Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve diagnostic rates for cardiovascular conditions and diseases in young people in (a) Southampton and (b) England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling the biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), and our Health Mission sets an ambition to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade. The 10-Year Health Plan, once published, will set out the Government's overarching vision for delivering the critical shift from a focus on treating illness to preventing conditions such as CVD.
Specific national strategies targeting the improvement of CVD diagnostic rates in children and young people are not featured in current public health programs. However, NHS England’s work emphasises the importance of early intervention and prevention across all age groups, and is committed to improving CVD care and outcomes through enhanced diagnostic support in the community, better personalised planning, and increased access to disease-specific rehabilitation.
Southampton City Council’s Children and Young People’s Strategy 2022-2027 outlines how they will invest in prevention, working with schools and communities to identify needs and deliver services as early as possible. The Health and Wellbeing Strategy similarly focuses on promoting healthy choices and behaviours in children to reduce CVD risk factors. The Government and NHS England will support local leaders to make the best choices to meet the needs of their local populations.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
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 improve (a) medical support for and (b) access to medical support for people with Crohn's disease (i) in England and (ii) in Southampton.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme on gastroenterology aims to reduce variations in care, increase early diagnosis and proactive management of Crohn’s disease and colitis, and increase access to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialist nurses. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has also produced a range of guidance on IBD, Crohn’s disease and colitis, to support early diagnosis and effective management of these conditions. It ensures that the care provided to people with IBD is based on the best available evidence. In the last two years, NICE has recommended four new drugs for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, namelt Upadacitinib, Risankizumab, Mirikizumab and Etrasimod.
NHS England’s National Bladder and Bowel Health Project is delivering better care for people with IBD, with a focus on developing clinical pathways. NHS England commissions specialised colorectal services nationally to support equity of access to high-quality treatment for patients with IBD requiring complex surgery. This work is supported within NHS England by the clinical leadership of the Specialised Colorectal Services Clinical Reference Group, which is made up of experts in surgery, medicine, radiology, pathology and nursing, alongside patient and public voice representatives.
To raise awareness of IBD among general practitioners and other primary care staff, the Royal College of General Practitioners has produced an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Toolkit. The toolkit outlines when to suspect IBD, the appropriate investigative tests and diagnostic tools for IBD, how to manage a flare-up of symptoms and how to support patients with IBD.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered extending the funding of the Community Energy Fund.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change. On 21 March, Government announced the Great British Energy Community Fund, which will continue the work of the Community Energy Fund to provide funding and support, from planning to strategic advice, to community energy stakeholders, helping to increase the roll-out of renewable energy projects.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of pollution of chalk streams on (a) water quality, (b) biodiversity and (c) human health (i) nationally, (ii) in the River Test and (iii) in the River Itchen.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works. Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats.
There is significant investment and improvement work taking place within the Test and Itchen catchments. This includes extensive monitoring of environmental indicators on water quality and ecology; regulation of operators within the catchments such as water and agriculture sectors; working with the water industry on reducing reliance on harmful abstractions and ensuring compensation and mitigation while alternative sources are delivered (for example, Havant Thicket reservoir and associated schemes) and tackling diffuse water pollution. Much of this work includes contributions from a wide range of partners including wildlife trusts, rivers trusts, fisheries managers, landowners, water companies and regulators.
The Environment Agency undertakes regular sampling of the biodiversity in the Test and Itchen and publishes the results on the Environment Agency’s Ecology and Fish Data Explorer. This is freely available via the Government’s Open data website: EA Ecology & Fish Data Explorer
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the water quality of (a) the River Test, (b) the River Itchen and (c) other chalk streams nationally.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works. Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats.
There is significant investment and improvement work taking place within the Test and Itchen catchments. This includes extensive monitoring of environmental indicators on water quality and ecology; regulation of operators within the catchments such as water and agriculture sectors; working with the water industry on reducing reliance on harmful abstractions and ensuring compensation and mitigation while alternative sources are delivered (for example, Havant Thicket reservoir and associated schemes) and tackling diffuse water pollution. Much of this work includes contributions from a wide range of partners including wildlife trusts, rivers trusts, fisheries managers, landowners, water companies and regulators.
The Environment Agency undertakes regular sampling of the biodiversity in the Test and Itchen and publishes the results on the Environment Agency’s Ecology and Fish Data Explorer. This is freely available via the Government’s Open data website: EA Ecology & Fish Data Explorer
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of Nigerians living in makeshift internally displaced person camps who have been displaced due to violence and religious persecution.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Internal displacement in Nigeria remains high and is largely concentrated in North-East Nigeria. Through our Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP), we have reached approximately one million people, reducing mortality and increasing resilience for people with the most severe humanitarian needs in the North-East, including those displaced by conflict and violence. Additionally, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), the UK is working with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against civilian communities. Our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRING') is working to reduce rural violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, including by supporting collaboration and productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists, and strengthening conflict early warning, management and response.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 21170 on School Libraries: Finance, what steps she is taking to increase levels of (a) literacy rates and (b) reading for pleasure in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Southampton Test constituency.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure, with a further £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Southampton Test’s nearest English Hub is Springhill English Hub. Further information on Springhill English Hub can be found here: https://englishhubs.net/english_hubs/springhill-english-hub/.
Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.
On 5 February, the government announced a £2 million investment to drive high and rising standards in reading and writing. Building on the success of phonics, teachers will receive additional training to help children progress from the early stages of phonics in reception and year 1 through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school. This will be delivered through the English Hubs programme. In secondary school, teachers will be offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels and next year the department will commission further training that will be focused specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind. The department will also publish a writing framework in the summer, which will be a first step to support schools in delivering high quality writing provision across England.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
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 improve freedom of religion for Baháʼís globally.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding.
The continued systematic targeting of the Baha'i community, which includes unfair arrest and detention, land grabs, and denial of burial rights, is unacceptable. We are committed to working with international partners to hold countries to account for its repression of the Bahai's, and other religious or belief minorities, including at the United Nations.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the persecution of Baháʼís in (a) Iran and (b) the Middle East.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We condemn any instance of state repression against Baha'is globally. The UK was instrumental in delivering the Iran Human Rights resolution, adopted by the United Nations Third Committee in November 2024, which spotlighted Iran's appalling treatment of Baha'is and called on Iran to release all religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group, and to ensure that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief.
We also track the treatment of the Baha'is across the Middle East, including in Yemen through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities. The Government strongly condemns the continued persecution of the Baha'is and other religious minorities. We are working with our international partners to raise these concerns directly with the Houthi authorities and urge the release of all Yemenis detained for their beliefs or nationality.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the detention of Mahvash Sabet by Iranian authorities.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We condemn the unfair detention of all religious minorities in Iran. The UK was instrumental in delivering the Iran Human Rights Resolution, adopted by the United Nations Third Committee in November 2024, which called on Iran to release all religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group, and to ensure that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief. We will continue to work with international partners to hold Iran accountable for its severe and unacceptable repression of Baha'is.