Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
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 tackle regional disparities in the (a) distribution and (b) availability of essential medications.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated, and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues, and regulatory issues. We have drawn on up-to-date intelligence and data on the root causes of medicine supply issues, with manufacturing problems being the most dominant root cause.
The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority, and we are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages. The Department, working closely with NHS England, is taking forward a range of actions to improve our ability to mitigate and manage shortages and to strengthen our resilience. As part of that work, we continue to engage with industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and other colleagues across the supply chain as we progress work to co-design and deliver solutions. We have plans underway to increase the awareness of our work.
The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce sign language into early years planning for deaf children.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
High quality early years education is crucial to children’s development, health and life chances. The department is committed to ensuring that all children, including children with disabilities such as deafness, have the best possible start in life as part of the government‘s Plan for Change. A strong focus on communication in early years is good for every child. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) aims to ensure that all children have the skills and knowledge needed to thrive and to make a successful transition to later schooling.
The EYFS Profile involves assessing a child’s development against 17 early learning goals (ELGs) across all seven areas of learning in the EYFS. In November 2024, the department published the updated EYFS Profile handbook, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook. This update included a change to allow a child’s established or preferred mode of communication, including non-speaking communication, such as signing, to be used for all of the ELGs, including the speaking ELG.
The department has published resources, including a free online training module and special educational needs and disabilities assessment guidance, to help early educators to identify, assess and support children in their settings. Early years educators can choose to utilise many methods of communication, including signing, if they feel it would meet the needs of the children in their care.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) amending the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to include and (b) bringing into the scope of the Motor Ombudsman (i) small businesses run as limited companies and (ii) other small businesses; and what guidance he has issued to small businesses on their protections when purchasing faulty goods.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are no current plans to amend the Consumer Right Act 2015 which focuses on transactions between businesses and consumers rather than between businesses. Under the Consumer Rights Act, consumers have several options when issues arise with goods and services.
The Department for Business and Trade has announced that it will be launching the Business Growth Service later this year to improve and streamline the support services on offer to small businesses.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) support the development of and (b) source external funding for the Directories Asset Mapping digital compendium of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department is not currently working on this project but my officials would welcome more information on the scheme, if the Honorable Member would like to share that.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of employment contract non-compete clauses on (a) entrepreneurship and (b) economic growth.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A dynamic and entrepreneurial workforce is good for economic growth. There is evidence to suggest that non-compete clauses can act as a barrier to this innovation-driven growth, as they can prevent individuals from working for a competing business, or from applying their entrepreneurial spirit to establish a competing business.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that generative AI developers are obliged to disclose the use of (a) creative writing and (b) other works in AI training.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our consultation on the impact of AI on the copyright regime, which was published on 17 December and closed on 25 February, received over 10,000 responses. The consultation took views on a number of topics related to how AI interacts with copyright law, including transparency obligations on AI forms. We will now consider the full range of responses we have received and will continue to develop our policy approach in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders. No decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers for the creative industries.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3369 on Iran: Political Prisoners, whether his Department has taken steps to hold Iran accountable following the executions of (a) Behrouz Ehsani, (b) Mehdi Hassani and (c) other people.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We have repeatedly called on the Islamic Republic to establish a moratorium on executions, including through a Human Rights Ambassadors joint statement at the Human Rights Council in October 2024. The UK also helped deliver a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran at the UN Third Committee in November 2024. In January, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights directly with his Iranian counterpart. We will continue to raise human rights issues directly with the regime, including through our Ambassador in Tehran.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the document entitled CEF Funded Projects, published on 31 July 2024, how many projects his Department had funded in total through the Community Energy Fund by 31 December 2024; and if he will list each project funded between 1 August and 31 December 2024 broken down by (a) Local Net Zero Hub region, (b) community group and (c) grant value.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Community Energy Fund enables both rural and urban communities across England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects for investment.
Projects funded by the Community Energy Fund are published on GOV.UK. This list will be updated in due course to include projects funded during the period from 1 August to 31 December 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-net-zero-support-for-local-authorities-and-communities/local-net-zero-central-support-for-local-authorities-and-communities#community-energy.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to help reduce (a) inequalities in the admissions process to academically selective grammar schools and (b) disparities in access to tutoring for admission tests to those schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The admission authorities for grammar schools set their schools’ selection criteria. This government’s priority is ensuring high and rising standards across every school to secure a brilliant education for every child.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing people in (a) care homes and (b) hospitals to have visitors in all circumstances.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Fundamental Standard on Visiting and Accompanying (Regulation 9A) came into force on 6 April 2024, and requires CQC registered care homes, hospitals, and hospices to facilitate visiting, unless there are exceptional circumstances which mean that it is not safe to do so.
We continue to monitor the situation regarding visiting by looking at Capacity Tracker data and intel from sector partners. We will conduct a review of Regulation 9A from April 2025, 12 months on from the legislation coming into force, to assess whether the legislation has been effective in addressing concerns about visiting in health and care settings. Depending on the outcome of the review we will consider whether further action is needed.