Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 31 October 2024 to Question 10237 on Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People Independent Review, when he plans to update the House on further developments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) implement the measures against unfair costs in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and (b) expand protections for homeowners on private estates.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November (HCWS244) which sets out further detail on the steps the government intends to take to implement the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and to progress the wider set of reforms necessary to end the feudal leasehold system for good.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to hormone replacement therapies for women experiencing the menopause.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions. Women should not have to suffer in silence and any woman concerned about menopause symptoms should seek advice from their general practitioner or other healthcare professional, who can advise about treatment options, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
There are over 70 HRT products, and the vast majority are in good supply. There have been issues with the supply of a limited number of HRT products, primarily due to very sharp increases in demand, but the supply position for the majority has improved considerably over the last year.
More than 500,000 people benefitted from accessing cheaper HRT prescriptions during its first year of operation. The HRT Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) can represent significant savings for patients who are prescribed one of the listed HRT medications. For example, a patient who pays the prescription charge could save nearly £220 per year with an HRT PPC, if they were prescribed two listed HRT items per month.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the memo to item 26 on page 118 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what methodology she used to calculate the public sector compensation amount for the increase to employer National Insurance contributions.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The amount of public sector support was based on an estimate of the proportion of employer NICs receipts paid by public sector organisations, using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary. The Treasury routinely uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8195 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: HOPE not hate, what meetings (a) special advisors and (b) junior civil servants have had with representatives of Hope Not Hate since the general election.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(a) I refer the honourable member to the answer to Question UIN 8195 on 22 October 2024. (b) I refer the honourable member to the answer to Question UIN 12772 on 15 November 2024.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of closing the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme on UK farming, in the context of the continuation of the equivalent scheme in the EU.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government appreciates and values the vital work of the horticulture industry and recognises its role in maintaining a secure food supply.
As part of our mission-driven Government, and in partnership with the sector, Defra is considering how we can achieve our ambitious, measurable and long-term goals for the sector, including how to recognise the sector’s diversity and specialist needs.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) continue and (b) replace the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme after 2025.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and legislation is in place which will close it on 31 December 2025. The Government has committed to championing British farming, while protecting the environment, and is currently considering the best way to support our farming sectors in the future, including horticulture.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to item 26 on page 118 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, how she defines public sector organisations.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
For the purposes of defining support for Employer NICs costs, the Government has used the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary. This is the usual approach for classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with the Charity Commission on the (a) conflicts of interest and (b) reputational risks of the non-charitable arms of charities engaging in party political campaigning.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Commission to discuss matters of mutual interest. Charities are permitted to establish or maintain close connections with non-charitable campaigning organisations to support their charitable purposes, provided this is in the charity’s best interests.
The Charity Commission has published guidance for charities with a connection to a non-charity to help charity trustees carefully manage any risks related to conflicts of interest and protect the charity's reputation. Trustees have a legal duty to protect the charity’s assets, reputation, and beneficiaries. Any link with a non-charity should not compromise the charity’s independence or public image. Trustees must also be mindful of the potential risks to the charity’s reputation, particularly regarding political partisanship.
If concerns arise that a charity may be acting in a politically partisan manner or outside its charitable objectives, the Charity Commission can investigate and take regulatory action as necessary.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what industrial disputes are ongoing within (a) her Department and (b) each of the arm’s length bodies connected to her Department; how many (i) staff and (ii) contractors are involved in each dispute; what the form of industrial action is in each dispute; which recognised trade union is involved in each dispute; what the substantive matter is that is being disputed in each case; and what steps she plans to take to end each dispute.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
No Ministry of Justice (excluding HMPPS) recognised trade union, or trade union recognised by Ministry of Justice contractors, currently holds a mandate to call industrial action.
HMPPS has one industrial dispute. NAPO (National Association of Probation Officers) is in dispute with HMPPS on pay and workload. Industrial action would potentially range from refusal to work overtime to days of strike action. HMPPS is in full pro-active engagement with NAPO to avert this.
The intention of HMPPS is to resolve the workload situation through resetting the work of probation with some tasks already removed.
On pay, at present, NAPO is content that without prejudice talks for 25/26 will commence in the near future. On workload reduction they are actively engaged in talks with HMPPS.