Scott Benton Portrait

Scott Benton

Independent - Blackpool South

First elected: 12th December 2019


Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill
1st Mar 2023 - 8th Mar 2023
Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform Bill)
2nd Nov 2022 - 2nd Nov 2022
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 25th Oct 2022
Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill
12th Jul 2022 - 11th Oct 2022
Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill
1st Dec 2021 - 14th Dec 2021
Subsidy Control Bill
20th Oct 2021 - 18th Nov 2021
Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill
23rd Jun 2021 - 6th Jul 2021
Compensation (London Capital & Finance plc and Fraud Compensation Fund) Bill
8th Jun 2021 - 15th Jun 2021


Scheduled Event
Monday 18th December 2023
16:30
Westminster Hall debate - Westminster Hall
18 Dec 2023, 4:30 p.m.
e-petition 635904, relating to the International Health Regulations 2005
View calendar
Division Votes
Wednesday 29th November 2023
Data Protection and Digital Information Bill
voted No
One of 3 Independent No votes vs 5 Independent Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 209 Noes - 275
Speeches
Thursday 30th November 2023
Business of the House
Although the Government’s decision to reduce air passenger duty has boosted regional aviation, further reform of public service obligation routes …
Written Answers
Friday 17th November 2023
Parkinson's Disease: Health Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Parkinson's UK entitled …
Early Day Motions
Monday 8th March 2021
Glasgow Rangers FC winning the Scottish Premiership 2020-21
That this House congratulates Glasgow Rangers FC on winning the Scottish Premiership title and, in doing so, registering the historic …
Bills
Monday 20th June 2022
Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023
A Bill to give workers and agency workers the right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work.
MP Financial Interests
Monday 17th April 2023
3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources
Name of donor: Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)
Address of donor: 1st Floor, 90 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1EU
Amount …
EDM signed
Friday 8th September 2023
10th anniversary of the passing of Seamus Heaney
That this House notes the recent tenth anniversary of the passing of Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, whose poetry and verse …
Supported Legislation
Wednesday 5th July 2023
Safety cameras Bill 2022-23
A Bill to require the Secretary of State to publish revised guidance on the deployment, visibility and signing of speed …

Division Voting information

During the current Parliamentary Session, Scott Benton has voted in 767 divisions, and 7 times against the majority of their Party.

24 Jun 2020 - Demonstrations (Abortion Clinics) - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 43 Conservative No votes vs 56 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 213 Noes - 47
27 Apr 2021 - Delegated Legislation - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 77 Conservative No votes vs 222 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 431 Noes - 89
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 38 Conservative No votes vs 271 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 441 Noes - 41
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 97 Conservative No votes vs 224 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 369 Noes - 126
22 Jun 2022 - Health and Personal Social Services - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 61 Conservative No votes vs 106 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 215 Noes - 70
18 Oct 2022 - Public Order Bill - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 103 Conservative No votes vs 113 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 297 Noes - 110
7 Mar 2023 - Public Order Bill - View Vote Context
Scott Benton voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 107 Conservative Aye votes vs 109 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 116 Noes - 299
View All Scott Benton 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
Penny Mordaunt (Conservative)
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(38 debate interactions)
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative)
(34 debate interactions)
Suella Braverman (Conservative)
(20 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(53 debate contributions)
Home Office
(38 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(37 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Scott Benton's debates

Blackpool South 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).

Petition Debates Contributed

As Parliament considers the Bill of Rights, the Government must reconsider including abortion rights in this Bill. Rights to abortion must be specifically protected in this legislation, especially as the Government has refused to rule out leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.

The proposed Human Rights Act reforms must be withdrawn. The Government must not make any changes to the Human Rights Act, especially ones that dilute people's human rights in any circumstances, make the Government less accountable, or reduce people's ability to make human rights claims.

Current legislation allows for public use of fireworks 16 hours a day, every day, making it impossible for vulnerable groups to take precautions against the distress they can cause. Better enforcement of existing law is insufficient; limiting their sale & use to licensed displays only is necessary.

Football is a powerful tool of which allows a range of benefits such as employment, and other important aspects of life. Football can be associated with passion, emotion, excitement and dedication across the community. With Fans attending football games a range of economic benefits are there too.


Latest EDMs signed by Scott Benton

5th September 2023
Scott Benton signed this EDM as a sponsor on Friday 8th September 2023

10th anniversary of the passing of Seamus Heaney

Tabled by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
That this House notes the recent tenth anniversary of the passing of Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, whose poetry and verse have been read by millions; and acknowledges his Bellaghy roots in County Londonderry and his Irish Nationalist background, epitomised by a well-known quote from 1983 about not raising a glass …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 11 Sep 2023)
Signatures by party:
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Conservative: 1
Independent: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
6th June 2023
Scott Benton signed this EDM as a sponsor on Wednesday 7th June 2023

Conduct of the Hon. Member for Belfast North

Tabled by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
That this House censures the hon. Member for Belfast North for being announced as the guest speaker at an event on Sunday 11 June in South Armagh for deceased members of the IRA; and considers that his attendance at this event is all the more reprehensible because it is the …
8 signatures
(Most recent: 30 Jun 2023)
Signatures by party:
Democratic Unionist Party: 6
Conservative: 1
Independent: 1
View All Scott Benton's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Scott Benton, 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.


Scott Benton has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Scott Benton

Thursday 22nd July 2021

2 Bills introduced by Scott Benton


A Bill to give workers and agency workers the right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 18th September 2023 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to permit 16 to 19 academies to have a designated religious character; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 21st June 2021

367 Written Questions in the current parliament

(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
6 Other Department Questions
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the land-based gambling sector on (a) coastal towns and (b) other high streets.

We recognise the contribution made by the land-based gambling sector both in terms of jobs and gross value added (GVA) to the economies of coastal towns and other high streets. The government is considering a range of issues relating to the land-based sector as part of the wide-ranging scope of our Gambling Act Review, and will publish a white paper in the coming weeks.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing trials of the use of cashless payments for the land-based gambling sector.

Cashless payments via digital apps, ticket in ticket out systems and debit card payments at cash desks are currently permitted in the land-based gambling sector. It is also possible to pay for chips at a casino gaming table by turning away from the table and completing a debit card transaction with a staff member.

Secondary legislation (The Gaming Machine (Circumstances of Use) Regulations 2007) currently prohibits the use of debit cards for payment at machine games. However, the government is considering issues around payment mechanisms as part of its wide-ranging Review of the Gambling Act. We will publish a White Paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in the coming weeks.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
12th Jan 2022
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to reduce inequality beyond the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010.

Levelling up is at the heart of the Government’s agenda to build back better after the pandemic. The Government will publish a landmark Levelling Up White Paper setting out bold new policy interventions to improve livelihoods and opportunity in all parts of the UK. To support this, the Equality Data Programme considers geographic and socio-economic inequality, alongside other factors, when identifying barriers to opportunity.

Mike Freer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Apr 2020
To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the Members Estimate Committee, what estimate the Committee has made of the cost to the public purse of providing Representative Money for party political purposes to hon. Members who do not take their seats in Parliament.

The Representative Money scheduled to be paid following the General Election on 12 December 2019 to the end of the current financial year (31 March 2020) will be published in due course on the pages below, as will amounts relating to subsequent financial years.

Since 2016–17 it has been a requirement to publish the amounts paid for the financial year and these can be found on the Parliament website via the following link:
https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/transparency-publications/hoc-transparency-publications/financial-information/financial-assistance-to-opposition-parties/

Budget allocations for Representative Money since 2005–06 are published in Appendix 4 of the following document:
https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01663

16th Jan 2020
To ask the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the total cost has been to the public purse of hon. Members who have not taken their seats in the House of Commons in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017 and (d) 2018.

All MPs are able to claim for business costs and expenses in line with the rules established by IPSA in the Scheme of MPs’ Business Costs and Expenses. All business costs and expenses claimed by MPs, including those who have not taken their seats in the House of Commons, are routinely published and can be viewed on IPSA’s website: www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/your-mp/.

The figures below outline the business costs and expenses of those MPs who have not taken their seats.

Financial Year

MPs with Published costs

Office Costs

Staffing

Staff Absence

Winding-Up Budget

Accommodation / Hotels

Travel

Total

2015-16

6

£12,334.65

£545,454.86

NA

£89,712.95

£0.00

£597.69

£648,100.15

2016-17

4

£20,504.85

£434,266.07

NA

£0.00

£0.00

£5,146.49

£459,917.41

2017-18

8

£115,569.72

£683,680.99

£0.00

£35,163.41

£7,835.00

£32,210.58

£874,459.70

2018-19

7

£115,667.58

£893,333.79

£7,879.49

£0.00

£19,597.03

£119,282.23

£1,155,760.12

Under a resolution of the House, Representative Money is provided to opposition parties represented by Members who have chosen not to take the Oath. Payment of Representative Money is administered by the House of Commons Members’ Hub. Budget allocations for Representative Money since 2005-6 are published in Appendix 4 of the following document: https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01663 .

The Representative Money allocation figures for the four years in question are as follows:

Financial Year

Period

Main Allocation

Travel Allocation

Total Allocation

£

£

£

2015/16 *

01/04/15 - 07/05/15

11,511.00

329.45

11,840.45

08/05/15 - 31/03/16

87,783.00

1,898.90

89,681.90

2016/17

01/04/16 - 31/03/17

97,556.00

2,224.32

99,780.32

2017/18 *

01/04/17 - 08/06/17

18,737.00

431.41

19,168.41

09/06/17 - 31/03/18

130,970.00

2,901.64

133,871.64

2018/19

01/04/18 - 31/03/19

165,864.00

3,674.62

169,538.62

* General Election years

Since 2016-17 it has been a requirement to publish the amounts paid for the financial year and these can be found on the Parliament website via the following link: https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/transparency-publications/hoc-transparency-publications/financial-information/financial-assistance-to-opposition-parties/previous-financial-assistance-to-opposition-parties/.

The Representative Money actual expenditure for each financial year since 2016-17 was as follows:

Financial Year

Period

Main Allocation Spend

Travel Allocation Spend

Total Spend

£

£

£

2016/17

01/04/16 - 31/03/17

97,743.00

0.00

97,743.00

2017/18 *

01/04/17 - 08/06/17

18,737.00

0.00

18,737.00

09/06/17 - 31/03/18

131,824.00

0.00

131,824.00

2018/19

01/04/18 - 31/03/19

166,005.00

0.00

166,005.00

* General Election years

Any spend above the Main Allocation has been funded by the parties themselves.

6th Feb 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the total value to the British economy of (a) trade with and (b) tourism from Saudi Arabia.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentlemen’s Parliamentary Question of 6 February is attached.

13th Nov 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the scientific basis for the Government's decision to close amusement arcades in tier 3 of the covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

The tiered approach of Local COVID Alert Levels that was in effect prior to 5 November was designed to reduce transmission of the virus which is transmitted through close contact. The baseline of the Tier 3: Very High Alert Level which applied until 5 November, did not include closure of amusement arcades. The government worked with local areas to identify other premises that should be closed.

The government continues to regularly make available scientific evidence supporting its COVID-19 response, including at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
28th Jan 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the turnout among (a) members of the armed forces serving abroad and (b) their family members living with them abroad, in the recent General Election.

Members of the armed forces serving abroad, or away from home in the UK, can vote with a postal vote or by proxy or in person if they are in their constituency on polling day.

