Saqib Bhatti Portrait

Saqib Bhatti

Conservative - Meriden

First elected: 12th December 2019

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

(since November 2023)

Foreign Affairs Committee
29th Nov 2022 - 11th Dec 2023
Procurement Bill [HL]
25th Jan 2023 - 21st Feb 2023
Online Safety (Re-committed Clauses and Schedules) Bill
7th Dec 2022 - 15th Dec 2022
Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform Bill)
2nd Nov 2022 - 29th Nov 2022
Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill
2nd Mar 2022 - 22nd Mar 2022
Health and Care Bill
20th Sep 2021 - 26th Sep 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Saqib Bhatti has voted in 958 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Saqib Bhatti Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Rishi Sunak (Conservative)
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
(23 debate interactions)
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
(22 debate interactions)
Grant Shapps (Conservative)
Secretary of State for Defence
(11 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(47 debate contributions)
Home Office
(27 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(24 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Saqib Bhatti's debates

Meriden Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Saqib Bhatti has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Saqib Bhatti

Saqib Bhatti has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Saqib Bhatti, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Saqib Bhatti has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Saqib Bhatti

Thursday 16th March 2023

1 Bill introduced by Saqib Bhatti


A Bill to make provision about the keeping and maintenance of registers of births and deaths; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 26th November 2021
(Read Debate)

Saqib Bhatti has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
10th Dec 2020
What steps she has taken to support the pro bono community throughout the covid-19 outbreak.

I am proud to be one of Government’s Pro Bono Champions and show my support for the pro bono community.

I heard from members of my Pro Bono Committee in September about the impact of the pandemic on their services, and the resilience and flexibility they have shown in the face of such adversity.

This is not the first time the legal profession has stepped forward to help in a crisis, and I would like to put on record my gratitude to all those who have volunteered their time and expertise during this difficult time.

17th Oct 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the change in rate of the National Living wage in April 2023 on the financial viability of employers in (a) pharmacies and (b) other SMEs in Meriden constituency.

The Government published an Impact Assessment that outlines the expected impacts of the change in the National Living Wage in April 2023: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/354/impacts

Overall, research to-date has not found a significant impact of the National Living wage on business failures. On average, the average total cost per business affected by the policy was between £3,000 to £4,000. We expect around 40% of the costs of this policy to be borne by small and micro businesses and 15% by medium sized businesses.

The available data does not enable a statistically reliable assessment of costs of the policy by constituency.

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the contribution of the services sector in Meriden constituency to (a) exports and (b) economic growth.

There is currently no data at the constituency level available to assess the potential merits of the contribution of the services sector in Meriden constituency to exports and economic growth.

The UK is a highly service-based economy and the second biggest exporter of services in the world, with the sector contributing to around half of UK exports and 80% of our economy. In 2022, UK services exports were a record £401 billion, up 4% compared to 2018 (adjusted for inflation) – one of the stronger recoveries in the G7. We are working with the Office for National Statistics and HM Revenue and Customs to improve estimates of trade at the smaller geographies.

The department works closely with local partners, including Solihull Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority, to identify and nurture opportunities for economic growth. The Combined Authority has been allocated in excess of £105m in funding from sources such as UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Made Smarter and Growth Hub to provide local support which would help companies to grow. This includes the professional and financial services sector, which has been identified as a key sector in the West Midlands Combined Authority’s ‘Plan for Growth’.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to support small businesses in trading overseas and overcoming barriers to competing in international markets.

As part of its Export Strategy, the UK Government has published a 12-point plan to help businesses at every stage of exporting. The plan addresses the barriers UK companies face when exporting.

The Export Strategy supports companies through its network of domestic and overseas advisers; the Export Support Service; and the Export Academy. These services are designed to provide businesses with knowledge to thrive in international markets.

Last year we overcame 192 barriers restricting trade in over 79 countries; 45 of these are estimated to be worth around £5 billion to businesses across the UK over the next five years.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps he has taken to support the long-term energy needs of hospitality businesses in Meriden constituency.

