Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, What progress her Department has made on implementing the Government's Autism Strategy 2021-2026; and what steps she plans to take to implement the objectives in 2024.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to develop a refreshed cross-government autism strategy, which was published in July 2021 and includes children and young people. The national strategy sets out the department’s vision to make life fundamentally better for autistic people, their families and carers by 2026.
The department has made significant progress on implementation of the strategy.
Examples of key actions taken have included:
In 2024, DHSC is prioritising updating the Autism Act statutory guidance by working across government, including with the department, to support the NHS and local authorities to deliver improved outcomes for autistic people in line with the national autism strategy. This updated guidance will be subject to public consultation in 2024. Delivery of the cross-government actions set out in the national autism strategy remains a priority for 2024 and progress will continue to be monitored.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of progress on the implementation of the [a] headlamp aiming criteria and [b] requirements for mandatory automatic headlamp levelling agreed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s road vehicle lighting expert group in April 2023.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Progress is being made at the United Nations to change the relevant regulations to introduce revised headlamp aiming criteria and mandatory headlamp levelling. The administrative process and transitional provisions permit sufficient time for vehicle manufacturers to redesign their products and adapt the manufacturing process to ensure conformity with the tighter tolerances, and is expected to come into effect in September 2027.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress she has made on helping support adults with autism into work.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We know that most autistic people want to have a job, and evidence shows that they bring many positive benefits to their employers. We are therefore taking positive steps to promote initiatives which help and support autistic adults to move closer to the labour market and into employment.
The Buckland Review into Autism Employment focused on increasing the number of autistic people in high-quality and sustainable employment. Specifically, it focused on identifying barriers preventing autistic people from securing employment, retaining employment, and growing their careers; and on recommending actions to overcome those barriers.
The evidence gathering stage of the review is now complete, and the review team has drawn the evidence together into a report and recommendations, ready for publication shortly.
We are also supporting employers via Disability Confident to increase their understanding of how to recruit, retain and support disabled employees and those with long term health conditions. The scheme provides employers with the skills and knowledge to remove barriers that might be preventing disabled people, neurodivergent people and those with long term health conditions from accessing employment and allows them opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.
The Spring Budget confirmed funding for a new employment programme called Universal Support. Universal Support will use the proven supported employment model to support inactive disabled people, people with health conditions and people with additional barriers to employment into sustained work.
In the Autumn Statement we announced that we are expanding the Universal Support scheme so it will provide support for 100k people a year once fully rolled out – increasing from 50k a year announced in Spring Budget 2023.
Eligible autistic and learning-disabled people will be able to opt in to receive up to 12 months of “place and train” support - helping them move quickly into suitable work, followed with wraparound support to help them to sustain that employment for the longer-term.
We are also continuing to run a series of programmes which include employment support for autistic people, such as the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help the veterinary sector process confirmation of neutering forms for XL bully breed owners before 1 February.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since 31 January 2024, owners are required to apply for a Certificate of Exemption if they wish to keep their XL Bully dog. Owners must provide evidence of neutering to Defra to ensure that the Certificate of Exemption remains valid, and we have provided an extended period for this to be arranged. We have produced guidance for vets on this process and are continuing to engage with the veterinary sector to monitor veterinary capacity.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timescale for publishing (a) the UK National Screening Committee's review of evidence for screening and (b) updated guidance on treatment pathways for prostate cancer is.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) will consider the evidence for six possible approaches to targeted prostate screening when the review, commissioned by the Department, has been completed. The UK NSC will publish its recommendations.
Guidance on testing and treatment of prostate cancer was updated in October 2022. There are no current plans to update the guidance again.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to help reduce the price of fuel at petrol stations.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Road fuel prices are down for the second consecutive month. Petrol prices are now at a level not seen since early October 2021 following our work to bring transparency to the market.
Today, we have launched a consultation which will require petrol stations to report real-time prices. This will mean drivers can compare prices, get the best deal, and prices will fall through greater competition.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the European Court of Justice ruling on the European Super League on the future of English domestic football.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The attempt to create a breakaway European Super League was a defining moment in English football and was universally condemned by fans, clubs, and the Government.
We took decisive action at the time by triggering the fan-led review of football governance, which called for the creation of a new independent regulator for English football.
We will shortly be bringing forward legislation that makes this a reality, establishing an independent regulator that can stop clubs from joining any similar breakaway competitions in the future.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the European Court of Justice ruling on the European Super League.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The attempt to create a breakaway European Super League was a defining moment in English football and was universally condemned by fans, clubs, and the Government.
We took decisive action at the time by triggering the fan-led review of football governance, which called for the creation of a new independent regulator for English football.
We will shortly be bringing forward legislation that makes this a reality, establishing an independent regulator that can stop clubs from joining any similar breakaway competitions in the future.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to support disabled access to venues.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is committed to improving the accessibility of cultural and heritage venues across the UK for everyone.
In June 2021, the Government Disability Unit launched an enhanced programme of Disability and Access Ambassadors. As part of this, David Stanley BEM was appointed as the Arts and Culture Disability and Access Ambassador. The Department is working closely with him to improve accessibility to the sector and its venues for people with disabilities.
DCMS investment is enabling important accessibility upgrades in cultural venues across the country, including via infrastructure grants to DCMS-sponsored cultural bodies. The joint DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund also has improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities as a core criterion, with recent awards including new accessible doors, lifts, ramps, and signage at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, amongst other projects.
Arts Councils across the UK are also working together with the British Film Institute to launch a free, UK-wide arts access scheme, called ‘All-In’. The pilot of this scheme is set to launch in Spring 2024. This scheme will operate across the UK in arts and cultural venues, for seamless, barrier-free booking which is responsive to individual circumstances and needs.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to engage with the disability community when developing transport policy.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport (DfT) officials engage regularly with disabled people and disability groups throughout policy development.
Guidance is provided to the whole department on how stakeholder engagement can be an effective way of identifying potential impacts and opportunities to improve inclusion and help us to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). This includes engagement with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC). Involving DPTAC from the earliest stages of policy development helps us to ensure our policies deliver for disabled people.