Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to encourage investment into high streets in (a) Leigh, (b) Atherton, (c) Golborne and (d) Tyldesley.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is determined to reverse the decline of our high streets and bring them back to life as part of our mission to drive growth, raise living standards and deliver an era of national renewal.
In December High Street Rental Auctions regulations came into force, which will help to tackle high vacancy rates in high streets across Wigan. Wigan was also recently confirmed as a recipient of the Long-Term Plan for Towns - it was confirmed at Autumn Budget that this programme would be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to tackle tax evasion in vape shops.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that sometimes businesses do not declare all of their income and thereby conceal their true earnings. We are committed to creating a level playing field for all, by ensuring that everyone pays the right amount of tax at the right time, to ensure trust and fairness in the tax system. Most taxpayers pay what they owe, but a small minority fail to register with HMRC or only declare a portion of their earnings. This small minority deprive our vital public services of funding, affect fair competition between businesses, and place unfair burdens on everyone else. It is vital these revenues are collected to fund our essential public services. Closing the tax gap and making sure that more of the tax that is owed is correctly paid, is one of the Government’s top priorities for HMRC.
HMRC is making it increasingly difficult for businesses to hide their earnings and have an extensive range of powers, including information gathering powers, that help build a picture of risk and identify those who are trying to abuse the system. HMRC’s approach to tax evasion aims to tackle current non-compliance and change future behaviours. These range from producing learning packages on tax obligations for schools, through to national campaigns and specialist task forces which incorporate intensive bursts of compliance activity in specific trade sectors and locations across the UK. HMRC undertakes a range of compliance activity, across every sector of the economy, to ensure that our customers are paying the correct amount of tax.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help armed forces veterans access mental health support in Leigh and Atherton constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, the integrated mental health and wellbeing service, which allows veterans to make self-referrals. The Op COURAGE North service, run by the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, covers the Leigh and Atherton constituency area.
The service, which is available across England, has been designed to support veterans from all areas, and is delivered from a range of locations, including National Health Service trusts, general practices (GPs), Poppy Shops, veteran hubs, and drop-in centres. Elements of the service may also be provided online if this is clinically appropriate. The Government recognises that not all veterans want to use veteran-specific mental health services and can instead choose to use mainstream National Health Services, such as talking therapies, which are available to both veterans and civilians.
GPs are able to participate in the Veteran Friendly Practice Accreditation Scheme, which is a free support programme for GPs in England that enables GPs to easily identify, understand, and support veterans, and, where appropriate, refer them to specialist healthcare services designed especially for them, such as Op COURAGE. Over 99% of Primary Care Networks have at least one GP accredited as Veteran Friendly.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a centre of excellence for care and research for infection-associated chronic conditions.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We do not anticipate setting up a new centre of excellence for care and research specifically for post-viral or infection-associated conditions. The Department funds research on post-viral conditions through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR and Medical Research Council (MRC) remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of post-viral conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and long COVID, and are actively exploring next steps for stimulating further research in this area. The MRC and NIHR currently fund research through a variety of routes, including infrastructure, research programmes, capacity building, for example research fellowships, and in the case of NIHR, research delivery to support recruitment to studies. Funding is available for infection-associated research.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to allocate additional funding towards the Government's myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue delivery plan.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are currently no plans to allocate additional funding towards the myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue (ME/CFS) final delivery plan. The ME/CFS final delivery plan continues to be developed.
The plan will focus on improving research, attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this disease. The consultation responses, alongside continued stakeholder engagement via the ME/CFS Task and Finish Group, will inform the development of the final delivery plan for ME/CFS, which we aim to publish by the end of March 2025.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support people with (a) Long Covid and (b) ME back into the workplace.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.
We are committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible. The system must also support disabled people to live independently. It is also vital to ensure that the system is financially sustainable in the long term. We are working to develop proposals for reform in the months ahead and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement later this year.
Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live.
Disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with Long Covid and/or ME, are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.
Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes increasing access to Occupational Health, a digital information service for employers and the Disability Confident scheme.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to support people with neurodiverse conditions into the workplace.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise that neurodivergent people face particular barriers to employment, which is reflected in a poor overall employment rate. In our plan to Make Work Pay, we committed to raising awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace and across wider society.
Our specialist initiatives to support neurodivergent people and other disabled people into work include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. £12.3 million has also been invested into 23 lead Local Authority areas to provide support to autistic people and people with learning disabilities, under the Local Supported Employment Programme.
Under the Government’s new Get Britain Working Strategy, the forthcoming voluntary, locally led Supported Employment programme ‘Connect to Work’ will support disabled people, those with health conditions and other complex barriers including neurodivergent people, to get into and on in work.
Employers have a key role to play in inclusion for neurodiverse people. Our support to employers includes the online Support with Employee Health and Disability service, to support employers managing health and disability in the workplace. This includes questions of disclosure and equipping employers to feel confident having conversations about health and disability. The Disability Confident scheme also signposts employers to expert resources which support the employment of disabled people.
We have recently launched an independent panel of academics with expertise in neurodiversity to advise ministers and employers on neurodiversity and inclusion at work.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of introducing mandatory minimum sentences for individuals in breach of protective orders.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Minimum sentences are rare in England and Wales and are only provided in legislation for certain offences where there is a particular concern.
It is the function of the court to decide the sentence in each case subject to the maximum that Parliament has provided, and any relevant Sentencing Guidelines published by the Sentencing Council. Sentencing must also be proportionate to the offence committed, taking into account all the circumstances of each case. That is why, even in cases where a minimum sentencing requirement applies, the court retains discretion not to apply it in exceptional circumstances.
The government has launched an Independent Review of Sentencing, chaired by former Lord Chancellor David Gauke, to provide a comprehensive re-evaluation of our sentencing framework with the aim to provide long-term solution for our justice system and to ensure we are never again forced to rely on the emergency release of prisoners.
This government is committed to strengthening protective orders and launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in select areas in November 2024. The DAPO provides stronger protection for victims as it is the first order to cover all forms of domestic abuse including, coercive and controlling behaviour and also has the ability to impose electronic monitoring and attendance to a behaviour change programme. Breach of a DAPO is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a regional transport strategy to improve connectivity between towns.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Transport doesn’t stop at local authority boundaries. It is therefore important that transport is also considered at a regional level to provide context for transport schemes and help improve connectivity between areas.
In England, regional transport strategies have been developed by the seven Sub-national Transport Bodies (STBs) which represent the entirety of England except London, which is covered by separate arrangements. The strategies produced by STBs reflect the collective priorities of their constituent authorities who are represented by local leaders and Mayors.
The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each publish their own National Transport Strategies.
Partnership working is also further facilitated by the Council of the Nations and Regions and Mayoral Council. These forums provide unparalleled opportunities for Mayors, working hand in glove with other local leaders, to engage government at the highest levels on a systematic basis.
This government is committed to resetting the relationship with local and regional government, empowering local leaders and Mayors to make the right decisions for their communities, and working together to grow an inclusive economy, reform public services and secure better outcomes.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how (a) the Local News Commission and (b) other similar organisations will be able to contribute to the development of her planned local media strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We have been working across Government as the Local Media Strategy develops and are also engaging with key external stakeholders, from industry, academia, civil society and local government. Officials have already met with the Public Interest News Foundation, founders of the Local News Commission, as part of that engagement. Our work is also being informed by the range of studies conducted into the state of local journalism in the UK in recent years. With this in mind, we look forward to publication of the Local News Commission’s report and any new insights or recommendations that the Commission is able to offer.