Businesses, including the Hospitality sector, have already benefitted from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme which ended on 31 March and provided £7.4 billion of support. Eligible businesses will continue to get a discount on gas and electricity bills under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the adequacy of levels of flexibility in the ways businesses can change energy contracts between providers in (a) Meriden constituency and (b) England; and what recent discussions he has had with energy providers on steps being taken to increase that flexibility.

The Government does not hold data on energy contracts for businesses, and contract negotiations are a commercial matter for suppliers and their customers.

I met with Ofgem and energy suppliers in March to urge suppliers to do all they can to support their customers and will continue to press them on this matter. I also wrote to suppliers in May to stress the importance of good customer service outcomes and for suppliers to reach out to their customers to discuss options as soon as possible. The Government will continue to work closely with Ofgem and suppliers to ensure that dialogue is taking place between businesses and their energy supplier.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions his Department has had with energy providers on steps being taken increase flexibility for small businesses to cancel energy contracts.

The Government understand some businesses on fixed tariffs have seen their bills rise significantly. As this is a commercial matter, the Government encourage businesses to raise this with their suppliers directly, but both Ministers and Ofgem have been pressing suppliers to ensure they are doing all they can to support their customers. The Government cannot mandate suppliers re-negotiate contracts but do expect they will engage directly with customers to find solutions wherever possible. Minister Solloway wrote to energy suppliers in May stressing the importance of good customer service outcomes and reaching out to customers to discuss options early.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
25th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much from the public purse the Government has invested in the UK energy industry since 2010; and if he will make a comparative assessment of that level of funding against spending in (a) the US and (b) other international counterparts over the same time period.

The UK has seen nearly £200 billion of public and private investment into low carbon energy sectors between 2010 and 2022. This is 50% higher than the US as a share of GDP. A comparison with other G7 countries is set out in Figure 2 of Powering Up Britain: The Net Zero Growth Plan. A split between public and private sources of investment is not available from the data.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
25th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate he has made of the potential economic value of carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

The carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) sector could support up to 50,000 jobs in the UK in 2030, and there could be a potential £4-5bn in Gross Value Added from UK CCUS exports by 2050.

The UK has 78 gigatonnes of theoretical potential storage capacity, with potential value being generated by storing other countries' CO2. An Emissions Trading Scheme price of £60/tonne, utilising the full potential storage capacity, could result in avoided emissions of around £5trillion. The size of the opportunity will depend on factors such as costs of capturing, transporting and storing CO2, the prevailing carbon price and volume of CO2 being stored.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what fiscal steps she is taking to support the life sciences sector in the West Midlands.

The call for proposals for up to £38m biomanufacturing fund and £250m LIFTS initiative are open UK-wide. Additionally, funding for skills and regulations will benefit companies across the UK and £121 million for clinical trials will support the delivery of clinical trials across England. With 66% of the sector employed outside London and South-East, these UK wide initiatives will benefit all regions. At least £9.4m has been awarded to Birmingham for the Mental Health Mission, to set up the Midlands Translational Research Centre demonstrator site. Funding will be used to support research and novel treatments for mental health conditions.

17th Feb 2023
To ask Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government plans to take steps to support semiconductor manufacturers in the West Midlands in the context of the ongoing global semiconductor shortage; and what steps it is taking to encourage investment and innovation in the semiconductor industry in that region.

On behalf of HM Government, DSIT has been reviewing the UK semiconductor sector, and intends to set out more detail in the forthcoming UK Semiconductor Strategy.

The government is exploring how we can further support the UK semiconductor industry, protecting and growing existing UK capabilities - including in areas of existing strength such as semiconductor design, compound chips, and academic research in related fields. As part of this we are looking at how interventions through the semiconductor strategy can support the sector and encourage investment across the whole of the UK, including in the West Midlands.

17th Feb 2023
To ask Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking to develop the digital skills of older people, particularly those who may be at risk of digital exclusion.

To improve access to digital skills, the government has introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills. This allows older people wishing to acquire essential digital skills to gain specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQs), introduced alongside the digital entitlement, are based on new national standards which set out the digital skills people need to get on in life and work. We also support the provision of essential digital skills training in community settings through the Adult Education Budget.

