Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Remain neutral in Israel-Palestine conflict and withdraw support for Israel
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 6 Nov 2023 Debated on - 11 Dec 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsWe want the UK to be neutral in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and withdraw offers of support for Israel.
Seek a ceasefire and to end Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 13 Nov 2023 Debated on - 11 Dec 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsWe want the Government to seek a ceasefire and also seek to address the root cause of the current conflict by promoting dialogue and advocating for the end of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Urge the Israel Government to allow fuel, electricity and food into Gaza
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 10 Nov 2023 Debated on - 11 Dec 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsThe UK Government should urge the Israeli Government to stop the blockade of Food, Fuel and Electricity to the already impoverished city of Gaza
End reviews of PIP and ESA awards for people with lifelong illnesses
Gov Responded - 10 Sep 2021 Debated on - 4 Sep 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsPeople with a lifelong illness should not be subject to regular reviews for eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). People suffering lifelong conditions should not have to prove they are still ill every couple of years.
End assessments and consider disability benefit claims on medical advice alone
Gov Responded - 21 Dec 2022 Debated on - 4 Sep 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsThe Government should remove the requirement for people claiming disability benefits, such as the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), to have to go through an assessment process. Claims should be based solely on evidence from medical professionals, such as a letter from a GP or consultant.
Full review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application process
Gov Responded - 1 Nov 2022 Debated on - 4 Sep 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsWe want the Government to conduct a full review of the PIP process. This should look at DWP policy and the performance of ATOS and Capita, which conduct the health assessments for applicants. We believe the current process is inherently unethical and biased, and needs a complete overhaul.
Create statutory legal duty of care for students in Higher Education
Gov Responded - 20 Jan 2023 Debated on - 5 Jun 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsNo general statutory duty of care exists in HE. Yet, a duty of care is owed to students, and the Government should legislate for this. HE providers should know what their duty is. Students must know what they can expect. Parents expect their children to be safe at university.
Provide an energy grant to people with a disability or serious medical condition
Gov Responded - 14 Jun 2022 Debated on - 22 May 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsMillions of UK citizens have a disability or serious medical condition that means they use more energy. Many people need to use a ventilator 24/7. People use electric pumps to feed through a tubes. People need to charge their mobility equipment, such as electric wheelchairs, stair lifts, bath seats.
Make people on disability benefits eligible for the £650 one off payment.
Gov Responded - 11 Oct 2022 Debated on - 22 May 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsDisabled people should be included alongside carers in the £650 one off payment as part of the Cost of Living support package. We have larger utilities bills and food costs when compared to non-disabled people. We rely on these utilities and food to stay alive.
Make suicide prevention a compulsory part of the school curriculum.
Gov Responded - 21 Oct 2022 Debated on - 13 Mar 2023 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsWe want suicide spoken about in schools in a safe and age-appropriate way. Speaking about suicide saves lives
The Dept for Education are conducting a review of the RSHE curriculum; this petition calls on the DfE to include suicide prevention within the statutory guidelines of the new curriculum.
Release the Home Office's Grooming Gang Review in full
Gov Responded - 19 May 2020 Debated on - 3 Feb 2021 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsThe Government is refusing to release official research on the characteristics of grooming gangs, claiming it is not in the “public interest”.
We, the British public, demand the release of the official research on grooming gangs undertaken by the Government in full.
We the British People Request a Public Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Gov Responded - 5 Nov 2020 Debated on - 3 Feb 2021 View Debbie Abrahams's petition debate contributionsThe Home Secretary said what happened to victims of child sexual exploitation gangs was “one of the biggest stains on our country’s conscience.” Last year local authorities identified 18,700 suspected victims of child sexual exploitation. We want an independent public inquiry into Grooming Gangs.
These initiatives were driven by Debbie Abrahams, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Debbie Abrahams has not been granted any Urgent Questions
A Bill to provide for a statutory code of conduct for Ministers of the Crown; for a statutory code of conduct for members of the House of Commons and members of the House of Lords; for a statutory code of conduct for councillors in England; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. a Bill to require public authorities to pay certain suppliers using project bank accounts; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to require listed companies, public bodies and voluntary agencies to report annually on the number and percentage of people they employ who have disabilities; and for connected purposes.