Data that segments voters into categories of profession or other demographics is not collected as this could impact the secrecy of the ballot. In any event many armed forces personnel will have registered as ordinary electors and not in any manner that would identify them as service personnel at the time of voting.

We will continue to work with stakeholders to support the voting process for overseas electors, including armed forces serving abroad.

28th Jan 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to assist members of the armed forces serving abroad to take part in future elections.

Members of the armed forces serving abroad, or away from home in the UK, can vote with a postal vote or by proxy or in person if they are in their constituency on polling day. We work with the British Forces Post Office to ensure that mail specifically for service personnel, sent to forces post office addresses, is delivered as quickly as possible. We also work Royal Mail on overseas deliveries, through a specific provision to expedite dispatch of mail to overseas addresses.

We will continue to work with these stakeholders and others to support the voting process for overseas electors, including armed forces serving abroad.

17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average time was for the Office for Product Safety and Standards to conduct an investigation into a regulator for repeated breaches of the regulators code in the latest period for which data is available.

The Regulators Code is established under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006. It provides a clear, flexible and principles-based framework for how regulators should engage with those they regulate.

The Act does not make provision for sanctions, penalties or investigations in respect of adherence by a regulator with the principles of the Code.

Routine enquires in respect of the Code received by the Office for Product Safety and Standards are managed within internal service standard time limits of five working days.

Kevin Hollinrake
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what penalties the Office for Product Safety and Standards can impose on a regulator for repeated breaches of the regulators code.

The Regulators Code is established under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006. It provides a clear, flexible and principles-based framework for how regulators should engage with those they regulate.

The Act does not make provision for sanctions, penalties or investigations in respect of adherence by a regulator with the principles of the Code.

Routine enquires in respect of the Code received by the Office for Product Safety and Standards are managed within internal service standard time limits of five working days.

Kevin Hollinrake
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to the public purse was of funding provided to businesses in Blackpool during the covid-19 pandemic through the (a) Local Restrictions Support Grant, (b) Additional Restrictions Grant, (c) Christmas Support Payment and (d) Omicron Hospitality & Leisure Grant.

The figures below display the value of Covid-19 grants paid by Blackpool Council to small and medium businesses in their local area.

Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

£45,005,000

Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund

£2,422,000

Local Restrictions Support Grant

£32,032,283

Additional Restrictions Grant

£4,668,663

Christmas Support Payment

£106,000

Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant

£3,951,688

A full breakdown of grant funding allocated to, and distributed by, each Local Authority, is available here.

10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to the public purse was of funding provided to businesses in Blackpool during the covid-19 outbreak through the (a) Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grant Fund, (b) Small Business Grant Fund and (c) Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund.

The figures below display the value of Covid-19 grants paid by Blackpool Council to small and medium businesses in their local area.

Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

£45,005,000

Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund

£2,422,000

Local Restrictions Support Grant

£32,032,283

Additional Restrictions Grant

£4,668,663

Christmas Support Payment

£106,000

Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant

£3,951,688

A full breakdown of grant funding allocated to, and distributed by, each Local Authority, is available here.

10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding was provided to businesses in Blackpool during the covid-19 outbreak through government-backed business loans.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) were delivered by the British Business Bank (BBB) through commercial lenders. These schemes closed to new applications on 31 March 2021.

A breakdown of loans offered through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) by constituency, borough and regional area are available for download from the British Business Bank website. Regional breakdowns of loans offered through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) are not published due to data protection and commercial considerations.

16th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the Government's policy is on anticipatory investment in decarbonisation projects; what plans his Department has to provide guidance to distribution networks on the funding of decarbonisation plans; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of decarbonisation investment on bills paid by customers.

Network regulation is a matter for the independent regulator, Ofgem. Government supports Ofgem in their work to ensure the price control provides an appropriate framework for distribution networks to invest as needed to support the transition to net zero. This includes capacity to support increased demand for low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps, and connecting new sources of low-carbon electricity generation. Government also supports Ofgem in their objective of ensuring network regulation protects consumers, including providing value for money on their energy bills.

23rd Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the legislative proposals needed to enable electricity distribution companies to prepare electricity networks for decarbonisation; what steps he is taking to encourage investment to support the transition to low carbon infrastructure, energy and technology; and if he will make a statement.

As the independent energy regulator, Ofgem regulates electricity distribution companies through a price control framework which governs networks’ revenues, investments and performance standards. In its Decarbonisation Action Plan, Ofgem stated its commitment to creating a regulatory environment which enables and encourages networks to invest for Net Zero. The Government is supportive of this objective.

The Government’s Green Finance Strategy set out our approach to accelerating green finance and catalysing private investment to support delivery of the UK’s climate objectives.

22nd Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing a compulsory registration scheme for hairdressers, operating from both salons and people's homes, to ensure that customers can have confidence during the covid-19 outbreak that they are operating responsibly and in accordance with the law.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to the petition P002432, “The regulation of the Hair, Barber and Beauty industries”, 20 May 2019, Official Report, Volume 660.

We have published comprehensive guidance for people who provide close contact services, including hairdressers and barbers to ensure they are COVID-secure:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/close-contact-services.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the medical guidance underpinning the decision not to allow health and beauty salons to carry out certain treatments during the covid-19 outbreak in (a) Blackpool and (b) the UK.

The Ministerial Taskforces have been getting scientific input from Public Health England (PHE) as they draft guidance. Each individual working group which produced the guidance published on 11 May had active PHE presence, and each set of guidance was produced in collaboration with them, the Health and Safety Executive and other Departments. This model was followed by the close contact services taskforce.

The PHE staff who have supported the BEIS taskforces are in regular direct contact with those attending SAGE and have access to the PHE SAGE read-outs. They have endeavoured to reflect closely the SAGE recommendations and have also been responsible for putting some subjects pertinent to BEIS discussions to SAGE, such as persistence of COVID-19 on surfaces, and consideration of social distancing requirements under different scenarios. SAGE information is shared on its website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of the health and beauty industry on devising safe working practices to allow the resumption of those treatments which cannot currently be carried out safely.

