Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, Official Report, column 945, how many and what proportion of the 1.3 million homes to be built in the UK this parliament will be built in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The 1.3 million homes figure referenced represents a forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) based solely on the impact of the changes the government made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024. The OBR does not provide a breakdown between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the regime of discounts applied to meat charges incurred by undertaking inspection obligations under Official Controls Regulations on the small abattoir industry in Wales.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 28 February 2025, further to engagement with industry representative bodies, the Food Standards Agency published the 2025/26 charge rates for inspections in meat premises in England and Wales. As in previous years, charges in 2025/26 will be offset by a taxpayer-funded discount scheme which will provide the greatest proportional support to smaller abattoirs, and will therefore benefit the small abattoir industry in Wales. A separate exercise is being conducted in respect of 2025/26 charges for abattoirs in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to undertake a review of the (a) implementation and (b) roll-out of the migration to a fully digital eVisa system.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office is moving to a digital immigration system, and there are no plans to issue physical documents in future.
Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission and have a digital immigration status, which they can keep for their personal records. However, these documents cannot be used as evidence of their status.
We evaluated the QR code proposal put forward by the3million and our response is published on their website: https://the3million.org.uk/publication/2023121501.
We already operate a process of ex gratia payments if the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas.
We consistently monitor the transition to eVisas, and encourage people to report any issues so they can be addressed. We listen to feedback from visa holders, stakeholders and MPs and address concerns, such as introducing greater flexibility for carriers to accept BRPs that expired on 31 December 2024 until 1 June 2025, to smooth the transition for those travelling internationally without compromising on border security.
We keep all visa routes and digital visa systems, including the introduction and implementation of the eVisa system, under review and will update Parliament in the normal manner.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) alternative proof of Visa status to digital-only eVisas, such as (i) secure QR codes and (ii) equivalent physical documentation and (b) a compensation scheme for individuals impacted by eVisa errors.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office is moving to a digital immigration system, and there are no plans to issue physical documents in future.
Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission and have a digital immigration status, which they can keep for their personal records. However, these documents cannot be used as evidence of their status.
We evaluated the QR code proposal put forward by the3million and our response is published on their website: https://the3million.org.uk/publication/2023121501.
We already operate a process of ex gratia payments if the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas.
We consistently monitor the transition to eVisas, and encourage people to report any issues so they can be addressed. We listen to feedback from visa holders, stakeholders and MPs and address concerns, such as introducing greater flexibility for carriers to accept BRPs that expired on 31 December 2024 until 1 June 2025, to smooth the transition for those travelling internationally without compromising on border security.
We keep all visa routes and digital visa systems, including the introduction and implementation of the eVisa system, under review and will update Parliament in the normal manner.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had recent discussions with the Welsh Government on the provision of speech and language therapy in youth justice services in Wales.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government recognises the vital role that Speech and Language Therapists play in supporting young people within the justice system.
I discussed matters relating to youth justice in Wales when I met with Welsh Government Minister Janet Hutt earlier this month.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
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 include reform of inherited cardiac conditions in the 10-year plan for the NHS.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving cardiac health in all parts of the country.
More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including cardiac disease, closer to home. Moving from sickness to prevention will help us provide treatment earlier, rather than only intervening when conditions deteriorate.
NHS England has published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease or families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause. NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification in line with the national service specification methods review process. The specification is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions.pdf