Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards on steps to improve access to care for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs), with oversight from NHS England, have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations, including for those with PoTS.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down, including for those with PoTS. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and expanding the use of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards on the time it takes to be diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs), with oversight from NHS England, have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations, including for those with PoTS.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down, including for those with PoTS. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and expanding the use of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of rental properties with an EPC rating of (a) A, (b) B, (c) C, (d) D and (e) E in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department publishes data through the English Housing Survey (EHS) on the EPC rating of properties by tenure for all of England (DA7101), and the EPC rating of properties across all tenures for the North East (DA7102). However, the English Housing Survey does not hold the data at the constituency level.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Local Authority Registration and Coroner Services Association on their planned timescale to develop a professional qualification for registrars.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The General Register Office for England and Wales, (part of the Home Office) has had no discussions with the Local Authority Registration and Coroner Services Association on their planned timescale to develop a professional qualification for registrars.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing signage in register offices that state (a) marriage and (b) civil partnership can cause a will to be revoked.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
There is currently no plan to introduce signage about wills in register offices.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing an electric vehicle social leasing scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Government incentives are targeted to where they will deliver the most impact and the greatest value for money to the taxpayer. We have recently introduced the Electric Car Grant, which is available to private buyers of new zero emission vehicles, as well as vehicle leasing and rental companies. This allows the Grant to benefit drivers regardless of whether they prefer to purchase or lease a vehicle. The Government continues to keep all policies under review to ensure the transition to zero emission vehicles takes place in an equitable and fair manner.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local government finances on the ability of local authorities to fund additional therapy above the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund's fair access limit.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The adoption and special guardianship support fund provides up to £3,000 per child annually for therapeutic support. The department has assessed that £3,000 can fund an average of 19-20 hours of therapy, on the basis of median hourly rates for contact time, and allowing for additional costs. Decisions to fund additional therapy beyond this fair access limit rest with individual local authorities. Adoptive and kinship families can also receive help from local authority Family Help services. The government is doubling investment in these services to over £500 million in 2025/26.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of VAT on incentives to refurbish void properties in the social housing sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government confirmed an initial £1.29bn of funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund 2025-2028 at the 2024 Autumn Budget. The Government will provide £13.2bn of housing retrofit funding to 2030, delivering our manifesto pledge.
Residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of zero-rating VAT on the refurbishment of social housing.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government confirmed an initial £1.29bn of funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund 2025-2028 at the 2024 Autumn Budget. The Government will provide £13.2bn of housing retrofit funding to 2030, delivering our manifesto pledge.
Residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Strategic Defence Review published on 2 June 2025, whether his Department has considered establishing one of the new munitions factories in the North East.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review committed to build at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently developing a plan to deliver this commitment alongside our wider Defence Industrial Strategy, delivering long-term investment to boost UK growth and generating skilled UK jobs and export opportunities. The MOD is carefully considering arrangements for those factories including potential locations, and more detail will be set out in due course. It is currently considered to be premature to discuss specific proposals or sites until the necessary preparatory work has concluded.
I can reassure the hon. Member that I am aware of lobbying by MPs from then North East looking to increase defence investment in the region and as this Government delivers defence being an engine for growth I believe there are opportunities for the region in the future. I would be happy meeting her and regional colleagues to discuss further.