The Close Contact Services taskforce comprised stakeholders from a cross section of the sector, including representative organisations. We consulted these stakeholders due to their expertise and real-life knowledge and experience of the challenges faced by the industry during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This taskforce was responsible for developing guidance to help businesses in this sector prepare to reopen safely, and representations have included:

  • All Party Parliamentary Group for Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing
  • Associated Beauty Therapists
  • Coalition letter from 180 businesses in the beauty, aesthetics, spa and wellness industry
  • The National Hair and Beauty Federation.


Any Ministerial meeting information will be shared in due course on: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

13th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will provide further business support grants to businesses in (a) Blackpool and (b) the UK that do not know when they can reopen as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. This package of support includes?the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF). In addition, on 1 May,?the Government announced that up to £617 million is being made available to Local Authorities?in England to allow them to provide discretionary grants.

These funds?have supported many thousands of small businesses?with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. ?As of 13 July, local authorities have made grant payments to over 872,520 business premises, totalling £10.7 billion, under the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF). As of 13 July, Blackpool Council have made payments to 3,860 business premises, totalling £43,835,000, under the SBGF and the RHLGF.

Officials are keeping in close contact with Local Authorities?to understand how the schemes are rolling out and advising ministers on any additional support?which could be offered to help businesses and support local economies.

18th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he is having with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) on ensuring that businesses in (a) China and (b) other countries do not have an unfair advantage over UK retailers through cheaper postage costs.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy represents the UK at the UPU’s Council of Administration. It attended the UPU Extraordinary Congress in September 2019 where an agreement on international remuneration rates for bulky letters and small packets was reached. Under this agreement, the terminal dues chargeable in the UK for deliveries from countries such as China will rise from 2020 onwards at a faster rate than previously approved.

18th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he is having with Royal Mail on ensuring their bilateral agreements with (a) China and (b) other countries do not provide terms for the international postage of retail goods into the UK that allow businesses in those countries with an unfair advantage over UK online retailers.

The UK, with its designated postal operator, Royal Mail, is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which sets international remuneration rates.

Bilateral agreements with other countries are commercial matters for Royal Mail, and the Government does not play a role in these agreements.

Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Royal Mail on postal matters, including international postal services.

13th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure the quality of online retail products sold to UK consumers from China and (b) enforce appropriate UK quality standards on online retail websites.

When foreign companies and traders sell goods online and target UK consumers, they must comply with UK consumer protection laws. It is the responsibility of traders to ensure the products they are selling to UK consumers comply with UK law requiring that all products are safe, of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.

2nd May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to take steps to support small hotels and bed and breakfasts by temporarily suspending fees for (a) motion picture, (b) television and (c) music licences during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government does not have the power to suspend fees for motion picture and music copyright licences. This is because copyright licensing is a private, commercial matter between the parties concerned in which the Government is not involved.

However, certain licensing bodies, including some for film and music, have introduced voluntary measures to help mitigate the financial impacts of the outbreak on their licensees. These measures include waiving licence fees when businesses are closed, deferring payments, and the suspension of late payment charges.

The Government currently has no plans to suspend television licence fee payments.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has already announced a host of measures to help small businesses in this period, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), business rate relief, and VAT deferrals. However, the licence fee is an important area of interest, and of course we will keep this matter under review.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
23rd Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will extend the covid-19 grant scheme for tourism and hospitality firms to small bed and breakfast businesses that are currently ineligible because they pay council tax and not business rates.

On 1 May 2020 the Business Secretary announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities. This additional Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs but not liable for business rates or rates reliefs. We are asking local authorities to prioritise businesses in shared workspaces, regular market traders, small charity properties that would otherwise meet the criteria for Small Business Rates Relief, and bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates. Local authorities may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local economic need.

22nd Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that manufacturers making Blackpool rock and other products exclusively for the tourism sector can access the covid-19 small business grants scheme on the same basis as other tourism businesses.

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. This is estimated to apply to around 730,000 businesses across England and eligibility is not determined by sector.

Additionally, on 1 May 2020 the Business Secretary announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities. Whilst this Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is primarily aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs but not liable for business rates and business rates reliefs, local authorities may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local economic need so long as they are not eligible for either a Small Business Grant, a Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grant or Self-employed Income Support Scheme funding.

22nd Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that small businesses who pay business rates as part of their rental agreement with their landlord are able to access the Small Business Grants Fund for covid-19 support on the same basis as those small businesses who are directly registered for business rates payments.

Only businesses with their own assessment for business rates and which are eligible for either Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) or Rural Rates Relief (RRR) will be eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund. Businesses which are not ratepayers in their own right are not eligible.

The Government understands that for some shared spaces and service offices, individual users may not have their own rating assessment and may not therefore be eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund.

Therefore, on 1 May 2020 the Business Secretary announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities. This additional Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs but not liable for business rates or rates reliefs. We are asking local authorities to prioritise businesses in shared work spaces, regular market traders, small charity properties that would otherwise meet the criteria for Small Business Rates Relief, and bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates. Local authorities may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local economic need.

5th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps her Department is taking to support people who have been supplied with substandard cavity wall insulation; and what plans the Government has for improved regulation of the insulation sector.

The Department has published consumer guidance for householders who suspect they have received faulty cavity wall insulation. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cavity-wall-insulation-cwi-consumer-guide-to-issues-arising-from-installations.

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme requires a 25-year guarantee to be provided to householders for all cavity wall insulation. The guarantee provides instructions if there are problems related to the insulation product or its installation.

Where cavity wall insulation is installed under ECO, the installation must also be compliant with the most recent provisions of the Publicly Available Specification (PAS); this sets out the specifications for the installation of energy efficiency measures in existing dwellings, including cavity wall insulation. The standard sets out requirements which aim to ensure that the installation is suitable for the property and installed to high standards.

TrustMark is delivering the new Government endorsed quality framework for energy efficiency measures which was launched in October 2018. The framework ensures an improved and comprehensive consumer protection process, including guarantees and a redress scheme.

From 1 January 2019 all relevant measures (including cavity wall insulation) installed under the ECO scheme must be delivered by a Trustmark approved installer and compliant with the Trustmark framework requirements.

14th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has plans to review the BBC licence fee.

The BBC's funding model faces major challenges to its sustainability due to changes in the way people consume media.

We remain committed to reviewing the licence fee model ahead of the next Charter period to explore the potential for alternative ways to ensure the BBC remains appropriately funded over the long-term.

John Whittingdale
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
23rd Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote British thoroughbred horse (a) racing and (b) breeding internationally.

The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its particular importance to the British rural economy.

In April 2017, we made significant reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy by fixing the Levy rate at 10% and extending the scope of the Horserace Betting Levy to include offshore online bookmakers for the first time. These reforms resulted in Levy income to support the racing industry totalling £83 million in 2018/19. In 2018/19 the Levy returned £83 million and in 2019/20 the Levy returned £97 million to racing. Even with the suspension of racing for a period due to covid the Levy returned £82 million in 2021/22 and then £97 million in 2021/22.

The Government is committed to review the Horserace Betting Levy by 2024. The department engages regularly with racing stakeholders including the British Horseracing Authority and we will consider carefully any information they provide. The Government will continue to work with the industry and the Levy Board to make sure the benefits of the Horserace Betting Levy are maximised.

The Sports Economy team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively engaging with the British horse racing industry to discuss their target markets internationally and how they can be supported in these regions. DIT is also working closely with the industry on the best way of attracting international investors into the British thoroughbred market and opportunities in the form of trade missions surrounding major international meetings with a strong UK presence.

British horseracing and breeding is promoted as part of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, showcasing the best of the UK in over 164 countries across the globe. This recognises the cultural and economic importance of horse racing to the UK and the role it plays as a soft power asset for the country internationally.

23rd Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) extending the Horserace Betting Levy to apply to bets on races taking place outside racing in Great Britain and (b) charging industry operators a levy based on their annual turnover.

The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its particular importance to the British rural economy.

In April 2017, we made significant reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy by fixing the Levy rate at 10% and extending the scope of the Horserace Betting Levy to include offshore online bookmakers for the first time. These reforms resulted in Levy income to support the racing industry totalling £83 million in 2018/19. In 2018/19 the Levy returned £83 million and in 2019/20 the Levy returned £97 million to racing. Even with the suspension of racing for a period due to covid the Levy returned £82 million in 2021/22 and then £97 million in 2021/22.

The Government is committed to review the Horserace Betting Levy by 2024. The department engages regularly with racing stakeholders including the British Horseracing Authority and we will consider carefully any information they provide. The Government will continue to work with the industry and the Levy Board to make sure the benefits of the Horserace Betting Levy are maximised.

The Sports Economy team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively engaging with the British horse racing industry to discuss their target markets internationally and how they can be supported in these regions. DIT is also working closely with the industry on the best way of attracting international investors into the British thoroughbred market and opportunities in the form of trade missions surrounding major international meetings with a strong UK presence.

British horseracing and breeding is promoted as part of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, showcasing the best of the UK in over 164 countries across the globe. This recognises the cultural and economic importance of horse racing to the UK and the role it plays as a soft power asset for the country internationally.

23rd Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will bring forward the date of its review into the Horserace Betting Levy.

The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its particular importance to the British rural economy.

In April 2017, we made significant reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy by fixing the Levy rate at 10% and extending the scope of the Horserace Betting Levy to include offshore online bookmakers for the first time. These reforms resulted in Levy income to support the racing industry totalling £83 million in 2018/19. In 2018/19 the Levy returned £83 million and in 2019/20 the Levy returned £97 million to racing. Even with the suspension of racing for a period due to covid the Levy returned £82 million in 2021/22 and then £97 million in 2021/22.

The Government is committed to review the Horserace Betting Levy by 2024. The department engages regularly with racing stakeholders including the British Horseracing Authority and we will consider carefully any information they provide. The Government will continue to work with the industry and the Levy Board to make sure the benefits of the Horserace Betting Levy are maximised.

The Sports Economy team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively engaging with the British horse racing industry to discuss their target markets internationally and how they can be supported in these regions. DIT is also working closely with the industry on the best way of attracting international investors into the British thoroughbred market and opportunities in the form of trade missions surrounding major international meetings with a strong UK presence.

British horseracing and breeding is promoted as part of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, showcasing the best of the UK in over 164 countries across the globe. This recognises the cultural and economic importance of horse racing to the UK and the role it plays as a soft power asset for the country internationally.

12th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Gambling Commission’s ability to assess the conduct of licensed operators and their subsidiaries overseas when making an assessment of compliance with online advertising rules contained in its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.

All gambling companies providing gambling facilities to consumers in Great Britain, wherever they are based, must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with the conditions and codes of practice of their operating licences. They are also held accountable by the Commission for the actions of their commercial partners, such as overseas operators marketed under a different brand for whom they provide services to customers based in Great Britain as part of a ‘white label’ agreement. Licensees are expected to carry out all necessary due diligence to ensure these agreements will not compromise their own regulatory compliance.

All licensed operators must ensure their marketing activities and those of their commercial partners are socially responsible, never targeted at children or vulnerable people, and compliant with the UK Advertising Codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA can refer operators to the Gambling Commission which can and does take enforcement action for non-compliance with the Codes.

The government is closely considering issues around gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship, and the powers and resources of the Gambling Commission, as part of its wide-ranging Review of the Gambling Act. We will publish a White Paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in the coming weeks.