Global Climate and Development Finance Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Liam Byrne (Lab)
First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Dean Russell (Con)
Clean Air Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Geraint Davies (Ind)
Planning and Local Representation Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Rachel Hopkins (Lab)
Import of Products of Forced Labour from Xinjiang (Prohibition) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Brendan O'Hara (SNP)
Decarbonisation and Economic Strategy Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Caroline Lucas (Green)
Compulsory Purchase and Planning Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Emma Hardy (Lab)
Pension Charges Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Angela Eagle (Lab)
Health Impacts (Public Sector Duty) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Luciana Berger (LD)
Cold Weather Payments Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Hywel Williams (PC)
House of Lords Reform (Exclusion of Hereditary Peers) Bill 2015-16
Sponsor - David Hanson (Lab)
DWP has made a number of changes to the benefits system in response to the pandemic to ensure the right support goes to those claimants who are more vulnerable, have a health condition or have a disability.
To provide greater financial security at this time, we have automatically extended awards by 6 months for existing claimants that were due to be reviewed or reassessed.
We have also suspended all face-to-face assessments of disability benefits for 3 months but continue to accept new claims, requests for a review where asked by a claimant and, as usual, prioritise claims made under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQ185363 on 26 April 2021.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQ185363 on 26 April 2021.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQ185363 on 26 April 2021.
This Department does not hold specific information on the use of Project Bank Accounts. However, as the PBA policy lead we do engage with departments and their ALBs about their PBA usage, including indicative spend.
Whilst the use of PBAs was being established we collected data on the value of government contracts making use of PBAs. During that period (2011-2015) over £10 billion was spent on a wide range of construction projects using PBAs.
PBAs are the preferred option by government when it is cost effective and efficient, and departments have made a commitment to use PBAs unless there are compelling reasons not to. This has been restated in the Construction Playbook (December 2020), which sets out key policies and guidance for government departments and their arms length bodies on how public works projects and programmes are assessed, procured and delivered. PBAs are just one way the government supports fair payment as part of the Government's Prompt Payment Code.
This Department does not hold specific information on the use of Project Bank Accounts. However, as the PBA policy lead we do engage with departments and their ALBs about their PBA usage, including indicative spend.
Whilst the use of PBAs was being established we collected data on the value of government contracts making use of PBAs. During that period (2011-2015) over £10 billion was spent on a wide range of construction projects using PBAs.
PBAs are the preferred option by government when it is cost effective and efficient, and departments have made a commitment to use PBAs unless there are compelling reasons not to. This has been restated in the Construction Playbook (December 2020), which sets out key policies and guidance for government departments and their arms length bodies on how public works projects and programmes are assessed, procured and delivered. PBAs are just one way the government supports fair payment as part of the Government's Prompt Payment Code.
Government does not maintain a central estimate of late payments owed to small businesses.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic the Government has issued a number of procurement policy notes with the goal of supporting cash flow to suppliers by accelerating payment. These have included a range of approaches such as forward ordering, payment in advance/prepayment, interim payments and payment on order (not receipt).
Data on the use and value of Project Bank Accounts is held by departments, not centrally.
Data on the use and value of Project Bank Accounts is held by departments, not centrally.
In 2022, there were an estimated 3.26 million households in fuel poverty in England.
The annual statistics report on fuel poverty in England, published in February 2023, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-fuel-poverty-statistics-report-2023.
Around 62% of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) recipients also receive one of the qualifying means-tested benefits and so would be considered low-income under the Core Group 2 criteria. Those with high energy costs would therefore be eligible for a rebate. The Government’s analysis shows that 160,000 more households, where there is a person with a disability or long-term illness, will receive a rebate each winter compared to the previous scheme. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has also announced a one-off £150 payment for people on disability benefits this year, alongside other cost of living support measures: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-living-support/cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26-may-2022.
