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).
Increase pay for NHS healthcare workers and recognise their work
Gov Responded - 4 May 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View Gerald Jones's petition debate contributionsI would like the government to review and increase the pay for healthcare workers to recognise the work that they do.
We would like the government to consider social care as equally important to NHS
Gov Responded - 20 Apr 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View Gerald Jones's petition debate contributionsWe would like the government to support and regard social care: financially, publicly and systematically on an equal par as NHS. We would like parliament to debate how to support social care during COVID-19 and beyond so that it automatically has the same access to operational and financial support.
Reduce or scrap the immigration health surcharge for overseas NHS Staff.
Gov Responded - 29 May 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View Gerald Jones's petition debate contributionsTo revoke the Immigration Health Surcharge increases for overseas NHS staff. The latest budget shows an increase of £220 a year for an overseas worker to live and work in the UK, at a time when the NHS, and UK economy, relies heavily on them.
Give non-British citizens who are NHS workers automatic citizenship
Gov Responded - 6 May 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View Gerald Jones's petition debate contributionsGive NHS workers who are EU and other Nationals automatic UK citizenship if they stay and risk their own lives looking after the British people during the COVID crisis.
These initiatives were driven by Gerald Jones, 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.
Gerald Jones has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Gerald Jones has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to amend the Road Traffic Act 1988 to provide that dangerous and careless, or inconsiderate, driving offences may be committed in places other than roads and other public places; and for connected purposes.
Gerald Jones has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The CPS is working closely with partner agencies across the criminal justice system to reduce the current backlog of cases created by the Covid-19 outbreak. This includes both internal measures to deal with larger live caseloads in CPS Areas and working closely with partners to ensure maximum throughput of cases at court.
Considerable progress is being made. In the honourable member’s constituency, Merthyr Magistrates’ Court has now reduced its backlog to pre-COVID levels.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
There is already robust legislation in place that protects consumers when purchasing goods and services online. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets out the rights consumers enjoy while shopping online and in store. Online consumers have additional rights over and above on-premises rights, and are able to cancel orders for any reason and seek a full refund.
The Department recently consulted on advancing online consumer rights in its “Reforming Competition and Consumer Policy” consultation. A copy of the consultation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-competition-and-consumer-policy. The consultation closed on 1 October and the Department will publish a response in due course.
The Government has outlined an unprecedented package of measures to protect millions of people’s jobs and incomes as part of the national effort in response to Coronavirus.
A new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be set up to help pay people’s wages. Employers will be able to contact HMRC, who will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. This will apply to members of the workforce who remain on businesses’ payroll, but are temporarily unable to work due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily.
We have worked with the sector and directly with Member States, to provide clarity on what creative workers need to do. We have confirmed that, in many areas, arrangements are much more workable than has at times been reported. For example, the vast majority of Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for musicians and creative performers, including most of the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This also includes Spain, who in November 2021, following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, introduced 90 day visa and work permit free touring for artists. We continue to work with the few remaining EU Member States that do not allow visa and permit free touring, such as Greece and Portugal, to encourage them to make touring easier.
We have also confirmed that portable musical instruments, carried or in a vehicle, can be transported cost-free and should not require ATA Carnets, and that small ‘splitter vans’ are not subject to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement limits around cabotage and cross trade for the creative sectors. We have also launched an Export Support Service (ESS), where UK businesses, including touring professionals, can get answers to practical questions online and by telephone.
A reply was issued on 10 March 2022.
The Government is in regular contact with the major fixed and mobile operators, technology providers and Ofcom regarding the current situation. Discussions relating to measures and options to mitigate and inform on the impacts of Covid-19 are ongoing with industry stakeholders and relevant parties.
The UK has a high degree of food security. Last year, we published the Food Security Report which includes a section on food security at a household level. The latest statistics point to an increase in household food security between 2019 and 2020. There are undoubtedly going to be pressures on food prices as a result of increased input costs – including gas, fuel and fertiliser. That will have to be passed through the system, but the Government is providing an additional £500 million to help provide targeted cost of living support for households most in need.
