Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure that thalidomide survivors have effective representation in negotiations with Diageo on long-term (a) assistance and (b) compensation.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is a Deed of Covenant agreed between Diageo plc and the Thalidomide Trust, which is subject to periodic review by both parties, with beneficiary representatives involved in the process. The Department has no role in these periodic reviews.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support he provides for the (a) health and (b) wellbeing needs of thalidomide survivors.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Thalidomide Health Grant is awarded to meet the health and wellbeing needs, present and future, of thalidomide survivors living in England.
In 2023, the Department put in place a new four-year grant agreement with the Thalidomide Trust, to administer the grant of approximately £40 million. The grant was made in recognition of the complex and highly specialised needs of people affected by thalidomide in England, particularly as they approach old age. The funding helps beneficiaries of the Thalidomide Trust to maintain control over their own health, enabling them to personalise the way their health and care needs are met, maintain independence, and minimise any further deterioration in their health.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to respond to the consultation entitled Pavement parking: options for change, published on 31 August 2020.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are currently considering the consultation outcome and the options for change. As soon as we have reached conclusions, we will publish a formal response to the consultation, summarising the views received and announcing the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to continue the Academies Programme.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Academies are a crucial and valued part of our school system.
This government is proud of the change the academies movement has delivered for children. The government's mission is to break down the barriers for all children. We’re building on the academies programme to ensure that all children and every family has a core entitlement to a high standard curriculum taught by qualified, expert teachers, with space for innovation and flexibility beyond this.
The department wants high quality trusts to continue to grow where schools wish to join them and there is a strong case for them to do so.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional funding her Department has allocated for special educational needs provision by Suffolk County Council following the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of almost £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Suffolk County Council is being allocated over £124 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £10.3 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is a 9% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.
As also announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is receiving compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance contributions paid by schools and other state-funded SEND provision. That funding is additional to the £1 billion increase in high needs funding. Due to timing constraints, it will be provided as a separate grant, alongside the 2025/26 DSG for local authorities. The department will provide further information on the allocations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many dentists have been recruited under the Dental recruitment incentive scheme in (a) Suffolk Coastal constituency, (b) Suffolk and (c) the East of England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Within the Suffolk and Northeast Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), three dentists have been recruited, although none of these are within the Suffolk coastal constituency. In the East of England in total, 11 dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment scheme. The ICBs continue to work with practices in their area to support recruitment to these posts.
This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to review the current Shoreline Management Plans.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protecting all communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities.
This Government set up the first ever Floods Resilience Taskforce, on 12th September. The Taskforce marks a new approach to preparing for flooding, and working between national, regional and local government.
As announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will invest £2.4 billion over two years to improve flood resilience and better protect communities across the country, including from coastal erosion.
Shoreline Management Plans are developed and owned by the local councils and coastal protection authorities. These provide long-term strategic plans which identify approaches for managing the flood and coastal erosion risks at every stretch of coastline.
Shoreline Management Plans have recently been refreshed with updated action plans. This follows several years of collaborative work between the Environment Agency and coastal groups.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish (a) the assessment criteria and (b) other relevant documentation used by the Building Safety Regulator when determining decisions for building assessment certificate applications.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Regulator is required by Section 81(2) of the Building Safety Act 2022 to assess applications for a building assessment certificate received from principal accountable persons. The Regulator has developed criteria for assessors to use based on the requirements of the Act and associated regulations.
The criteria used to assess building assessment certificate applications will be published in the next few weeks on the Building Safety Regulator’s website (https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/). The Regulator will promote the publication of the criteria using social media and via key industry stakeholders.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Building Safety Regulator takes to ensure a (a) consistent and (b) transparent approach in determining decisions for building assessment certificate applications.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Regulator is required by Section 81(2) of the Building Safety Act 2022 to assess applications for a building assessment certificate received from principal accountable persons. The Regulator has developed criteria for assessors to use based on the requirements of the Act and associated regulations.
The criteria used to assess building assessment certificate applications will be published in the next few weeks on the Building Safety Regulator’s website (https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/). The Regulator will promote the publication of the criteria using social media and via key industry stakeholders.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many completion certificate applications for (a) higher-risk building work, (b) a stage of higher-risk work and (c) building work to an existing higher-risk building had been received by the Building Safety Regulator by 30 June 2024; and how many (i) of those completion certificate applications were determined within eight weeks of being received, (ii) extensions to the eight-week determination period have been agreed by the Regulator with the applicant and (iii) applications have been refused.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The new regulatory approach for building control on higher-risk buildings puts the onus on applicants to demonstrate how they will comply with the Building Regulations. This is a fundamental shift in the approach to building control and regulation, ensuring building safety is at the heart of applications.
Within the period up to 30 June, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) received 606 applications for amendments to existing higher-risk buildings (HRB), with 12 determined within the eight week period and 271 extensions agreed with the applicant. Within this category, there were almost as many refused applications, totalling 260.
BSR received 62 new applications, with four determined within the 12 week period, 22 extensions agreed and 10 refusals.
An application can initially be invalidated when an applicant has not provided the most basic administrative documents or followed the process that demonstrates they comply with the Building Regulations. This is not a formal refusal and it provides the applicant with the opportunity to reconsider what documentation and information is required for the application. Refusal is when an application fails to demonstrate compliance with the Building Regulations after being assessed.
Up to 30 June 2024, the BSR has received 14 applications for completion certificates for existing higher risk buildings, agreed extensions for six buildings and refused four applications. No applications have been received, extended, or refused for new higher risk buildings at either single stage or multi-stage.
The BSR has requested applications for Building Assessment Certificates for 236 higher-risk buildings. Up to 30 June 2024 the BSR had received the documentation for 230 applications and these are currently being assessed by the BSR and its regulatory partners. No Building Assessment Certificates had been issued or refused by 30 June 2024.
This Government is committed to both building safety and housebuilding. Our expectation is that once the new requirements, systems and processes bed in and all parties get used to the building safety regulations, that timelines for processing applications are met much faster. The BSR has been building capacity and developing their operational functions to improve building safety and ensure we never see a repeat of the Grenfell tragedy.