Assisted digital support is available to help older people access online services. Around 2900 public libraries in England provide a trusted network of accessible locations with staff, volunteers, free DCMS-funded wifi, Public PCs, and assisted digital access to a wide range of digital services. The Government is working closely with the third sector to support older people getting online. Charities such as AgeUK and AbilityNet play an important role in providing help with technology and the internet.

25th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish data on the number of households in each region that have switched energy suppliers in each month since 1 January 2019.

Monthly data on the number of households switching energy suppliers for gas and electricity is published by BEIS here https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-switching-statistics. This is not available by region.

BEIS statistics are based on switching data also published by Ofgem at:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/data-portal/number-domestic-customers-switching-supplier-fuel-type-gb

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support businesses in villages to recover from the economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has introduced a comprehensive package of measures to support businesses during these unprecedented times.

We have announced schemes providing access to loans, designed to help businesses across the UK impacted by the Coronavirus crisis to access the funding they need:

  • The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme provides businesses with annual turnover of under £45m with access to working capital of up to £5m. It supports a wide range of business finance products, including term loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance facilities.
  • The Bounce Back Loans Scheme supports the smallest SMEs by providing loans from £2000 up to 25% of the business’ turnover with a maximum loan size of £50,000. This Scheme launched on 4 May.

The Government has also announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been working across Government to provide £13 billion of grant funding to help small and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors manage their cashflow through this period. This support will take the form of two grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).

All businesses in England in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and Rural Rates Relief (RRR) in the business rates system will be eligible for a payment of £10,000.

Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property:

  • Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of up to and including £15,000 will receive a grant of £10,000.
  • Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a grant of £25,000.
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will take steps to help ensure that teachers are trained to deliver water safety education in the classroom.

Swimming and water safety is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2. There are no specific statutory requirements for secondary schools to provide swimming and water safety lessons. Compulsory health education requires that schools teach a sound understanding of risk and provide pupils with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions on their wellbeing and health.

The Department is working in partnership with members of the National Water Safety Forum, in particular Royal Life Saving Society UK and Swim England to support schools to teach primary and secondary pupils important aspects of water safety.

This support includes online lessons on Oak National Academy and resources for pupils in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, launched by the National Water Safety Forum, as part of the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week in July 2022.

17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to help ensure that all teachers receive training to support students with dyspraxia in the classroom; and what steps she is taking to monitor the effectiveness of that training.

The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). All trainees who achieve Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

To support all teachers in meeting these standards, the department is implementing high-quality teacher training reforms which begin with initial teacher training and continue throughout career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.

The Universal Services Programme, which began in May 2022, aims to reach 70% of schools and colleges and will help the school and further education workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, earlier and more effectively. It will also help them to successfully prepare children and young people for adulthood, including employment.

The department is committed to gathering evidence about the implementation and impact of the reforms, to ensure that it provides the best support for new teachers entering the profession. To support this, we are working with the Education Endowment Foundation to ensure a comprehensive package of evaluation activity.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will take steps to ensure that water safety education is included in the national curriculum for primary and secondary schools.

Swimming and water safety is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2. There are no specific statutory requirements for secondary schools to provide swimming and water safety lessons. Compulsory health education requires that schools teach a sound understanding of risk and provide pupils with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions on their wellbeing and health.

The Department is working in partnership with members of the National Water Safety Forum, in particular Royal Life Saving Society UK and Swim England to support schools to teach primary and secondary pupils important aspects of water safety.

This support includes online lessons on Oak National Academy and resources for pupils in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, launched by the National Water Safety Forum, as part of the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week in July 2022.

17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help young people with special educational needs and disabilities to enter the workplace; and what steps the Government is taking to help ensure those young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential in the workforce.

The department is working across government to ensure that all young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have access to a world-class education, supporting them to achieve positive outcomes.

With the right preparation and support, the majority of young people with SEND are capable of sustained, paid employment. All professionals working with them should share that presumption. They should provide the career advice and support that helps young people to develop the skills and experience, and achieve the qualifications, that they need to succeed in their careers.

