Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure all dog rescue organisations adhere to a standardised national framework for the safe rehoming of dogs.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, any person responsible for an animal, whether on a permanent or temporary basis, has a duty to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care. Companion animal rescue and rehoming organisations in England and Wales must therefore comply with statutory welfare requirements set out in the Animal Welfare Act 2006. We would encourage individuals to report any concerns regarding whether these standards are being met to the relevant local authority.
Defra always urges prospective owners to consider rehoming from a reputable organisation in the United Kingdom. Members of the public can check if the rescue centre they use is a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH), which has set clear standards for animal assessments, neutering and rehoming procedures that all members adhere to.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government backs UK R&D with record £20.4 billion investment at Autumn Budget, published on 31 October 2024, when he plans to provide (a) charities, (b) businesses and (c) universities with further information on the availability of this funding.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Autumn Budget set out the government’s funding plans and departmental allocations for R&D in 2025/26, with an overall R&D budget of £20.4 billion. Of this, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology was allocated £13.9 billion for 2025/26. Further details on how this funding will be allocated across DSIT priorities and partner organisations will be announced in due course, before the start of the financial year.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of numbers of medical appointments on the medical readiness of serving personnel; and what steps he is taking to ensure timely access to primary healthcare for (a) service personnel and (b) their families.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Defence Medical Services (DMS) provide primary healthcare for Armed Forces personnel and entitled families. Patients registered with DMS have good access to primary care. Urgent primary care appointments are available within one working day in 99% of medical centres and routine appointments within 14 days in all medical centres (92% within five days).
DMS has introduced improved triage meaning patients are directed to the right care first time, regardless of where they are located. Combining and networking medical centres has also created more efficient and effective primary care.
Secondary care for Armed Forces personnel and families is provided by the NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations. The Ministry of Defence/UK Departments of Health Partnership Board facilitates joint working across the UK to address issues relating to the health and healthcare of Armed Forces personnel and their families.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are currently in custody who have exhausted all rights of appeal and have signed deportation orders but have not yet been deported; and what steps her Department is taking to expedite their removal from the United Kingdom.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The number of individuals who simultaneously fall into all these categories cannot be readily obtained from available data, and such a snapshot exercise could only be conducted for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with internet service providers and with national and international partners on steps taken to prevent unlicensed medicines from entering the UK.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), acting on behalf of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for the regulation of all medicines and medical devices in the United Kingdom, by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. This includes applying the legal controls on the retail sale, supply, and advertising of medicines, which are set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. These regulations apply equally to medicines advertised, sold, or supplied through the internet.
Public safety is the number one priority for the MHRA, and its Criminal Enforcement Unit works hard to prevent, detect, and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices.
The MHRA works closely with e-commerce and the internet industry to identify, remove, and block online content promoting the illegal sale of medicines and medical devices. It also seeks to identify and, where appropriate, prosecute online sellers responsible for putting public health at risk. Working with national and international partners, the MHRA successfully seizes millions of doses of illegally traded medicines each year.
The MHRA’s #FakeMeds campaign provides advice to people in the UK who are considering buying medication online, outlining how products can be accessed from safe and legitimate sources. It also encourages people to report suspicious medicinal products and adverse side effects via its Yellow Card scheme, which is available at the following link:
https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 6209 on Lead: Contamination, whether he has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on the Water and Abandoned Metal Mines programme.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra works closely with the Environment Agency to ensure it is equipped to carry out its functions effectively and deliver for the public and the environment; this includes its work to reduce pollution from abandoned metal mines.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor on extending the Home Survey Standard to include (a) soil, (b) lead light windows, (c) decorative lead flashing and (d) lead contaminated dust in roof spaces.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consumers. RICS are an independent body, and it is for them to consider and prioritise any guidance or communications they issue to members regarding built environment risks.
The Housing Ombudsman is an independent service providing redress to individual social housing residents in dispute with their landlords. It regularly publishes reports on, and shares with the sector and Government, its findings and makes recommendations for landlords on how they can respond in similar circumstances.
The Secretary of State of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government has had no engagement with RICS, the Housing Ombudsman, nor the Chief Medical Officer, regarding lead contamination in homes. However, we would welcome any written representations or evidence from the Rt. Hon. Member on this matter.
The health risks associated with lead in housing are longstanding and well known. All building owners are responsible for managing building safety and performance issues of all kinds in their buildings in a proportionate, risk-based, and evidence-based manner, taking action where they deem necessary. Guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) outlines where historic sources of lead might lead to exposure in the home, accessible here: Lead: information for the public - GOV.UK.
Homes must be free from health and safety hazards, including lead, at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level. The Housing Act 2004 says that local authorities must take enforcement action if they find category 1 hazards in any dwelling, regardless of tenure. In addition, social housing fails the Decent Homes Standard if it contains hazards, including lead, at category 1 level. The government has committed to bringing forward a consultation in 2025 setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors.
