Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to accelerate the process of TB vaccinations for cows.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The CattleBCG vaccine, when coupled with the new Detect Infected amongst Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) skin test, represents a significant advancement in bovine TB control for cattle herds.
Field trials began in June 2021, with the final planned phase now underway and due to complete by 2027. Data gathered during lab and field trials will support the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Marketing Authorisation applications to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and achieving international recognition. The Government is looking at all options to accelerate progress.
The Government is continuing to work at pace but will only deploy the vaccine and companion DIVA skin test when we have all the right steps in place. The aim is to deliver an effective cattle TB vaccination strategy within the next few years, helping drive down the disease burden for future generations and advance progress towards achieving Officially TB Free status for England by 2038.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the length of short term Farm Business Tenancies beyond two years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the benefits that longer term tenancies can provide in delivering food security and environmental goals. In the recently published Land Use Framework the Government committed to working with landowners, including members of the National Estate for Nature, to test, implement and encourage wide uptake of longer-term tenancy agreements. Industry guidance on long term tenancies was published on 16 March to support landlords, tenants and their advisers think through the main considerations involved in agreeing a long-term farm business tenancy.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of providing healthcare to asylum seekers.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
DHSC and NHSE do not hold the information requested. The overall management of people seeking asylum is a matter for the Home Office.
The NHS is a residency-based system; this means that people who do not live here on a lawful, settled basis must contribute to the cost of their care.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria will be taken into consideration in decisions on job centre closures.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
When considering moving colleagues and services to an alternative location the Department considers a wide range of factors and evidence. These include the impact on customers, business needs, local labour market conditions, and the ability to maintain a geographical presence and service continuity to customers. Decisions also take into account building quality, lease events, and value for money.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to limit consideration of coronial investigations to stillbirths occurring at 37 weeks' gestation or later; and on what statutory basis gestational thresholds may be applied.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all parents bereaved by baby loss. Bereavement is never easy, but the loss of a child is unimaginable, and we recognise the profound and lifelong impact this has on parents and families.
As I set out in my answer to the Right Honourable Member of 12 March, the wider landscape of maternity investigations has continued to evolve since the publication of the consultation on the coronial investigation of stillbirths in 2019 and the factual summary of responses published in 2023.
Most recently, this Government commissioned the independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care led by Baroness Amos. As outlined in the investigation’s terms of reference, it will, amongst other issues, look to consider the potential role of coroners in the investigation of late term stillbirths (37 weeks or later). We are aware that Baroness Amos has confirmed she will publish her final report in June 2026.
As I have previously confirmed to the Right Honourable Member, the Department has not made a formal assessment of the delay in publishing a decision in this area. It is important that the Government’s published position on coronial investigations of stillbirths is fully informed by any findings and relevant recommendations the independent investigation makes, and more broadly that it supports the most effective model for maternity investigation, one that strengthens learning, improves accountability and delivers better outcomes for families.
Section 4 of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 provides the statutory framework to enable, by way of regulation, amendments to be made to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in respect of the investigation of stillbirths and makes provisions about the content of those regulations.
The Government’s 2019 consultation, and the factual summary in 2023 were jointly published by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice. The Government intends to communicate its position on this issue after the investigation has published its final report.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on whether the Maternity and Neonatal Investigation commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care will report to Parliament on coronial investigations of stillbirths following the 2019 consultation.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all parents bereaved by baby loss. Bereavement is never easy, but the loss of a child is unimaginable, and we recognise the profound and lifelong impact this has on parents and families.
As I set out in my answer to the Right Honourable Member of 12 March, the wider landscape of maternity investigations has continued to evolve since the publication of the consultation on the coronial investigation of stillbirths in 2019 and the factual summary of responses published in 2023.
Most recently, this Government commissioned the independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care led by Baroness Amos. As outlined in the investigation’s terms of reference, it will, amongst other issues, look to consider the potential role of coroners in the investigation of late term stillbirths (37 weeks or later). We are aware that Baroness Amos has confirmed she will publish her final report in June 2026.
As I have previously confirmed to the Right Honourable Member, the Department has not made a formal assessment of the delay in publishing a decision in this area. It is important that the Government’s published position on coronial investigations of stillbirths is fully informed by any findings and relevant recommendations the independent investigation makes, and more broadly that it supports the most effective model for maternity investigation, one that strengthens learning, improves accountability and delivers better outcomes for families.
Section 4 of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 provides the statutory framework to enable, by way of regulation, amendments to be made to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in respect of the investigation of stillbirths and makes provisions about the content of those regulations.
The Government’s 2019 consultation, and the factual summary in 2023 were jointly published by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice. The Government intends to communicate its position on this issue after the investigation has published its final report.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether responsibility for reporting to Parliament on coronial investigations of stillbirths following the 2019 consultation rests with his Department.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all parents bereaved by baby loss. Bereavement is never easy, but the loss of a child is unimaginable, and we recognise the profound and lifelong impact this has on parents and families.
