Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure energy companies inform (a) the landlord and (b) the relevant housing provider of any social housing tenant who is about to have their energy supply stopped.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In 2022 there were 13 electricity and 6 gas meters disconnected in Great Britain due to a failure to pay a debt owed. Energy suppliers must explore all other options first, such as payment plans.
An energy supplier would only be able to inform a landlord in cases where the landlord is the party that holds the contract with the energy supplier, or where the householder has given their permission for their energy supplier to communicate directly with their landlord.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that water companies publish the data they collect on water quality in a timely manner.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is driving up monitoring and transparency of water quality data. We have increased the number of storm overflows monitored across the network from 7% in 2010 to 91% now, and we will reach 100% by end of this year.
The Government has also required water companies to publish Event and Duration Monitoring (EDM) data annually since 2020. Data from 2022 was published in March 2023.
The Government is taking additional steps to further improve water quality data published by companies. In April 2023 we launched a consultation on continuous water quality monitoring, setting out proposals to enhance the monitoring of watercourses to show not just whether an overflow is discharging but also its impact on the receiving watercourse. The Government is currently analysing responses and will respond to the consultation in due course.
The Environment Agency has secured through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), the monitoring of Storm Overflows through Event Duration Monitoring (EDM). There will be 100% coverage in England by December 2023. We secure the monitoring and reporting of EDM performance to the Environment Agency through requirements on water and sewerage company discharge permits.
Defra and Government have introduced statutory requirements on the water and sewerage companies to publish EDM data annually and in near real time.
There are also statutory requirements on water and sewerage companies through the environment act for water and sewerage companies to monitor and report on the water quality impacts of their discharges through installation of continuous water quality monitors. The Environment Agency is supporting Defra in their technical standards work around this monitoring and reporting and facilitating delivery by water and sewerage companies through the Environment Agency WINEP PR24 and future programme.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of railway station ticket office closures on people with disabilities; and what steps he is taking to mitigate the potential impact of railway station ticket office closures on people with disabilities.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups. The Department recently hosted roundtable discussions with industry and accessibility and transport groups to discuss this matter. We continue to engage with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.
Together with the industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that fishers meet the mandatory requirement under their fishing vessel licence conditions to report any bycatch of marine mammals to the Marine Management Organisation within 48 hours.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises that accidental bycatch in fisheries is one of the greatest threats faced by sensitive marine species such as cetaceans, and we remain fully committed to tackling this issue.
The UK introduced new rules in 2021 making it a mandatory requirement under fishing vessel licence conditions for fishers to report any marine mammal bycatch to the MMO. On the introduction of this requirement, communications were sent out by Defra, the Devolved Administrations and the MMO to ensure that industry understood the new obligations. Responsibility for enforcing licence conditions in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Devolved Administrations.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his department is taking to ensure that British National (overseas) Visa holders from Hong Kong are able to access their money from the Mandatory Provident Fund of Hong Kong.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of the difficulties BN(O)s (British National (Overseas)) are experiencing in seeking early withdrawal of their pension held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The root of the problem is the Chinese Government's decision not to recognise the BN(O) passport. The UK firmly opposes the discrimination of BN(O)s in this way. We have urged the Hong Kong authorities to facilitate the early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently. I raised this issue with Christopher Hui, Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury on 18 April and pressed for a pragmatic solution.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the eligibility criteria of the Warm Homes Discount Scheme to cover parents of children with special educational needs.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Warm Home Discount prioritises people who are most at risk of being in fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is a combination of low incomes and high energy costs, so the scheme is targeted at those on means tested benefits whose homes are expensive to heat. Parents of children with special educational needs do not automatically fall into that category.
These households may be able to speak to their energy supplier about being added to their Priority Services Register, which provides additional support for vulnerable households, such as priority support in an emergency.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of refusals by the Hong Kong Police Force to provide criminals records of British National (overseas) Visa holders on the ability of those people to gain employment in the UK.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
In April 2021, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched a new UK-wide Welcome Programme to support BN(O) status holders. In November 2022, DLUHC published a letter to BN(O)s and prospective employers on Certificates of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) from the Hong Kong Police. The letter outlines a revised guidance on how to obtain a CNCC. Where a CNCC cannot be obtained, sectoral examples on alternative methods are provided. The letter is available in English and Cantonese and is available on the GOV.UK landing page. We are working closely with FCDO officials to keep the guidance under review and monitor the impact to help BN(O)s overcome the barriers they face when seeking employment.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure tenants in housing association properties are aware of what actions to take to reduce moisture and damp in their property.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
All tenants deserve to live in safe, warm homes that are free from damp and mould. It is social landlord's responsibility to ensure that their homes meet the Regulator of Social Housing's Home Standard, including meeting the requirements of the Decent Homes Standard. The Housing Ombudsman has been clear that damp and mould should not be considered 'lifestyle issues'.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce the number of young people recreationally using e-cigarettes and (b) prevent young people moving from using e-cigarettes to tobacco cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Government is clear that vaping should only be used to help people quit smoking. Vapes should not be used by people under 18 years old or non-smokers. Vapes are not risk-free, nicotine is highly addictive and can be harmful, and there are unanswered questions on the effects of longer-term use.
We have regulations in place to discourage underage vaping. The law protects children through restricting sales of vapes to over-18-year-olds only, limiting nicotine content, refill bottle and tank sizes, labelling requirements and through advertising restrictions.
In October 2022, we published new content on the potential risks of vaping for young people on the FRANK and Better Health websites and we have provided input to educational resources produced by partners including the PSHE Association. We are also developing a new resource pack for schools on vaping which will be made available before the end of the school year.
There is currently no evidence that young people move from using vapes to tobacco products, including cigarettes.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure Avanti West Coast allocate an adequate provision of advance tickets on its Chester-London services.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department is aware of the impact delayed opening of journey reservations has had on passengers and officials are regularly monitoring Avanti West Coast’s plans to improve the situation. However, the compressed booking horizons have not materially impacted the allocation of advance tickets between Chester and London, or on any other route. Once tickets are available, the full range of fares is offered for customers. Passengers are advised to sign up to Avanti's advance ticket alert through its website to be notified when journeys are available to book.