Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of costs associated with extended producer responsibility on small businesses.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have made a full assessment of the impacts that implementing packaging extended producer responsibility will have. This includes assessment of the impacts on small businesses, which can be found in Section 8 of the impact assessment: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.
Packaging extended producer responsibility cost obligations will only apply to large producers with a turnover over £2 million and who place more than 50 tonnes of packaging on the market. This threshold exempts around 70% of producers from paying these fees. Any large producers who supply the exempt producers with empty packaging will pay the fees associated with that packaging.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what financial services the Post Office provides at (a) Crown post offices and hosted Crown post offices, (b) franchise post offices, (c) Main post office, (d) Post Office Locals, (e) traditional sub-post office and (f) other types of post office branches.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Customers can deposit cash or cheques, withdraw money and check their balance at all the branch types listed as well as at Banking Hubs operated by the Post Office.
Customers can use the Post Office Branch Finder tool online to find out what services are available at their local branch.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support workers facing potential job loss in the event of Crown Post Office (a) closures and (b) franchising.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decisions have yet been taken on the future of any Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches. Although staffing is an operational matter for the Post Office, we would expect any changes to be carried out in line with due process including engagement and consultation.
Post Office has committed to working with the unions to discuss the Chair’s transformation plans over the next three months. A new Consultative Council will also be introduced to work with the Post Office on how these new plans are taken forward, to provide genuine challenge and to make sure the plans remain focused on the needs of postmasters and the communication they serve.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will consult on the closure and franchising of Crown Post Offices.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decisions regarding Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches, have been taken. The Post Office works with local communities to consider how to best meet needs for Post Office services in a local area. The Post Office will continue to deliver on the 11,500 minimum branch requirement set by Government.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of people dying in fuel poverty in Lambeth.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives, reducing pressures on the NHS.
There are multiple targeted schemes delivering energy efficiency measures to low-income and fuel poor households. The Warm Home Discount schemes provide a £150 rebate off bills to eligible low-income households across Great Britain.
The Government has kickstarted delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, including an initial £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes over the next 3 years.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether a Minister will attend the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in March 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government does not believe the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons. The UK will not sign, ratify or engage with the Treaty and will not send Observers to the Third Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW. The Government firmly believes that the best way to achieve our collective goal of a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach, under the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if the Government will take steps to ensure Crown Post Office Staff will not be (a) made redundant and (b) moved to roles with (i) poorer working conditions and (ii) lower pay after their branches are franchised.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decisions regarding Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches, have been taken.
Any decisions on staffing are a matter for Post Office but we would expect any changes to be carried out in line with due process, including engagement and consultation.
One of the central aims communicated within Post Office's recently announced transformation plan was to prioritise postmasters, including increases in postmaster pay.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
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 impact of blood donation rules on iron levels on the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women unable to donate blood.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) tests for haemoglobin levels rather than iron levels ahead of blood donation. If the test shows that the haemoglobin is low, the donor is deferred and information is provided on how they can increase haemoglobin levels through altering their diet, and book an appointment with their general practitioner if levels are particularly low. On average, 7% to 11% of donors are deferred because of low haemoglobin levels, but this rises to 12% of black heritage donors and to 25% of female black heritage donors. These deferrals impact on donor retention, as donors deferred for low haemoglobin are less likely to return.
Currently there are no plans to review minimum haemoglobin levels to donate blood. Donors whose haemoglobin levels are below safe levels to donate are deferred in accordance with the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 and the guidance issued by the Joint UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC) which states ‘taking a donation from a person with a haemoglobin concentration below the recommended value may make them anaemic’.
Increasing diversity in the donor base is a priority for NHSBT, so they can provide matched blood for more patients, including those with rare blood types commonly found in black, Asian, and minority ethnic women. NHSBT provides grants to community and faith groups to encourage donation, including in black, Asian, and minority ethnic communicates. The Department provided seed funding for NHSBT to increase its collection capacity, particularly in diverse areas where higher proportions of the population have rare blood types, including Brixton and Brighton.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
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 blood donation rules on (a) iron levels in and (b) the adequacy of the supply of rare blood types commonly found in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) tests for haemoglobin levels rather than iron levels ahead of blood donation. If the test shows that the haemoglobin is low, the donor is deferred and information is provided on how they can increase haemoglobin levels through altering their diet, and book an appointment with their general practitioner if levels are particularly low. On average, 7% to 11% of donors are deferred because of low haemoglobin levels, but this rises to 12% of black heritage donors and to 25% of female black heritage donors. These deferrals impact on donor retention, as donors deferred for low haemoglobin are less likely to return.
Currently there are no plans to review minimum haemoglobin levels to donate blood. Donors whose haemoglobin levels are below safe levels to donate are deferred in accordance with the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 and the guidance issued by the Joint UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC) which states ‘taking a donation from a person with a haemoglobin concentration below the recommended value may make them anaemic’.
Increasing diversity in the donor base is a priority for NHSBT, so they can provide matched blood for more patients, including those with rare blood types commonly found in black, Asian, and minority ethnic women. NHSBT provides grants to community and faith groups to encourage donation, including in black, Asian, and minority ethnic communicates. The Department provided seed funding for NHSBT to increase its collection capacity, particularly in diverse areas where higher proportions of the population have rare blood types, including Brixton and Brighton.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the minimum iron level required to donate blood.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) tests for haemoglobin levels rather than iron levels ahead of blood donation. If the test shows that the haemoglobin is low, the donor is deferred and information is provided on how they can increase haemoglobin levels through altering their diet, and book an appointment with their general practitioner if levels are particularly low. On average, 7% to 11% of donors are deferred because of low haemoglobin levels, but this rises to 12% of black heritage donors and to 25% of female black heritage donors. These deferrals impact on donor retention, as donors deferred for low haemoglobin are less likely to return.
Currently there are no plans to review minimum haemoglobin levels to donate blood. Donors whose haemoglobin levels are below safe levels to donate are deferred in accordance with the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 and the guidance issued by the Joint UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC) which states ‘taking a donation from a person with a haemoglobin concentration below the recommended value may make them anaemic’.
Increasing diversity in the donor base is a priority for NHSBT, so they can provide matched blood for more patients, including those with rare blood types commonly found in black, Asian, and minority ethnic women. NHSBT provides grants to community and faith groups to encourage donation, including in black, Asian, and minority ethnic communicates. The Department provided seed funding for NHSBT to increase its collection capacity, particularly in diverse areas where higher proportions of the population have rare blood types, including Brixton and Brighton.