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, whether tariffs for procedures under the Minor Surgery Directed Enhanced Service have been adjusted to account for inflation, staff costs and premises costs since 2004.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Practices sign up to deliver the Minor Surgery Directed Enhanced Service. The Primary Medical Services (Directed Enhanced Services) Directions 2025 set out the national requirements for the Minor Surgery Directed Enhanced Service, with further information available at the following link:
However, please note that the service specification and payment arrangements for this directed enhanced service are determined locally by commissioners.
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 methodology his Department used to calculate tariffs set out in the Minor Surgery Directed Enhanced Service for (a) joint injections and (b) minor surgical excisions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Practices sign up to deliver the Minor Surgery Directed Enhanced Service. The Primary Medical Services (Directed Enhanced Services) Directions 2025 set out the national requirements for the Minor Surgery Directed Enhanced Service, with further information available at the following link:
However, please note that the service specification and payment arrangements for this directed enhanced service are determined locally by commissioners.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with North East Lincolnshire Council on the closure of Grimsby Central Library.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has held no specific discussions with North East Lincolnshire Council regarding the closure of Grimsby Central Library.
In November 2024, the Department agreed a project adjustment request to Grimsby’s Town Deal for the diversion of £3.7m of funding between the Green Energy Hub Project to be located within Grimsby’s central library, and the Freshney Place development. This request was supported by the Council and a quorum of the Towns Fund Board.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he take steps though the planned Elections Bill to ensure that individuals convicted of terrorist offences against the United Kingdom at home or abroad are disqualified from standing as candidates in any election.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There are several existing disqualification criteria for standing as a candidate in elections in the UK which relate to criminal offences. For example, the Elections Act 2022 introduced a disqualification order for those convicted of intimidation or abuse of candidates, campaigners or elected office holders. The effect of the disqualification order is a five-year ban from standing for, or holding, elective office, in addition to any standard punishment for the underlying criminal offence. The Government has introduced the Representation of the People Bill, which will extend the disqualification order to offences motivated by hostility towards electoral staff.
The Representation of the People Act 1983 also defines corrupt and illegal election practices, for which a convicted person is disqualified for up to five years. Additionally, someone cannot be a Police and Crime Commissioner if they have ever been convicted of an imprisonable offence.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the consistency of training and professional standards required of security personnel who require a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence and those working in security roles that do not require SIA licensing.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The private security industry plays a crucial role in keeping the public safe and it is critical that there is a high standard of regulatory oversight of the industry. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) provides such oversight by operating the regulatory regime set up by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA).
This oversight includes setting minimum standards for mandatory training for roles within scope of the regime, and ensuring individuals seeking to work in designated roles have completed the training required, as well as running criminal record and other checks to ensure that SIA licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ individuals who have the relevant skills and knowledge needed to perform their role.
Businesses seeking to supply private security operatives under a contract for services must ensure all their partners, directors, managers and supervisors are licensed by the SIA, as well as any frontline staff who perform certain security roles specified in the PSIA Act 2001 (for example door supervisors and security guards).
The SIA is currently conducting a 5-year review of training standards to ensure skills keep pace with emerging threats and will be working closely with experts and the industry on this. The SIA maintains regular engagement with the Home Office throughout this review.
Furthermore, the Government remains committed to delivering the intended outcomes of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, including Monitored Recommendations 7 and 8 which relate to licensing of in-house operatives and security businesses. The Home Office launched a 12-week public consultation on 18 December 2025 to help better understand the impact of the proposals for change.
The consultation aims to inform proposals that will ensure high quality oversight of the private security industry, while ensuring any new costs and regulatory burdens are proportionate and consider impact on business.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC plans to publish draft guidance for industry on the operation of the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism after spring 2026.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC will publish detailed guidance ahead of 2027. The government recognises such guidance is essential for businesses to prepare for the introduction of the tax and meet the new requirements, effective from 1 January 2027. HMRC will work closely with key stakeholders to ensure the guidance is comprehensive and easy to understand in advance of publication.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of training provider capacity for the Fishmonger Apprenticeship Standard in meeting employer demand.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department actively monitors all registered apprenticeship training providers through compliance checks, performance reviews, and inspections to ensure quality standards are met. Where providers fail to meet these requirements, we take appropriate action, which can include applying conditions such as restricting delivery and even termination of agreements and removal from the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR).
There are currently 4 registered training providers offering the Fishmonger Level 2 apprenticeship standard.
The Department manages entry to the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register to ensure that new providers meet a gap in apprenticeship training provision or meet our strategic priorities in areas where we want to grow apprenticeships.
Where an employer has provided evidence of a gap in the current apprenticeship training provision through the employer-led gap in provision policy, new training providers may enter the market.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to update Parliament on future expansions of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, including whether refined petroleum products are under consideration for inclusion.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
For the introduction of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in January 2027, the UK has focused on the sectors most at risk of carbon leakage within scope of the UK ETS, and where it is technically feasible to include products in scope.
As announced at Budget 2025, the government is considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products in the CBAM in future.
The sectoral scope of the CBAM will be kept under review beyond 2027 as new evidence comes to light to reflect methodological and technological advances.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make a comparative assessment of Vehicle Excise Duty rates for motorcycles with cars; and whether she has plans to review the Vehicle Excise Duty framework for motorcycles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as 'road tax' or 'car tax', is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.
VED for motorcycles is currently based on engine size. There are four engine size ranges, with the lowest rate applying to zero emission motorcycles and the smallest engines sized 150cc or less (currently £26, and increasing to £27 from 1 April 2026 in line with RPI).The highest rate applies to engines sized 600cc and above (currently £121, and increasing to £125 from 1 April 2026 in line with RPI).
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
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 assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of digital connectivity for businesses operating in ports, docks and coastal industrial zones.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Network coverage data published by Ofcom does not include specific datasets for ports, docks or coastal industrial zones.
The Government recognises that high quality digital connectivity is essential for businesses in the UK, including those operating in ports, docks and coastal industrial zones. This is why our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030, and we have a target to deliver nationwide (99%) gigabit broadband coverage by 2032.
Through Project Gigabit, we are delivering fast, reliable broadband to UK premises not included in suppliers' commercial plans.
We are also investing in projects across the UK through the 5G Innovation Regions Programme, which aims to increase investment in 5G networks and encourage the adoption of advanced connectivity services in key sectors, including ports and industrial zones.