5th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the (a) adequacy of the methodology used and (b) accuracy of the estimates of the level of suicides associated with problem gambling in the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms: evidence review, published on 30 September 2021.

The Department for Health and Social Care is undertaking a review and update of the Public Health England report ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’, to assess the accuracy of its estimates of suicide numbers. The updated report is in the final stage of review and will be published soon.

11th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason the Gambling Commission allocated funding to NIESR to undertake a study of the Benefits and Costs of Gambling-Related Harm.

The Gambling Commission does not commission projects but instead assesses any proposals that it receives. Regulatory settlements are a possible outcome of Gambling Commission enforcement action, and this may include the operator paying a financial amount for socially responsible purposes. When this occurs, the Commission may approve the destination of the financial element against set criteria, including that proposals must be for socially responsible purposes which address gambling related harms or other licensing objectives. More information on this process and destinations is available at the Commission website.

26th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Lancet, entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published in August 2022, what recent discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on that article's proposals to introduce a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol at land-based gambling venues including bingo clubs, casinos and racecourses.

Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.

Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.

26th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Lancet article entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published in August 2022, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her polices of that article's findings that there should be a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol at land-based gambling venues, including bingo clubs, casinos and racecourses.

Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.

Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.

26th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Public Health England's Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms, whether her Department has received representation from the Gambling Commission on that review's findings, including on suicides associated with problem gambling.

DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling. The Commission has given the Department no formal advice relating to the findings and estimates in Public Health England’s (PHE) evidence review on gambling related harm. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is reviewing the evidence published in the PHE’s review of the social and economic costs of gambling, and plans to publish an update.

Protecting people from gambling harms remains a priority for the government and the Gambling Commission, and we will be led by the best evidence to ensure the right protections are in place.

25th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Lancet article entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published in August 2022, what assessment she has made of the implications for her polices of that article's findings that no brands, colours, imagery, corporate logos and trademarks should be displayed on gambling products.

Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.

Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.

25th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Lancet article entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published August 2022, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her polices of that article's findings that there should be a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol at land-based gambling venues.

Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.

Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.

25th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Lancet article entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published in August 2022, whether she has made an assessment of that article's findings that there should be a universal ban on all gambling marketing, advertising, and promotions.

Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.

Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.

25th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Gambling Commission was involved the study published in the Lancet entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published in August 2022, including the proposal for a universal ban on all gambling marketing, advertising, and promotions.

Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.

Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.

22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much financial support was given to cultural institutions in Blackpool to assist them with the consequences of covid-19 in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.

Organisations in the Borough of Blackpool received a total of just over £4.82 million of funding across the entirety of the Culture Recovery Fund (CRF). £2.87 million was awarded in the first round (2020-21), £0.9 million was awarded in the second round (2020-21), and in the final round (2021-22) £1.05 million was awarded.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential economic impact of reducing the licensing requirements on casinos.

The Government is conducting a wide-ranging and evidence-led Review of the Gambling Act 2005. This includes consideration of the legislative landscape for casinos, in particular the distinction between the new style casinos allowed by the 2005 Act and the majority of casinos whose licences align with provisions originating in the Gambling Act 1968. We will publish a White Paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in due course and appropriate consideration of impacts will be made at all stages.

22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department has made available to support the rollout of 5g and 6g broadband in Blackpool.

We have seen good early progress in 5G network deployment, and are pleased that two Mobile Network Operators now offer 5G to more than 50% of the UK population. This delivers on our ambition for the majority of the population to have access to 5G by 2027 five years early. Our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will set out how we can realise the full benefits of 5G for the UK. We aim to publish later this year.

We have made reforms to the planning system in England to support the deployment of 5G and help extend mobile coverage. Alongside this, the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, currently before Parliament, amends the Electronic Communications Code to encourage faster and more collaborative negotiations for the installation and maintenance of telecoms equipment.

The next generation of mobile technology, referred to as “6G”, is still some years away and is currently in the early stages of development. We want to ensure that the UK continues to be at the forefront of future communications systems and technology. We will set out more details on our policy for 6G in the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy.

Julia Lopez
Minister on Leave (Minister of State)
17th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms, published in September 2021, if she will make an assessment of the whether Public Health England conducted methodologically robust research when it estimated that there was a £1.27 billion annual economic burden of harmful gambling.

Public Health England (PHE)’s evidence review on gambling-related harms estimated the annual cost of harmful gambling to society to be between £841 million and £2.2 billion, or approximately £1.27 billion, however the lack of quantitative causal evidence for some of the harms described did not allow PHE to make a direct assessment of the cost of gambling harm specifically. While the review acknowledged that further research is needed to determine costs attributable directly to gambling-related harm rather than those associated with people who are problem or at-risk gamblers, it is the most comprehensive review of the evidence on gambling-related harm and its associated costs, and has been carefully considered as an important input to our Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We will publish our white paper in the coming weeks.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
10th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has considered introducing a non-statutory levy on the betting and gaming industry for research, education and treatment which has a lower rate for land-based operators and takes account of the higher fixed costs and numbers of jobs they support compared to online operators.

The Government’s Review of the Gambling Act called for evidence on how best to recoup the regulatory and societal costs of problem gambling. We will publish a white paper in the coming weeks.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
7th Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has plans to review statutory provisions for charity lotteries.

Society lotteries are subject to limits on how much they can sell per draw and annually, as well as on the maximum prize they can offer.

In March 2020, we legislated to increase the per draw sales limit for large society lotteries from £4 million to £5 million, to increase the maximum prize limit from £400,000 to £500,000, and to raise the annual sales limit from £10 million to £50 million.

We are currently reviewing the impact of these changes.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
20th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Gambling Commission has made of the accuracy of the estimated number of problem gamblers.

