Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what he is taking to ensure effective intelligence sharing between mental health services and (a) the police and (b) other relevant services when a patient is deemed to pose a risk to the wider public.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Mental health services work and engage with a range of services to manage patients identified as a potential risk. The nature of this engagement will vary depending on the nature and level of the risk. For example, this may be through formal processes such as multi-agency public protection arrangements.

In matters of national security, health services work with Counter Terrorism policing and the wider security sector to ensure that information is shared appropriately, to provide a complete picture of any risk, and to provide the right interventions and care for patients.

Local level arrangements will also be in place, as police forces are operationally independent. Whilst the roll out of the Right Care, Right Person approach has reduced the involvement of police in mental health incidents, they will continue to engage where there is a serious risk of harm, and local level arrangements have been put in place to support safe roll out between police, and health and social care services.

We intend to use the Code of Practice following the Mental Health Bill to further underline good practice for how mental health services should work with other services, including the police, to keep people safe, particularly regarding consideration of discharge.

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 (a) NHS England and (b) Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust respond to Sir Adrian Fulford's prevention of future deaths report following the Forbury Garden terrorist incident in June 2020.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is the responsibility of the individual organisations named within a Report to Prevent Future Deaths to take action to address any identified failures. Following Sir Adrian Fulford's report, each organisation, including NHS England and the trusts, has written to the Judge Coroner, setting out what action they have taken to address the points he has made.

As a first step, NHS England included a requirement in the National Health Services’ 2024/25 priorities and operational planning guidance that all integrated care boards (ICBs) ‘review their community services by Q2 2024/25 to ensure that they have clear policies and practice in place for patients with serious mental illness, who require intensive community treatment and follow-up but where engagement is a challenge’. Further information on the 2024/25 priorities and operational planning guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/operational-planning-and-contracting/

The outcome of these reviews and local action plans will be presented at the ICBs’ Public Boards, to ensure the outcome of the review is transparent and locally led.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Northern Rail.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Secretary of State has made clear to Northern’s management that its current performance is unacceptable. That is why we issued the company with a breach of contract notice and required it to develop a recovery plan. Ministers and officials regularly meet Northern's management to drive performance improvements across its network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of short notice changes to the timetable on the rail network.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The department is aware that short notice changes have been occurring due to factors such as incidences of infrastructure issues and traincrew shortages – with a shortage of traincrew causing a high proportion of these short notice changes. The department is working with train operators and Network Rail to address these issues.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative assessment of the processing times for (a) parent, (b) spousal and (c) work visas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Applications for parental, spouse and work visas are assessed against different immigration rules and as such, processing times are subject to the complexities of the individual routes.

The Home Office keeps visa processing times constantly under review and steps have been taken to reduce these across all visa routes where possible.

Information on visa processing times for applications made outside of the UK can be found here: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Information on visa processing times for applications made from within the UK can be found here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to reduce the time taken to process visas for the parents of people living in the UK.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office keeps visa processing times under review, including on the routes available to parents. Different routes, and individual circumstances, involve varying levels of complexity but the Home Office is committed to improving process efficiency wherever possible.

Information on visa processing times for applications made outside of the UK can be found here: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Information on visa processing times for applications made from within the UK can be found here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

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 mental health patients who could pose a risk to the wider public have their cases managed appropriately.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Mental Health Act 1983, now and when reformed, has the necessary powers to enable clinicians to manage high risk mental health patients. The planned reforms will not change the fundamental powers and purpose of the Act, which is to detain and treat people when they are so unwell they become a risk to themselves or others. However, when the very serious decision is taken to detain someone, the reforms will ensure there is a modern framework for the use of these powers, to ensure patients are treated with dignity and respect and that they receive care and treatment which supports recovery.

The Mental Health Bill will seek to improve the management of risk within the Act. This Government has made additional changes to the bill published in draft in 2022 to achieve this, including the introduction of a new requirement for the patient’s responsible clinician to consult another person who has been professionally concerned with the patient’s care when they are deciding about whether to discharge a patient.

NHS England included a requirement in the 2024/25 NHS Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance that all integrated care boards (ICBs) “review their community services by Q2 2024/25 to ensure that they have clear policies and practice in place for patients with serious mental illness, who require intensive community treatment and follow-up but where engagement is a challenge”.

