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Written Question
Gender Based Violence: Criminal Proceedings
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reform the criminal justice system to help tackle violence against women and girls.

Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)

This Government has introduced a comprehensive legislative framework to prevent violence against women, including our landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

We have pioneered the creation of new offences including coercive control, non-fatal strangulation and intimate image abuse; more than doubled the number of adult rape cases reaching court compared to when we commissioned our End-to-End Rape Review; and made sure that sentences for adult rape are almost 40% longer than they were in 2010.

And through our Sentencing Bill, we will ensure that rapists and serious sexual offenders spend the entirety of their custodial sentence behind bars, without possibility of parole.


Written Question
Contraceptives: Anaesthetics
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS guidance webpage entitled Getting an IUD (intrauterine device) or copper coil fitted or removed, last reviewed on 15 February 2024, what the extra pain relief is that can be made available during the fitting of intrauterine devices.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

This is a clinical matter. The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has published a statement on pain associated with intrauterine device (IUD) insertion in 2021, which is available at the following link:

https://www.fsrh.org/standards-and-guidance/documents/fsrh-statement-pain-associated-with-insertion-of-intrauterine/

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare expects clinicians who insert IUDs to be able to demonstrate sufficient skills and knowledge in pain relief, and that options are discussed with patients as part of obtaining consent.


Written Question
Contraceptives: Endometriosis
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS guidance webpage entitled Getting an IUD (intrauterine device) or copper coil fitted or removed, last reviewed on 15 February 2024, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the extra pain relief that can be made available during the fitting of intrauterine devices on levels of people with endometriosis having intrauterine devices fitted.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Long-acting reversible contraceptive fitting services are commissioned at a local level to meet the needs of the local population. Local authorities and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring services are delivered in accordance with quality and safety standards and clinical guidance.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), who are responsible for the clinical issue of pain relief during intrauterine contraception procedures, have published updated clinical guidance for healthcare professionals on pain management during these procedures. FSRH guidance is clear that healthcare professionals should work in partnership with women to establish the best strategies for reducing anxiety, and the most effective interventions for minimising pain during intrauterine contraception procedures.


Written Question
Clinics: Contraceptives
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the ability of sexual health clinics to administer local anaesthetic for the fitting of intrauterine devices.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Long-acting reversible contraceptive fitting services are commissioned at a local level to meet the needs of the local population. Local authorities and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring services are delivered in accordance with quality and safety standards and clinical guidance.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), who are responsible for the clinical issue of pain relief during intrauterine contraception procedures, have published updated clinical guidance for healthcare professionals on pain management during these procedures. FSRH guidance is clear that healthcare professionals should work in partnership with women to establish the best strategies for reducing anxiety, and the most effective interventions for minimising pain during intrauterine contraception procedures.


Written Question
Health Services: Contraceptives
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of training given to staff on assessing when to stop IUD insertions if the patient feels pain or discomfort.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Individual employers providing contraception services are responsible for ensuring their staff are trained and competent to carry out their role.

The standard of training for health care professionals is the responsibility of respective independent statutory regulatory bodies, who set the outcome standards expected and approve courses. It is the responsibility of higher education and training institutions to write and teach a programme that enables their students to meet the regulators’ outcome standards.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 8 September 2023 from the constituent of the hon. Member for Sefton Central on animal testing.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 8 March 2024 advising that the issues raised in his correspondence are a matter for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. I apologise for the delay in responding.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Friday 15th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the email correspondence of 1 November 2023 from the hon. Member for Sefton Central.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay responded to this correspondence on 14 March 2024. The Department apologises for the delay in responding.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Waiting Lists
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2024 to Question 16465 on Driving Tests: Waiting Lists, what the average waiting time was for a driving test from DVSA in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) each region and (d) each driving centre in March 2023.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The attached spreadsheet PQ 17731 shows the average waiting time in March 2023 for a car practical driving test, broken down by:

  • Great Britain
  • England
  • each region/zone
  • each driving centre

The attached spreadsheet PQ 17730 shows the average waiting time in March 2022 for a car practical driving test, broken down by:

  • Great Britain
  • England
  • each region/zone
  • each driving centre

Written Question
Driving Tests: Waiting Lists
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2024 to Question 16465 on Driving Tests: Waiting Lists, what the average waiting time was for a driving test from DVSA in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) each region and (d) each driving centre in March 2022.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The attached spreadsheet PQ 17731 shows the average waiting time in March 2023 for a car practical driving test, broken down by:

  • Great Britain
  • England
  • each region/zone
  • each driving centre

The attached spreadsheet PQ 17730 shows the average waiting time in March 2022 for a car practical driving test, broken down by:

  • Great Britain
  • England
  • each region/zone
  • each driving centre

Written Question
Parking: Private Sector
Wednesday 13th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2024 to Question 16462 on Parking: Private Sector, what representations his Department has received from stakeholders on the potential merits of increasing regulatory scrutiny of private parking companies since 2019.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 15378 on 28 February 2024. Furthermore, the Code has been produced in close consultation with private parking experts including consumer and industry groups. The Government continues to work with these groups to ensure the Code comes into effect as quickly as possible.