Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department is giving to the live comedy industry.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government recognises the important contribution live comedy makes to the UK’s economy and creative sectors.
In March, I hosted the first comedy sector roundtable, in which we discussed a number of ways to boost the sector, including strengthening the evidence of comedy's economic and social impact, and improving the sector's understanding of funding opportunities.
The government is also providing a £7 million grant to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for 2024-26, and is taking action to support self-employed creatives, including appointing a Freelance Champion. Arts Council England already provides support to the comedy sector, which will also benefit from reforms as part of the Independent Review of Arts Council England, including improving the experience of funding applicants and exploring new support for individual creatives.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to advance the UK's preparedness in relation to modern drone warfare.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Within the UK, there is now a thriving drones, counter-drones and autonomous systems ecosystem which enables spiral development, flexibility and modularity. This demonstrates how the UK is taking several steps to employ modern drone technologies in offensive and defensive roles. The Department also continually considers and develops improvements to the Integrated Air and Missile Defence systems, and we recognise the significance of drone warfare in current conflicts. Our land-based counter-drone systems have been proven on operations in the Middle East, and RAF Typhoons are now equipped with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, a low-cost anti-drone weapon that has also seen operational use in the Middle East. Last November, the Government announced it had awarded a £316 million contract to MBDA UK to deliver the DragonFire counter-drone directed energy weapon to the Royal Navy.
Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Reviews recommendations, including on the milestones and timelines for delivery of low-cost one way effectors and further Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities, including counter-drone systems and electromagnetic warfare will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether access to blue space will be considered in including routes in the National Active Travel Network.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The National Active Travel Network will bring together both urban and rural networks, such as National Cycling Network, linking towns and villages across England into a single national plan. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how to plan their network and invest funding, in line with local priorities. Active Travel England will support local authorities to improve their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, including issuing updated guidance, to assist local authorities in determining their local priorities. The new guidance will support consideration of a broader range of travel needs, journey types and trip purposes. There are no plans for a threshold on population size for inclusion in the National Active Travel Network.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her department plans for the proposed National Active Travel Network to connect small centres of population.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The National Active Travel Network will bring together both urban and rural networks, such as National Cycling Network, linking towns and villages across England into a single national plan. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how to plan their network and invest funding, in line with local priorities. Active Travel England will support local authorities to improve their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, including issuing updated guidance, to assist local authorities in determining their local priorities. The new guidance will support consideration of a broader range of travel needs, journey types and trip purposes. There are no plans for a threshold on population size for inclusion in the National Active Travel Network.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there will be a threshold for population size for inclusion in the National Active Travel Network.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The National Active Travel Network will bring together both urban and rural networks, such as National Cycling Network, linking towns and villages across England into a single national plan. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how to plan their network and invest funding, in line with local priorities. Active Travel England will support local authorities to improve their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, including issuing updated guidance, to assist local authorities in determining their local priorities. The new guidance will support consideration of a broader range of travel needs, journey types and trip purposes. There are no plans for a threshold on population size for inclusion in the National Active Travel Network.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department will publish a response to the working paper on community benefits and shared ownership for low carbon energy infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are in the process of reviewing responses and intend to publish a response setting out our next steps in due course.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of adding asthma to the list of long-term medical conditions that are exempt from prescription charges.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no current plans to review the list of prescription charge exemptions or the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate. The Government has not specifically assessed the impact on patient health outcomes for people with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy who may struggle to afford their prescribed medication.
Patients with certain medical conditions may be eligible for exemption from National Health Service prescription charges for another reason. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, and whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.
Additionally, people on a low income can seek help under the NHS Low Income Scheme, and people who have to pay NHS prescription charges and need many prescription items could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). PPCs are available to purchase online from the NHS Business Services Authority or in-person at some pharmacies. The prescription charge in England is £9.90. A PPC costs £32.05 for three months or £114.50 for 12 months.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing transitional financial support for people to train as paramedics under the Plan 2 university-only model, in the context of the availability of apprenticeship pathways for paramedics.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There are different routes to becoming a paramedic, including traditional full-time university study and apprenticeship pathways.
Students undertaking traditional higher education routes to becoming a paramedic, such as on their first degree-level course can generally access student finance for their paramedic studies.
Plan 5 loan terms and conditions apply to students starting eligible courses from 1 August 2023, and there are no plans to introduce differential terms for paramedic students.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that endometriosis is consistently and adequately covered in the education and training of healthcare practitioners.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department will take to address gaps in endometriosis training in order to reduce delays in diagnosis and improve outcomes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.