The outcome of these reviews and local action plans will be presented at ICB’s public boards to ensure the outcome of the review is transparent and locally led.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has she made of overcrowding on Transport for Wales trains.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The specification, management and performance of Transport for Wales train services are devolved matters for Welsh Ministers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of London Northwestern Railway.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department constantly scrutinise performance and challenge West Midlands Trains, who manage the performance of London Northwestern Railway. The Rail Minister has met with WMT to reiterate that improving performance is a key priority for DfT and we hold WMT to account for delivering it.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to fulfil its (a) duty to prevent and (b) other obligations under the Genocide Convention with respect to Gaza, with reference to (i) the International Court of Justice’s order of provisional measures in South Africa v Israel (2023), (ii) paragraph 431 of the International Court of Justice's judgment in Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro (2007) and (iii) the Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (2001).

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It is the UK's long-standing policy that any determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies. This approach ensures that any determination is above politics, lobbying, and individual or national interest. The Government is clear in our commitment to international law. This includes our obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty. This Government is profoundly concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has raised our grave concerns with Israeli Minister Dermer and Minister Katz in his recent bilateral meetings. At a multilateral level, the UK is using its presidency of the United Nations Security Council, to call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages held since 7 October 2023, and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis. On 2 September 2024, the Foreign Secretary announced the decision to suspend export licences for items that could be used in military operations in Gaza, exempting the F-35 components.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with international counterparts on the collective measures available to ensure the implementation of treaty obligations to prevent genocide and other atrocity crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It is the UK's long-standing policy that any determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies. This approach ensures that any determination is above politics, lobbying, and individual or national interest. The Government is clear in our commitment to international law. This includes our obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty. This Government is profoundly concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has raised our grave concerns with Israeli Minister Dermer and Minister Katz in his recent bilateral meetings. At a multilateral level, the UK is using its presidency of the United Nations Security Council, to call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages held since 7 October 2023, and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis. On 2 September 2024, the Foreign Secretary announced the decision to suspend export licences for items that could be used in military operations in Gaza, exempting the F-35 components.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his international counterparts on taking steps to help prevent a polio outbreak in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to drive urgent action on polio vaccination in Gaza, including by convening an emergency session of the UN Security Council in August. The UK supported delivery of the vaccination campaign through our funding to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The final phase of the polio vaccination rollout has now ended, but an estimated 6,800 to 13,700 children in North Gaza were not reached, because of intense IDF activity there. This is deplorable. Delaying the vaccination of any child puts them at risk and is unacceptable. As winter takes hold, we are urgently pressing Israel to ensure sufficient aid, including vital medical treatment, reaches civilians in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his 14 November call with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will reaffirm support for the International Criminal Court; and if he will publish an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the arrest warrants issued by that Court for (a) Benjamin Netanyahu and (b) Yoav Gallant.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We confirm our support and respect for the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Whilst we do not have plans to publish an assessment, we remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire, to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza.  This is essential to ensure the release of hostages, the upholding of international law and to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to help ensure the (a) arrest and (b) surrender to the International Criminal Court of (i) Benjamin Netanyahu and (ii) Yoav Gallant.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The issue of enforcing an arrest warrant would only arise if the indicted individual were to visit the UK. There is a domestic legal process set out in the ICC Act 2001 which would be followed in such a situation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of rail operators over weekend periods in the last six months.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is aware that short notice weekend changes have been occurring, with a shortage of traincrew causing a high proportion of these short notice changes. The Department is working with train operators urgently on this issue, as the level of service in some parts of the country on weekends is unacceptable.

Found: Current membership Alberto Costa (Conservative; South Leicestershire) (Chair) Paula Barker (Labour; Liverpool

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Alberto Costa (Chair); Paula Barker; Mark Ferguson; Sir Francis

Found: _NC4 Alex Sobel Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Paula Barker Tonia

Found: _NC4 Alex Sobel Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Paula Barker Tonia

Found: _NC5 Paula Barker Kim Johnson Jeremy Corbyn REPORT STAGE Thursday 5 December 2024 2 .

Found: REPORT STAGE Wednesday 4 December 2024 2 _NC5 Paula Barker .

Found: REPORT STAGE Friday 29 November 2024 2 _NC5 Paula Barker .