Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what individuals or organisations from central, regional and local government, as well as wider academia, business and civil society, are represented on the Public Control Taskforce for water.
Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Public Control Taskforce is staffed by officials within the Office for the Prime Minister & Cabinet, and is being driven forward by the First Secretary of State, Louise Haigh. The Public Control Taskforce works in close partnership with relevant departments, including Defra on water, as well as regional and local partners. The Taskforce is committed to hearing from a diverse range of viewpoints, and, working with departments, is engaging a wide range of individuals and organisations across academia, business and civil society, to understand their different perspectives. In line with Government transparency requirements, certain Senior Civil Servants at SCS2 grade and above (including Directors General and Permanent Secretaries), and Ministers, where applicable, publish declarations of meetings held with external organisations and individuals on a quarterly basis.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will publish the membership, terms of reference, and proposed reporting timelines of the cross-government task and finish group examining the issue of large domestic political donations announced at Commons report stage of the Representation of the People Bill.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 10 November to Question 36669.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies; and, with reference to the Cabinet Office consultation principles guidance, why the response was not published within 12 weeks.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office will publish its response to the public consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies ahead of the introduction of the Police Reform Bill.
The consultation covered complex and rapidly developing technologies and attracted a significant number of responses from a wide range of interested parties. The Department has taken the necessary time to consider these responses alongside wider research, stakeholder engagement, operational evidence and the development of the relevant legislative measures.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will she make public the membership of the Public Control taskforce, and when she will make public the taskforce's terms of reference.
Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
For too long, our essential sectors have suffered from over-privatisation. The Government is clear that the public has a right to expect these services to be affordable and accountable. The Public Control Taskforce is exploring how greater public control can ensure our essential services - housing, water, energy, and transport - run in the interest of those who use them. Later this year, we will publish our plan for Britain and set out how, over the next decade, we will make this country work for the public again.
The Taskforce sits within the Office for the Prime Minister & Cabinet, and is being overseen by First Secretary of State, Louise Haigh. The Taskforce is drawing on expertise across central, regional and local government, as well as wider academia, business and civil society.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in relation to his Department’s review of Responsible Business Conduct, if he will (i) set out the process and timeline for completion and (ii) whether he plans to publish the review.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The review has been completed and Government is considering its findings. We will publish the review and set out our plans soon.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department was informed that staff of Palantir Technologies UK Limited and external consultants had been granted administrative roles providing unrestricted access to identifiable patient data within the National Data Integration Tenant of the NHS Federated Data Platform prior to pseudonymisation prior to 11 May 2026; and if he will release any documents or communications relating to the disclosure of this access arrangement to Ministers or Parliament.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) safely connects information from different systems across the National Health Service into a single, secure environment. This allows staff to co-ordinate care better to improve outcomes for patients.
The NHS FDP is delivering for the NHS, helping people get the care they need quicker and more efficiently. Since March 2024, more than 100,000 additional patients have been supported to undergo procedures in theatres partly by increasing theatre utilisation. Nearly 94,000 people have been supported on their cancer journey, with 7% seeing a reduction in the time it took to diagnose their cancer. There has been a 14% decrease in delays discharging patients staying in hospital for more than seven days, freeing up beds for those who need them most. NHS England publishes quarterly information on benefits realised from the FDP, which is available at the following link:
To date, 24 integrated care board clusters and 168 NHS trusts have signed up to the NHS FDP, including Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
The Department was not informed of routine access arrangements operating in the National Data Integration Tenant of the NHS Federated Data Platform before May 2026. NHS England is reviewing information governance documents and will publish updates in due course.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of healthcare provision for prisoners with neuromuscular and other progressive conditions at HMP Wormwood Scrubs; and what steps he is taking to ensure that such prisoners receive specialist care.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
Whilst no specific assessment has been made, individuals with neuromuscular or progressive conditions are assessed on a case-by-case basis as there is significant variation with regard to how they may present and this is somewhat of an umbrella term.
Typically, they would be seen first by a nurse in reception and then examined by a doctor and on the basis of this initial meeting further healthcare staff may become involved. They will usually be referred to the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting where multiple healthcare professionals can converge and come up with the best and safest plan for the patient. This typically involves: a nurse doing a full assessment on how they are coping in their cell and whether extra support is needed with such tasks as washing, dressing, or grooming; the physiotherapist assessing their muscle strength and mobility; the dietician if any dietary input is needed; and the doctor if any referrals need to be made to the local hospital for secondary care input, for example, neurology, or if any medications are required.
High-risk patients who require extra support are usually either in a cell compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act or the inpatient unit where there is around-the-clock nursing support. These patients are typically reviewed regularly by healthcare regularly and any signs of deterioration they may be re-discussed in the MDT meeting to decide on any further course of action or escalation.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with trade unions on the proposed new water regulator for England.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Minister Hardy met with Defra Group Trade Unions on the 16 April to discuss how the Department will continue to engage with Trade Unions on the programme of water reforms.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether steps are being taken to provide staff transferring to a new water regulator in England with (a) a single set of terms and conditions, (b) access to the Civil Service Pension Scheme, (c) access to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, (d) job security and (e) protection and support for those with disabilities and other needs.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The department will follow all Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) legislation or Cabinet Office Statement of Practice regulations as the details regarding the creation of the new regulator are finalised.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring a nationwide presence of offices for the new water regulator in England.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is working with stakeholders, including existing water regulators, on the strategic design of the new regulator to ensure it is able to support delivery of the Government’s vision set out in the Water White Paper. A range of options for its operating model are being considered. Decisions on the location and distribution of offices will be taken in due course.