As part of the Gambling Commission's duty under the Gambling Act 2005 to advise the government on gambling in Great Britain and provide an effective regulatory function, they collect gambling participation and problem gambling prevalence data via surveys of adults in Great Britain, principally the Health Surveys and quarterly telephone surveys. The data are published as official statistics and they are produced in accordance with the standards set out by the Government Statistical Service in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

The Health Surveys use a face to face methodology; and historically this methodology has provided the best means of delivering a random probability sample, which means every household listed on the Postcode Address File (a list of every point in the UK to which mail is delivered to) is given an equal chance of being selected to take part in the survey. Random probability sampling is generally regarded as the best method to achieve accurate population estimates. The Health Surveys include the PGSI and the DSM-IV screens for problem gambling, and a combined score from both presents an accurate picture of problem gambling. However, some challenges exist with the Health Surveys such as its relative infrequency so the Commission supplement the data with a quarterly telephone survey.

The quarterly telephone survey is currently the Gambling Commissions’ main measure of gambling participation (in the last four weeks) and is intended to supplement the high quality but less frequent prevalence measurement through the Health Surveys.. Telephone interviewing is a widespread method of running a nationally representative survey of a cross-section of the population. The short form PGSI screen is used within the telephone survey to measure problem gambling and the prevalence data compares reasonably closely to the Health Survey figures. However, there are a number of criticisms of telephone surveys, not least that it relies on respondents having telephone access (landline or mobile).

Having recognised some of the challenges above and as part of the Gambling Commissions’ ambition to improve the quality and robustness of their statistics, they have recently consulted on proposals to change the research methodology used to collect gambling participation and problem gambling statistics. The consultation responses indicated a high level of agreement with the proposals, and the Gambling Commission are in the process of commissioning a pilot to test a new approach. Their full response to the consultation is available here https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/print/participation-and-prevalence-research
John Whittingdale
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
25th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to restrict charities who receive public money from engaging in lobbying activities.

The Government Grants Functional Standard already includes a requirement for departments to ensure grant agreements provide a clear description of how funding should be spent which precludes the use of public money in paid for lobbying. This is to ensure that public money is used for its intended purpose.

Funded charities can use other funding sources to undertake non-party political activities and campaigning that supports their charitable purpose.

25th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the amount of Government funding donated to the British Red Cross Charity in the last ten years.

The Government does not make donations to charities. Such funding, whether for a specific restricted purpose or unrestricted, would be classified as a grant.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales publishes charities’ annual returns from the last five reporting years. This includes a breakdown of funding that includes income from government grants and income from government contracts. The most recently published annual return covers the financial period up to 31 December 2019.

The British Red Cross Society has received £147 million in government grants in total over the past five reporting years. A breakdown by financial period end date is below:

  • 31/12/2015 - £32.5 million

  • 31/12/2016 - £22.3 million

  • 31/12/2017 - £33.7 million

  • 31/12/2018 - £22.1 million

  • 31/12/2019 - £36.4 million

The British Red Cross Society also receives income from government contracts. Over the five reporting years described above, the British Red Cross Society received a total of £226.3 million income from government contracts.

This information is published on the Charity Commission for England and Wales website here: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/220949/financial-history

25th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on how many occasions the Gambling Commission has deemed the expenses of a society lottery to be unreasonable.

The Gambling Commission monitors the expenses of society lotteries through the regular reporting required of operators by their licences.

Gambling Commission will discuss any concerns with operators as they arise. Society lottery operators are able to make changes to address concerns raised by the Commission. The number of instances where this occurs is not recorded by the Commission, but it has not had any cases where discussions with operators have resulted in formal action related to unreasonable expenses.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 30 November 2020 to Question 122915 on Gambling: Coronavirus, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adult gaming centres re-opening in tier three areas.

The government, with advice from SAGE, reviewed the impact of the previous tiering arrangements and decided that unfortunately stricter rules on tier 3 closures would be necessary to have an impact on the rate of transmission in very high alert areas. This led to the decision that all hospitality and indoor entertainment venues in tier 3 areas would have to close, including casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. SAGE advice is independent and published on a regular basis on: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies

The government has continued to engage with the land-based gambling sector throughout the pandemic, including with its trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta and the Bingo Association. The Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism has had a series of roundtable discussions with the industry to discuss the impact of Covid-19, including representatives from two of Britain’s largest AGC operators. DCMS officials have been in regular contact with the representative trade associations and fed their views into the government decision-making process, and they are continuing to do so.

Government has set out an analysis of the health, economic and social impacts of the tiered approach, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-economic-and-social-effects-of-covid-19-and-the-tiered-approach. As on previous occasions, local data packs have also been published.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions, can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer to Question 122916, if he will publish the evidence supporting the decision to close adult gaming centres in tier three areas.

The government, with advice from SAGE, reviewed the impact of the previous tiering arrangements and decided that unfortunately stricter rules on tier 3 closures would be necessary to have an impact on the rate of transmission in very high alert areas. This led to the decision that all hospitality and indoor entertainment venues in tier 3 areas would have to close, including casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. SAGE advice is independent and published on a regular basis on: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies

The government has continued to engage with the land-based gambling sector throughout the pandemic, including with its trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta and the Bingo Association. The Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism has had a series of roundtable discussions with the industry to discuss the impact of Covid-19, including representatives from two of Britain’s largest AGC operators. DCMS officials have been in regular contact with the representative trade associations and fed their views into the government decision-making process, and they are continuing to do so.

Government has set out an analysis of the health, economic and social impacts of the tiered approach, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-economic-and-social-effects-of-covid-19-and-the-tiered-approach. As on previous occasions, local data packs have also been published.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions, can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
30th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what evidential basis of the rate of covid-19 transmission in adult gaming centres informed the decision not to allow those centres to reopen in tier three covid-19 local lockdown areas.