The government is committed to supporting pathways to employment for disabled young people, including, for example, through strengthening the Supported Internship programme. The department is investing approximately £18 million until 2025 to build capacity in the Supported Internships Programme and support more young people with Education Health and Care plans into employment.

The department is supporting the Department for Work and Pensions to pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs, including people with SEND. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and empower them to have confident discussions about adjustments with employers.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
18th Aug 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' report, Building back better: Speech and language therapy services after covid-19 report, published 16 March 2021, what steps he is taking to ensure that support for pre-school children’s communication and language development is prioritised in education recovery plans.

As part of the government’s announcement on providing an additional £1.4 billion for education recovery, we announced a £153 million investment for high-quality professional development for early years practitioners. This includes new programmes focusing on key areas such as speech and language development, and physical and emotional development for the youngest children. This is in addition to £10 million for a pre-reception early language programme, and £17 million for the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, which improves the language skills of reception age children who need it most during the COVID-19 outbreak.

We have also been working in partnership with Public Health England and its partners (including the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists), the local government association and the Early Intervention Foundation to support local area health and early years partnerships (which includes schools, nurseries, and speech and language therapists) to work in a more integrated way and improve information flow to identify speech, language and communication needs as early as possible.

20th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to increase support for equine rescue centres during the covid-19 outbreak.

Equine rescue centres do excellent work, often on a voluntary basis, to rescue and rehome unwanted and abandoned horses, and to ensure they are protected against cruelty. I am acutely aware that the coronavirus pandemic, and specifically the measures put in place to control the spread of the virus, continue to affect individuals, businesses and charities caring for animals. Equine welfare remains a priority for Defra throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

It has been encouraging to see the sector working collaboratively and successfully to support itself and to safeguard the welfare of equines in their care in the face of financial hardship and uncertainty. The sector continues to keep us informed of the status of the emergency grant schemes they have established to support numerous smaller organisations. These schemes include the Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund established by the Pet Plan Charitable Trust (PPCT) together with World Horse Welfare and the National Equine Welfare Council.

In addition to this, we have worked closely with sector groups to update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations, and other animal charities and businesses. This has enabled them to undertake core operations as far as possible, whilst maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Throughout this period, we have ensured that rescue and rehoming organisations are permitted to stay open, that staff and volunteers can continue to work and tend to the animals in their care, and that rehoming, fostering and adoption services can continue in accordance with Covid-19 secure guidance.

We take the concerns of the sector very seriously and are keeping a close watch on in-take levels and trends in animal relinquishments. Defra remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice and support.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
13th Oct 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on the steps that it is taking to reduce (a) noise and (b) air pollution emitted from diesel trains (i) stopping and (ii) idling at the Dorridge Freight loop.

The Department engages closely with Network Rail on a range of freight related issues.

With respect to the Dorridge Freight loop, Network Rail has taken steps to mitigate concerns around noise and air pollution. It has conducted a review of planned freight services following engagement with local residents and Sohihull Council and, where possible, has amended the timetable to avoid the Dorridge Freight loop. For shorter trains, Network Rail has also taken steps to stop trains elsewhere, away from the loop exit, to limit impacts on communities. Network Rail has also limited night time use by only using the Dorridge loop if there is no alternative possible.

Huw Merriman
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
1st Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) compensation claims process and (b) levels of evidence required for compensation in HS2 compulsory purchase negotiations.

My Department works with HS2 Ltd to deliver a robust compensation process, and keeps the compensation schemes available to those affected by HS2 under ongoing review. This applies to the arrangements for compulsory acquisition. A formal review of all schemes was last conducted in 2020 but my Department works closely with HS2 Ltd to monitor and appraise the schemes, with the presumption that they should be easy to navigate and that the level of evidence required is appropriate and proportionate. HS2 Ltd has published comprehensive guidance setting out the evidence that should be provided when claiming compensation.

Huw Merriman
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
9th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the risks of locating motorway service stations (a) on smart motorways and (b) between junctions that are normally congested on motorways.

