Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing VAT exemptions for (a) small charities and (b) volunteer organisations.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Taxation is a vital source of revenue that helps to fund vital public services including schools and hospitals.
Charities can already benefit from a reduced (5%) or zero rate of tax when purchasing some goods and services. More information about VAT relief for charities can be found here: VAT for charities: What qualifies for VAT relief - GOV.UK.
The Government has no plans to change this approach, but takes steps elsewhere in the tax system to ensure that charities receive treatment that takes account of their unique status and invaluable contribution. Our tax regime for charities, including exemption from paying business rates, is among the most generous of anywhere in the world, with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of working with organisations such as the UK Seafood Federation to (a) advocate and (b) promote seafood.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I welcome the creation of the UK Seafood Federation, and I am pleased that Defra officials attended the launch on 15 January 2025.
UK seafood businesses play an important role in boosting the growth of local economies by providing jobs, and are a vital part of our food security, bringing a heathy and nutritious source of food to dinner tables across the country.
The UK Government is committed to continue working work with industry organisations, such as the UK Seafood Federation, to create a more secure, sustainable, and economically successful seafood sector.
My Department looks forward to working closely with the UK Seafood Federation, as it does with other industry bodies, to promote UK seafood both domestically and abroad, boost trade, and deliver the best outcomes for UK businesses.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on improving dementia care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To improve care for patients with dementia, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, NHS England's RightCare team has refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. The scenario works through the Dementia Well Pathway journey, from diagnosing well through to dying well, detailing optimal and sub optimal approaches, with associated costings for each. The RightCare team has also developed a dementia model pathway, based on data for each component of the Dementia Well Pathway, to provide a high-level view of what dementia care activity looks like for local areas, and to aid targeted support where appropriate. We have a national career framework for adult social care, the Care Workforce Pathway, which is linked to a number of existing competency frameworks, including the dementia training standards framework. The Department has also launched a new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification which links to the outcomes in the Care Workforce Pathway. This contains the baseline knowledge required to provide quality care, and will make sure that those who are starting out their careers have an informed awareness of dementia.
In addition, the Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis, and prevention, to treatment, care, and support, including for carers. The Department delivers dementia care research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds a range of research into dementia care, including partnering with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Alzheimer’s Society to award £6 million to NetworkPlus grants, allowing the development of research and communities focused on the use and development of tools and technologies to enable people to live independently with dementia.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on discussions to establish a direct rail link between London and Cleethorpes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State knows the introduction of a direct train to London from Cleethorpes and Grimsby has been a longstanding local ambition. We are working with industry to understand the timetabling, financial, operational and infrastructure issues that would need to be resolved before a service to Cleethorpes could be introduced, once the East Coast Mainline timetable change has been implemented this December.
Infrastructure and operational assessments made by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and Network Rail have confirmed that LNER services could call at Cleethorpes and Grimsby without major infrastructure changes. However, for LNER trains to serve Market Rasen station, significant infrastructure work, estimated to cost £15 to £20 million, would be required. The introduction of this service would be subject to funding and a thorough business case process.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made with National Highways on the next round of RIS3 funding: and whether the A180 will be included in this funding stream.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The multi-year Spending Review, concluding in late spring, will help frame the 5-year RIS3 funding envelope that National Highways has to operate, maintain, renew and improve the strategic road network in the next road period starting in 2026. Once the level and profile of RIS funding is confirmed, National Highways can plan what it will deliver and when, including the scope, ambition and timing of major renewals projects, such as the A180 in North East Lincolnshire.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when it was decided that community interest companies should be ineligible for capital funding provided to NHS mental health trusts in the 2024-25 financial year; and whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of making community interest companies eligible.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government capital funding is provided for specific purposes, and for the National Health Service is for NHS organisations to manage their assets and provide NHS services. Community interest companies (CICs) are therefore outside the remit of most of this funding.
However, there may be some instances where integrated care systems (ICSs) can commission and fund other organisations including CICs to provide NHS services; for example, the Mental Health Urgent and Emergency Care programme funds, amongst other things, new and improved facilities and alternatives to accident and emergency, and hospital admission such as crisis houses and cafes, safe havens and step-down services.
Any changes to the current capital regime, including funding distribution will be considered during the development of the 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2024 to Question 12940 on Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: Regulation, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of rectifying unregulated cosmetic procedures.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have made no estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of rectifying complications relating to cosmetic procedures.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential importance of business support functionalities by online platforms such as META.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Adoption of digital technologies, including social media such as META's Facebook and Instagram platforms, can significantly increase business productivity. The Department is working with the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce and the Cross-government Review of Technology Adoption on new ways to support this.
It is also important for government to provide and promote business support through a range of channels, to expand access. The Business Support Service offers tailored information and advice on social media, including Facebook, and organisations like the British Business Bank and local Growth Hubs maintain a presence on a range of online platforms including LinkedIn and YouTube.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will have discussions with Meta on the potential impact of (a) the adequacy of its customer support team and (b) accounts being temporarily disabled on UK businesses; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of legislating minimum service standards in those areas to support UK businesses that rely on the services of (i) Meta and (ii) other online platforms.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Meta on a range of issues, including their support for UK businesses.
The Online Safety Act (OSA), enacted in October 2023, requires in-scope platforms to have clear and accessible terms of service setting out what kinds of content are allowed on their platforms and in what circumstances they might suspend or ban a user. The Act also mandates that platforms provide users and affected persons with an accessible complaints process if they consider their account has been unfairly restricted or suspended.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to protect the accounts of online businesses business from being erroneously temporarily disabled.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government acknowledges the impact of disabled accounts on businesses and that tech platforms need robust complaints systems. The Online Safety Act (OSA) requires in-scope services to have clear and accessible terms of service setting out the kinds of content allowed on their platforms and in what circumstances they might suspend or ban a user.
The OSA also requires in scope services to enable users and affected persons to complain to the service provider if they consider that the provider is not complying with any of their relevant duties or if they believe their account has been unfairly suspended.