Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of continuation of the conflict in Sudan on the number of Sudanese refugees seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Over 3.6 million people have fled Sudan since the current conflict began in April 2023; many more (8.8 million people) have been internally displaced. Those fleeing Sudan in need of international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety. The UK continues to use all diplomatic means possible to bring the warring parties to the table to end this conflict - the surest way to ensure people can stay safely in Sudan. The UK continues to provide significant support to those fleeing Sudan, most recently with the Foreign Secretary announcing a major aid increase of £113 million on 17 November 2024 to support people affected by the conflict, including in neighbouring countries, such as Chad and South Sudan. The Minister for International Development and HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh witnessed the impact of the crisis on people in neighbouring countries first-hand during their respective visits to South Sudan and Chad last year.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme in reducing wildlife exposure to rat poisons; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking further steps to combat criminal use of rat poisons to kill birds of prey.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Rodenticides Stewardship Scheme was developed by The Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK to promote responsible use and is overseen by the Government Oversight Group for Rodenticide Stewardship (GOG), chaired by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The GOG is conducting a review of rodenticide stewardship, under which it will consider all appropriate evidence. The detailed work of this review is expected to be completed in 2025.
Wildlife crime is a matter for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Welsh and Scottish Governments, and the Police. Bird of prey crime is identified by Defra as a national wildlife crime priority, and significant sanctions are available against proven perpetrators of the crime, including an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence. HSE may also take action, where appropriate, in its role as a workplace health and safety regulator.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the powers of Coroners to include the investigation of stillbirths.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice jointly consulted on proposals to provide coroners with new powers to investigate term stillbirths in 2019. In 2023, a factual summary of responses to the consultation was published. The Government will provide an update on next steps at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was for an autism diagnosis in Kent in (a) 2025 and (b) 2020; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for receiving an autism diagnosis.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information is not held centrally in the format requested, but may be held by individual providers or integrated care boards (ICBs). Some relevant information is available on autism assessment waiting times for the NHS Kent and Medway ICB.
In the NHS Kent and Medway ICB, the Autism Waiting Time Statistics published by NHS England show that there were a total of 8,695 patients with an open suspected autism referral in September 2024, the latest available data, and a total of 3,015 patients with an open suspected autism referral in September 2020. The median waiting time of all patients in this ICB with an open suspected autism referral, where their first care contact was in the quarter, was 483 days in September 2024, and 139 days in September 2020.
Data on children and young people in this dataset is expected to be an underestimate and caution should be used when interpreting these statistics since they are experimental rather than official statistics.
It is the responsibility of ICBs to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and diagnosis, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that private ambulance service personnel on NHS contracts receive (a) recognition and (b) honours.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the honours system of the United Kingdom, anyone can receive an award, and anyone can nominate someone if they demonstrate the exceptional contribution the person has made.
Recognition for those working in the private sector is primarily a matter for their employers.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing guidance to hospitals on using withheld numbers to contact patients about appointments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Services may sometimes choose to use withheld numbers when contacting patients, including to protect patient privacy and confidentiality, but we appreciate the frustration that patients can feel when they are unable to contact clinical staff, especially following a call from a withheld number, and recognise the importance of patients being able to establish channels of two-way communication.
The Elective Reform Plan, launched as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, sets out the reform and productivity efforts needed to ensure patients are seen on time, but also to improve their experience of care, which includes enhancing and improving two-way communication between patients and NHS services, whether through digital options such as an enhanced NHS App or non-digital routes.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the planned reforms to agricultural property relief, what steps her Department will take to support farmers who have lost their exemption because their (a) spouse or (b) civil partner has died.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms.
The reforms mean that individuals can access 100% relief for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets, and 50% relief thereafter - meaning an effective tax rate of up to 20% – regardless of their relationship status. Any liability can also be paid over 10 years interest free – a benefit that is not seen anywhere else in the inheritance tax system.
It is expected that up to around 2,000 estates will be affected by the changes to APR and BPR in 2026-27, with around half of those being claims that involve AIM shares. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) are expected to be unaffected by these reforms.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for the implementation of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government is committed to halving levels of violence against women and girls in a decade. An important part of this ambition is tackling public sexual harassment which often leaves people, disproportionately women, feeling very unsafe. The Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 is intended to make this type of harassment a specific offence.
As with any new criminal justice legislation, an implementation period is necessary to ensure all processes, systems and guidance are updated - including drawing up statutory guidance. We will confirm next steps on implementation of the Act at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the penalties are when the LAeq noise contour threshold at Stansted Airport is exceeded; and who enforces those noise restrictions.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Stansted Airport’s noise contour limit has been set through a local planning agreement. Enforcement of local planning conditions at Stansted Airport is a matter for the local authority, Uttlesford District Council.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with long covid are adequately supported.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I know firsthand how complex and debilitating long COVID can be.
Since 2020, specialist long COVID services have been made available in England, and NHS England is now completing a stocktake of these services.
This will provide an accurate national picture, identify key challenges and make strategic recommendations for future service improvement, development and assurance.
We have also invested over £57 million in long COVID research.