The Government recognises the importance of maintaining flood defence assets. Investment in Environment Agency asset management in England will be £178 million in 2021-22, an increase on the previous year. The Government will continue to review the future requirements for flood defence maintenance investment as part of future Spending Reviews.
We have set out the potential impacts of Free Trade Agreements in our published Scoping Assessments for the US, Australia, New Zealand and CPTPP. An Impact Assessment has also been published on the recently signed agreement with Japan, which shows that it goes beyond the existing EU deal, providing a long-run boost to the UK economy of around £1.5bn, compared to a situation without the deal. Output in the North West and Wales could increase by £64 million and £34 million respectively.
We have taken decisive action to address the acute HGV driver shortage, with 30 specific measures taken by the Government already. These include providing support and training for new HGV drivers, expanding HGV driver testing capacity and improving licencing processes. We are also investing £32.5 million in improving roadside facilities for hauliers. We will continue to encourage the road haulage industry to make employment as an HGV driver more attractive.
The exchange of HGV licences for a UK equivalent is dependent on training, testing and licensing standards in the issuing country being equivalent to those in the UK. Applications for recognition are subject to assessment of testing and licensing standards, public consultation, introduction of legislation and agreement of reciprocity. Currently only EU/EEA, Swiss, Crown Dependency and Gibraltar HGV licences are recognised for exchange in the UK.
Our points-based immigration system makes clear that employers should focus on investing in our domestic workforce, rather than relying on labour from abroad.
The Department for Transport does not hold this information.
The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a candidate’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time. Those with theory test certificates expiring now will have taken their test in early 2019. Since then, they have been unable to take lessons and practice for long periods of time, and not at all during recent lockdowns. It is difficult to maintain knowledge and understanding of driving theory at the level required during that time without being able to put it into practice. Research suggests that this would be particularly harmful for hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety.
Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the preparation of new drivers, who are disproportionality represented in casualty statistics. Learners will therefore need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services, including renewals for drivers over 70 are available and have continued to operate as normal throughout the pandemic.
DVLA is currently working with reduced staff on its site in Swansea to meet social distancing requirements. Paper applications are therefore taking longer to process as they must be dealt with in person.
As healthcare professionals are rightly focused on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DVLA is experiencing delays where information is needed from medical professionals in order to make a licensing decision where a driver has declared a medical condition.
The Department for Transport is in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers. However, we do not comment on discussions held with individual companies, as this information is commercially sensitive.
The Department for Transport has regular calls with trade unions at both ministerial and official level. These calls cover a wide range of issues, including the safeguarding of employment for employees in the aviation industry.
Bespoke financial support will only be considered as a last resort, once all other options have been exhausted.
Terms for any bespoke financial support would be structured to protect taxpayers’ interest, and the Government would expect to have regard to factors including but not limited to whether the business makes a material contribution to the economic activity of the UK, and the equitable and fair treatment across businesses in the sector.
Any bespoke support would need to represent value for money. Any Government support would also need to comply with current State aid rules.
The scientific advice shows that when domestic transmission is high, imported cases represent a small amount of the overall total and they make no significant difference to the epidemic. However, this can change when the domestic transmission/rate of infection is low, and people are arriving from countries with a higher rate of infection.
Now that domestic transmission within the UK is coming under control, and other countries begin to lift lockdown measures, it is the right time to prepare new measures at the border, including self-isolation.
The Government and SAGE do not currently advise virus testing for asymptomatic people, either domestically or at the border, apart from in certain settings, such as hospitals, care homes, and prisons.
The Department for Transport has, and will continue, to strive to develop policy based on the best possible evidence.
DWP contacted the office of Gerald Jones Labour MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney on Friday 13 May 2022, to provide a response in relation to his constituent’s enquiry.
A reply was sent to the hon. Member by the Minister for Welfare Delivery, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 17 March 2022.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19th January to question number 104377.
This information is not collated as a matter of normal business under this, or previous governments and is only available at disproportionate cost to the Department.
The Chancellor announced a temporary six-month extension to the £20 per week uplift at the Budget on 3 March to support households affected by the economic shock of Covid-19. Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and the temporary uplift was part of a COVID support package worth a total of £407 billion in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
There have been significant positive developments in the public health situation since the uplift was first introduced. With the success of the vaccine rollout and record job vacancies, it is right that our focus is on helping people back into work.
Through our Plan for Jobs, we are targeting tailored support schemes of people of all ages to help them prepare for, get into and progress in work. These include: Kickstart, delivering tens of thousands of six-month work placements for Universal Credit claimants aged 16-24 at risk of unemployment; we have also recruited an additional 13,500 work coaches to provide more intensive support to find a job; and introduced Restart which provides 12 months’ intensive employment support to Universal Credit claimants who are unemployed for a year. Our Plan for Jobs interventions will support more than two million people.
We recognise that some people continue to require extra support, which is why we have introduced a £421 million Household Support Fund to help vulnerable people in England with essential household costs over the winter as the economy recovers. The Barnett Formula will apply in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million.
The Cold Weather Payment scheme also helps vulnerable people in receipt of certain income-related benefits to meet the additional costs of heating during periods of severe cold weather. Cold Weather Payments are targeted at those in receipt of eligible benefits with a pension element or disability component or where there is a child under five in the household.
The Department has had no specific discussions on this issue.
The Department has had no specific discussions.
We replied to the hon. Member on 30 November 2021.
NHS England has commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to develop a national clinical guideline on the treatment of problem gambling. This will focus on identification, diagnosis and management of gambling-related harms and will support clinicians, including primary care providers, in referring people experiencing gambling disorder to appropriate treatment and support. Publication of the guideline is expected in 2024.
The Department continues to support the National Health Service with the phased expansion of up to 15 specialist problem gambling clinics by 2023/24. Work continues to explore how best to use existing treatment models to reach those most in need of support.
A clinically informed assessment has not been carried out.
The consultation on Changes to Human Medicine Regulations to support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines received a huge number of responses, and we welcome the views of all individuals, organisations and stakeholders who participated.
We are now in the process of analysing those responses, considering any changes to the legislation we may wish to make, and will respond to the consultation in due course.
All vaccines will undergo a thorough assessment of quality, safety and efficacy before being licensed. The preferred route to enable deployment of a new vaccine for COVID-19 is through the usual marketing authorisation (product licensing) process. If a suitable COVID-19 vaccine candidate, with strong supporting evidence of safety, quality and efficacy, becomes available, we will seek to license that vaccine through the usual route. Until the end of December 2020, European Union legislation requires biotechnological medicines, which would include candidate COVID-19 vaccines, to be authorised via the European Medicines Agency, and a marketing authorisation granted by them would automatically be valid in the United Kingdom. From January 2021, the UK’s licensing authority Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will have new powers to license all medicines, including vaccines. Any temporary authorisation of the supply of an unlicensed vaccine would be by exception and the timing of this would depend on the public health need. Following vaccine deployment, safety will be proactively and continuously monitored.
The government understands how the rising cost of living is making life harder for people. These are global challenges however, as set out in the Spring Statement, the government is providing support worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help families with these pressures.
For example, a typical family with 2 children where one adult is on the average employee salary and the other works 16 hours at the NLW will be around than £3,000 a year better off as a result of recent government action, notably the NICs primary threshold change, UC taper rate and work allowance changes, and increase in the National Living Wage, even taking account the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy.
The requested statistics on protected Child Trust Funds can only be made available at a disproportionate cost.
The Government has always been clear that the £20 per week increase to Universal Credit was a temporary measure to support households whose incomes and earnings were affected by the economic shock of Covid-19. Now that the economy has reopened, the Government is focusing on supporting people to move into and progress in work
The Government is committed to supporting low-income families with the cost of living including with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments. The Energy Price Cap is also in place to protect millions of customers from the sudden increases in global gas prices this winter. Despite the rising costs of wholesale energy, the cap still saves 15 million households up to £100 a year.
