Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take once the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme is introduced to a) incentivise the continuation of people hosting and b) reduce the risk of homelessness amongst displaced Ukrainians.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

More than two years on, we continue to stand firm with the brave people who remain in Ukraine, and to warmly welcome those who need sanctuary in the UK.

We are greatly appreciative of the overwhelming generosity shown by sponsors in accommodating guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. It is thanks to this generosity that we have been able to welcome over 156,000 Ukrainians to the UK. We continue to encourage those who can offer support to come forward with offers of sponsorship.

We provide a tariff of £5,900 per Ukrainian arrival to councils. This is un-ringfenced, which allows councils to use the funding to support households as best suits the local area, including measures to support guests who have left sponsorship to access the private rented sector.

Local councils have a responsibility to support Ukrainians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including providing temporary accommodation where required to ensure no family is without a roof over their head.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme will continue to provide thank you payments to people hosting displaced Ukrainians.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

More than two years on, we continue to stand firm with the brave people who remain in Ukraine, and to warmly welcome those who need sanctuary in the UK.

We are greatly appreciative of the overwhelming generosity shown by sponsors in accommodating guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. It is thanks to this generosity that we have been able to welcome over 156,000 Ukrainians to the UK. We continue to encourage those who can offer support to come forward with offers of sponsorship.

We provide a tariff of £5,900 per Ukrainian arrival to councils. This is un-ringfenced, which allows councils to use the funding to support households as best suits the local area, including measures to support guests who have left sponsorship to access the private rented sector.

Local councils have a responsibility to support Ukrainians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including providing temporary accommodation where required to ensure no family is without a roof over their head.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will undertake a review of the adequacy of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence severity modifier in the context of secondary breast cancer.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has no plans to conduct an equalities impact assessment on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) severity modifier, or to undertake a review of its adequacy in the context of secondary breast cancer.

The NICE is responsible for developing the methods and processes it uses in its evaluations independently and in consultation with stakeholders. The severity modifier that the NICE introduced in 2022 is based on evidence of societal preferences and was introduced as part of a comprehensive review of the NICE’s methods and processes, following extensive public and stakeholder engagement. The NICE considered equality issues in an equality impact document that accompanied the introduction of its new methods and processes, including the severity modifier.

The NICE recently concluded a review of the severity modifier and found that it is operating as intended. Since its introduction, the severity modifier has resulted in a higher approval rate for cancer medicines than under the NICE’s previous methods, and has also allowed greater weight to be applied to non-cancer medicines that address a broader range of severe diseases, enabling the NICE to recommend medicines for conditions such as cystic fibrosis and hepatitis D. The NICE is keeping the impact of the severity modifier under review and is scoping further research into society’s preferences on how much additional weighting to give to health benefits for people with severe diseases.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted an equalities impact assessment on the NICE severity modifier for secondary breast cancer.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has no plans to conduct an equalities impact assessment on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) severity modifier, or to undertake a review of its adequacy in the context of secondary breast cancer.

The NICE is responsible for developing the methods and processes it uses in its evaluations independently and in consultation with stakeholders. The severity modifier that the NICE introduced in 2022 is based on evidence of societal preferences and was introduced as part of a comprehensive review of the NICE’s methods and processes, following extensive public and stakeholder engagement. The NICE considered equality issues in an equality impact document that accompanied the introduction of its new methods and processes, including the severity modifier.

The NICE recently concluded a review of the severity modifier and found that it is operating as intended. Since its introduction, the severity modifier has resulted in a higher approval rate for cancer medicines than under the NICE’s previous methods, and has also allowed greater weight to be applied to non-cancer medicines that address a broader range of severe diseases, enabling the NICE to recommend medicines for conditions such as cystic fibrosis and hepatitis D. The NICE is keeping the impact of the severity modifier under review and is scoping further research into society’s preferences on how much additional weighting to give to health benefits for people with severe diseases.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State in her Department in debate on the Immigration (Guidance on Detention of Vulnerable Persons) Regulations 2024 in Grand Committee in the House of Lords on 14 October 2024, Official Report, column 17GC, what the (a) timetable is and (b) terms of reference are for the review into immigration detention.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

We intend to complete the Adults at Risk review in Spring 2025, including Rule 34 and Rule 35 of the detention centre rules.

Gaza family visa scheme

World Homelessness Day 2024

School nurses

UN’s resolution on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and sanctions

Ban trophy hunting imports

Submit Evidence (by 20 Dec 2024)

The Environmental Audit Committee is seeking views on how the Government’s proposed reforms to national planning policy and housebuilding targets might affect environmental protections and current approaches to sustainable development.Read the terms of reference and find out how to submit written evidence through the Committee's evidence portal here.

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