The Government recognises the important role that motorway service areas (MSAs) play in providing a safe place for motorists to stop and take a short break from driving. It is for the private sector to promote and operate service areas that meet the needs of the travelling public. New and existing roadside facilities are subject to the provisions of relevant planning legislation and regulation, which together set the framework within which local planning authorities would consider the planning proposals for such developments. As a statutory consultee, Highways England will provide advice to local planning authorities on matters relating to the impact that such proposed developments will have upon the safety and operation of the strategic road network as set out in the Department for Transport Circular 02/2013. In 2019, the Department commissioned an evidence stocktake to gather the facts on the safety of smart motorways and make recommendations. The stocktake has just concluded.

19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the remit of the Tell Us Once service to include the notification of death to (a) banks, (b) utility companies and (c) other organisations outside the public sector.

There are currently no plans to extend the existing Tell Us Once Service to organisations outside the public sector.

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is taking steps to approve Enhertu for use in the treatment of cancers other than breast cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently in the early stages of developing technology appraisal guidance on treatments for non-small-cell lung cancer, including Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and held a scoping workshop focusing on this topic on 24 April 2023.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that children and young people with dyspraxia have access to (a) occupational therapy, (b) physiotherapy and (c) speech and language therapy services.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision Green Paper set out our proposal to commission analysis to ensure that the health needs of children and young people with SEND, including those with dyspraxia, are supported through effective workforce planning. We propose to work with Health Education England, NHS England and the Department for Education to build on existing evidence and assess demand for support for children and young people with SEND from the therapy and diagnostic workforce.

The number of therapists working in the National Health Service in England has increased in recent years, but we recognise the need to improve access to therapies. It is the responsibility of individual employers, including schools and hospitals, to plan their staffing levels in line with their local service priorities. To support the supply of more speech and language therapists to the NHS, since September 2020 all eligible students have been able to apply for a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000 per academic year, with further financial support available for childcare, accommodation and travel costs.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) the voices of neurodiverse individuals are heard and (b) their needs and perspectives are taken into account, in policy formation and decision making processes.

The Department ensures that the voices of neurodiverse individuals are included in the formation of policy and decision-making processes by including Experts by Experience in our governance and delivery arrangements. This includes our Autism Strategy Implementation Group, the Independent Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews Oversight Panel, the Building the Right Support Advisory Group and Delivery Board and the work on Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.

NHS England’s national autism and learning disability programme employs people with lived experience as well as working in partnership with people, families and carers to co-produce and co-design policy and guidance for national implementation.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
9th Sep 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the provision of breast cancer screening in the Solihull Borough after the four-month closure of the Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry Breast Cancer Screening Service as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry Breast Cancer Screening Service is working to screen all women who have missed an appointment by 31 March 2022, with NHS England and NHS Improvement monitoring progress.

The service has been able to gradually increase its capacity through the offer of open invitations rather than fixed time appointments and increasing the levels of permanent, third party and trainee staff, allowing the service to offer screening at additional times.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
9th Sep 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there are an adequate number of radiologists in clinics and hospitals in the Solihull Borough available to scan women at risk of breast cancer.

Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry Breast Screening service has received funding from NHS England and NHS Improvement to increase its mammography, radiography and radiology staffing capacity. Further to this locally targeted action, regional partners including Health Education England and NHS England and NHS Improvement have undertaken a workforce review of breast screening to tackle current shortages of trained staff. This will support all breast screening services, including the Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry service to have sufficient and sustainable staffing into the future.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
18th Aug 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with its counterpart in Italy in respect of British tourists' entry to Italy whose covid-19 vaccine was manufactured at Serum Institute in India.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) manufactures both Vaxzevria and Covishield vaccines and both branded vaccines are exactly the same COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. All SII-made doses approved by the United Kingdom (UK) regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and administered in the UK were branded as the ’COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca’ which is now known commercially as ‘Vaxzevria’.

The government continues to liaise with counterparts in Italy and we are seeking Italian confirmation that they will recognise all AstraZeneca doses administered in the UK. We will ensure that Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Travel Advice is kept up to date following any developments.

14th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review entitled First Do No Harm published in July 2020, what recent steps he has taken to progress implementation of the recommendation for a redress agency for people harmed by medicines and medical devices.