The Government has also recently announced the £500 million Household Support Fund which will support vulnerable households with essentials over winter as we enter the final stages of recovery from the pandemic.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in Wales can only be made available at a disproportionate cost.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in specific postcodes can only be made available at a disproportionate cost, and could be disclosive and therefore unfit for public release.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in specific postcodes can only be made available at a disproportionate cost, and could be disclosive and therefore unfit for public release.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in specific postcodes can only be made available at a disproportionate cost, and could be disclosive and therefore unfit for public release.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in specific postcodes can only be made available at a disproportionate cost, and could be disclosive and therefore unfit for public release.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in specific postcodes can only be made available at a disproportionate cost, and could be disclosive and therefore unfit for public release.
The number of protected Child Trust Funds in specific postcodes can only be made available at a disproportionate cost, and could be disclosive and therefore unfit for public release.
While the COVID-19 support scheme for working households receiving tax credits uses tax credits as a proxy for eligibility it is separate and legally distinct from tax credits. Eligibility for the one-off payment is determined solely by a claimant’s tax credits award as it appeared on 2 March 2021.
The specific information requested is not currently available due to the nature of tax credits. Tax credits awards are provisional until the annual finalisation and renewals process takes place. The 2020-21 renewals process needs to be completed and the data from that exercise analysed before an estimate could be made. This is expected some time in the first half of 2022.
The Treasury regularly updates parliament on funding for measures in response to Covid-19. All adjustments to departmental budgets since Main Estimates will be published at Supplementary Estimates in the winter, in the usual way.
In July the Treasury announced an unprecedented guarantee that the DAs would receive at least £12.7 billion in additional resource funding this year to help them respond to Covid-19. The Treasury has subsequently uplifted that by £1.3 billion, to at least £14 billion. This gives the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive the certainty to ensure they can plan for Covid-19 response in the months ahead.
The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support.
This has been targeted at the businesses and individuals who most need assistance, while ensuring that the measures are simple, certain and introduced in a timely manner to protect livelihoods.
The Government expects everyone to act responsibly by only claiming and using support as intended, and is keeping measures under regular review.
The Government continues to be at the forefront of global action to tackle tax avoidance, with a series of robust measures in place to tackle profit shifting arrangements.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Veterans UK has helped over 13,000 veterans since 23 March 2020.
Where urgent or vulnerable veterans have been identified, the Veterans Welfare Service has made immediate contact.
Our refreshed Defence Industrial Policy, published in December 2017, sets out our commitment to encouraging a thriving and globally competitive UK defence sector. The Ministry of Defence keeps its approach under constant review to ensure that the implementation and impact of our policies remain effective. We have decided in the past to adopt alternative approaches in specific areas, as we have done in Shipbuilding and Combat Air, and we continually assess our approach to other sectors to determine whether we need to develop separate strategies. Our approach to the Land sector is no different. Last year the Army launched the Army Industrial Engagement Framework which defined how the Army will develop a more cohesive and effective relationship with industry throughout the procurement and development process. The refreshed Defence Industrial Policy from 2017 remains the overarching policy document which describes our approach to industry more broadly.
Our refreshed Defence Industrial Policy, published in December 2017, sets out our commitment to encouraging a thriving and globally competitive UK defence sector. The Ministry of Defence keeps its approach under constant review to ensure that the implementation and impact of our policies remain effective. We have decided in the past to adopt alternative approaches in specific areas, as we have done in Shipbuilding and Combat Air, and we continually assess our approach to other sectors to determine whether we need to develop separate strategies. Our approach to the Land sector is no different. Last year the Army launched the Army Industrial Engagement Framework which defined how the Army will develop a more cohesive and effective relationship with industry throughout the procurement and development process. The refreshed Defence Industrial Policy from 2017 remains the overarching policy document which describes our approach to industry more broadly.
Our refreshed Defence Industrial Policy, published in December 2017, sets out our commitment to encouraging a thriving and globally competitive UK defence sector. The Ministry of Defence keeps its approach under constant review to ensure that the implementation and impact of our policies remain effective. We have decided in the past to adopt alternative approaches in specific areas, as we have done in Shipbuilding and Combat Air, and we continually assess our approach to other sectors to determine whether we need to develop separate strategies. Our approach to the Land sector is no different. Last year the Army launched the Army Industrial Engagement Framework which defined how the Army will develop a more cohesive and effective relationship with industry throughout the procurement and development process. The refreshed Defence Industrial Policy from 2017 remains the overarching policy document which describes our approach to industry more broadly.
