First elected: 5th May 2005
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Reduce fuel duty and VAT by 40% for a period of 2 years
Gov Responded - 17 Nov 2021 Debated on - 23 May 2022 View Jessica Morden's petition debate contributionsThe Government should reduce the cost of fuel through a reduction of 40% in fuel duty and VAT for 2 years. This can effectively offset the rise in fuel prices since 2020.
These initiatives were driven by Jessica Morden, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Jessica Morden has not been granted any Urgent Questions
A Bill to make provision about terminally ill people in the welfare system.
Driving Offences (Amendment) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Gerald Jones (Lab)
Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Alex Norris (LAB)
Automatic Electoral Registration Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Judith Cummins (Lab)
Breakdowns of the costs are detailed in the reports into the funds, which can be found on the following links:
(a) Access to Elected Office Fund (pages 12-13): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/722039/Access_to_elected_office_evaluation_report.pdf
(b) EnAble Fund (sections 4 and 6): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/barriers-to-elected-office-for-disabled-people/barriers-to-political-representation-disability-and-the-enable-fund#funding-awarded
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents. The Equality Hub does not have an MP hotline or an account management team.
The correspondence team does not hold information on the average response time to enquiries from MPs, as correspondence performance is monitored by the percentage of correspondence responded to within the target response time set by the Department.
Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers for 2019 and 2020 is published on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers. Data for 2021 will be published by the Cabinet Office in due course.
The Treasury has offered an unprecedented level of support to both individuals and businesses during this pandemic. In responding to the economic challenges of COVID-19, the Government carefully considered the equality impact of both individual measures and fiscal events on those sharing protected characteristics, including gender, in line with its legal obligations and its strong commitment to promoting fairness. This year, we have invested £44 million to support family childcare costs, enabling local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers.
The proportion of ordinary and named-day written Parliamentary questions answered on time in 2022 by the Attorney General’s Office is given in the following table:
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All government departments have access to regular training led by the Parliamentary Capability Team through the Government Campus. The Attorney General’s Office attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of Parliamentary Questions (PQs) and correspondence and remains committed to providing the highest level of service. Between the period of May to July inclusive, the Attorney General’s Office answered 74% of written Parliamentary Questions on time. For the same period, 97% of all Ministerial correspondence was answered on time. |
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) does not have an MP hotline. Correspondence from MPs is monitored alongside that received from Peers and members of devolved assemblies by the AGO Correspondence Team.
The AGO Correspondence Team does not hold information on the average response time to enquiries from MPs, as correspondence performance is monitored by the percentage of correspondence responded to within the target response time set by the Department. For AGO this is 20 working days.
Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers for 2019 and 2020 is published on Gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers. Data for 2021 will be published by the Cabinet Office in due course.
This Government and the Crown Prosecution Service take cases of domestic abuse extremely seriously.
Since the introduction of the Serious Crime Act 2015, which created an offence of coercive and controlling behaviour, the number of domestic abuse prosecutions have increased.
The CPS has developed an ambitious twelve-month programme of work to help narrow the disparity between domestic abuse reporting and criminal justice outcomes, including, sharing best practice and revising guidance to support effective case handling of coercive and controlling behaviour crimes.
It is essential that perpetrators, victims and their families know and understand that the criminal justice system remains open and is prioritising cases with high risk domestic abuse victims.
I refer the Member for Newport East to the answer given to the Right Honourable Member for Wentworth and Dearne on 16th May 2023 (184567).
I refer the honourable Member to the statement made on Wednesday 19 April 2023, in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report.
I refer the Honourable Lady to the statement made on Wednesday April 19 2023, in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report.
The Department cannot demand nor mandate that an individual discloses a personal protected characteristic (as defined by the Equality Act 2010). However, an individual may disclose that they have dyslexia ahead of an assessment and development centre, for example to discuss the potential for reasonable adjustments to be made. For a reasonable adjustment, the conversation would be filed individually and securely, in line with GDPR regulations. Details are not added to an individual’s profile on Government Commercial College, the data platform that records ADC scores.
Achievement levels for civil servants with dyslexia is not held centrally.
Government Commercial Function (GCF) works with staff networks (for example, the GCF Disability and Neurodivergent Network) to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and empathetically. Where appropriate GCF seeks professional advice, such as occupational health assessments, and encourages the use of the Workplace Adjustment Passports.
The Assessment Development Centre is designed to be as accessible as possible. Participants are encouraged to discuss any adjustments they might need at the assessment centre and adjustments are open for further discussion and amendment if needed.
I refer the hon Member to the statement I made in the House on 15 December where I announced that the moral case for compensation was formally accepted. I also set out the work being carried out across government in consideration of the compensation framework study - which included specific reference to those groups who were not able to claim interim compensation.
