Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the provision of adequate levels of funding for victim support services.
Answered by Catherine Atkinson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
My department has secured £550 million for victim support services over the next three years – the largest investment to date. This includes a year-on-year funding increase, recognising the need to meet the rising cost pressures of delivery and increasing levels of demand.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of Ofgem's decision to recover the costs of the Energy Debt Relief Scheme through consumer bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The affordability crisis is the biggest issue facing families across the country. At the Autumn Budget, the Government committed to taking money off energy bills to tackle the cost of living. The changes made at the Budget are factored into bills for years to come, and without that action the rise in the Price Cap from July would have been significantly larger.
The Government is working closely with Ofgem, energy suppliers and consumer groups to develop a range of interventions to reduce energy debt, and to understand the impacts of different approaches on consumers.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the safety of the veterinary medicines Librela and Solensia.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
All veterinary medicines, including Librela and Solensia, are subject to rigorous scientific assessment before approval to ensure their benefits outweigh risks when used as authorised. Once approved, they are continually monitored through pharmacovigilance to ensure this remains the case.
Available data show that reported adverse events are uncommon, occurring in approximately 1–10 animals per 1,000 treated. Reports include cases involving use with other medicines, off‑label use, or events later attributed to other causes.
Following in‑depth review of all available evidence, including for Librela, the Department is satisfied that the overall benefits of these products continue to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of animals. As with all medicines, risks exist, and monitoring will continue, with further action taken if new evidence warrants it.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, a) what assessments he has made of the implications of the ongoing regional instability in the Middle East for UK foreign policy priorities; and b) what steps his Department is taking to support de-escalation across the region.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 April in response to Question 908756, and to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on the Middle East at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to support the resumption of sustained humanitarian aid access into Gaza; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of aid flows relative to civilian need.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 April in response to Question 908756, and to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on the Middle East at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure towns not included in the first wave of Young Futures Hub locations, including in Staffordshire, are not left behind in the delivery of the National Youth Strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the US CLOUD Act on the security of NHS patient data held or processed by US-based companies; and whether his Department has sought independent legal advice on whether contractual protections can override valid requests from US federal authorities.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
NHS England takes seriously its responsibility to handle health and care data lawfully, proportionately, ethically, and in confidence.
There is no overseas processing of any type of data under contracts, and access to data and systems outside of the United Kingdom is not permitted. Data is held in UK data centres and doesn’t leave the UK, with data access subject to UK law, regulations, and best practice.
These measures collectively ensure that National Health Service data remains under UK jurisdiction and all processing of patient information will be within the UK only.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of critical health data infrastructure being operated by companies subject to foreign law on national resilience; and whether the Government plans to develop a policy on digital sovereignty as it applies to NHS data.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The Government takes seriously its responsibility to ensure critical health data is handled lawfully, proportionately, ethically, and in confidence, whether by United Kingdom based companies or those that are subject to foreign law.
Digital sovereignty is ensured through prohibiting overseas processing of critical health data under existing contracts. Access to critical data systems from outside of the UK is not permitted. Critical health data is held in UK data centres and does not leave the UK, with data access subject to UK law, regulations, and best practice.
These measures collectively ensure that National Health Service data remains under UK jurisdiction and that national resilience is not compromised.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of gaps in East-West rail connectivity in the West Midlands and Stafford; and what steps her Department is taking to improve links between communities that are well-served by North-South rail corridors but poorly connected laterally.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises the importance of East–West rail connectivity alongside North–South routes in supporting travel across the West Midlands and Staffordshire.
Connectivity is kept under review, and the Department is currently working with the rail industry to consider further improvements to East–West connectivity at weekends on the North Staffordshire Line.
This work is being taken forward with operators as they develop demand‑led timetables that can adapt to passengers’ evolving needs, whilst also making the running of the railways financially sustainable, to ensure that taxpayers’ money is used in the most efficient way.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Carer's Credit rules where care is shared between two or more family members, each meeting the weekly hours threshold, on those people; and whether his Department plans to review eligibility to allow multiple qualifying carers to each receive the credit.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit designed to help people aged 16 to State Pension age who provide at least 20 hours of care a week for a disabled person, to build qualifying years for the State Pension, where they might otherwise miss out. The current rules allow more than one person to receive Carer’s Credit for the same cared‑for person, provided each meets the conditions for entitlement in their own right.