As I set out in my answer to the Right Honourable Member of 12 March, the wider landscape of maternity investigations has continued to evolve since the publication of the consultation on the coronial investigation of stillbirths in 2019 and the factual summary of responses published in 2023.
Most recently, this Government commissioned the independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care led by Baroness Amos. As outlined in the investigation’s terms of reference, it will, amongst other issues, look to consider the potential role of coroners in the investigation of late term stillbirths (37 weeks or later). We are aware that Baroness Amos has confirmed she will publish her final report in June 2026.
As I have previously confirmed to the Right Honourable Member, the Department has not made a formal assessment of the delay in publishing a decision in this area. It is important that the Government’s published position on coronial investigations of stillbirths is fully informed by any findings and relevant recommendations the independent investigation makes, and more broadly that it supports the most effective model for maternity investigation, one that strengthens learning, improves accountability and delivers better outcomes for families.
Section 4 of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 provides the statutory framework to enable, by way of regulation, amendments to be made to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in respect of the investigation of stillbirths and makes provisions about the content of those regulations.
The Government’s 2019 consultation, and the factual summary in 2023 were jointly published by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice. The Government intends to communicate its position on this issue after the investigation has published its final report.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of the delay in reporting on coronial investigations of stillbirths following the 2019 consultation on bereaved families.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all parents bereaved by baby loss. Bereavement is never easy, but the loss of a child is unimaginable, and we recognise the profound and lifelong impact this has on parents and families.
As I set out in my answer to the Right Honourable Member of 12 March, the wider landscape of maternity investigations has continued to evolve since the publication of the consultation on the coronial investigation of stillbirths in 2019 and the factual summary of responses published in 2023.
Most recently, this Government commissioned the independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care led by Baroness Amos. As outlined in the investigation’s terms of reference, it will, amongst other issues, look to consider the potential role of coroners in the investigation of late term stillbirths (37 weeks or later). We are aware that Baroness Amos has confirmed she will publish her final report in June 2026.
As I have previously confirmed to the Right Honourable Member, the Department has not made a formal assessment of the delay in publishing a decision in this area. It is important that the Government’s published position on coronial investigations of stillbirths is fully informed by any findings and relevant recommendations the independent investigation makes, and more broadly that it supports the most effective model for maternity investigation, one that strengthens learning, improves accountability and delivers better outcomes for families.
Section 4 of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 provides the statutory framework to enable, by way of regulation, amendments to be made to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in respect of the investigation of stillbirths and makes provisions about the content of those regulations.
The Government’s 2019 consultation, and the factual summary in 2023 were jointly published by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice. The Government intends to communicate its position on this issue after the investigation has published its final report.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of different types of support in helping the unemployed into work.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We know that individuals face different barriers to employment and as a result require different types of employment support to get into work.
We have adopted a test and learn approach to many of the reforms across the employment support system, allowing us to build an evidence base to inform future policies and shape the design of future reform. Overall, we measure progress against the Get Britain Working outcome metrics, published last April and updated annually here: Get Britain Working outcomes - GOV.UK.
For young people: we expect to publish interim findings on the effectiveness of the eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers during the next two years, and the current network of Youth Hubs has shown positive outcomes, with young people reporting increased confidence and clearer career goals; we published an evaluation of the Youth Offer in 2024; a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee is planned.
For those with health conditions and disabilities: we expect to publish interim findings on the effectiveness the nine Economic Inactivity Trailblazers during the next two years and will develop the value for money assessment once longer-term impacts have developed; we are building on our assessment of the successful WorkWell pilot, which has already supported over 25,000 people to stay in or re‑enter work; to develop our Connect to Work programme which is the largest Supported Employment initiative in Europe, we are drawing on robust international evidence which demonstrates that a holistic, personalised approach for individuals with more complex barriers is more effective in helping people move into and sustain work and we have commissioned the National Centre for Social Research to lead a comprehensive evaluation of its impact, reporting in 2031.
For those who are long term unemployed – evidence from analysis of the Work Programme shows that participation in the Restart programme results in significant increase in employment for participants (30% more than the comparison group); we have committed to publish a report this spring with more detail on how we are delivering the new Jobs and Careers Service.
To further build and inform our employment support services, DWP are due to launch a What Works Centre for Local Employment Support in 2027, which will help identify, develop, test and evaluate evidence-based locally delivered employment and labour market support to help people access, remain in, and progress in work.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to reduce the number of job centres.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department continually reviews its estate to ensure it meets the needs of customers and represents value for money, making changes where appropriate. The Department’s Workplace Transformation Programme is working closely with the Jobs and Careers Service to ensure that our physical spaces evolve to support more personalised, modern employment and skills services for customers. This includes exploring new approaches to workspace location, design and partnership working that enhance accessibility, collaboration, and customer outcomes. Any future decisions regarding the Jobcentre estate would be communicated to Parliament in the usual way.