The Government's default position on defence procurement remains competition wherever appropriate. The Ministry of Defence has a responsibility to procure the best equipment for our Armed Forces whilst achieving value for money for the taxpayer.
The table below provides the details of all court and tribunal buildings in Wales that have been sold since 2010.
Court | Date sold | Proceed |
Aberdare Magistrates and County Court | Apr-12 | £275,000 |
Abergavenny Magistrates' Court | Mar-19 | £499,809 |
Abertillery Magistrates Court | Sep-11 | £81,000 |
Ammanford Magistrates Court | Oct-12 | £90,000 |
Barry Magistrates Court | Jun-12 | £250,000 |
Brecon Law Courts | Mar-19 | £575,000 |
Bridgend Law Courts | Mar-17 | £375,000 |
Caerphilly Magistrates' Court | Mar-18 | £445,000 |
Cardigan Magistrates Court | Apr-13 | £48,910 |
Carmarthen Law Courts (The Guildhall) | Dec-16 | £223,004 |
Denbigh Magistrates Court | Dec-13 | £165,000 |
Dolgellau Crown & Magistrates' Court | Nov-17 | £67,509 |
Flint Magistrates Court | Apr-15 | £87,500 |
Holyhead Magistrates' Court | Oct-17 | £112,500 |
Llangefni Civil and Family Court | Mar-18 | £72,000 |
Llangefni Magistrates Court | Sept - 12 Leasehold property - Lease sold | £32,228 |
Llwynypia Magistrates Court | Dec-11 | £471,010 |
Neath and Port Talbot Civil and Family Court | Oct-17 | £250,000 |
Neath Magistrates’ Court | Jul-14 | £450,000 |
Pontypool County Court | Jun-14 | £200,000 |
Pontypridd Magistrates' Court | Mar-17 | £350,000 |
Pwllheli Magistrates Court | Dec-12 | £131,013 |
Rhyl County Court | Sep-17 | £92,150 |
HMCTS has so far spent £283,922 to create additional court space in Wales. We have opened a temporary Nightingale court in Swansea, established extra jury capacity in Cardiff and installed modular buildings (Portaccabins) in Caernarfon and Swansea.
Recovering from the impact of the pandemic is our top priority. HMCTS has published updates on their response to Covid-19 in the criminal and civil, family and tribunals jurisdictions in England and Wales. They provide comprehensive updates on recovery plans and include details about Nightingale courts and our actions to make sure our buildings are covid-secure.
We’ve unlocked vital capacity across England and Wales by opening 16 Nightingale Courts to provide 29 extra court rooms, 10 of which are being used for non-custodial jury trials. Portacabins are being installed to enable jury trials and therefore increase crime/jury hearing capacity. They are primarily being used as jury deliberating rooms and for assembly/jury management.
The UK Government is committed to having a constructive relationship with the Scottish Government. We continue to develop proposals for a package of reforms as part of the review on intergovernmental relations.
I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on how best to reopen the hospitality and tourism sector in Wales to make the most of the summer season, whilst respecting social distancing. Helping the sector to reopen will allow the industry to start rebuilding.
Through the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), the UK Government has supported over 400,000 jobs in Wales. Over £2.3bn in Barnett consequential funding has been allocated to date to the Welsh Government to support its response to the virus. This demonstrates the value to Wales of being part of the United Kingdom.
Using the scientific advice available, the UK Government has set out a clear plan on how we will rebuild the UK for a world with Covid-19 whilst respecting devolved decision-making. Subject to scientific advice, next month will see the partial reopening of some of the tourism and hospitality sector in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I welcome the Welsh Government’s plans for a partial reopening of the sector in July. However, given its importance to the Welsh economy, with over 9.5% of the workforce directly employed in the visitor economy and over £6 billion in visitor spending in 2018, I would urge the Welsh Government to do more to ensure that Wales is not left behind the rest of the UK.