Finally, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has a duty to keep the safety and of people in or about buildings under review and will undertake their own engagement across the sector to achieve this. Where action needs to be taken, the BSR will advise the Government accordingly.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the inclusion of tests for (a) lead paint, and (b) sampling of (i) dust and (ii) for lead in its equipment checklist.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consumers. RICS are an independent body, and it is for them to consider and prioritise any guidance or communications they issue to members regarding built environment risks.
The Housing Ombudsman is an independent service providing redress to individual social housing residents in dispute with their landlords. It regularly publishes reports on, and shares with the sector and Government, its findings and makes recommendations for landlords on how they can respond in similar circumstances.
The Secretary of State of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government has had no engagement with RICS, the Housing Ombudsman, nor the Chief Medical Officer, regarding lead contamination in homes. However, we would welcome any written representations or evidence from the Rt. Hon. Member on this matter.
The health risks associated with lead in housing are longstanding and well known. All building owners are responsible for managing building safety and performance issues of all kinds in their buildings in a proportionate, risk-based, and evidence-based manner, taking action where they deem necessary. Guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) outlines where historic sources of lead might lead to exposure in the home, accessible here: Lead: information for the public - GOV.UK.
Homes must be free from health and safety hazards, including lead, at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level. The Housing Act 2004 says that local authorities must take enforcement action if they find category 1 hazards in any dwelling, regardless of tenure. In addition, social housing fails the Decent Homes Standard if it contains hazards, including lead, at category 1 level. The government has committed to bringing forward a consultation in 2025 setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors.
Finally, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has a duty to keep the safety and of people in or about buildings under review and will undertake their own engagement across the sector to achieve this. Where action needs to be taken, the BSR will advise the Government accordingly.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the potential merits of amending its single survey property inspection technical guidance to include lead risk.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consumers. RICS are an independent body, and it is for them to consider and prioritise any guidance or communications they issue to members regarding built environment risks.
The Housing Ombudsman is an independent service providing redress to individual social housing residents in dispute with their landlords. It regularly publishes reports on, and shares with the sector and Government, its findings and makes recommendations for landlords on how they can respond in similar circumstances.
The Secretary of State of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government has had no engagement with RICS, the Housing Ombudsman, nor the Chief Medical Officer, regarding lead contamination in homes. However, we would welcome any written representations or evidence from the Rt. Hon. Member on this matter.
The health risks associated with lead in housing are longstanding and well known. All building owners are responsible for managing building safety and performance issues of all kinds in their buildings in a proportionate, risk-based, and evidence-based manner, taking action where they deem necessary. Guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) outlines where historic sources of lead might lead to exposure in the home, accessible here: Lead: information for the public - GOV.UK.
Homes must be free from health and safety hazards, including lead, at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level. The Housing Act 2004 says that local authorities must take enforcement action if they find category 1 hazards in any dwelling, regardless of tenure. In addition, social housing fails the Decent Homes Standard if it contains hazards, including lead, at category 1 level. The government has committed to bringing forward a consultation in 2025 setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors.
Finally, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has a duty to keep the safety and of people in or about buildings under review and will undertake their own engagement across the sector to achieve this. Where action needs to be taken, the BSR will advise the Government accordingly.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with he Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the inclusion of questions on (a) lead pipes and (b) paint in its vendor liaison checklist.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consumers. RICS are an independent body, and it is for them to consider and prioritise any guidance or communications they issue to members regarding built environment risks.
The Housing Ombudsman is an independent service providing redress to individual social housing residents in dispute with their landlords. It regularly publishes reports on, and shares with the sector and Government, its findings and makes recommendations for landlords on how they can respond in similar circumstances.
The Secretary of State of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government has had no engagement with RICS, the Housing Ombudsman, nor the Chief Medical Officer, regarding lead contamination in homes. However, we would welcome any written representations or evidence from the Rt. Hon. Member on this matter.
The health risks associated with lead in housing are longstanding and well known. All building owners are responsible for managing building safety and performance issues of all kinds in their buildings in a proportionate, risk-based, and evidence-based manner, taking action where they deem necessary. Guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) outlines where historic sources of lead might lead to exposure in the home, accessible here: Lead: information for the public - GOV.UK.
Homes must be free from health and safety hazards, including lead, at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level. The Housing Act 2004 says that local authorities must take enforcement action if they find category 1 hazards in any dwelling, regardless of tenure. In addition, social housing fails the Decent Homes Standard if it contains hazards, including lead, at category 1 level. The government has committed to bringing forward a consultation in 2025 setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors.
Finally, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has a duty to keep the safety and of people in or about buildings under review and will undertake their own engagement across the sector to achieve this. Where action needs to be taken, the BSR will advise the Government accordingly.