Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether experiencing acne (a) in the past and (b) at present is used as a criterion within the online recruitment process for selecting potential future members of the territorial army.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Government inherited a recruitment crisis from the last Government.
The Defence Secretary has undertaken to review the current recruitment policies and has already announced several changes to prior outdated approaches.
An update to Joint Service Publication (JSP) 950 Leaflet 6-7-7, which sets out the Medical Employment Standards for the Armed Forces, was published in August 2024 following an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies.
The updated JSP 950 Leaflet 6-7-7 is now in use and applies to both Regular and Reserve Forces. In the case of acne, the update confirms that candidates with acne that has resolved with or without treatment, are now able to join the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether past experience of depression is used as a criterion within the online recruitment process for selecting potential future members of the territorial army.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Secretary has undertaken to review the current recruitment policies and has already announced several changes to prior outdated approaches.
An update to Joint Service Publication (JSP) 950 Leaflet 6-7-7, which sets out the Medical Employment Standards for the Armed Forces, was published in August 2024 following an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies.
The updated JSP 950 Leaflet 6-7-7 is now in use and applies to both Regular and Reserve Forces. In the case of mood disorders, including depression, the update confirms that candidates with a single episode of depressive disorder may be able to join the Armed Forces providing they meet certain criteria.
For mild or moderate episodes, candidates may be eligible providing the episode has lasted for less than two years and candidates have remained asymptomatic without relapse following the completion of all treatment for at least one year or for severe episodes for at least two years post treatment.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held recent discussions with his G20 counterparts on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Sudan is a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary, who chaired the London Sudan Conference on 15 April. The conference was co-hosted by the AU, EU, France and Germany, and all G20 counterparts. It was also attended by G20 members including Canada, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Discussions at the conference included recognising the urgency of the humanitarian situation, including the impact of refugees on neighbouring states, and how best countries can align and strengthen efforts to get assistance to those who need it most. Delegates also agreed to use their influence with the parties, and urge them to lift all impediments, and guarantee safe, rapid, and unimpeded access throughout Sudan for humanitarian supplies and personnel.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to United Nations World Food Programme press release entitled Tens of millions at risk of extreme hunger and starvation as unprecedented funding crisis spirals, published on 28 March 2025, whether he has had discussions with the World Food Programme on Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is the largest and most severe globally. Tens of millions of people require life-saving aid with almost 640,000 people projected to be experiencing catastrophic famine conditions. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Ministers and officials are in regular communications with representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP). On 10 March, the Minister for Development met the WFP Country Director for Sudan alongside other senior United Nations staff. More recently, WFP staff participated in a UK organised roundtable meeting about the crisis in Sudan as part of preparations for the UK's Sudan London Conference, taking place on 15 April.
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, with reference to paragraph 17.7 of the NHS Standard Contract 2024/25 Service Conditions, published in February 2024, what steps her Department is taking to offer reusable period products.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of women and girls being able to access the care they need for their reproductive health, including period products.
Since 2019 it has been a requirement in the NHS Standard Contract that the National Health Service must offer period products to every hospital patient who needs them.
Paragraph 17.7 places an obligation on providers to ensure that supplies of appropriate sanitary products are available and are, on request, provided promptly to inpatient service users free of charge. It is for individual providers to decide what products to provide and how best to meet their obligations.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Period product scheme for schools and colleges, published 9 September 2024, what methods she uses to highlight to eligible schools and colleges the availability of (a) environmentally friendly and (b) reusable products.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The period product scheme provides a wide range of products for organisations to choose from. These include environmentally friendly tampons and pads, alongside reusable products such as menstrual cups and period pants. Schools and colleges know their learners best and therefore have the freedom to select the most suitable products for their learners, considering the cost and type of product.
When choosing products, girls and women will inevitably have a range of priorities including whether the product is familiar, comfortable and whether it is environmentally friendly. The department therefore offers a range of products to allow organisations and learners a choice. We will be monitoring product choice closely, while continuing to seek opportunities to encourage the use of sustainable products as the scheme develops.
In the 2024/25 academic year up to February 2025, 45% of ordering organisations had ordered environmentally friendly or reusable products.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Period product scheme for schools and colleges, published 9 September 2024, what proportion of organisations have ordered (a) environmentally friendly and (b) reusable products during the 2024-25 academic year to date.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The period product scheme provides a wide range of products for organisations to choose from. These include environmentally friendly tampons and pads, alongside reusable products such as menstrual cups and period pants. Schools and colleges know their learners best and therefore have the freedom to select the most suitable products for their learners, considering the cost and type of product.
When choosing products, girls and women will inevitably have a range of priorities including whether the product is familiar, comfortable and whether it is environmentally friendly. The department therefore offers a range of products to allow organisations and learners a choice. We will be monitoring product choice closely, while continuing to seek opportunities to encourage the use of sustainable products as the scheme develops.
In the 2024/25 academic year up to February 2025, 45% of ordering organisations had ordered environmentally friendly or reusable products.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the environmental impact of disposable period products and (a) environmentally friendly and (b) reusable products.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has not carried out a comparative assessment of the environmental impact of different types of period products.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 28 January 2025 in the debate on Road Safety: Young Drivers, Official Report, Column 49-51WH, which (a) channels, (b) content providers and (c) mechanisms other than LADBible her Department is using to increase awareness of the THINK! campaign among young drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government's flagship road safety campaign, THINK!, aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.
THINK! plays an important role in raising awareness of risky driving behaviours amongst young people. This has recently included campaigns on drink-driving and speeding on rural roads, two of the leading factors in fatal collisions and areas where young male drivers are overrepresented in the casualty data.
THINK! campaigns target digital channels and platforms that are frequently used by young people. This includes paid advertising on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and being amongst the first campaigns to trial advertising on TikTok as part of a Government pilot), digital audio (including podcasts, digital radio and music streaming apps such as Spotify), online video (for example on Youtube, Twitch and via digital display advertising), and working with popular online influencers in collaboration with LADbible. THINK! also uses traditional channels, such as broadcast radio, cinema and out-of-home advertising, to target environments and situations that are contextually relevant to young drivers (i.e. around or during an actual car journey).
THINK! frequently uses interactive and innovative approaches to drive up ad engagement with young men. Recent examples include an interactive Snapchat lens for a drink drive campaign, a ‘perception test’ game to illustrate the dangers of speeding, and a gamified quiz to highlight the facts on seatbelt usage.
The THINK! campaign partnered with alcohol brands, including Heineken and Eisberg, to launch the THINK! 0% platform in December 2024, reaching young drivers at the point-of-sale in pubs and bars and encouraging them to choose a non-alcoholic alternative if driving.
Throughout the year, the THINK! campaign engages with local stakeholders and partners, including road safety officers, local councils and police forces to promote road safety and support further education on the subject of dangerous driving.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for the Future of Roads in the debate on Road Safety: Young Drivers on 28 January 2025, Official Report, column 49WH, which interventions examined by the Driver2020 research project will be taken forward.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As work progresses on the new road safety strategy, we are considering measures, including those in the Driver2020 project, and assessing their potential impacts to tackle the root causes of young driver collisions without unfairly penalising young drivers.