Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the theft of mobile phones.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which commonly involve the theft of mobile phones, we have announced a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together tech companies and law enforcement to see what more can collectively be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.
As part of our Safer Streets Mission, this government is determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, including strengthening neighbourhood policing, tackling anti-social behaviour and restoring public confidence.
Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and Special Constables.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to remove the requirement for a local connection for (a) homeless veterans, (b) survivors of domestic abuse and (c) care leavers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On the 24 September the Prime Minister announced an ambition to improve access to social housing for veterans, survivors of domestic abuse and young care leavers.
Statutory guidance recommends that local authorities exempt victims of domestic abuse and care leavers from local connection and residency tests, and we know that most local authorities already do this. We are clear that a victim of domestic abuse, a care leaver or a veteran should not be disqualified from social housing on the grounds of having no local connection.
The Department laid regulations on 27 November which will require local authorities to exempt all veterans from local connection requirements for social housing allocations.
We will bring forward similar regulations covering survivors of domestic abuse and care leavers when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of rules on local connection for housing allocations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On the 24 September the Prime Minister announced an ambition to improve access to social housing for veterans, survivors of domestic abuse and young care leavers.
Statutory guidance recommends that local authorities exempt victims of domestic abuse and care leavers from local connection and residency tests, and we know that most local authorities already do this. We are clear that a victim of domestic abuse, a care leaver or a veteran should not be disqualified from social housing on the grounds of having no local connection.
The Department laid regulations on 27 November which will require local authorities to exempt all veterans from local connection requirements for social housing allocations.
We will bring forward similar regulations covering survivors of domestic abuse and care leavers when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to reform pay policies at the National Crime Agency.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to supporting the National Crime Agency in the fight against serious and organised crime. A strong pay framework is vital to enable the Agency to deliver its role of disrupting and dismantling the most harmful organised crime groups in and impacting on the UK.
As announced alongside the National Crime Agency pay award on 29 July 2024, measures are underway to develop a set of comprehensive proposals for reform of the existing pay structure at the Agency. Once finalised, the government will seek to implement these proposals in a timely fashion.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 consult on the draft of the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my hon Friend to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will introduce advanced disclosure and barring service checks for pedicab drivers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Pedicabs (London) Act 2024, which received Royal Assent on 25 April 2024, confers powers onto Transport for London (TfL) to regulate London’s pedicab industry for the first time. TfL is preparing to consult on these prospective regulations, which will include enhanced disclosure and barring service checks for pedicab drivers.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with (a) local authorities and (b) organisations that represent local authorities on the use of dockless e-bikes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department works closely with local authorities and their representative organisations to deliver our shared transport objectives.
My officials regularly meet with local authority officials to discuss specific transport challenges and better understand how to identify and tackle problems that arise as well as how to make the most of opportunities. Dockless e-bikes are a good example of this.
I also correspond frequently with local leaders on the use of dockless e-bikes in their area and would like to take this opportunity to further encourage such dialogue. The experience and expertise shared by local authorities in correspondence with me and with officials is invaluable as I carefully consider the next steps on policy in this area.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13348 on Private Rented Housing: Rents, what her planned timetable is for introducing a registration scheme for short-term lets; and whether planning permission and licensing will have to have been secured for properties to be listed on the scheme.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, and we are committed to introducing such a scheme as soon as possible. , We will soon publish the government’s response to the 2023 consultation including on the specific requirements for registration. The government is also considering what additional powers might be given to local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures that can be created by short-term lets.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help secure the release of Jimmy Lai.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We call on Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai. The Prime Minister raised his case with President Xi at last week’s G20 Summit; the Foreign Secretary raised with China’s Foreign Minister last month; and I raised with Hong Kong officials earlier this month. Diplomats from our Consulate-General in Hong Kong are attending his court proceedings on a regular basis. We continually press for consular access and progress on broader human rights concerns.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse per (a) week and (b) month of waiting for the release of (i) design and (ii) planning funding for the rebuilding of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While the review into the New Hospital Programme is taking place, requests for funding are being considered on a case-by-case basis.
We are finalising the implications of the review for all schemes in the programme so we can be honest and upfront with everyone on when we expect the new hospitals to be delivered. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will update Parliament and other stakeholders with the full outcome of the review in the coming months.