Industry Initiatives provide valuable support to households in, or at risk of, fuel poverty through a range of measures, including energy advice, financial assistance, and energy efficiency improvements.
To date, energy suppliers have only been required to report on the overall spending on Industry Initiatives measures to Ofgem. From the 2022/23 scheme year, suppliers will be required to report on the estimated value and proportion of Industry Initiatives spending on fuel poor households where someone has a disability or significant health problems.
Industry Initiatives provide valuable support to households in, or at risk of, fuel poverty through a range of measures, including energy advice, financial assistance, and energy efficiency improvements.
To date, energy suppliers have only been required to report on the overall spending on Industry Initiatives measures to Ofgem. From the 2022/23 scheme year, suppliers will be required to report on the estimated value and proportion of Industry Initiatives spending on fuel poor households where someone has a disability or significant health problems.
While difficult to measure fully and comprehensively, the Government is aware of this important issue and continues to work with both officials and the Construction Leadership Council to implement a solution.
While difficult to measure fully and comprehensively, the Government is aware of this important issue and continues to work with both officials and the Construction Leadership Council to implement a solution.
The taskforce is on track to set up by summer 2022 and we are keen to engage in that process before drawing conclusions.
Data on business closures by size of business are not available. The data provided below covers all registered business closures in the UK for the periods specified.
According to the business counts published in 2020 by the Office for National Statistics in UK business: activity, size and location, 98.1% of all registered business are small (0 to 49 employees). Therefore, the vast majority of business closures are very likely to be small businesses.
Data on business closures over the last 3 financial years are shown in table 1:
Table 1: Number of business closures by financial year, all registered businesses
Financial Year | Number of business closures |
2019/2020 | 383,000 |
2018/2019 | 348,000 |
2017/2018 | 351,000 |
Source: Office for National Statistics: Business Demography, quarterly experimental statistics, UK
Prior to 2017 data are only available for calendar years, rather than financial years. The number of closures in each calendar year is shown in table 2:
Table 2: Number of business closures by calendar year, all registered businesses
Calendar year | Number of business closures |
2019 | 336,000 |
2018 | 311,000 |
2017 | 346,000 |
2016 | 281,000 |
2015 | 282,000 |
2014 | 246,000 |
2013 | 238,000 |
2012 | 252,000 |
2011 | 230,000 |
2010 | 277,000 |
Source: Office for National Statistics: Business demography, UK statistical bulletin
There can be many benefits from local electricity generation, including greater consumer engagement with electricity and how it is generated.
In 2019, we generated record levels of solar and wind energy and continue to be the world’s leader for offshore wind.
We are deeply concerned about the growth and scale of online scams. My officials work closely on this matter with other government departments, including the Home Office as the government department responsible for tackling fraud, as well as with industry, regulators and consumer groups. Through an ongoing programme of work, the government is considering additional legislative and non-legislative solutions to effectively address the harms posed by all elements of online fraud in a cohesive and robust way.
Within my department, the Online Advertising Programme will be considering further regulation of online advertising to tackle harms including fraud. The government will launch a public consultation on measures to enhance how online advertising is regulated in the UK this year.
I am deeply concerned about the growth and scale of online fraudulent and scam content. My officials are working closely on this matter with those from other government departments, including the Home Office (as the government department responsible for tackling fraud), the Treasury as well as with industry, regulators, and consumer groups with a view to tackling this issue in a cohesive and robust way.
My department has been considering how online advertising is regulated through our Online Advertising Programme, and we will be consulting on this issue later this year following an initial call for evidence in 2020. Our aim is to foster fair, accountable and ethical online advertising that works for citizens, businesses, and society as a whole. In particular, we want to ensure standards about the placement and content of advertising can be effectively applied and enforced online so that consumers are protected from harmful or misleading advertising.
As set out in the Construction Playbook, the Department for Education (DfE) has committed to use Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) on its school construction projects unless there are compelling reasons not to. PBAs are just one way that government departments support fair payment as part of the Government’s Prompt Payment Code.
