Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish information held in National Archives document reference DEFE13/1870/1 on nuclear testing veteran health studies.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We recognise their service and the huge contribution they have made to the UK's security.
As the hon. Member will be aware from our previous discussions, I am committed to looking into questions regarding medical records. That is why I have commissioned officials to look into what information the Department holds in relation to the medical testing of Service personnel who took part in the UK nuclear weapons tests.
I am committed to regular engagement with individuals and families associated with the Nuclear Test Veteran community. As part of this engagement, I have already met with parliamentarians and representatives from Nuclear Test Veteran groups to discuss their concerns further and officials are also maintaining regular contact.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21609 on Migrant Workers: Civil Servants, how many civil servants are working on graduate visas; how many (a) current and (b) former civil service staff initially employed on graduate visas would not meet the salary threshold requirements for applying for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the salary threshold changes for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship on civil service staff retention (i) since April 2024 and (ii) in the next three years.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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 reduce the number of homeless children growing up in temporary accommodation.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Funding for homelessness services is increasing by £233 million in 2025/26. This will help prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation, taking total spend to nearly £1 billion.
Our £8 million Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots will target 20 local authorities with highest use of bed & breakfast accommodation for homeless families.
We are working with ministers across government, alongside local leaders, to develop a long-term strategy to get back on track to ending homelessness.
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, whether people given an offer through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme which they have not accepted will be able to apply directly to the new independent appeals system.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are establishing an independent Horizon Shortfall Scheme appeal process to help ensure that all HSS claimants have the full opportunity to receive full and fair compensation. This will be run by my Department and we are expecting the submission of the first cases in spring.
We continue to engage the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board and claimant representatives on the scheme’s guidance and principles. This will include detailed information on who will be eligible for the process and will be published soon.
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, whether people who have accepted an offer through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme are able to apply directly to the new independent appeals system for reconsideration.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are establishing an independent Horizon Shortfall Scheme appeal process to help ensure that all HSS claimants have the full opportunity to receive full and fair compensation. This will be run by my Department and we are expecting the submission of the first cases in spring.
We continue to engage the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board and claimant representatives on the scheme’s guidance and principles. This will include detailed information on who will be eligible for the process and will be published soon.
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