This work is intended to ensure that the Government is prepared to act swiftly in response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s final report when it is delivered.
Our internal records show that for all cases due with Parliament between 01/01/2022 and 31/12/2022 to which Cabinet Office responded, 92% of ordinary written questions were answered on time and 83% of named-day written questions were answered on time.
All lives lost in the line of duty are a tragedy and lives lost in public service should be commemorated. Work is continuing on an appropriate way to do so for those police, emergency workers and other public servants who lose their lives while serving the people of the United Kingdom.
I have not yet met with civil service staff networks, but I look forward to doing so.
This government is committed to working closely with our brilliant civil servants to ensure we deliver for the public. 14,000 civil servants responded to a 2020 survey that helped inform the Declaration on Government Reform and new vision for A Modern Civil Service. Since then, a network of Reform Champions from across grades, professions and locations have been regularly giving their views on our plans for reform and helping to make change happen where they work.
All departments have access to regular training led by the Parliamentary Capability Team through the Government Campus.
The Cabinet Office attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of Parliamentary Questions (PQs) and correspondence, and officials remain committed to providing the highest level of service. To complement the work of the Parliamentary Capability Team, the Cabinet Office also runs tailored training sessions for Cabinet Office staff specific to PQs and Correspondence to drive up the quality and timeliness of our responses. These sessions have been delivered 3 times since July.
Between the period of May to July inclusive, the Cabinet Office consistently answered over 90% of PQs on time each month, and an average of 86% of all ministerial correspondence on time over those 3 months.
Between the period of May to July inclusive, the Prime Minister answered 100% of Parliamentary Questions on time each month. The Prime Minister receives over 3,000 letters and emails every week covering a broad spectrum of issues.
Where an Hon. Member writes to the Prime Minister about a matter that is directly the responsibility of another Department, it has been the long-standing practice of successive administrations for that matter to be passed to that Department for a substantive reply, on his behalf.
Information on departmental performance on correspondence can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers.
Leadership (chair, co-chair, deputy chair of committee member) and administrative roles of the Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network are voluntary roles as part of an employee's corporate contribution and are not paid positions. There are currently no plans to make these roles paid positions.
As set out in the Declaration on Government Reform and the recent Civil Service Diversity Strategy, the civil service is committed to setting a new standard for inclusive workplaces. The Cabinet Office values the importance of ensuring our workplaces are inclusive for colleagues with dyslexia and we engage with relevant Networks where appropriate.
The Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network are a sub-network of the Civil Service Disability Network. As a sub-network of the Civil Service Disability Network, the chairs of the sub networks meet every two months, a representative of the Civil Service Inclusive Practice Team attends these meetings, the most recent meeting was on 19 May 2022.
Additionally the team will engage with individual Networks on an ad hoc basis when requested or helpful to test HR policy which impacts specific groups. Individual HR policy teams, such as those on recruitment, organise and meet separately with stakeholders.
As set out in the Declaration on Government Reform and the recent Civil Service Diversity Strategy, the civil service is committed to setting a new standard for inclusive workplaces. The Cabinet Office values the importance of ensuring our workplaces are inclusive for colleagues with dyslexia and we engage with relevant Networks where appropriate.
We engage with Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network, via the Civil Service Disability Network and with other cross-Government Diversity Networks to update on key initiatives and share best practice. The network also features on the Diversity Networks webpage on GOV.UK and the Chairs are able to collaborate with other networks using our Diversity and Inclusion hub.
Across the civil service we provide support via a range of individualised workplace adjustments to remove workplace barriers to enable dyslexic colleagues to thrive at work. Our Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network is a great support to improving the working environment for Civil Servants impacted by dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia across civil service departments. The development of the Toolkit has been widely shared with colleagues in Diversity and Inclusion.
Our recruitment processes are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain as inclusive as they can be, with involvement from occupational psychologists to ensure they meet the requirements of as many people with disabilities as we reasonably can.
An equality analysis was carried out in 2016 to demonstrate due and proper regard to our equality obligations. We used the analysis to assess the impact the introduction of online tests in recruitment was likely to have. This included reviews of the literature and involved a range of stakeholder and user consultations. External neurodiversity experts are also providing ongoing independent advice to GRS about how to improve the inclusive experience of neurodiverse test takers.The Civil Service publishes written and video guidance on the alternatives that exist for disabled test takers through the reasonable adjustment process.
As set out in the Declaration on Government Reform and the recent Civil Service Diversity Strategy, the civil service is committed to setting a new standard for inclusive workplaces. The Cabinet Office values the importance of ensuring our workplaces are inclusive for colleagues with dyslexia and we engage with relevant Networks where appropriate.
We engage with Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network, via the Civil Service Disability Network and with other cross-Government Diversity Networks to update on key initiatives and share best practice. The network also features on the Diversity Networks webpage on GOV.UK and the Chairs are able to collaborate with other networks using our Diversity and Inclusion hub.
Across the civil service we provide support via a range of individualised workplace adjustments to remove workplace barriers to enable dyslexic colleagues to thrive at work. Our Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network is a great support to improving the working environment for Civil Servants impacted by dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia across civil service departments. The development of the Toolkit has been widely shared with colleagues in Diversity and Inclusion.
Our recruitment processes are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain as inclusive as they can be, with involvement from occupational psychologists to ensure they meet the requirements of as many people with disabilities as we reasonably can.
An equality analysis was carried out in 2016 to demonstrate due and proper regard to our equality obligations. We used the analysis to assess the impact the introduction of online tests in recruitment was likely to have. This included reviews of the literature and involved a range of stakeholder and user consultations. External neurodiversity experts are also providing ongoing independent advice to GRS about how to improve the inclusive experience of neurodiverse test takers. The Civil Service publishes written and video guidance on the alternatives that exist for disabled test takers through the reasonable adjustment process.
As set out in the Declaration on Government Reform and the recent Civil Service Diversity Strategy, the civil service is committed to setting a new standard for inclusive workplaces. The Cabinet Office values the importance of ensuring our workplaces are inclusive for colleagues with dyslexia and we engage with relevant organisations where appropriate. Across the civil service we provide support via a range of individualised workplace adjustments to remove workplace barriers to enable dyslexic colleagues to thrive at work. Our Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network also supports improving the working environment for Civil Servants impacted by dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia across civil service departments.
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence, and so does Parliament.
Ministers and officials remain committed to providing timely and detailed replies.
As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency, the Cabinet Office has published data related to letters from MPs and Peers answered by Government in 2021. This was done via a Written Ministerial Statement in my name on 26 May 2022 (HCWS59).
Details of responses to written parliamentary questions from other government departments are not recorded centrally by the Cabinet Office. All questions that received responses that cited disproportionate costs or information not being available in the format requested can be found publicly on the parliament.uk website and can be searched for within the years requested.
Details of responses to written parliamentary questions from other government departments are not recorded centrally by the Cabinet Office. All questions that received responses that cited disproportionate costs or information not being available in the format requested can be found publicly on the parliament.uk website and can be searched for within the years requested.
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs and Peers.
The Cabinet Office does not collect data from government departments on the average time taken to respond to correspondence from Members of the House of Commons and Lords.
The Cabinet Office will be publishing data on volumes and timeliness of responses to correspondence from Members of the House of Commons and Lords for 2021 in the near future. This publication will include data for all government departments.
The study will report to the Paymaster General no later than 14 March 2022. The Government will give full consideration to Sir Robert's study - which is separate from the independent public inquiry. The Government's response and Sir Robert's study will be published.
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, Peers and members of the public.
In July 2021, the Cabinet Office published data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers for 2018, 2019 and 2020 on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers. This data measures performance by the percentage of correspondence from MPs and Peers responded to within the target response time set by each Department - rather than the average length of time taken to respond to correspondence from MPs and Peers. As per the Guide to Handling Correspondence, updated by the Cabinet Office in July 2021, the target response time set by Departments for correspondence must not exceed 20 working days.
The Cabinet Office is now in a position to publish correspondence data in a more timely manner; the data for 2021 will be published in the near future.
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents. Neither the Cabinet Office nor the Prime Minister’s Office has an MP hotline or MP management account team.
Where a Hon. Member writes to the Prime Minister about a matter that is directly the responsibility of another Department, it has been the long-standing practice of successive administrations for that matter to be passed to that Department for a substantive reply, on his behalf. This means that the data on such response times will be included in that Department’s broader figures.
Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers is published on GOV.UK.
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents. Neither the Cabinet Office nor the Prime Minister’s Office has an MP hotline or MP management account team.
Where a Hon. Member writes to the Prime Minister about a matter that is directly the responsibility of another Department, it has been the long-standing practice of successive administrations for that matter to be passed to that Department for a substantive reply, on his behalf. This means that the data on such response times will be included in that Department’s broader figures.
Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers is published on GOV.UK.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
This information is not centrally held by the Cabinet Office.
A briefing room has not been constructed in 10 Downing Street, therefore we do not hold the information requested. The Government is establishing facilities within 9 Downing Street which will be used for daily broadcasting by a number of news organisations, therefore I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 169917 on 22 March 2021.
