Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
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 tackle the shortfall in the children's health and therapy workforce across integrated care systems.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan, which will be published in summer 2025, will deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, to treat patients on time again. We will ensure we have the staff we need so that children and their families are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. This will take time, but we are committed to building a health service fit for the future with the workforce it needs.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he is taking steps to (a) strengthen the right to flexible working for people with neuro-disabilities and (b) make it the default position for all employers to offer reasonable adjustments for people with (i) cerebral palsy and (ii) other neuro-disabilities.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Employment Rights Bill contains measures to make flexible working the default for all employees, except where it is not reasonably feasible.
A job applicant or employee with cerebral palsy will almost certainly meet the Equality Act 2010's definition of disability, which is a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. As such, the law will already have the "default" position that an employer must make reasonable adjustments for that person, provided that they are aware that the person has the condition, in the case of job applicants. In the case of neuro-diverse people, it is appropriate for employers to use the definition set out above, to make decisions on the need for reasonable adjustments.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many suicides there were in Northamptonshire in each year since 2020; and how many of these were men.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14 January is attached.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Environment Agency spent on flood defences in Corby and East Northamptonshire constituency in each year since 2019.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences.
The Environment Agency are best placed to provide detailed information about flood risk management in Corby and East Northamptonshire.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with the electrical contracting industry on estimated future trends in the level of demand for electricians for the implementation of low carbon technologies.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Alongside the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, The Office for Clean Energy Jobs published an evidence annex, which provides an initial assessment of the skills challenges for the Clean Energy Mission. This evidence will be used as a basis for the Government to better understand the 2030 workforce requirements and support targeted skills planning. DESNZ has longstanding links with the electrical contracting industry and looks forward to continuing working with them in the future.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the qualifying period for (a) Disability Living Allowance, (b) Personal Independence Payment and (c) Carers Allowance on applicants under 25 with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the qualifying period for such applicants.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Other than in cases of people nearing the end of life, all claims to either Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are subject to the qualifying period. The qualifying period, together with a prospective test, ensures that the health condition or disability is of a long-term nature. Where the qualifying period has been satisfied, in whole or in part, at the point of claim then entitlement to the benefit can begin from the date of claim or the date the remaining qualifying period is met.
Special considerations apply to claimants who are nearing the end of life, and our arrangements recognise the difficulties faced by people who only have a short time to live with claims being fast tracked. DLA and PIP claimants are regarded as nearing the end of life if they “suffer from a progressive disease, and the person’s death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within 12 months.” These claimants are guaranteed the highest rate of the Care Component of DLA or the enhanced rate of the Daily Living Component of PIP, both currently paid at £108.55 a week.
For Carer’s Allowance (CA), there is no qualifying period, and it is not dependent on the specific illness or disability of the disabled person but instead on the disability benefit being in payment at the appropriate rate. If required, CA can be backdated to the point in which the qualifying benefit for the disability benefit goes into payment.
We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with stakeholders on regulating advertisements of products that are high in (a) fat, (b) salt and (c) sugar (i) on TV and (ii) online.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The Department has engaged with a range of stakeholders on the advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink, also known as products high in fat, salt or sugar, on television and online. The Department will continue to engage with stakeholders as we progress the implementation of the policy.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
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 prevent retailers from misrepresenting the origin of (a) meat and (b) dairy products that are not (i) raised and (ii) produced in the UK.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK maintains high standards on the information provided on food labels and packaging so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy.
Country of origin information is required for fresh and frozen meat of beef, sheep, goat, pigs and poultry, as well as uncut fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, wine and some fish products. The fundamental principles of our food labelling rules are that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable consumers to make informed decisions. Under existing food labelling rules, food that is not of UK origin cannot be labelled in a way, such as with pictures or words, that states or suggests it is of UK origin. This includes the way in which foods are arranged and the setting in which they are displayed.
If processed food products made in the UK provide that origin information to the consumer, the information must also make clear if the primary ingredient is not from the UK e.g. label with 'British cheese made with milk from Ireland’. Shops will often voluntarily label their British cheese, hams and bacon when they are made from British milk and meat, helping shoppers easily identify and buy great British produce.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with North Northamptonshire Council on school transport fees.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home to school travel for children of compulsory school age, between 5 to 16, who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low income families.
Local authorities may not charge a fee for transport for eligible children. Some authorities choose to arrange transport for children who are not eligible, but they are not required to do so. They may also charge for such transport, but this is a matter for the local authority.
The department is keen to understand how well home to school transport supports children to access educational opportunities and will be working with our officials on this.
Asked by: Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to help protect British businesses in (a) the hobby sector and (b) other sectors from (i) TEMU and (ii) other cheap import companies.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the UK’s Low Value Imports Regime, consignments valued below £135 can be imported into the UK without incurring customs duty. This is a common provision in customs regimes around the world designed to avoid disproportionate burdens on low value trade. All overseas retailers that sell goods from abroad to UK consumers are subject to VAT at the same rates as domestic businesses. We keep the operation and impact of our policies relating to imports under review. The Government is committed to working in partnership with businesses to deliver sustained economic growth.