Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether chemostat can be prescribed by the NHS for the treatment of patients with ocular melanoma.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Chemosaturation therapy, often referred to as chemostat, is used to treat cancer that has spread to the liver arising from ocular melanoma. It is not used to treat ocular melanoma alone.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance in 2021, through its interventional procedures programme, that recommends that chemosaturation can be used for patients with secondary liver metastases resulting from a primary ocular melanoma.
NHS England considered the case for the commissioning of chemosaturation for liver metastases from ocular melanoma in 2016. At that time, NHS England concluded that there was insufficient clinical evidence to support the proposal to make the treatment available for patients with ocular melanoma in the National Health Service.
In December 2024, NHS England announced the roll out of a new treatment across England called tebentafusp, which is now available for patients with uveal melanoma, which is the most common form of ocular melanoma.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to chapter 2, section 1 of the Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025, whether Universal Credit claimants currently in receipt of the health element will continue to receive the health element after the Work Capability Assessment is abolished in the 2028-29 financial year if they do not qualify for the Personal Independence Payment daily living component.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Pathways to Work Green Paper set out why we are scrapping the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). We want to end the binary categorisation of groups and labelling as either ‘can or can’t work’. Instead, any extra financial support for health conditions in UC will be assessed via a single assessment – the PIP assessment – and be based on whether someone is receiving any Daily Living award in PIP, not on capacity to work. This will de-couple access to the health element in from work status, so people can be confident that the act of taking steps towards and into employment will not put their benefit entitlement at risk.
The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill we recently introduced will freeze the health top-up at its current rate for existing claimants for the rest of this Parliament. This is twinned with delivering the first ever sustained, above-inflation rise to the standard allowance, with a cash increase of around £725 a year for single claimants aged 25 and over by the end of this Parliament. This is around £250 higher than an inflation-only increase.
Alongside these changes we are also looking to provide financial protection in Universal Credit for people with the most severe, life-long health conditions and those who are nearing the end of their lives. This will mean that anyone who meets the Severe Conditions Criteria (existing criteria for people with life-long conditions who can never work); and/or the Special Rules for End of Life (existing rules for people with 12 months or less to live to get faster, easier access to certain benefits) will continue to receive the existing, higher health top-up in Universal Credit over this Parliament. In addition, people who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria will never face a reassessment for Universal Credit, as we committed to do in the Green Paper – removing unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty. As a result, we estimate more than 200,000 people with the most severe, life-long conditions will be protected by the end of the Parliament.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many over 75s have been prosecuted for licence fee evasion since 2020.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Between the period January 2020 and September 2024 (latest available data), there have been two defendants over 75 years of age prosecuted for television license evasion.
Defendant age as reported here is taken at the point of sentencing date. Therefore, a defendant reported here may have been aged under 75 at the time of the offence.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of TV viewing transitioning to online delivery digital viewing on linear TV broadcasting on her Department's policy aims for local TV.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the important role that local TV continues to play in the wider broadcasting ecosystem. That is why last year we brought forward legislation to enable Ofcom to renew the licences for the local TV multiplex and the 34 individual local TV services. Local TV services provide audiences with local content, including news and current affairs. This contributes to our broader policy objectives of ensuring a strong local media sector and keeping communities informed about local issues and decision making. We will consider how we can further safeguard local TV’s contribution to these objectives through the Local Media Strategy.
However, at the same time we understand that there are challenges facing the local TV sector, as there are all broadcasters. The shift from broadcast to online viewing has led to audiences becoming increasingly fragmented, while increasing distribution costs.
In particular, we are aware of the local TV sector’s concerns that they will not receive prominence for their internet programme services (apps) as part of the new online prominence regime established in the Media Act 2024. At the moment we are not aware of the existence of any local TV on-demand apps. However, we would strongly welcome an app being brought to market that improves the availability of local content. This would enable the Government to consider whether the app should receive prominence under the online prominence regime in the same way local TV services have enjoyed prominence on DTT, satellite and cable platforms since they began broadcasting in 2013.
We are also aware of other distribution challenges that are material to local TV’s future success and sustainability, including the long term future of the DTT platform itself. We have launched a project to consider the future of TV distribution, with local TV representatives included on our stakeholder forum. As part of this work, we will also keep under review the policy framework which requires local TV services to broadcast over DTT as the market and viewer behaviour continues to evolve, subject to broader decisions about the future of DTT.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish details of the Section 31 notice issued to Mid and South Essex Hospitals relating to maternity services at Broomfield Hospital.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is working to publish its report following its inspection of maternity services in Mid and South Essex at the earliest opportunity. Publication of the report, following the Care Quality Commission’s inspection of maternity services in Mid and South Essex, has been delayed due to system and technology issues that have occurred during a large-scale transformation programme within the CQC. Details about any enforcement action, including the Section 31 against Broomfield Hospital, will be included in the full report.
The CQC is taking urgent steps to ensure that it is able to publish inspection reports in a more timely manner. While the publication of some reports has been delayed, any immediate action that is needed to take to protect people using these services will not have been affected, and is being acted on appropriately.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the report of the CQC inspection of maternity services in Mid and South Essex carried out in March 2024.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is working to publish its report following its inspection of maternity services in Mid and South Essex at the earliest opportunity. Publication of the report, following the Care Quality Commission’s inspection of maternity services in Mid and South Essex, has been delayed due to system and technology issues that have occurred during a large-scale transformation programme within the CQC. Details about any enforcement action, including the Section 31 against Broomfield Hospital, will be included in the full report.
The CQC is taking urgent steps to ensure that it is able to publish inspection reports in a more timely manner. While the publication of some reports has been delayed, any immediate action that is needed to take to protect people using these services will not have been affected, and is being acted on appropriately.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Departmental settlements have been set following the Budget announcement on October 30. Individual programmes will now be assessed during the departmental Business Planning process.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to hold roundtable discussions on the police's use of facial recognition technology; and who will attend the roundtable discussions.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Live facial technology is being used effectively by some police forces to identify suspects more quickly and accurately. Its use is governed by data protection, equality, and human rights legislation supplemented by specific policing guidance. However, I am aware of the concerns some have expressed about the lack of specific statutory provision for police use of the technology.
At the Westminster Hall Debate on live facial recognition on 13 November, I was clear that the government wants to take time to think carefully about how much support the police may need from Government and Parliament to set and manage the rules for the use of this technology.
I will also be listening to those with views on the legal framework and to the public in the coming months. This will include a series of roundtable meetings in December and January with regulators, civil society groups and industry.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to introduce legislation to govern the use of facial recognition technology by the police.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Live facial technology is being used effectively by some police forces to identify suspects more quickly and accurately. Its use is governed by data protection, equality, and human rights legislation supplemented by specific policing guidance. However, I am aware of the concerns some have expressed about the lack of specific statutory provision for police use of the technology.
At the Westminster Hall Debate on live facial recognition on 13 November, I was clear that the government wants to take time to think carefully about how much support the police may need from Government and Parliament to set and manage the rules for the use of this technology.
I will also be listening to those with views on the legal framework and to the public in the coming months. This will include a series of roundtable meetings in December and January with regulators, civil society groups and industry.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 8500 on Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, whether he plans to have further meetings with the European Commissioner for Justice.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Yes, the Secretary of State and other ministers in the department will continue to meet with the European Commissioner for Justice on this important issue as many times as necessary throughout the EU adequacy review process.