Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to evaluate the (a) implementation and (b) effectiveness efficacy of industry-led measures on loot boxes.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Following the Government response to the call for evidence on loot boxes in video games, the Government has welcomed new industry-led guidance and its potential, if fully implemented, to meet our objectives to improve protections for players.
The Government has agreed a 12-month implementation period for the new guidance on loot boxes and has asked the industry, coordinated by Ukie, to report back to DCMS on the extent to which it has been implemented and on steps taken in areas identified for further work.
We are working closely with industry and academics to ensure robust data is available to support evaluation of these measures, supported by the Video Games Research Framework which was developed and published by DCMS.
We will provide a further update in due course, following the 12-month implementation period and informed by independent academic scrutiny of the implementation and efficacy of these measures.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department's funding schemes providing support with the cost of energy.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government delivered over £40 billion in support last winter to households and businesses, covering half of a households’ energy bill, between October 2022 and June 2023.
This provided an average of £1,500 to households to support their energy bill costs.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve rail connections between England and the north of Scotland.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Cross Border Connectivity is a priority for the Department, the Department is committed to ensuring that passengers are able to travel by rail between England and Scotland.
Investment in timetable improvements and new infrastructure will enable faster and more frequent services on the East Coast Mainline improving rail connections between England and Scotland. Officials from the Department are in contact with their counterparts at Transport Scotland.
LNER provide a daily train service each way – the Highland Chieftain – between Inverness and London King’s Cross serving Aviemore, Perth, Sterling, Edinburgh, Newcastle, York and Peterborough.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on gambling regulation of (a) Omaze and (b) other companies that engage in lottery-style giveaways outside of the scope of existing regulation.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling White Paper, published in April 2023, set out the Government's intention to explore the potential for regulating types of large prize draws, which resemble society lotteries, but are not regulated as gambling products. Because these products are not regulated there is currently limited information about the sector. As stated in the response to PQ 152, the department has also commissioned independent researchers to gather evidence about the size and nature of the prize draw sector, including its role in charity funding, risks and player protection and understanding. The research consists of an AI-powered web scrape, together with industry surveys and operator engagement. The research will conclude shortly and will inform a consultation on potential regulation in due course.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department is planning an awareness campaign, on changes to UK-EU travel requirements associated with the EU’s (a) Entry/Exit System and (b) European Travel Information and Authorisation System.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Government is engaging both the European Commission and French Government through officials holding routine technical meetings to understand and influence the implementation plans of the new systems. This includes working with port owners and operators to understand and support their plans to mitigate EES and ETIAS impacts at the border.
A cross-government communication group consisting of Home Office, Department for Transport, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Cabinet Office teams has been established and is developing a communication strategy for both the travelling public and trade stakeholder groups.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to seek bilateral Youth Mobility Scheme agreements with EU countries.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK remain open to negotiating new Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) arrangements with other countries and territories, including EU Member States. However, as each YMS is subject to a bilateral, reciprocal arrangement, which also provides benefit to UK nationals, with the details agreed between the relevant parties, we are unable to disclose the status of negotiations as they occur.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken with his (a) French and (b) other EU counterparts to prepare for implementation of the EU Entry/Exit System.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Government is engaging both the European Commission and French Government through officials holding routine technical meetings to understand and influence the implementation plans of the new systems. This includes working with port owners and operators to understand and support their plans to mitigate EES and ETIAS impacts at the border.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the British energy security strategy, published on 7 April 2022, for what reason his Department's review of the practical planning barriers that households can face when installing energy efficiency measures has not yet been completed.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The review into the practical barriers that households can face when installing energy efficiency measures has been completed and we will publish a report on the outcome in due course.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to page 13 of his Department's publication entitled British energy security strategy, published on 7 April 2022, what her planned timeline is to publish the proposed review into the practical planning barriers that households can face when installing energy efficiency measures.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The review into the practical barriers that households can face when installing energy efficiency measures has been completed and we will publish a report on the outcome in due course.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of devolution arrangements on the strength of the Union.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.