Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with stakeholders on helping to reduce the prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy amongst sportspeople.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports, and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to help ensure the safety of all participants in sport.
The Sports Concussion Research Forum, established by DCMS and chaired by the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, published its independent report into the key research questions in this important area in September 2024 - https://www.ukri.org/publications/concussion-in-sport/
The Government remains committed to working with sports stakeholders to build on the positive work that is already taking place to mitigate the causes and effects of concussion in sport.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has undertaken research into the prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in (a) professional athletes and (b) recreational players of sport.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports, and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to help ensure the safety of all participants in sport.
The Sports Concussion Research Forum, established by DCMS and chaired by the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, published its independent report into the key research questions in this important area in September 2024 - https://www.ukri.org/publications/concussion-in-sport/
The Government remains committed to working with sports stakeholders to build on the positive work that is already taking place to mitigate the causes and effects of concussion in sport.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the armed forces.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The new Government’s work in improving retention and recruitment is part of a package of measures aimed to renew the contract between the nation and those who serve. We are modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract, and then retain the best possible talent, highlighting that Defence is a modern, forward-facing employer which offers a valuable and rewarding career. Our aim is to attract and recruit more, as well as maximise the number of applicants that successfully enter and remain in Armed Forces employment.
We have already awarded the largest Armed Forces pay increase in 22 years, ensuring that the starting Armed Forces’ salary is in line with the National Living Wage, and have set a new ambition for the Armed Forces to make a conditional offer of employment to candidates within 10 days and to give people a provisional training start date within 30 days. We have reviewed and implemented changes to the Armed Forces’ Entry Medical Employment Standards, setting new regulations for a range of conditions including asthma and eczema. Furthermore, Defence is creating a new military direct-entry cyber pathway. This will help boost our cyber resilience and support the UK’s ability to conduct operations in cyberspace.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to use digital technology to improve defence outputs.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence’s goal is to continually evolve a secure, singular, modern Digital Backbone to connect sensors, effectors, and deciders across military and business domains and with partners, driving integration and interoperability across domains and platforms. Through this, we are exploiting digital technology and data to revolutionise warfare and transform defence.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to investigate representations made to her Department by members of the public adversely affected by the business practices of rent-a-roof companies under the (a) Feed-In-Tariff and (b) Renewable Heat Incentive schemes.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is aware of the troubling issues that householders have reported regarding commercial lease/rent-a-roof arrangements linked to the Feed-in Tariff and Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive schemes. Minister Bowie met with some of the affected consumers last month to listen to their concerns. Whilst these are private law contracts, the Department is currently investigating these issues and working with the responsible regulatory bodies, before determining what action can be taken.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will announce a timeline for a decision on whether additional measures will be introduced to further support mortgage prisoners.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The Government understands that being unable to switch your mortgage can be extremely stressful. Alongside the Financial Conduct Authority and industry, we have shown we are willing to act through the introduction of a ‘modified affordability assessment’, which removes the regulatory barriers that prevented some customers, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. We are also regularly in contact with key stakeholders, including recently with the UK Mortgage Prisoners campaign group.
The Government remains committed to this issue and will continue to work with industry and wider stakeholders to determine if there are proposals that will meaningly benefit affected borrowers and be fair to other borrowers in the wider market.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of when people who receive a Civil Service Pension will begin to receive their remediable service statement.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
We will start issuing Remedial Service Statements (RSS) from Spring 2024 and this will be completed in line with the legislative deadline of April 2025. This has been broken into cohorts starting with Ill Health Retirements and concluding with Deceased.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has a timeline for people who receive a Civil Service Pension to receive their remediable service statement.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
We will start issuing Remedial Service Statements (RSS) from Spring 2024 and this will be completed in line with the legislative deadline of April 2025. This has been broken into cohorts starting with Ill Health Retirements and concluding with Deceased.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188871 on LE TacCIS Programme, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to deliver Evolve to Open on the initial operating capability of the Morpheus programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 June 2023 to Question 188872 to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey). I can confirm the Ministry of Defence will continue to meet all of its operational requirements, providing secure Battlefield Communication and Information Systems (CIS) until MORPHEUS is fielded.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188871 on LE TacCIS Programme, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of delays to Evolve to Open on the cost of the Morpheus programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
These matters are commercially sensitive, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until discussions have concluded.