The Government response to the Report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review was published on 21 July. The Government stated that it did not accept recommendation three to establish a redress agency as set out in the report. The Government and others have previously established redress schemes without the need for an additional agency.

14th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published in July 2020, what recent steps he has taken to progress implementation of the recommendation that a register of the General Medical Council should be expanded to include a list of financial and non-pecuniary interests for all doctors, as well as doctors’ clinical interests and specialisms.

The Government agrees that doctors’ financial and non-pecuniary interests should be available publicly. However, we do not think that the General Medical Council’s register is the best place to hold this information. We have engaged with healthcare professional regulators, to ensure it is a requirement that all registered healthcare professionals declare their interests and that this information is published locally by healthcare providers.

We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Independent Healthcare Providers Network to ensure this approach is consistently applied across the National Health Service and independent sector. We have worked with the Care Quality Commission to ensure that implementation is monitored. Our response has been informed by participants in a patient reference group and we have worked closely with the devolved administrations to ensure a consistent, United Kingdom-wide approach.

14th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published in July 2020, what recent steps he has taken to progress implementation of recommendation five of that report on the rollout of specialist centres.

As of April 2021, eight National Health Service trusts are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement to provide specialised services for women with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. We continue to consider specialist centres for those adversely affected by medicines taken during pregnancy. Further detail on this recommendation will be included in the full response to the report to be published this year.

14th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published in July 2020, what recent steps he has taken to progress implementation of recommendation seven of that report on establishing a central patient-identifiable database.

NHS Digital has put together a programme of work to establish an information system to collect information on surgical implants and devices from healthcare providers in England, currently focussed on pelvic floor, or mesh and related procedures, as a priority.

This will be followed by the development of a United Kingdom-wide Medical Device Information System (MDIS) with regulations being made under section 19 of the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021. This system will mean that in future, subject to regulations, we can routinely collect medical device, procedure and outcome data from public and private provider organisations across the UK and data submitted directly from patients. Formal public consultation on the MDIS regulations will begin later this year with the aim of laying the regulations in due course.

20th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) support and (b) guidance is available to patients needing treatment for (i) toothache, (ii) abscesses and (iii) other urgent dental conditions.

To meet the Government social distancing measures and to contain the spread of COVID-19 all routine dentistry has currently been suspended.

We expect all National Health Service dental practices to provide urgent telephone advice and triage. Dentists are giving urgent advice remotely and, if needed, prescriptions for painkillers or antibiotics. All urgent face to face treatment that is clinically necessary is available for patients who are triaged by their dentist or NHS 111 into one of the 550 urgent dental care centres set up by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The urgent dental centres are expected to provide, where urgently needed, the full range of dental treatment normally available on the NHS.

NHS England and NHS Improvement announced on 28 May that NHS dentistry outside urgent care centres will begin to restart from 8 June with the aim of increasing levels of service as fast as is compatible with maximising safety.

A copy of the letter that was published can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-ontent/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/Urgent-dental-care-letter-28-May.pdf

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of when it will be safe for dentists and dental practitioners to re-open.

National Health Service dentistry was reorganised in late March along with other NHS primary care services to minimise face to face care to contain the spread of COVID-19 during the peak of the pandemic. Dentists were asked to suspend all routine treatment and instead to offer urgent advice and, where required, prescriptions for antibiotics by telephone. Urgent treatment was made available through urgent dental centres (UDCs) set up in each NHS region.

As of 25 May there are currently over 550 UDCs open. Patients are triaged into UDCs by their own dentistry or through NHS 111. The UDCs are expected to provide, where urgently needed, the full range of dental treatment normally available on the NHS.

NHS England and NHS Improvement announced on 28 May that NHS dentistry outside UDCs will begin to restart from 8 June with the aim of increasing levels of service as fast as is compatible with maximising safety. The letter to dentists setting this out is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-ontent/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/Urgent-dental-care-letter-28-May.pdf

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
5th May 2020
What steps his Department is taking to support the mental health of NHS staff during the covid-19 outbreak.

We have commissioned NHS England to develop a comprehensive emotional, psychological and practical support package for all National Health Service staff. The first line of support focuses on team behaviours – ensuring good line management and team practices, reflecting on daily events – backed up by good local occupational health support. Nationally, all NHS staff now have free access to a helpline and text service for counselling and support, a dedicated bereavement helpline and a range of well-being apps.

16th Oct 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of cash deposit regulations in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 on (a) the ability of SMEs to accept cash payments and (b) people who experience difficulty in conducting transactions via means other than cash.

The government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups. Furthermore, businesses need access to cash deposit services in order to keep accepting cash and, therefore, support people’s ability to continue to transact using cash.

The government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.

The government considers that this legislation will support organisations, including local businesses, to continue accepting cash by ensuring that they have reasonable access to cash deposit facilities.

Following the passage of this legislation, the government published a Cash Access Policy Statement, which sets out the government’s policies on access to cash. The FCA is required by law to have regard to these policies when determining its regulatory approach in this area. The FCA will publicly consult on its regulatory approach in due course. The government’s policy statement is available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cash-access-policy-statement/cash-access-policy-statement

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
13th Oct 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of staff in HMRC working from home on the (a) average time taken to process cases and (b) quality of service provision.

HMRC takes the quality of customer service very seriously.

HMRC’s approach to hybrid working is in line with many private and public sector organisations.

HMRC’s workforce plan includes the effective use of hybrid working where this meets business needs; staff are held to the same standards if they are working from an HMRC building or from home.

On average, HMRC advisers answer the same number of calls whether they are in the office or at home and process more customer correspondence when working from home. HMRC constantly monitor call volumes to ensure they deploy available staff where they need them. They use a flexible workforce model, where staff may switch between answering phone calls, processing correspondence, and replying to webchat enquiries throughout the day as needed.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support the financial services sector in Meriden constituency.

The government’s vision for financial services is for a sector that is open, sustainable, technologically advanced, globally competitive, and which acts in the interests of communities and citizens across all four nations of the UK.

The Edinburgh Reforms will drive growth and competitiveness while retaining our commitment to high international standards. This supports delivery of the Chancellor’s wider priority of driving economic growth and prosperity through his 4 E’s: Enterprise, Education, Employment, and Everywhere.

The government recognises that financial services is an important employer across the whole of UK, with 2.5 million people employed in financial and related professional services across the UK, two thirds of whom are employed outside of London. This includes 145,000 people in the West Midlands alone.

The Government’s approach to financial services reforms will ensure that the sector benefits from dynamic and proportionate regulation, and that consumers and citizens from across all four nations of the UK benefit from high quality services, appropriate consumer protection, and a sector that embraces the latest technology.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in Meriden constituency with energy prices.

The Government remains committed to supporting the whole business sector including small and medium sized businesses. The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) provides all eligible businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills for 12 months from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024. It also provides businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of energy use and trade intensity with a higher level of support.

This follows the unprecedented package of support for non-domestic users last winter provided through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. The Government has been clear that such levels of support, unprecedented in its nature and huge scale, were time-limited and intended as a bridge to allow businesses to adapt.

Gareth Davies
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support households in Meriden constituency with their energy bills.

The government took action at Spring Budget 2023 to support struggling families in all constituencies, including by maintaining the Energy Price Guarantee support rate at £2500 per year until July 2023. This measure, alongside the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme, brings total government support for energy bills to £1500 for the typical household since October 2022. The government is also removing the premium paid by 4 million households using prepayment meters (PPMs), bringing their costs into line with those paid by comparable households on Direct Debits (DD).

These measures are in addition to the uprating of benefits and Cost of Living Payments in 2023-24, which will help more than 8 million UK households on eligible means tested benefits, 8 million pensioner households and 6 million people across the UK on eligible disability benefits. Taken together, support to households to help with higher bills and cost of living is worth £94 billion, or £3,300 per household on average across 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Gareth Davies
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to provide financial support to people on lower incomes in Meriden constituency.

The Government recognises the challenges facing households on lower incomes across the country, particularly in light of elevated costs of living. Support to households with the cost of living is worth £94 billion, or £3,300 per household on average, across 2022-23 and 2023-24.

This includes uprating benefits and the state pension in line with inflation from this April, and new Cost of Living Payments in 2023-24 for households on means tested benefits, pensioner households and individuals on disability benefits, in addition last year’s support. Over 14,000 households on means-tested benefits in Meriden were eligible for last year’s £650 Cost of Living Payment, with another 11,500 individuals on disability benefits eligible for a further £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, and over 20,000 pensioner households eligible for the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment.

The Government is also providing further assistance through a one year extension to the Household Support Fund in England. Solihull Council has been allocated over £2.8m this year from the Household Support Fund to support its residents, including in Meriden, with the cost of food, energy and other essentials.

John Glen
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
19th Jun 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to help secure free access to cash withdrawals and deposit facilities in Meriden constituency.

The government recognises that while the transition towards digital payments brings many opportunities, cash continues to be used by many people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups.

The government is currently legislating to protect access to cash across the UK as part of the Financial Services and Markets (FSM) Bill 2022. The Bill establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities.

As amended, the FSM Bill protects free access to cash by requiring the FCA to seek to ensure that, in the United Kingdom, there is reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts with relevant providers. It also requires the Treasury to publish a policy statement that includes policies on free access.

According to LINK data for April 2023, there are around 39,000 free-to-use ATMs across the UK, including 81 in the constituency of Meriden.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
9th Mar 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that payroll loan schemes are not promoted following the recommendations of Sir Amyas Morse's review.

In December 2019 the Government announced in its response to Sir Amyas Morse’s Independent Loan Charge Review further measures to tackle promoters of avoidance schemes, including those designed to disguise remuneration. Further detail on these measures was set out in the Budget and HMRC will be publishing a new strategy to combat those who profit from marketing and selling tax avoidance schemes. The Government will also shortly issue a call for evidence on further steps to reduce or end the use of disguised remuneration schemes.

HMRC actively monitor the tax avoidance market and take action against active promoters, particularly those involved in devising and marketing new tax avoidance schemes. HMRC undertake a variety of activities such as challenging promoters for failures under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) regime and pursuing criminal investigations and arrests where appropriate.

6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the level of misuse of nitrous oxide in the West Midlands.

The most reliable current source for prevalence of drug misuse is the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). The Office for National Statistics publishes CSEW estimates for use of illicit drugs and psychoactive substances, including nitrous oxide, by adults aged 16-59. However, there are no available regional estimates for nitrous oxide due to small survey samples.

The latest estimates for drug misuse are for the year ending June 2022 available at:

Drug misuse in England and Wales - Appendix table - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

Data on school age drug misuse, primarily 11-15 year olds, is collected by NHS Digital and the latest data are available at:

Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England, 2021 - NDRS (digital.nhs.uk).

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
28th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to provide (a) financial and (b) other support to places of worship and community groups affected financially by the covid-19 lockdown.

As the Department responsible for?Faith, MHCLG?continues to play a facilitative?role?in ensuring?Government?understands?the needs of faith communities and the challenges they?may be currently?facing?due to the pandemic. We are working closely with a range of faith and community groups to better understand how Government can support them to respond to the pressures they face on sustaining their?organisations during this period of time.

There are a range of Government-backed financial support measures that these organisations can access.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme are both available to registered charities, and therefore places of worship registered with the Charities Commission. Registered charities have now been exempted from the requirement that the applicant derives at least 50 per cent of its income from its trading activity, so that more charities can access the scheme.

Any person or organisation, including places of worship, that is unable to pay any HMRC bill due to Covid-19 should get in contact through the HMRC Coronavirus helpline. HMRC will be able to agree payment plans, which can include a gap before any initial payment is required. If charities or places of worship are VAT registered, they are also able to use the VAT deferral scheme.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme provides support for entity with a UK payroll - small or large, charitable or non-profit, to be reimbursed 80 per cent of furloughed worker wages by HMRC, up to a cap of £2500 per month.

However, we know that some charities cannot furlough staff as they are contributing to the frontline response. There is a substantial package of targeted support for charities on the frontline of responding to Covid-19. The Chancellor on 9 April announced £750 million of funding for charities providing key frontline services to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charities

Luke Hall
Minister of State (Education)