Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department is taking steps to help protect freedom of speech in the hospitality sector.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

Free speech is a cornerstone of British values. The right to freedom of expression is a long-held fundamental right under Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination protects people with a religion or philosophical belief from discrimination, as well as to those who lack a religion or belief. The definition of religion or religious or philosophical belief is in line with Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights which stipulates that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It is also compatible with Article 10 which covers the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authorities.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is Great Britain’s national equality and human rights body. The Commission safeguards and enforces the laws that protect people’s rights to fairness, dignity and respect.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support veterans in (a) the UK and (b) Ashfield constituency.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, no matter which community they are based in. I am working across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans, including those in Ashfield, get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.

In England Op RESTORE provides specialist care to veterans who have physical health problems, and Op COURAGE, a mental health specialist service helps veterans and their families. Over 1000 veterans have used Op RESTORE to date.

Housing support is available across the United Kingdom via Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway to connect veterans with help and support. This system provides housing guidance and assistance to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Veterans can also access a range of tailored employment support, including the Career Transition Partnership, which is the initial point of provision for those leaving military Service in search of new job opportunities, and via Op ASCEND, the employment pathway for veterans.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help end crossings by small boat across the English Channel.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to the statement made by the Home Secretary on 10 February 2025, when moving the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill for its second reading.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason she agreed to the recent increase in train fares.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The recent 4.6 per cent increase to the cap on regulated rail fares, announced in last autumn's budget, supports the Government's long-term plan to achieve financial sustainability of the railway and is the lowest absolute increase in three years. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the increase of international medical graduates coming to the UK for work on the employment rate of British medical graduates.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is no obligation on employers to prioritise British nationals before foreign nationals for medical posts in the National Health Service. Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce, and our Code of Practice for International Recruitment ensures stringent ethical standards when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas. However, the Government is also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the NHS.

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.

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 prioritise British medical graduates for medical posts in the NHS.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is no obligation on employers to prioritise British nationals before foreign nationals for medical posts in the National Health Service. Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce, and our Code of Practice for International Recruitment ensures stringent ethical standards when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas. However, the Government is also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the NHS.

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.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will overrule changes to sentencing guidance which will place greater emphasis on pre-sentence reports.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Sentencing Council has issued new guidance which the last Government was consulted on between November 2023 and February 2024, and then publicly welcomed.

The Lord Chancellor has been clear that these guidelines do not represent this government’s views, and she asked the Council to reconsider them.

The Lord Chancellor and the Chairman of the Sentencing Council have since had a constructive discussion. It was agreed that the Lord Chancellor will set out her position more fully in writing, which the Sentencing Council will then consider before the guideline is due to come into effect

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect persecuted Christians in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are closely monitoring the treatment of all civilians in Syria, including those from the Christian community. In my Statement in Parliament on 10 March, and in the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, we made clear that the interim authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians. I raised this with the Syrian Interim Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, on 17 March, we consistently emphasise the need for a Syrian-led political transition that leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had correspondence with councils planning on reducing the frequency of bin collections.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly.

Defra recognises that as recycling services are expanded and improved, local authorities may want to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now. Building on existing and new legal duties, Defra recently published guidance to ensure that local authorities consider certain factors when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained.  Defra wrote to all English local authorities when this guidance was published.

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 extending free bus travel to all people over 60 years old in England, outside of London.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

Local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations such as lowering the age of eligibility. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. East Midlands Combined County Authority has been allocated £40.5 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available in the local area.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the number of convicted paedophiles that upon the end of their sentence have lived within one mile of a school or park in each of the last five years.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The decision as to where to permit a convicted child sex offender to live whilst subject to licensed supervision is made by the Probation and Probation Services working together under MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).

Additionally, offenders subject to licensed supervision may be prohibited from entering specified geographical locations (exclusion zones) on account of the particular risks which those offenders present. A child sex offender might, for example, be prohibited from entering a specified area around a school or nursery. Exclusion zones may be reinforced in certain cases by satellite tracking, to ensure that any offender who enters an exclusion zone without permission faces being recalled immediately to custody.

The data required to answer PQs 33564 and 33565 are not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the number of convicted paedophiles that upon the end of their sentence have lived within five miles of a school or park in each of the last five years.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The decision as to where to permit a convicted child sex offender to live whilst subject to licensed supervision is made by the Probation and Probation Services working together under MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).

Additionally, offenders subject to licensed supervision may be prohibited from entering specified geographical locations (exclusion zones) on account of the particular risks which those offenders present. A child sex offender might, for example, be prohibited from entering a specified area around a school or nursery. Exclusion zones may be reinforced in certain cases by satellite tracking, to ensure that any offender who enters an exclusion zone without permission faces being recalled immediately to custody.

The data required to answer PQs 33564 and 33565 are not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) reviewing and (b) changing the probation guidelines to prevent convicted paedophiles from living within a certain perimeter of a school or park.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The decision as to where to permit a convicted child sex offender to live whilst subject to licensed supervision is made by the Probation and Probation Services working together under MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).

Additionally, offenders subject to licensed supervision may be prohibited from entering specified geographical locations (exclusion zones) on account of the particular risks which those offenders present. A child sex offender might, for example, be prohibited from entering a specified area around a school or nursery. Exclusion zones may be reinforced in certain cases by satellite tracking, to ensure that any offender who enters an exclusion zone without permission faces being recalled immediately to custody.

The data required to answer PQs 33564 and 33565 are not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a ban on convicted paedophiles living within a five-mile radius of a school of park.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The decision as to where to permit a convicted child sex offender to live whilst subject to licensed supervision is made by the Probation and Probation Services working together under MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).

Additionally, offenders subject to licensed supervision may be prohibited from entering specified geographical locations (exclusion zones) on account of the particular risks which those offenders present. A child sex offender might, for example, be prohibited from entering a specified area around a school or nursery. Exclusion zones may be reinforced in certain cases by satellite tracking, to ensure that any offender who enters an exclusion zone without permission faces being recalled immediately to custody.

The data required to answer PQs 33564 and 33565 are not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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 increase access to dentists in areas with fewer dentists than the national average.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.

The additional 700,000 appointments will be available across the country, with specific targets for each region. These targets are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most. The methodology is set out in Annex A of a letter issued by NHS England to ICBs. The letter and Annex can be found here: NHS England » Arrangements for NHS urgent primary dental care during 2025/26 and confirmation of the closure of the New Patient Premium scheme”

ICBs have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 10 February 2025, in England, 35 dentists have commenced in post and a further 33 dentists have been recruited but are yet to start in post. A further 249 posts are currently advertised.

Found: Saville Roberts Rachael Maskell Andy McDonald Neil Duncan-Jordan Henry Tufnell Ben Lake Lee Anderson

Found: Saville Roberts Rachael Maskell Andy McDonald Neil Duncan-Jordan Henry Tufnell Ben Lake Lee Anderson

Found: Tuesday 11 March 2025 Rachael Maskell Andy McDonald Neil Duncan-Jordan Henry Tufnell Ben Lake Lee Anderson