Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of private equity acquisitions in the groceries retail sector on trends in the level of employment across the food supply chain.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold any information on the impact of private equity acquisitions in the groceries retail sector on trends in the level of employment across the food supply chain. Any impact on competition as a result of private equity acquisitions are the responsibility of the Competition and Markets Authority. Levels of employment across the groceries retail sector are commercial decisions to be taken by retailers.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 13789 on Mental Health Services: Software, if his Department will commission a review into the quality of mental health support signposting provided by local NHS providers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are working with NHS England to explore solutions that would more effectively meet some of the objectives around an app library, including building awareness of evidenced digital health technologies tailored effectively to the needs of different audiences, including commissioners, clinicians, and patients.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 13789 on Mental Health Services: Software, if his Department will commission a review into improving the centralised NHS signposting for mental health support; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reopening the NHS App Library.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are working with NHS England to explore solutions that would more effectively meet some of the objectives around an app library, including building awareness of evidenced digital health technologies tailored effectively to the needs of different audiences, including commissioners, clinicians, and patients.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made on establishing the new independent appeals process for postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme; and when the process will start accepting applications.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are currently engaging with the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board and claimant representatives on a draft of the new appeals scheme’s principles and guidance, including the eligibility criteria.
My statement of 30 January (HCWS399) announced that we are committed to covering postmasters’ reasonable legal costs. Clarity about the principles of the scheme and support for appellants’ legal costs will mean that legal representatives can begin to produce cases for appeal. We are expecting the submission of the first cases in the spring.
I will provide a further update to the House nearer to that time.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 May 2024 entitled Nuclear Test Veterans: Atomic Weapons Establishment Records, HCWS45, when he plans to publish the results of the review into the historic files in the ES and AB series relating to the UK’s nuclear weapons programme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Since the security review commenced in 2018, almost 70,000 of around 74,000 records withdrawn from public access have been released back to the National Archives. Updates on the progress of the review can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-nuclear-archive-records
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18945 on Ministry of Defence: Recruitment, how his Department measures the performance of those executive search firms.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
For Senior Civil Servant (SCS) appointments using an Executive Search firm, performance is measured as described in the commercial agreement. Each commercial agreement (via the cross-Government Executive Search RM6290 framework) includes clear terms of business and expectations, and fees are only paid on completion of agreed deliverables.
All SCS recruitment activity, including those managed by an Executive Search firm, is overseen by either a Civil Service Commissioner (SCS Pay Bands 2 to 4) or a Ministry of Defence Campaign Manager (SCS Pay Band 1), including regular meetings with appointed Executive Search firms throughout various operational stages to check in on process, candidate support and adherence to policy.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
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 help reduce the number of households placed in temporary accommodation.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Government is developing a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness.
As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 25/26.
More widely, we are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness, including delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. We are also abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.
The Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) is allocated to councils across England based on local homelessness pressures and is used to meet local needs. Slough will receive £2,538,151 for 2025-26 through the HPG.
The legislation is clear that all temporary accommodation must be suitable, and local authorities should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. Where an individual feels that the council has applied their statutory duties incorrectly, they can take action in the courts or bring their concerns to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
The £1.2 billion Local Authority Housing Fund will provide capital funding directly to English councils and is expected to provide up to 7,000 homes by 2026. It will create a lasting asset for UK nationals by building a sustainable stock of affordable housing for local communities. The Local Authority Housing Fund will ease local homelessness pressures, reduce spending on unsuitable B&B accommodation, and provide safe and sustainable housing for those on Afghan resettlement and Ukrainian sponsorship schemes.