Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) financial structure and (b) governance arrangements of (i) Blenheim Estates and (ii) the Blenheim Charitable Foundation.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I have not made an assessment of the financial structure of government arrangements of Blenheim Estates or the Blenheim Foundation. Charities are independent organisations and it is the responsibility of the trustees to make decisions in the best interests of the charity. Concerns about the governance of a charity should be raised with the charity itself, or where there are concerns about misconduct or mismanagement the Charity Commission for England and Wales as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has sought the advice of the office of the Financial Sanction Implementation on reported Russian-linked funding associated with the proposed Botley West Solar Farm.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Given the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in taking decisions on applications for development consent for energy infrastructure proposals, it would not be appropriate to comment on matters relating to specific proposals
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) the Planning Inspectorate and (b) Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project processes to safeguard against national security risks from investment by (i) inappropriate or (ii) hostile overseas sources.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
National security risk assessments are matters for the Investment Security Unit within the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the financial viability of SolarFive Ltd and Photovolt Development Partners to undertake the development of Botley West Solar Farm.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An applicant seeking development consent for an energy-related nationally significant infrastructure project must submit a Funding Statement as part of the application process.
Given the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in taking decisions on applications for development consent for energy infrastructure proposals, it would not be appropriate to comment on specific matters related to the individual projects, as this could be seen as prejudicing the decision-making process.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Planning Inspectorate and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project processes in evaluating the financial viability of funding commitments made by developers of major energy projects.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An applicant seeking development consent for an energy-related nationally significant infrastructure project must submit a Funding Statement as part of the application process. This is assessed by both the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State prior to a decision on whether to consent the project being made.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans she has to support cross-community interfaith work.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Interfaith relations are vital for strong, cohesive communities. The government is funding Inter Faith Week 2025 next week as a key moment in the national calendar for dialogue, learning, and connection between faiths and beliefs. I am sure many Hon Members will take part in events in their constituencies.
Alongside this, MHCLG funds programmes including Near Neighbours and Schools Linking which promote understanding across diverse communities.
The government will always champion faith and freedom or religion or belief at home and abroad.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the potential impacts of the US requiring duties to be collected on all imports on UK businesses.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The department has conducted quantitative analysis and engaged directly with businesses across impacted sectors to understand the impact of the US removal of their De Minimis threshold. We have published information for UK businesses and remain in contact with our US counterparts to ensure their guidance to our exporters is as clear as possible. Royal Mail’s new service has allowed SMEs to continue trading with the US.
The Secretary of State and departmental officials are in regular contact with US counterparts to discuss the impacts of tariffs on UK businesses and arrangements we can reach to alleviate them.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on exporters of the United States' suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value goods.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The department has conducted quantitative analysis and engaged directly with businesses across impacted sectors to understand the impact of the US removal of their De Minimis threshold. We have published information for UK businesses and remain in contact with our US counterparts to ensure their guidance to our exporters is as clear as possible. Royal Mail’s new service has allowed SMEs to continue trading with the US.
The Secretary of State and departmental officials are in regular contact with US counterparts to discuss the impacts of tariffs on UK businesses and arrangements we can reach to alleviate them.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made specific provision for UK citizens who completed their medical training outside the UK within the policy of prioritising UK Medical Graduates for (a) foundation and (b) specialist training.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan published on 3 July, we will work across the Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training. We will set out further details in due course.
British doctors who obtained their medical degree abroad need to meet the requirements of the General Medical Council, the independent regulator of the medical profession, to practise medicine in the UK. These doctors are then able to apply for jobs in the NHS on the same basis as UK medical graduates.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help promote public education on the misuse of emergency service protocols, including advice shared on social media on how to manipulate emergency triage systems.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service regularly shares information online through the NHS.UK website and on social media about how to access emergency services properly, including accident emergency, 999, 111, general practices (GPs), and pharmacies. The NHS also shares this information through out of home advertising via leaflets and posters in hospitals, GPs, and pharmacies.
The Government is also overhauling the NHS App to make it easier than ever before for patients to take control of their personal healthcare, including the use of NHS 111 online to answer questions and get instant advice or medical help near you.