Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that local authorities are not adversely affected by the increase in the number of dispersal beds procured for asylum seekers; and whether his Department (a) is providing and (b) plans to provide additional financial support to local authorities to assist with associated costs.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Full dispersal is a key priority for the Home Office, as well as the Government and aims to achieve a more fair and equitable accommodation spread of asylum seekers across the UK. We are committed to working closely with communities and stakeholders to ensure destitute asylum seekers are housed in safe, secure and suitable accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity while their asylum claim is considered.
There are monthly regional governance meetings, which offer an avenue for collaboration and opportunities for the Home Office, Accommodation providers, and local authorities to engage, drive progress and monitor the procurement of dispersed accommodation.
The Home Office agreed Full Dispersal Allocation Plans for every local authority and region in the UK, including Scotland and Wales, for 2023. The Home Office is exploring how to improve plans for 2024 and beyond, and local authorities will be contacted as soon as possible to discuss this in more detail.
It is recognised that housing asylum seekers, alongside the challenges of domestic homelessness, has further stretched local council services. In recognition of these pressures the Government has a significant funding package for local authorities who help to support asylum seekers in their area.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with Scottish local authorities on the number of dispersed bed spaces for asylum seekers.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Office continues to discuss full dispersal allocation plans through monthly governance meetings with Scottish local authorities and partners.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her contribution to the debate on Drugs Policy on 23 October 2018, Official Report, column 87WH, whether she plans to continue to recuse herself from issues relating to cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In line with normal procedures, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has declared these interests both to her previous departments and the Department for Health and Social Care, and recused herself in the usual way.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the impact of the whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertising in football on the number of gambling messages displayed throughout televised football matches.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government welcomed the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting ads during live sports programmes, agreed by industry. According to figures from the Betting and Gaming Council, the ban reduced gambling advertisement views by children (age 4-17) by 70% over the full duration of live sporting programmes, with a 96% reduction in gambling TV advertising specifically during the restricted period.
As part of the Gambling review, consideration was given to a range of restrictions on gambling advertising. As set out in the white paper we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising and that which is most likely to appeal to children, while still allowing sports bodies to benefit commercially from deals with responsible gambling firms.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of implementing a ban on gambling advertising on all parts of football kits.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government welcomed the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting ads during live sports programmes, agreed by industry. According to figures from the Betting and Gaming Council, the ban reduced gambling advertisement views by children (age 4-17) by 70% over the full duration of live sporting programmes, with a 96% reduction in gambling TV advertising specifically during the restricted period.
As part of the Gambling review, consideration was given to a range of restrictions on gambling advertising. As set out in the white paper we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising and that which is most likely to appeal to children, while still allowing sports bodies to benefit commercially from deals with responsible gambling firms.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Barnett consequentials for Scotland are of the construction of the HS2 rail project.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Funding for the HS2 programme has been provided to the Department for Transport’s (DfT). The Barnett formula has applied changes to the DfT’s budget to date as a result of funding for the HS2 programme, and the Scottish Government has received Barnett consequentials as a result.
At spending reviews, the Barnett formula is applied to changes in each UK government department’s DEL budget with the Barnett consequentials that arise then added to the devolved administrations’ baseline block grants. As the Barnett formula is not applied to changes in funding for all the individual programmes within a UK government department’s DEL budget, the Barnett consequentials associated with these individual programmes cannot be identified.
The Barnett formula will continue to apply in the usual way as per the Statement of Funding Policy to any additional funding subsequently confirmed in this Spending Review period. All decisions on funding beyond the Spending Review 21 period will be taken at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs on the licensing process of growing hemp.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
No Ministerial discussions have taken place to date. However, there is a strong working relationship between Defra and Home Office at official level, and topics such as the licensing regime for industrial hemp are discussed.
Cultivation of the cannabis plant, including the use of the whole plant, already takes place under licence in the UK. The Home Office’s Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit operates two licensing regimes to enable lawful cannabis cultivation, depending on the purpose for which the cannabis is cultivated, and the levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the plants. Growers wishing to cultivate industrial hemp outdoors to use the fibre and seed can do so under the “industrial hemp” regime.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on licensing process of growing hemp.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No Ministerial discussions have taken place to date. However, there is a strong working relationship between Defra and the Home Office at official level, and topics such as the licensing regime for industrial hemp, for which the Home Office has responsibility, are regularly discussed.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested for possession of (a) psilocybin, (b) psilocin and (c) magic mushrooms in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on arrests in England and Wales, available here: Police powers and procedures: Stop and search and arrests, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
However, this data is collected by wider offence group, e.g. “drug offences”, therefore data on arrests for more specific drug offences is not available.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to extend Target Pharmacy's licence for Bedrocan products.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) considers applications for premises and company specific controlled drug licences.
All applications are considered individually and on their merits, after undertaking a physical site visit- if one is needed- and reviewing the evidence submitted to support an application. A prospective licensee may need to demonstrate that product(s) meet the criteria to be considered medicines, and that there is an evidenced need for them. DFLU cannot comment on individual licence applications that may have been made to it.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the independent regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain.