Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport will meet the hon. Member for Richmond Park to discuss the future of Hammersmith Bridge.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My officials are working with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London to progress viable options for the future of Hammersmith Bridge. I would be pleased to discuss these with the hon. Member for Richmond Park in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he expects all payments by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to eligible people to be made.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The recently published Framework Document sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029. I do not regard those as targets. I regard those as backstops, and the objective should absolutely be to pay as soon as possible.
IBCA is committed to opening the full compensation service to all those eligible as soon as possible. Whilst the roll out of the scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, I fully support their commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible and as the Minister, I stand ready to help and assist in any way I can to speed up the payments.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of eligible people have received compensation from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Due to the nature of the Infected Blood scandal there is uncertainty over the number of people, especially those affected, who might be eligible for compensation. The final number of eligible people will ultimately depend on the number of victims who come forward.
As of 6 May 2025, 677 people have been contacted to begin the claims process, with 432 of those starting their claim. 160 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £150m, and 106 payments have been made, totalling £96,608,906.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people (a) infected and (b) impacted by the infected blood scandal have (i) been invited to make a claim, (ii) been offered compensation and (iii) received compensation.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As of 6 May 2025, 677 infected people have been contacted to begin the claims process, with 432 of those starting their claim. 160 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £150m, and 106 payments have been made, totalling £96,608,906.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include an updated assessment of the potential impact of noise from a third runway at Heathrow on public health in a future version of the guidance entitled Transport analysis guidance, published on 29 October 2013.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government supports airport expansion and has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. It expects any proposals to be brought forward by the summer and is clear that any scheme must be delivered in line with the UK’s legal, climate and environmental obligations.
TAG, or Transport Analysis Guidance, provides information on the role of transport modelling and appraisal. It is a set of guidance for senior responsible owners, project managers and technical practitioners and focuses on guidance for all modes and any scheme, rather than a specific scheme such as Heathrow Expansion.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claims for Disability Living Allowance were processed within the 50 working day target between April 2024 and April 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The most recent information on processing times for Disability Living Allowance for children was published in the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (ARA) on 22nd July 2024. This shows that in 2023/24 DWP cleared 3.5% of Disability Living Allowance for children claims within the planned 40 working day timescale. The next publication of the ARA will include the percentage of claims processed in the Financial Year 2024 to 2025, which is due for publication in the summer.
Although, DWP has seen improvements in processing times across many service lines during 2023-24, continued high demand has meant that the Department’s ability to process claims consistently in a timely manner across all its services has come under considerable pressure, with performance remaining below standard in some areas including in Child DLA where demand has increased in recent years and is significantly higher than pre-pandemic volumes. During 2020-21 DWP deferred reviewing existing cases to focus on processing new claims. Since then, the high volumes of both new claims and the deferred renewal work has resulted in longer processing times. Additional resources have been deployed and cases are being cleared in date order to ensure fair customer service.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the pilot programme to provide to victims of rape and sexual offences on request a free copy of judges’ sentencing remarks to all victims of crime.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In May 2024, the Ministry of Justice launched a pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases are heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks for free. Between May 2024 and 25 April 2025, HM Courts & Tribunals Service received 498 applications under the pilot. The pilot is due to conclude at the end of May 2025.
We recognise the value that transcripts can have for victims of crime. Victims of rape and sexual offences were chosen for the pilot due to the particular difficulties they face when attending court. We are actively exploring opportunities to use technology to reduce the cost of transcripts of hearings in the criminal courts in future, but maintaining a high degree of accuracy will always be of paramount importance.
We are currently assessing the pilot’s uptake and impact and will be able to say more on our plans for future provision in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have signed up to her Department's pilot programme to provide free sentencing remarks to victims of rape and sexual offences.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In May 2024, the Ministry of Justice launched a pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases are heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks for free. Between May 2024 and 25 April 2025, HM Courts & Tribunals Service received 498 applications under the pilot. The pilot is due to conclude at the end of May 2025.
We recognise the value that transcripts can have for victims of crime. Victims of rape and sexual offences were chosen for the pilot due to the particular difficulties they face when attending court. We are actively exploring opportunities to use technology to reduce the cost of transcripts of hearings in the criminal courts in future, but maintaining a high degree of accuracy will always be of paramount importance.
We are currently assessing the pilot’s uptake and impact and will be able to say more on our plans for future provision in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans make the Rape and Sexual Offences Free Sentencing Remarks pilot scheme permanent.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In May 2024, the Ministry of Justice launched a pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases are heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks for free. Between May 2024 and 25 April 2025, HM Courts & Tribunals Service received 498 applications under the pilot. The pilot is due to conclude at the end of May 2025.
We recognise the value that transcripts can have for victims of crime. Victims of rape and sexual offences were chosen for the pilot due to the particular difficulties they face when attending court. We are actively exploring opportunities to use technology to reduce the cost of transcripts of hearings in the criminal courts in future, but maintaining a high degree of accuracy will always be of paramount importance.
We are currently assessing the pilot’s uptake and impact and will be able to say more on our plans for future provision in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether benefits advisors are classified as civil servants for the purposes of the regulated period ahead of an election.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil Service and civil servants at levels immediately below the Senior Civil Service, plus members of the Fast Stream Development Programme.
A civil servant is normally defined as someone who is employed by the Crown to work for a Civil Service body.