DfE has considered the use of PBAs for school construction projects delivered through the DfE Construction Frameworks. However due to the specific nature, size and volume of DfE’s school construction projects, the DfE has assessed that it is not practical, efficient and cost effective to use them on our construction projects. Therefore, there are compelling reasons not to deploy PBAs on DfE projects. Accordingly, the DfE does not hold any information on the use of PBAs for its school construction projects as the DfE does not currently use PBAs.
Every family has had challenges during this period but those families with disabled children face the greatest.
We have surveyed families, schools and local authorities to monitor the situation.
90% of special schools were open last week, and we have invested £10 million in the Family Fund and provided specialist online resources.
Biocidal products, including rodenticides and insecticides, have to be authorised under the Biocidal Products Regulation. The use of biocides must comply with specific terms and conditions, including on the placing of baits. Where the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has enforcement responsibility, it seeks to ensure that high standards of compliance with biocides are achieved and maintained. The Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS), operated by HSE on behalf of Defra, investigates the deaths, not just of wildlife, but also of livestock and some pets, where there is evidence that biocide poisoning may be involved. Where poison baits are used illegally to harm wildlife, such as raptors, responsibility for enforcement lies with the police.
The Government has always been clear of the need to phase out burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these vulnerable habitats. We are currently looking at how legislation could achieve this and considering next steps. Real progress is being made in promoting sustainable alternatives. We have urged landowners to adopt these and continue to work with them constructively.
We are working across Government with a wide range of stakeholders including land managers, conservation bodies and wildfire management groups to ensure that we promote better planning for wildfire locally and take measures to mitigate against the risk of wildfire. We undertook a review of the impact of wildfire and upland environments in 2019 and will publish the findings in due course.
The Government has always been clear of the need to phase out burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these vulnerable habitats. We are currently looking at how legislation could achieve this and considering next steps. Real progress is being made in promoting sustainable alternatives. We have urged landowners to adopt these and continue to work with them constructively.
The information is only available for financial years rather than calendar years.
Year | FTE |
2010/11 | 33.2 |
2011/12 | 24.3 |
2012/13 | 22.8 |
2013/14 | 16.0 |
2014/15 | 14.0 |
2015/16 | 11.0 |
2016/17 | 15.0 |
2017/18 | 11.0 |
2018/19 | 12.5 |
Natural England (NE) expenditure on monitoring sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) is set out in the following table.
Year | Expenditure |
2010/11 | £1,570,755 |
2011/12 | £1,517,691 |
2012/13 | £1,797,287 |
2013/14 | £1,420,892 |
2014/15 | £1,381,580 |
2015/16 | £900,633 |
2016/17 | £1,028,533 |
2017/18 | £700,452 |
2018/19 | £700,000 |
This includes NE staff time and the costs of specialist surveys.
This year NE is prioritising actions to address particular issues on SSSIs, especially those affecting upland SSSIs. NE continues to support and encourage partners in the work they do themselves to undertake SSSI monitoring.
NE is also developing an approach to the monitoring of SSSIs which will make better use of new technologies, such as remote sensing and greater partnership involvement. This is intended to improve efficiency of SSSI monitoring.
The Department is currently preparing a revised draft of the circular in light of feedback from a range of key stakeholders, including local government and police force representatives, as to what the guidance should contain. We plan to further engage with interested parties on this revision, with a view to publishing in due course.
The call for evidence to which is referred saw 149 responses submitted, many of which were incredibly detailed. The Government intends to publish the response shortly, once it has given the responses full consideration.
Roadside trials of noise camera technology commenced on 18 October 2022 and finished on 1 February 2023. The Department is reviewing the trial outcomes before considering next steps.
DfT, including its Arm’s Length Bodies, follow the principles of the Construction Playbook which sets out options to mitigate the risk of potential supplier insolvency, one of these options is the use of Project Bank Accounts.
DfT, including its Arm’s Length Bodies, follow the principles of the Construction Playbook which sets out options to mitigate the risk of potential supplier insolvency, one of these options is the use of Project Bank Accounts.
