Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who the recipients were of grants from the Listed Places of Worship Scheme in Wimbledon since 2001; and how much each recipient received.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Since 2022, 21 grants have been awarded to 7 listed places of worship in Wimbledon, totalling £79,716.27.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the proposed number of platforms for HS2 at Euston Station from 11 to 6 on the economic case for HS2.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The decision to reduce the number of platforms at Euston formed part of the overall changes to the HS2 programme made under the Network North announcement. The accounting officer assessment details the impacts of these changes on the value for money case for HS2. The accounting officer assessment is publicly available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-major-projects-portfolio-accounting-officer-assessments/continuing-investment-in-hs2-phase-1-accounting-officer-assessment-october-2023. Further clarification was provided to the Public Accounts Committee, which is publicly available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/42799/documents/212828/default/.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether plans for the development of Euston Station for HS2 include (a) provisions and (b) reserved space for potential expansion from six platforms.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is working with key partners to develop affordable plans for the Euston Station. This will include consideration of options to allow future expansion of the HS2 station. We will set out more details in due course.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in business rate relief for grassroots music venues on (a) the number of jobs in the music industry and (b) early-career musicians.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Autumn Budget, the Government announced that retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties will receive 40% relief (up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business) for 2025-26.
The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. That is why the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27.
The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes in business rate relief for grassroots music venues on the (a) number of live music venues and (b) music industry.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Autumn Budget, the Government announced that retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties will receive 40% relief (up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business) for 2025-26.
The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. That is why the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27.
The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the lack of clarity on the northern leg of HS2 on the the train manufacturing industry in the UK.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is developing a Rolling Stock Strategy. This will align with the wider objectives of the industry in ending the current variability in production rates and ensuring a stable pipeline of work for the rolling stock supply chain.
Once established, Great British Railways will take the strategy forward providing a long-term approach to future rolling stock needs and helping to secure better value from the private rolling stock market.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the water quality of chalk streams.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Chalk streams are one of the rarest freshwater habitats on Earth and England is home to 85% of them. The Government is committed to the protection and restoration of our cherished chalk streams.
The best way to achieve this is by fixing the framework for managing our water system. We have also commissioned an independent commission of the water sector to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
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 potential merits of making Tranexamic Acid (TXA) a Schedule 19 Drug.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Discussions on the administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) formed part of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, established in 2019, to investigate the deaths of the victims of the attack on the Arena on 22 May 2017. One of the inquiry’s recommendations tasked the Department, the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care, the College of Paramedics, and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit to undertake a review into whether frontline ambulances should carry intramuscular TXA.
Intramuscular TXA is available to paramedics as a route of administration, and is now advocated in national guidance. Additional work is being taken forward regarding the intramuscular route of administration. This work is currently considering alternative methods using newly developed concentrated forms of TXA to achieve more rapid administration, and whether this could be used safely by wider group of responders.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that local stop smoking services offer the option of a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-approved non-pharmaceutical method to help smokers quit.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is providing local stop smoking services an additional £70 million this year to support smokers to quit. It will also provide an additional £70 million next year for stop smoking services.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published recommendations for providers of stop smoking services. The guidelines suggest that the most effective way of successfully stopping smoking is through behavioural support therapy combined with either varenicline, nicotine replacement therapy, or nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Further information on the NICE’s recommendations for providers of stop smoking services is available at the following link:
Local stop smoking services currently offer the option of non-pharmaceutical methods to help smokers quit, alongside behavioural support. According to the 2023/24 annual Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, 20,641, or 11%, of those accessing services and setting a quit date used no pharmaceutical products in their attempt to quit smoking.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of removing VAT from small-vehicle public transport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The VAT treatment of goods and services is a matter for His Majesty's Treasury.