Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of UK Government policies between 2010 and 2024 on excess deaths.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Excess deaths are defined as the difference between the actual number of deaths registered in a particular period and the number expected based on recent trends. Headline figures for England are reported weekly by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The following table shows the trends in excess deaths in England and Wales, from 2011 to 2024:
Year | Excess deaths |
2011 | –7,961 |
2012 | 8,303 |
2013 | 20,457 |
2014 | 2,167 |
2015 | 26,874 |
2016 | 730 |
2017 | 1,918 |
2018 | 378 |
2019 | –30,375 |
2020 | 69,411 |
2021 | 48,759 |
2022 | 39,654 |
2023 | 11,148 |
2024 | –50,893 |
Source: ONS statistics for 2011 to 2023, and ONS statistics summed up from weekly figures for 2024, with further information available at the following link:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/weeklyprovisionalfiguresondeathsregisteredinenglandandwales
The drivers of excess deaths are not fully understood, and the excess is likely to be the net effect of many complex and potentially related factors. The attribution of excess deaths to these factors is complex and is beyond the scope of the ONS’ methodology. For this reason, the potential impact of Government policies on excess deaths cannot be assessed accurately.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of continuing to permit UK (a) businesses, (b) investment firms and (c) trading entities to (i) invest, (ii) trade and (iii) import goods from and within illegal settlements in (A) Western Sahara, (B) Occupied Palestinian Territories and (C) occupied territories.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.
Similarly, it is for companies to take their own decisions on whether to do business in Western Sahara.The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion entitled Legal Consequences Arising From The Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, published on 19 July 2024, if he will ban UK trade and investment with illegal settlements in (a) Western Sahara and (b) Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity. The UK is committed to international law and respects the independence of the ICJ. We are carefully considering the Court's advisory opinion with the rigour it deserves.
It is for companies to take their own decisions on whether to do business in Western Sahara. The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Occupied Territories Bill proceeding through the Irish Parliament; and whether he plans to bring forward similar legislation to ban trade with illegal settlements.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law and goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from tariff and trade preferences under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel. We support accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer. We routinely update our guidance to British businesses on the Overseas Business Risk website and do not encourage or offer support to economic and financial activity in the settlements.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the value of single malt Irish whisky produced in Northern Ireland to the economy.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Irish Whiskey Association, representing 95% of Irish Whiskey producers across the island of Ireland, report that Irish Whiskey exports exceeded €1billion in 2024 and reached 114 markets around the world.
Irish Whiskey produced in Northern Ireland is an important part of that economic impact. The oldest Irish Whiskey distillery in NI, Bushmills, reported a 9.7% rise in volume sales in 2022, reaching 1 million nine-litre cases for the first time. In 2024 the newest Irish Whiskey distillery in NI, McConnell’s, opened its £12m distillery in Belfast which is expected to produce half a million litres of alcohol and attract 100,000 visitors annually.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the contribution of the Scottish video games sector to the UK economy in the last three years.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK Government supports the video games sector across the UK, including in Scotland, through the video games tax relief and the Dundee-based UK Games Fund.
DCMS estimates the UK video games sector generated £3.7bn in GVA in 2021, £2.1bn in 2022, and £2bn in 2023, expressed in 2022 prices accounting for inflation. While these figures have declined since 2021, this is largely due to unprecedented demand during the Covid-19 pandemic, and represents over 300% growth in GVA since 2014. We recognise that due to existing Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code structures, this figure may not fully reflect the sector’s value.
A breakdown of these figures for Scotland is not available. Culture, including video games, is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
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 potential impact of changing the replacement rate to the Statutory Sick Pay lower earnings limit on people on this limit.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department undertook a Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the measures in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay: removing the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the value of single malt Scotch whisky to the economy.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No formal assessment has been made by the department, but a report by the Scotch Whisky Association, using figures from industry and the Government from production to employment, concluded that Scotch Whisky’s contribution to the UK economy reached £7.1 billion in 2022.
Exports of Scotch Whisky were valued at £5.4 billion in 2024, of which £1.7 billion was Single Malt Whisky.
The entire country is proud of Scotch Whiskey as one of the world’s most loved products.
SOURCE:
https://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/newsroom/2024-export-figures/
https://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/newsroom/scotch-whisky-boosts-uk-economy-by-71bn/
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to encourage scientists to emigrate to the UK.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK offers one of the strongest science bases in the world, with world-leading universities and research institutions, with opportunities in growing areas like quantum and AI. The UK’s immigration offer enables talented scientists, researchers and innovators to come here through various fast-track visa routes, such as the Global Talent, High Potential Individual and Skilled Worker visas. Our Global Talent Network aims to grow our science and technology power by attracting top international science talent to pursue opportunities in the UK. The UK's association to Horizon Europe enables international researchers to come to UK research establishments and collaborate across Europe.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with DCC to ensure there will be alternate smart meter connections in rural areas.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Data Communications Company (DCC) is required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of communications network coverage for Great Britain beyond its currently provisioned minimum level of 99.25%.
The DCC are examining a number of options to reach homes not currently able to get smart metering network coverage as part of its Future Connectivity strategy, which includes consideration of a full range of technical solutions including cellular options.