Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the ten recommendations from the IOPC report 'National learning recommendations and responses - EIP searches of children, published on 19 March 2024 have been implemented.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) ‘National Learning Recommendations re: Exposure of Intimate Parts Searches of Children’ report made ten recommendations. Seven recommendations have been fully implemented, and work is ongoing for the other three. Progress on these is set out below:
Recommendation 10, Mandatory Safeguarding Referral following exposure of intimate parts searches: The Home Office has led system-wide consultations to consider amendments to Code A and C of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984), including mandating a safeguarding referral for any child who is subject to an exposure of intimate parts search. The Government is committed to introducing new legal safeguards around the strip search of children as soon as possible.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the ability of airports to complete full customs checks on small packages imported from abroad in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Border Force work closely with law enforcement partners to share intelligence and have a strong track record in targeting illicit commodities via a threat and intelligence led approach; and we continue to examine goods brought into the UK by passengers are appropriately declared and abide by customs and excise rules. Border Force has an excellent relationship with airport security personnel nationally, ensuring they are aware and able to identify potential smuggling risks. If, when carrying out their security function, airline staff identify a person who may be of interest to Border Force, they will share that information, allowing Border Force Officers (BFOs) to take appropriate action. Border Force examines thousands of parcels arriving into the UK every day as part of Border Security checks. Border Force has had a record-breaking year in terms of seizures, highlighting our ability to complete high volumes of checks, with data available via Migration transparency data - GOV.UK
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost is of processing a citizen application fee-waiver for under 18s.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office has previously estimated the cost of processing fee waivers for under 18s applying for British citizenship in the Impact Assessment published alongside the Fee Regulations introducing the waiver in June 2022 – please see at page 8 of the following link: The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2022.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of reasonable adjustments for disabled doctors and medical students in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made. Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to consider and make reasonable adjustments for employees who have a disability, taking advice from their local occupational health and human resources department.
The NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard sets out metrics to enable organisations to understand the experiences of disabled staff and to develop and publish an action plan. Year on year comparison enables trusts to demonstrate progress against the indicators of disability equality.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the potential impact of airport staffing on the ability of airports to complete customs checks on small packages imported from abroad.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Border Force has an intelligence-led approach to how it assesses the many threats to the UK Border and is robust in how it deploys resource. Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes, security requirements and developing threats.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether any airports are unable to complete customs checks on small packages to expected standards.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
In the interests of border security, it is longstanding Home Office policy to not disclose information of a port or region-specific nature. This is because it could allow an individual with malintent the ability to identify any potential weak points in the UK Border.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for energy independence of a) current and b) predicted future levels of gas use in new build homes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s policy on new build regulation is driving down the use of gas in new build homes, contributing to our energy independence. MHCLG has developed statistics on energy efficiency characteristics of new dwellings and will publish them shortly. Under the Future Homes Standard, to be published in early 2026, we expect new homes to be built with low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks, as well as solar panels by default. This, along with increased wider renewable generation, will boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power and increase our energy independence.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for energy independence of a) current and b) predicted future levels of gas use in new build homes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s policy on new build regulation is driving down the use of gas in new build homes, contributing to our energy independence. MHCLG has developed statistics on energy efficiency characteristics of new dwellings and will publish them shortly. Under the Future Homes Standard, to be published in early 2026, we expect new homes to be built with low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks, as well as solar panels by default. This, along with increased wider renewable generation, will boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power and increase our energy independence.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking on the development of the energy efficiency elements of the Home Energy Model for the new homes standard.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is developing the Home Energy Model (HEM) to support net zero and housing goals, including the requirements laid out in the Future Homes Standard (FHS).
HEM and the FHS ‘wrapper’ will together make up the HEM: FHS assessment methodology. HEM is completing final refinement and testing with industry and technical stakeholders ahead of its introduction as an approved route for demonstrating compliance with the FHS.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking towards drafting technical specifications for energy efficiency for the new homes standard.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department is currently finalising the Future Homes and Buildings Standards following the consultation, which opened in December 2023 and closed in March 2024. As part of establishing the new Government, we have taken the time to carefully review previous proposals to ensure they align with our ambitions in this area. It is essential that we get the technical details right to deliver a robust and workable standard.
Work to develop the technical specifications for new homes has included drafting proposed performance requirements, undertaking detailed modelling, and engaging with industry and other stakeholders. These processes have informed the energy efficiency specifications set out in the consultation. Industry engagement has continued throughout the policy development process. In particular, key issues around rooftop solar have required a series of follow-up discussions with industry to ensure the policy is practical and effective. The consultation response will be published in Q1 this year.