Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to increase speciality training places in (a) radiology and (b) oncology.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to training the staff we need, including radiologists and oncologists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.
We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.
This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include an expansion of (a) radiology and (b) oncology speciality training places in the next iteration of the Long Term Workforce Plan.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to training the staff we need, including radiologists and oncologists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.
We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.
This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
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 requiring NHS trusts to develop long-term plans for the (a) cancer and (b) diagnostic workforce including (i) training and (ii) consultant posts.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and to improve outcomes for people living with cancer. Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new national cancer plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients. We will continue to ensure that we train the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it, and the cancer plan will reflect this.
In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the update to Non-structural tax relief statistics, published on 5 December 2024, if she will provide an annual breakdown of the relief from Corporation Tax received by qualifying shipowners in the Tonnage Tax between 2000-01 and 2023-24; and if she will make an estimate of Corporation Tax relief from Tonnage Tax in the 2024-25 tax year.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Tonnage Tax is an advantageous corporation tax regime for shipping companies. It was introduced in 2000 to improve the competitiveness of the UK’s shipping industry.
As set out on GOV.UK, the Government forecasts that the cost of the regime in 2024-25 will be £185m: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs. However, this assumes that shipping companies would remain in the UK without a globally competitive UK Tonnage Tax regime; in its absence, there is a significant risk that shipping companies could leave the UK to join tonnage tax regimes in other countries, so this amount of revenue would not be collected. The UK would also not benefit from shipping companies (i) strategically and commercially managing their vessels in the UK and (ii) fulfilling the regime’s cadet training commitment. Annual cost figures dating back to 2000 are not available
As with all taxes, the Government keeps Tonnage Tax under review. Phase 2 of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets for the rest of this Parliament – from 2026-27 until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending and 2029-30 for capital spending. Non-structural tax reliefs - GOV.UK
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to discuss the Tonnage Tax scheme with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) shipowners and (c) maritime trade unions as part of the current Spending Review.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Tonnage Tax is an advantageous corporation tax regime for shipping companies. It was introduced in 2000 to improve the competitiveness of the UK’s shipping industry.
As set out on GOV.UK, the Government forecasts that the cost of the regime in 2024-25 will be £185m: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs. However, this assumes that shipping companies would remain in the UK without a globally competitive UK Tonnage Tax regime; in its absence, there is a significant risk that shipping companies could leave the UK to join tonnage tax regimes in other countries, so this amount of revenue would not be collected. The UK would also not benefit from shipping companies (i) strategically and commercially managing their vessels in the UK and (ii) fulfilling the regime’s cadet training commitment. Annual cost figures dating back to 2000 are not available
As with all taxes, the Government keeps Tonnage Tax under review. Phase 2 of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets for the rest of this Parliament – from 2026-27 until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending and 2029-30 for capital spending. Non-structural tax reliefs - GOV.UK
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to help ensure that the children of the families of boat dwellers without a permanent mooring are able to reasonably achieve daily access to education without the risk of (a) their boat licence being shortened or withdrawn for remaining too close to one place in term time, (b) seizure of their boat by the Canal and River Trust and (c) similar enforcement action by other navigation authorities.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Navigation authorities are responsible for operational matters on their waterways, and that boaters using navigable waterways are required to comply with the terms of their licences for the benefit of all waterway users. The Canal and River Trust has provided assurances that appropriate enforcement action on its waterways is only used as a last resort in response to persistent non-compliance, to ensure fairness to all boaters. Those with children who choose to live on a boat without a permanent mooring are responsible for ensuring they have access to education; the Trust provides reasonable adjustments for anyone who qualifies under the Equalities & Human Rights Act.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) the Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit has had recent discussions with the Canal and River Trust on a proposal for (i) an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 and (ii) other legislative proposals on the operation of inland waterways.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra officials meet regularly with Canal and River Trust senior management to discuss a range of issues. The Trust has recently announced the formation of an independent Commission to review the legal framework around boat licensing so that it reflects the changes in use of the network over the past 30 years, within which potential legislative reforms and/or operational changes to the Trust’s boat licensing activities may be considered. The review will take place in 2025 and will inform any decision by the Trust to pursue a potential Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the potential impact on Black (a) communities and (b) audiences of the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the potential adverse impacts on equality grounds of the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on a race equality impact assessment for the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.