Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential cost to the public purse of introducing automatic voter registration.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As set out in our manifesto, the government is actively exploring ways to improve voter registration, including the use of data and online services to help increase registration levels so that everyone who is eligible to vote can vote. Appropriate assessments will be made as policy develops.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of further gambling industry regulation being considered by her Department on levels of economic growth.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The previous Government’s white paper published in April 2023 assessed the impact of key proposals contained in the paper. The estimates did not quantify the impact of all proposals and are expected to have changed in light of updated evidence and finalised policy decisions.

Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) are currently being developed to estimate the anticipated impacts of key proposed legislative measures. Assessments for measures in scope of the Government’s Better Regulation Framework will undergo scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) and the impact assessments will be published alongside the RPC opinion.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will include a youth chapter in the upcoming homelessness strategy.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness and rough sleeping levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected and harms our communities.

The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy. We will consider youth homelessness as part of the cross-government strategy.

We are working at pace to deliver these new initiatives, and we will update the House on progress in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the timelines are for the cross-government strategy to end homelessness.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness and rough sleeping levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected and harms our communities.

The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy. We will consider youth homelessness as part of the cross-government strategy.

We are working at pace to deliver these new initiatives, and we will update the House on progress in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to amend the eligibility criteria for Universal Credit so that people on temporary employment contracts are able to make claims as soon as their contract ends.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

A person on a temporary contract can claim UC at any time and the amount of UC will adjust depending on their earnings. The Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit. Details of the review will be set out in due course.

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 support the (a) mental health and (b) wellbeing of nursing staff.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is important that National Health Service staff are able to work in a supportive and compassionate environment that prioritises their health and wellbeing. NHS England has a wide-ranging package of mental health and wellbeing support for all staff, including nurses, which includes access to counselling services, a self-check wellbeing tool, free access to a range of wellbeing apps, and a health and wellbeing guardian role to provide board level scrutiny within NHS organisations. NHS England is also leading work with partner organisations to strengthen occupational health and wellbeing services for NHS staff.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in levels of demand for patient care on the capacity of the nursing workforce.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. The Long Term Workforce Plan, which included assessments of nursing demand and supply, will be reviewed following the recommendations of 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include enforcement measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to prevent the sale of tobacco products on the internet to those under age.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Selling tobacco to someone underage, whether in person or online, is a serious criminal offence which carries a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction in a magistrates’ court. It is the responsibility of all retailers including those online to ensure their customers are over the age of sale. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, introduced to Parliament on 5 November 2024, is the biggest public health intervention in a generation, and takes significant action to strengthen enforcement to ensure that current and new sales regulations are successfully implemented.

The Bill introduces a new £200 fixed penalty notice in England and Wales, which will enable Trading Standards Officers to act ‘on the spot’ to clamp down on rogue retailers selling tobacco, vapes or nicotine products to people underage, whether in-person or online. The Bill also provides powers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of these products. Once the scheme is introduced, it will be a criminal offence to sell these products, either in person or online, without a licence. Licensing offences will carry significant financial penalties, and those who commit sales offences could face licence revocation, enabling Trading Standards to further clamp down on rogue retailers. The details of the licensing scheme including licence conditions will be subject to consultation ahead of introduction.

Alongside the Bill, the Government is exploring how we can further tackle online underage sales. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is creating a framework of standards and governance, namely the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework, underpinned by legislation, to enable the widespread use of trusted digital identity services. This framework provides a potential opportunity for companies providing age verification services to be certified, to prove they are delivering age assurance solutions that meet Government standards.

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 help increase the uptake of NHS stop smoking services amongst underage smokers.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 5 November 2024, the Government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which stands to be the most significant public health intervention in a generation. It will create the first smoke-free generation, as children turning 15 years old this year or younger can never legally be sold tobacco, whilst those who currently legally smoke are able to continue doing so. The bill sits alongside wider support across the health service to assist smokers in quitting for good.

We remain committed to helping existing smokers to quit with effective support, which is three times as effective as making an unassisted quit attempt. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends nicotine replacement therapy for young people aged 12 years old and over, and if prescribed, that behavioural support is also provided. Local authority funding has been boosted with an additional £70 million in 2024/25 to build capacity and demand for local stop smoking support.

Found: Ribeiro-Addy Andrew Cooper Nadia Whittome Will Stone Carla Denyer Ian Sollom Kirith Entwistle Dr Beccy

Found: Ribeiro-Addy Andrew Cooper Nadia Whittome Will Stone Carla Denyer Ian Sollom Kirith Entwistle Dr Beccy

Found: Morello Andrew Cooper Nadia Whittome Will Stone Carla Denyer Ian Sollom Kirith Entwistle Dr Beccy

Found: Morello Andrew Cooper Nadia Whittome Will Stone Carla Denyer Ian Sollom Kirith Entwistle Dr Beccy

Found: Morello Andrew Cooper Nadia Whittome Will Stone Carla Denyer Ian Sollom Kirith Entwistle Dr Beccy

Submit Evidence (by 11 Dec 2024)

Successive governments have presented reform ideas for adult social care, yet few of these have been implemented. This inquiry seeks to understand what this inaction is costing. We will investigate the cost of inaction to individuals, the NHS, local authorities and also to the wider economy and HM Treasury, focussing not only on the financial cost, but also on the personal costs and on potential benefits that are being missed. The inquiry will consider social care for both older and working age adults.

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