Work is currently underway across government to address the concerns of people infected and affected by infected blood, and a compensation framework is being explored. Parliament will be updated in due course.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
In 2017, country-specific support schemes were set up in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. These schemes are devolved, and the devolved administrations will have made different choices around their offers of support over time.
We are currently working with our partners in the devolved nations and other relevant Government departments on taking forward actions to address the disparities in financial and non-financial support for those infected and affected across the UK, including bereaved partners.
The report's timetable is a matter for the Chair, Sir Brian Langstaff. Sir Brian has publicly recognised the need to balance between speed and the need for thoroughness, and has made clear that the Inquiry will complete its work as quickly as a thorough examination of the facts allows.
In 2017, country-specific support schemes were set up in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. These schemes are devolved, and the devolved administrations will have made different choices around their offers of support over time.
We are currently working with our partners in the devolved nations and other relevant Government departments on taking forward actions to address the disparities in financial and non-financial support for those infected and affected across the UK, including bereaved partners.
The report's timetable is a matter for the Chair, Sir Brian Langstaff. Sir Brian has publicly recognised the need to balance between speed and the need for thoroughness, and has made clear that the Inquiry will complete its work as quickly as a thorough examination of the facts allows.
The department is working closely with Japanese officials to agree a date for entry into force of the necessary amendments to the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, at which point the first tranche of British products will join the seven Geographical Indications (GIs) already in our agreement in receiving protected status. The Secretary of State discussed this process with her counterpart at the Joint Committee in Japan in October 2023.
The Government wants to ensure that all postmasters who experienced losses as a result of the Horizon scandal are provided with full and fair redress. It also recognises that given the significant time that has elapsed, it may be more difficult for claimants to provide evidence in support of their claim.
This was factored into the design of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme to ensure that postmasters will not be disadvantaged if there is a lack of records to support their claim.
There is an independent panel in place on the HSS, comprising of retail, legal and accountancy experts, which assesses each individual claim. The panel can exercise a degree of discretion to make fair awards where documentary evidence is lacking.
In June last year, Government announced a package of measures to help reduce costs and burdens for businesses. One of these measures allows manufactures to use conformity assessment activities undertaken by EU notified bodies before 31st December 2024 to be considered as the basis for UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking until 31 December 2027 or until the expiry of the certificate, whichever is sooner. This enables manufacturers to apply the UKCA mark on these products without the need for re-testing.
Government continues to engage with businesses to make placing products on the market and trading as simple as possible, whilst maintaining high standards of safety.
To date, interim payments totalling £19.2m have been paid to 467 Group Litigation Order (GLO) postmasters. The full GLO scheme opened for registrations on 10 February 2023 and opened for full applications on 23 March. We are already making good progress: over 85% of claimants are now registered.
The Government remains committed to paying fair compensation to all eligible GLO scheme claimants by August 2024. That is why we have committed to publish a timeline for delivering the scheme following discussion with the claimants’ legal representatives.
For financial year 2021-22, an investment of £100m by EDF in the Sizewell C project in January 2022 was provided by the Government through the Combined Option Agreement. In the same financial year, the Government provided a further £0.24m of innovation funding in 2021/22 to Sizewell C, together with partner organisations, through Phase 1 of the Direct Air Capture and other Greenhouse Gas Removal technologies competition, part of the Government’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.
In the financial year 2022-23, the Government’s planned expenditure on developing the Sizewell C project is £860m, with a further £0.5m provided as part of Phase 2 of the Direct Air Capture and other Greenhouse Gas Removal technologies competition.
The eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount scheme 2023-24 is set in the Eligibility Statement which was published on 12th September 2023 and can be found here:
The official statistics showed that 2.50 million households received a rebate under the Core Group in winter 2022/23, providing £374 million of support to low-income and vulnerable households. Warm Home Discount statistics - GOV.UK.
This does not include part of the scheme in Scotland delivered by participating energy suppliers which is known as the Broader Group. The statistics also do not include spending on Industry Initiatives, which are other financial and energy-related measures that suppliers deliver.
The final figures on the support provided in the 2022/23 scheme year will be confirmed in Ofgem’s annual report towards the end of the year.
Industrial participants in the UK ETS are provided with free allocations, reducing their exposure to the carbon price and mitigating the risk of carbon leakage. In a recent consultation the Government guaranteed free allocations at current levels until 2026, and as part of an ongoing review is looking at how to target support to sectors most at risk of carbon leakage. The UK ETS Authority will publish a response to the March 2022 consultation in due course.
The Government is also consulting on wider carbon leakage mitigations such as a carbon border adjustment mechanism and mandatory product standards.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 April 2023 to Question 181006.