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Written Question
Inland Waterways: Planning
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will introduce National Planning Policy Guidance to assist local government planning authorities to provide a consistent approach to (a) canal and (b) associated infrastructure restoration.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The restoration of inland waterways are hugely important to so many communities around the country. Whilst we do not currently have plans to introduce further guidance, we will certainly keep the matter under review.


Written Question
Inland Waterways: World Heritage Sites
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department provides guidance to navigation authorities on attaining World Heritage Status for canal systems.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for nominating sites across the United Kingdom, the Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies to UNESCO for World Heritage Status. The Department last updated the Tentative List of prospective World Heritage nominations in 2022/23.

Following the conclusion of this exercise, guidance was published on GOV.UK, which sets out the process for sites seeking World Heritage Status and advises those interested to contact the heritage agency responsible for heritage in their part of the UK (or the relevant Government authority if overseas) in the first instance.


Written Question
Conversion Therapy: LGBT+ People
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 on the use of conversion practices with LGBT people.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue. We will be setting out further details on this in due course


Written Question
Conversion Therapy: Spain
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of legislation to ban conversion practices in Spain.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue. We will be setting out further details on this in due course


Written Question
Transgender People: Pupils
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish guidance for schools on supporting trans pupils.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department recognises that issues relating to sex and gender can be complex and sensitive for schools to navigate, which is why the Department is working with the Minister for Women and Equalities to develop guidance to support schools and colleges in relation to children who are questioning their gender.

It is vital that the guidance published gives clarity for schools and colleges, and reassurance for parents. The Department is taking the necessary time to ensure that it reflects the best possible advice before publishing the draft.

It is important that the Department is able to consider a wide range of views in order to get the guidance right. The Department has, therefore, committed to holding a public consultation on the draft guidance prior to publication.


Written Question
Railways: Wales
Wednesday 18th October 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on supporting narrow gauge railway tourism in Wales.

Answered by James Davies

Narrow gauge railways, like Rhyl Miniature Railway, are an important aspect of our tourism sector and it is vital they are supported. Although tourism is devolved in Wales, the UK Government invested approximately £18 million in funding during COVID to over 60 heritage steam organisations through the Culture Recovery Fund.


Written Question
Magistrates' Courts
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has a mechanism by which to review magistrates' decisions following arrests by the police.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not have any jurisdiction over the decision making of the independent judiciary. However, if my Hon Friend wishes to raise any points of law that may lead to an appeal, the Minister of State for Courts and Justice is happy to work with him on how this may be taken up with the Attorney General.


Written Question
Schools: Lichfield
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any schools in Lichfield constituency have been identified as containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.

The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.


Written Question
Acquittals
Tuesday 12th September 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the magistrate's reasons for the acquittal of Iola Davies and Jasmine Murphy for obstructing the entrance to UAV Engines Ltd in Shenstone on 9 September 2022.

Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

It would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases and decisions made by the independent judiciary, which are fact specific and made on a case-by-case basis. This particular judgement does not relate to an area of Ministry of Justice policy but as is normal practice, the Crown Prosecution Service can appeal rulings in the magistrates’ court.


Written Question
Licensed Premises: Opening Hours
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce legislation to enable Ministers to make one-off changes to (a) pubs and (b) other licensed premises' opening hours for special events.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Licensing Act 2003 already allows the Home Secretary to make legislation for blanket relaxations of licensing hours for “an occasion of exceptional international, national, or local significance”.

The Government continues to keep the Licensing Act 2003 under review and works closely with licensing practitioners to ensure the regime remains fit for purpose and meets emerging challenges.