Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road lighting schemes on (a) motorways and (b) all-purpose trunk roads were renewed at the end of their service life following completion of the TA 501 appraisal process in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The answer could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of not issuing new oil and gas licences on economic growth in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
The UK Government recognises oil and gas production in the North Sea will be part of our energy mix for decades to come and is committed to managing the energy transition in a way that supports jobs in existing and future industries. We have a workforce that leads the world and we are determined to secure their long-term future in the energy industry.
The Government will be consulting shortly on how to support the energy transition in the North Sea.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the revised Gender Reassignment policy.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The current model Gender Reassignment HR policy and guidance was issued in 2019. A review to update it was started in 2023 under the previous administration and this is ongoing. A revised version will be shared with departments in due course.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the role of online pornographic content in perpetuating violence against women and girls.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
An independent review into online pornography regulation was tasked with understanding the impact of pornography on viewers’ attitudes towards violence against women and girls. The review has just concluded and the government is assessing its findings. The final report will be published in due course.
The Online Safety Act introduces safeguards against harmful content and targets illegal content which includes violence against women and girls. The Act also prevents children from accessing pornography and requiring in-scope services to protect users from illegal pornographic content.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to regulate (a) online and (b) offline pornography to help meet the Government's target of halving violence against women and girls within a decade.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
An independent review into online pornography regulation was tasked with understanding the impact of pornography on viewers’ attitudes towards violence against women and girls. The review has just concluded and the government is assessing its findings. The final report will be published in due course.
The Online Safety Act introduces safeguards against harmful content and targets illegal content which includes violence against women and girls. The Act also prevents children from accessing pornography and requiring in-scope services to protect users from illegal pornographic content.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to monitor the impact of online and offline pornography on violence against women and girls.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
An independent review into online pornography regulation was tasked with understanding the impact of pornography on viewers’ attitudes towards violence against women and girls. The review has just concluded and the government is assessing its findings. The final report will be published in due course.
The Online Safety Act introduces safeguards against harmful content and targets illegal content which includes violence against women and girls. The Act also prevents children from accessing pornography and requiring in-scope services to protect users from illegal pornographic content.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help ensure that pornographic sites remove content that promote a sexual interest in children.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act will place strict safety duties on user-to-user online platforms, including pornography-sharing sites, to proactively tackle any child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) content on their services. These sites need to start assessing for CSEA and other illegal content risks now. Their duties to tackle this content are scheduled to fully take effect this spring.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any funding previously allocated to the Dental Recovery Plan has been withdrawn.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are currently reviewing the Dental Recovery Plan that was published on 7 February 2024 and the policies that can be taken forward effectively and within National Health Service budgets. It is clear the plan did not go far enough and so we are also working on further measures, prioritising initiatives that will see the biggest impact on access to NHS dental care.
Dental budgets remain ringfenced as per the 2024/25 revenue and contracting guidance, and integrated care boards should continue to seek to invest the full amount in dental activity.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on designating a successor to the standard issue L85A3 service rifle.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The L85 rifle (‘SA80’) will be replaced over the coming decade through Project GRAYBURN.
The project has entered the concept phase, where the capability requirements are being identified and understood in depth.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of losses in (a) personnel and (b) ships on the capability of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Recruitment and retention of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel remains a priority. We welcome the recent agreement between the Government and the Maritime Trade Unions of a pay award for the RFA, which is a significant step forward in the plan for RFA reforms. These reforms will improve the wider employee offer for those serving in the RFA and ensure that it can continue to perform its vital role supporting the Royal Navy and our allies.
The retirement of RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler will have no impact on the RFA. Neither tanker was due to go to sea again and nor had they been to sea in years. The RFA continues to operate the newer Tide class tankers and is preparing for the introduction of all three Fleet Solid Support ships by 2032.