Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on establishing a national social tariff for water consumers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Independent Water Commission made a recommendation to consult on a National Social Tariff, which Government is taking into consideration and will provide a response to later this year in a White Paper.
Water companies have more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through existing social tariffs – from 4% to 9% - and the Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of a national social tariff.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Independent Water Commission made a recommendation to consult on a National Social Tariff which the Government is taking into consideration and will provide a response to later this year in a White Paper.
The Government is working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and expects water companies to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. Companies have therefore more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through existing social tariffs – from 4% to 9%.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce concerns amongst NHS dental professionals about the cost of clinical negligence claims.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. The causes of the overall cost rise are complex and there is no single fix. In the 10 Year Health Plan we announced David Lock KC will be providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs of clinical negligence claims, ahead of a review by the Department in the autumn. This review is focussed on clinical negligence claims in the NHS generally, not specifically on dentistry.
In terms of NHS dentistry reform, we recently held a public consultation on a package of changes, not only to improve access and quality, but also to make NHS dentistry a more professionally fulfilling and rewarding place in which to work. The consultation closed on 19 August, and the Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation.