and strengthen our collaboration in achieving these common goals.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the differences in the amounts received by recipients of the old and new State Pension.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.
It is not possible to make direct, like for like comparisons between State Pension amounts received under the pre 2016 State Pension system and the new State Pension. Under both systems, the amount people are entitled to varies according to their National Insurance record. This is reflected in the average amounts that people receive.
Through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their State Pension increase by around a thousand pounds over the next five years.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the devolved Administrations on the adequacy of fiscal support for local councils across the UK, in the context of (a) recent trends in levels of demand for services, (b) the impacts of inflation and (c) increases in energy costs; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities receive adequate funding for the provision of their services.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Funding for local councils is a devolved responsibility and it is for the Devolved Governments to decide on their level of funding.
I met with all Devolved Government Finance Ministers in Belfast on 3rd October at a meeting of the Finance: Interministerial Standing committee. We discussed our approach to resetting relations, driving economic growth and delivering the vital public services on which our citizens depend.
The Chancellor has also met with the First Ministers and Finance Minsters from the Devolved Governments over the summer to hear their priorities.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to restrict the promotion of unhealthy food and drink products; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing fiscal measures to support the production of high-quality food and drink products.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis, which includes taking action on the promotion and advertising of less healthy products to children.
The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 restrict the promotion of less healthy food and drink products. The location promotions restrictions came into force in England in October 2022 and the volume price promotions are due to come into force in October 2025.
We have committed to implementing the advertising restrictions regulations set out in the Communications Act 2003 on less healthy food and drink products without further delay. The regulations introduce a 9pm watershed for the advertisement of less healthy food or drink products on television and a total restriction of paid-for advertising of these products online will come into force across the United Kingdom on 1 October 2025.
The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) places a tax on manufacturers and importers of soft drinks with added sugar and with a total sugar content of 5 grams sugar per 100 millilitres or more. It has so far reduced the sugar content of drinks in scope of the Levy by 46% between 2015 and 2020, removing approximately 46,000 tonnes of sugar. The reductions have had equal benefit across all socio-economic groups. As well as translating to reductions in intakes in most age groups, these reductions have also been linked to the prevention of around 5000 cases of obesity in girls in the last year of primary school and reductions in children’s admissions to hospital for caries related tooth extractions.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps the SDIL under review. Decisions about the future development of taxes are made by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in line with the Government’s tax policy-making framework.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on Saudi Arabia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK does not disclose voting positions on multilateral elections. However, we expect all members elected to the Human Rights Council to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people over the age of 65 receive adequate financial support through the State Pension.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.
The Government is committed to the Triple Lock, which means that in April 2025, the basic and new State pension will increase by the higher of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5%.
Over 12 million pensioners will benefit through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock. Over the course of this parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,700.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with relevant organisations on steps to ensure that rural and island communities have (a) equitable access to SMART meters and (b) support for their transition to renewable energy.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy suppliers are obligated under their licence conditions to install smart meters throughout Great Britain, including rural and island communities. The Department is working with energy suppliers to identify and share best practice in deploying meters in harder to reach areas, including the use of "roaming" teams of installers who are normally based elsewhere visiting communities at regular intervals.
On the energy transition more widely, Great British Energy will support local and combined authorities – as well as community energy groups – to roll out small and medium-scale renewable energy projects through the Local Power Plan.