Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Swimming Pool Support Fund, what estimate he has made of the number of swimming pools he expects that fund to support.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring continued public access to public swimming pools. Swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy as well as being a crucial life skill in terms of water safety. Furthermore, swimming facilities are important centres for the local community. That is why the Chancellor has announced, as part of the Spring Budget, over £60 million to safeguard public swimming pools in England as the first step to future proof the sector.
The Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) will focus on public swimming pool providers whose cost pressures are most acute, leaving them most vulnerable to closure. This could include public swimming facilities who have reduced their hours in order to keep services going. Full details of eligibility requirements for the scheme and the application process will be published by Sport England shortly.
Both immediate support for cost-pressures and investment in energy efficiency measures will be targeted to support facilities which are most in need. Funding will be distributed following a competitive application process and made available in the 2023/24 financial year, with grants being made directly to successful local authorities.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether local authorities will be able to apply to the Swimming Pool Support Fund to reopen (a) permanently and (b) temporarily closed swimming pools.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring continued public access to public swimming pools. Swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy as well as being a crucial life skill in terms of water safety. Furthermore, swimming facilities are important centres for the local community. That is why the Chancellor has announced, as part of the Spring Budget, over £60 million to safeguard public swimming pools in England as the first step to future proof the sector.
The Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) will focus on public swimming pool providers whose cost pressures are most acute, leaving them most vulnerable to closure. This could include public swimming facilities who have reduced their hours in order to keep services going. Full details of eligibility requirements for the scheme and the application process will be published by Sport England shortly.
Both immediate support for cost-pressures and investment in energy efficiency measures will be targeted to support facilities which are most in need. Funding will be distributed following a competitive application process and made available in the 2023/24 financial year, with grants being made directly to successful local authorities.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed closure of the coking ovens at British Steel's Scunthorpe site on the level of UK demand for coking coal from the proposed Whitehaven mine.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The government has not made an assessment as we are not party to any commercial discussions between British Steel and the operator of the proposed Whitehaven mine.
More broadly, the decision of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities regarding the coal mine followed a comprehensive planning inquiry that heard from over 40 different witnesses and considered matters such as the demand for coking coal, climate change and impact on the local economy.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for cancer (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment in Manchester Withington constituency.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To support elective recovery and reduce waiting times, including in cancer care, the Government worked with NHS England to publish the delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlogs in elective care in February 2022. To deliver this plan, the Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to help drive up and protect elective activity, including cancer diagnosis and treatment activity.
Diagnostics are a crucial part of cancer pathways. The Government awarded £2.3 billion at the 2021 Spending Review to transform diagnostic services over the next three years. As part of this investment, up to 160 new Community Diagnostic Centres will deliver additional diagnostic capacity in England.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the Major Conditions Strategy will tackle waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment in Manchester, Withington constituency.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Major Conditions Strategy will cover the cancer patient pathway from prevention, through treatment, to follow-up care, and set out the standards patients should expect in the short term and over a five year timeframe.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take through the Major Conditions Strategy to help reduce waiting times for cancer (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Major Conditions Strategy will cover the cancer patient pathway from prevention, through treatment, to follow-up care, and set out the standards patients should expect in the short term and over a five year timeframe.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Sports Ground Safety Authority has responsibility for (a) the safety of pitch-adjacent walls and barriers and (b) other aspects of player and athlete security within stadiums; and whether there are minimum and evidence-based standards in place to protect player safety.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount.
Sports pitch perimeter safety is primarily the responsibility of the relevant national governing body of the sport, and the relevant competition/event organisers of the fixture.
It is for individual clubs to carry out risk assessments and put in place mitigations that will improve player safety.
The Sports Grounds Safety Authority has regulatory responsibility to issue licences which permit relevant football grounds to admit spectators, and to oversee local authorities in their duties around related safety certification.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate she has made of when the Future of Women's Football review will publish its report; and whether players have had an opportunity to contribute to the work of the review.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Review is progressing well, with stakeholder evidence sessions taking place focused on the key themes of the Review. This has included evidence sessions with players from the Women’s Super League and Championship, as well as a session with retired players. These sessions focused on the key challenges and issues affecting a female professional footballer’s career, including wellbeing and safeguarding.
The Review’s report is expected by summer 2023, and the government will respond afterwards.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps with (a) football authorities and (b) the police to help (i) tackle large-scale pitch invasions in stadiums and (ii) protect the workplace safety of professional footballers.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety of all players participating in football matches is a priority for the government.
Prior to the start of the 2022/23 football season, the Premier League and English Football League publicised that any fan entering the pitch would be banned by the club they support for a minimum period of one year. These bans could also be extended to accompanying parents or guardians of children who take part in these activities. These measures are in addition to the existing Football Banning Order regime which can be imposed by a court for a football-related offence, including entering the pitch.
The government will continue to work with the police and football authorities to review all forms of fan disorder at football matches.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether player (a) wellbeing and (b) safeguarding are being considered as part of the Future of Women's Football review.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Review is progressing well, with stakeholder evidence sessions taking place focused on the key themes of the Review. This has included evidence sessions with players from the Women’s Super League and Championship, as well as a session with retired players. These sessions focused on the key challenges and issues affecting a female professional footballer’s career, including wellbeing and safeguarding.
The Review’s report is expected by summer 2023, and the government will respond afterwards.