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 his Department is taking to (a) encourage research on and (b) support the development of (i) strategic partnerships and (ii) research infrastructure for ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including post-acute infection condition such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), for which research funding is available. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality, rather than designating an amount of funding for a particular condition. Welcoming applications on ME/CFS and other post-acute infection conditions to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.
The NIHR Academy offers extensive support for early-career researchers through various fellowships, training awards, and mentoring structures. For instance, through the INSIGHT Programme, they work with universities to fund research masters studentships and to attract students into research. Through Academic Clinical Fellowships, for doctors and dentists, and Predoctoral Academic Fellowships, for other health professionals, the NIHR Academy supports healthcare practitioners in integrating research with clinical practice.
Together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation, we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS final delivery plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical inventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including for ME/CFS and long COVID, later this year to stimulate further research in this field.
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, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for research on ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the next (a) year and (b) five years.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including post-acute infection condition such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), for which research funding is available. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality, rather than designating an amount of funding for a particular condition. Welcoming applications on ME/CFS and other post-acute infection conditions to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.
The NIHR Academy offers extensive support for early-career researchers through various fellowships, training awards, and mentoring structures. For instance, through the INSIGHT Programme, they work with universities to fund research masters studentships and to attract students into research. Through Academic Clinical Fellowships, for doctors and dentists, and Predoctoral Academic Fellowships, for other health professionals, the NIHR Academy supports healthcare practitioners in integrating research with clinical practice.
Together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation, we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS final delivery plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical inventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including for ME/CFS and long COVID, later this year to stimulate further research in this field.
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 her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the early morning alcohol restriction orders to help tackle early morning street drinking.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Licensing authorities already have powers under the Licensing Act 2003 to introduce Early Morning Alcohol Restriction Orders (EMROs) which can prohibit the sale of alcohol between midnight and 6am where appropriate for promoting the licensing objectives.
We keep the Licensing Act under review.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure schools in low-income communities can recruit and retain high-quality teachers.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
Recruiting and retaining more qualified, expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every young person.
For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the department is offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for secondary teachers in shortage subjects in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. In Leigh and Atherton Constituency, two out of five schools are eligible for this retention payment.
The High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme, currently delivered by Teach First, also recruits high quality candidates specifically for placement in schools serving low-income communities to help improve outcomes for pupils.
Our investment is starting to deliver: the workforce has grown by 2,346 full time employed staff between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools and vacancies have fallen to their lowest since 2020.
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, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of updating the Licensing Act 2003 to provide Licensing Authorities with greater powers to respond effectively to issues linked to licensed premises.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Licensing Act 2003 provides licensing authorities with significant powers of review where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur, including those relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.
Under Section 51 of the Act, a responsible authority, or any other person, may ask a licensing authority to review a licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives.
Where a licensing authority considers that action under its statutory powers is appropriate, it may take any of the following steps:
In March this year a Licensing Taskforce was commissioned to undertake a rapid review of the Licensing Act 2003, to explore how we may ‘deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime’. The report of that review will be published in due course. We keep the Licensing Act under careful review and will consider any relevant recommendations that arise from this review.
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, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the Licensing Act 2003 to tackle anti-social behaviour in town centres.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Licensing Act 2003 provides licensing authorities with significant powers of review where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur, including those relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.
Under Section 51 of the Act, a responsible authority, or any other person, may ask a licensing authority to review a licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives.
Where a licensing authority considers that action under its statutory powers is appropriate, it may take any of the following steps:
In March this year a Licensing Taskforce was commissioned to undertake a rapid review of the Licensing Act 2003, to explore how we may ‘deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime’. The report of that review will be published in due course. We keep the Licensing Act under careful review and will consider any relevant recommendations that arise from this review.
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, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the licence review process for off-licenses.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Licensing Act 2003 provides licensing authorities with significant powers of review where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur, including those relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.
Under Section 51 of the Act, a responsible authority, or any other person, may ask a licensing authority to review a licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives.
Where a licensing authority considers that action under its statutory powers is appropriate, it may take any of the following steps:
In March this year a Licensing Taskforce was commissioned to undertake a rapid review of the Licensing Act 2003, to explore how we may ‘deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime’. The report of that review will be published in due course. We keep the Licensing Act under careful review and will consider any relevant recommendations that arise from this review.
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, whether she plans to introduce a national development management policy for older people's housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We will consult later this year on a suite of new national policies for decision-making. Further details will be set out in due course.
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 working with Integrated Care Boards to ensure that (a) Admiral Nurses and (b) other dementia specialist nurses are included within each new neighbourhood health team.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Neighbourhood Health Service will bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s homes to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and so they could include dementia specialist nurses. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, or deprived inner cities.
Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services, which may include dementia specialist nurses/admiral nurses, based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE recommends providing people living with dementia with a single named health or social care professional who is responsible for coordinating their care.
Under the 10-Year Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services. We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.
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 the core staffing requirements that the new neighbourhood health teams must fulfil are; and whether these staffing requirements will include a dementia specialist nurse.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Neighbourhood Health Service will bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s homes to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and so they could include dementia specialist nurses. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, or deprived inner cities.
Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services, which may include dementia specialist nurses/admiral nurses, based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE recommends providing people living with dementia with a single named health or social care professional who is responsible for coordinating their care.
Under the 10-Year Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services. We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.