The TCR process is led by specialised agents to find incorrectness on claims and put it right. Prior to starting a claim review, agents will preview the claim to make sure it meets the criteria for selection. Claims selected for review are not endorsed on the grounds they are likely to contain fraud or error. It is only once a claim review is complete that an agent can determine the outcome. Performance for the financial year 22/23 is included in the DWP Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) Report, available on GOV.UK. The ARA report for financial year 23/24 is expected to be published Summer 2024.
We do not categorise claims as discontinued. A claim may be deselected for review if it does not meet the criteria.
The department does not hold the information requested.
Please be assured that assessments of bias have been conducted for all IRIS machine learning models and the screening to date has not identified any areas of concern. The outcomes will be published in summer 2024 within DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts.
The department always ensures appropriate safeguards are in place. There are detailed Data Protection Impact Assessments and Equality Analysis that accompany our machine learning models, and these are live documents that are kept updated. We also work closely with legal colleagues to ensure our use of machine learning is legal and proportionate. As an additional safeguard, all decisions on claims are made by DWP case workers based on all the facts and individual circumstances of the claim.
Please be assured that assessments of bias have been conducted for all IRIS machine learning models and the screening to date has not identified any areas of concern. The outcomes will be published in summer 2024 within DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts.
The department always ensures appropriate safeguards are in place. There are detailed Data Protection Impact Assessments and Equality Analysis that accompany our machine learning models, and these are live documents that are kept updated. We also work closely with legal colleagues to ensure our use of machine learning is legal and proportionate. As an additional safeguard, all decisions on claims are made by DWP case workers based on all the facts and individual circumstances of the claim.
None of the teams or systems referenced carry out surveillance in the benefits system.
Information on how many cases have been accepted to be taken forward for a full Internal Process Review (IPR), and where these were referred either due to customer death or harm, is included within this year’s Annual Report and Accounts, available at:
DWP annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
This includes information on cases accepted for an IPR between July 2022 and March 2023. Information in relation to April to June 2023 will be published in next year’s Accounts.
Information on how many IPRs have been completed between July 2022 and June 2023, where these were referred either due to customer death or harm is set out in the table below:
| July 2022 – June 2023 |
Customer Death[1] | 47 |
Customer Harm[2] | 14 |
1 Customer Death includes the categories: death, alleged suicide and confirmed suicide.
2 Customer Harm includes the categories: self-harm, serious harm, attempted suicide and ‘other’.
The information requested cannot be shared, as it is intended for publication at a future date within the department’s Annual Report and Accounts.
The attached table shows the Internal Process Reviews (IPR) information requested:
| July 2019 to June 2020 | July 2020 to June 2021 | July 2021 to June 2022 |
IPR Started - Death | 43 | 59 | 38 |
IPR Started - Serious Harm | 3 | 19 | 17 |
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IPR Completed - Death | 39 | 40 | 41 |
IPR Completed - Serious Harm | 3 | 12 | 16 |
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* Death includes the categories death, alleged suicide and confirmed suicide. | |||
** Serious Harm includes the categories self-harm, serious harm, attempted suicide and ‘other’. |
Delivery of the Extra Costs Taskforce has been paused at the request of the Secretary of State Work and Pensions, while permission is sought to appeal the High Court's declaration in Binder vs Secretary of State Work and Pensions.
The Department is committed to improving the way the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and announced its intention to make changes in this area, in July 2021. The Department has made changes to Universal Credit and Employment Support Allowance regulations to replace the current 6-month rule for determining who can claim under the Special Rules with a 12-month, end of life approach. These will come into force on 4th April. Similar changes will also be made to Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance as soon as possible, when Parliamentary time allows.
The Internal Process Reviews (IPRs) that have been started since July 2019, are as follows:
Death* | 123 |
Serious Harm** | 34 |
The IPRs that have been completed since July 2019, are as follows:
Death* | 103 |
Serious Harm** | 28 |
* Death includes the categories death, alleged suicide and confirmed suicide.
** Serious Harm includes the categories self-harm, serious harm, attempted suicide and ‘other’.