Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help people save for the future.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Retirement saving has been transformed with over 11 million employees put into workplace pensions since 2012.
We are committed to the expansion of Automatic Enrolment in the mid-2020s. Our reforms will benefit younger workers and increase overall amounts being saved, with 3m people saving £2bn extra a year.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help tackle illegal migration.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We [FCDO] are engaging with international partners on a 'whole of route' approach to addressing irregular migration. This includes a multi-year operational plan with France to stop small boats, developing partnerships to tackle organised immigration crime, improving returns processes and working with partner countries through international fora to address the root causes of irregular migration, such as conflict and climate change.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help encourage research into cardiovascular disease (a) treatment and (b) prevention.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research into the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In January 2023, the Department updated its areas of research interest (ARIs), which highlight to the patient, academic, clinical and life sciences community the areas where we want to expand our efforts and work together to systematically understand, intervene and improve public, patient, and service outcomes. ARI1 focuses on prevention, early diagnosis and appropriate intervention for people at increased risk of poor health, including cardiovascular disease. Supporting ARI1, the three NIHR Research Schools were awarded £10 million to deliver a collaborative programme of prevention research between 2023 and 2027. The programme will have a strong emphasis on capacity building. It will also encourage practitioners to participate in prevention research as a step towards establishing their own longer-term research careers and help address gaps between research and practice.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that the UK requires imports of (a) meat, (b) milk, (c) eggs and (d) fish to meet UK animal welfare standards.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is proud of the high food standards that underpin our high-quality Great British produce. We will never compromise on these.
All agri-food products, including those from countries we have trade agreements with, must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards.
The Government will use our expertise and influence to drive enhanced animal welfare and food safety standards globally.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce a ban on the (a) display and (b) importation of (i) dolphins, (ii) whales, (iii) porpoises and (iv) other cetaceans.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government considers cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) to be highly intelligent, social animals, with complex needs that are unlikely to be met when removed from their natural marine habitat and kept in captivity.
The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 require high standards for the welfare of kept animals. We consider these protections sufficient to ensure cetaceans are not displayed or otherwise kept in captivity in this country.
We are not aware of any cetaceans being kept in captivity or being displayed but if there was any indication that cetaceans were to be displayed or kept in captivity here again then we would of course consider further actions.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to exonerate sub-postmasters prosecuted due to the Post Office Horizon system.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 10 January, Government announced its intention to bring forward legislation to overturn the convictions of all those convicted in England or Wales on the basis of Post Office evidence during the Horizon scandal. This work is proceeding at pace and legislation will be introduced within weeks. These individuals will become eligible for compensation; this includes the upfront offer of £600,000 or to claim more via the individual claim assessment process.
Compensation is already open to postmasters who were prosecuted but not convicted.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
When he plans to respond to the sustainable available fuel mandate consultation.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A mandate to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will be introduced in 2025, leading to at least 10% SAF in UK jet fuel by 2030. Following the close of the second SAF mandate consultation in June 2023, the department has made significant progress in updating the evidence base and finalising the design of the Mandate. I can confirm that the government response will be published in spring 2024.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that vegans and vegetarians are provided with appropriate food in the (a) NHS, (b) social care and (c) other health services.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
For the National Health Service, social care and other health services, the Care Quality Commission regulates providers on compliance with Regulation 14 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This states that health and social care providers must consider people’s preferences, religious and cultural backgrounds when providing food and drink, and that people must have their nutritional needs assessed as quickly as possible and food be provided to meet the needs identified.
NHS England published updated NHS Food Standards in November 2022. The standards set out that menus should be tailored to meet patient’s dietary requirements and personal preferences. To that end, all hospital sites are expected to prepare and provide menus that meet all necessary types of dietary, religious and cultural needs. Vegetarian and vegan meals and snacks have long been part of this choice, and particularly with the focus on providing lower carbon choices, plant based meals are being provided as an extensive range.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) legal and (b) other protections for the right of vegans and vegetarians to manifest their beliefs in care settings.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ethical veganism has previously been found to be a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 by an employment tribunal, in an employment context. While this is not binding in other cases, all employers and service providers, including those who administer care homes and hospitals, should have regard to the differing dietary needs of people who they provide meals to, whether these are determined by health considerations, religious or philosophical belief. Providers should also recognise that food is not the only aspect of how ethical vegans conduct their lives and where possible should ensure that these other aspects are catered for.
Care providers should be aware that service users such as care home residents and ward patients may bring claims under the Act, where they consider they have been treated less favourably because of their belief in ethical veganism. In addition, public sector providers are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty which requires them, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:
(a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. Specific duties, set out in regulations, ensure transparency, and assist in the performance of this duty.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulate care homes as well as other health and care providers. One of the fundamental standards is on nutritional and hydration needs. Please see the link below.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the e-petition entitled Ban imports of hunting trophies of endangered animals; and whether the Government plans to introduce legislation on that matter in the 2023-24 parliamentary Session.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government response to this e-petition was given on 9 January 2024. The Government made a manifesto commitment to ban imports of hunting trophies from endangered animals. We are aware of the Rt Hon. Member for Warley’s Private Member’s Bill on this topic. At this time, we have no further plans to introduce primary legislation on this matter.