The government, with advice from SAGE, reviewed the impact of the previous tiering arrangements and decided that unfortunately stricter rules on tier 3 closures would be necessary to have an impact on the rate of transmission in very high alert areas. This led to the decision that all hospitality and indoor entertainment venues in tier 3 areas would have to close, including casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. SAGE advice is independent and published on a regular basis on: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies

The government has continued to engage with the land-based gambling sector throughout the pandemic, including with its trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta and the Bingo Association. The Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism has had a series of roundtable discussions with the industry to discuss the impact of Covid-19, including representatives from two of Britain’s largest AGC operators. DCMS officials have been in regular contact with the representative trade associations and fed their views into the government decision-making process, and they are continuing to do so.

Government has set out an analysis of the health, economic and social impacts of the tiered approach, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-economic-and-social-effects-of-covid-19-and-the-tiered-approach. As on previous occasions, local data packs have also been published.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions, can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
30th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he had with adult gaming centres on covid-secure measures prior to the decision to close those centres under tier three covid-19 restrictions.

The government, with advice from SAGE, reviewed the impact of the previous tiering arrangements and decided that unfortunately stricter rules on tier 3 closures would be necessary to have an impact on the rate of transmission in very high alert areas. This led to the decision that all hospitality and indoor entertainment venues in tier 3 areas would have to close, including casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. SAGE advice is independent and published on a regular basis on: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies

The government has continued to engage with the land-based gambling sector throughout the pandemic, including with its trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta and the Bingo Association. The Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism has had a series of roundtable discussions with the industry to discuss the impact of Covid-19, including representatives from two of Britain’s largest AGC operators. DCMS officials have been in regular contact with the representative trade associations and fed their views into the government decision-making process, and they are continuing to do so.

Government has set out an analysis of the health, economic and social impacts of the tiered approach, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-economic-and-social-effects-of-covid-19-and-the-tiered-approach. As on previous occasions, local data packs have also been published.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions, can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
30th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what impact assessment he has made of the decision to not allow adult gaming centres to reopen in tier three covid-19 local lockdown areas.

The government, with advice from SAGE, reviewed the impact of the previous tiering arrangements and decided that unfortunately stricter rules on tier 3 closures would be necessary to have an impact on the rate of transmission in very high alert areas. This led to the decision that all hospitality and indoor entertainment venues in tier 3 areas would have to close, including casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. SAGE advice is independent and published on a regular basis on: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies

The government has continued to engage with the land-based gambling sector throughout the pandemic, including with its trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta and the Bingo Association. The Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism has had a series of roundtable discussions with the industry to discuss the impact of Covid-19, including representatives from two of Britain’s largest AGC operators. DCMS officials have been in regular contact with the representative trade associations and fed their views into the government decision-making process, and they are continuing to do so.

Government has set out an analysis of the health, economic and social impacts of the tiered approach, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-economic-and-social-effects-of-covid-19-and-the-tiered-approach. As on previous occasions, local data packs have also been published.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions, can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with representatives from the tourism industry in England on establishing a Government backed online booking platform for small hotels and bed and breakfasts.

In June 2019, the British Tourist Authority launched the Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB) platform. TXGB was a key commitment of the Tourism Sector Deal, and makes it easier for accommodation businesses, including small hotels and bed and breakfasts, to be featured by in-market distributors, alongside attractions and experiences. This helps to promote English destinations and businesses abroad. Almost a hundred businesses are now signed up as distributors on the platform.

Tourism businesses like small hotels and bed and breakfasts that sign up as suppliers can choose the distributors through which they sell their product. The platform ensures that domestic and international consumers have access to the best of the country's tourism offer when booking holidays.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing an online booking platform for small hotels and bed and breakfasts.

In June 2019, the British Tourist Authority launched the Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB) platform. TXGB was a key commitment of the Tourism Sector Deal, and makes it easier for accommodation businesses, including small hotels and bed and breakfasts, to be featured by in-market distributors, alongside attractions and experiences. This helps to promote English destinations and businesses abroad. Almost a hundred businesses are now signed up as distributors on the platform.

Tourism businesses like small hotels and bed and breakfasts that sign up as suppliers can choose the distributors through which they sell their product. The platform ensures that domestic and international consumers have access to the best of the country's tourism offer when booking holidays.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with representatives from the children's indoor play sector on the steps that can be taken to enable indoor play centres in (a) Blackpool and (b) the UK to open up safely as soon as possible.

Officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have been in regular contact with the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) over recent weeks. We have worked with BALPPA, the trade body that represents the industry (including those from Blackpool such as the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, UK Hospitality and other representatives of the indoor play sector) to develop guidance for indoor play and indoor soft play operators to make their venues COVID-secure. On 13 August, the Government announced that indoor play and indoor soft play venues can open from 15 August.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
8th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives from dance industry organisations to enable (a) competitive dancing and (b) commercial dance lessons to restart in (i) Blackpool and (ii) the rest of the UK.

The Secretary of State and DCMS are committed to supporting the cultural sector to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so, and ensure appropriate support and guidance is provided.

To that end, DCMS has established the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Entertainment and Events working group which will be focusing on ensuring that COVID-19 secure guidelines are developed in line with the phasing ambitions and public health directions, building on the existing guidance and providing intelligence and sector-specific expert input.

These groups specifically include representatives for the dance sector, such as One Dance UK. Full details of the Taskforce can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/culture-secretary-announces-cultural-renewal-taskforce, and the Entertainment and Events Working Group can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/cultural-renewal-taskforce-and-supporting-working-groups#entertainment-and-events-members.

Furthermore, on 2 July, the Secretary of State met with Shirley Ballas to discuss the specific challenges faced by those within the ballroom dance sector with respect to safe reopening.

As the Prime Minister confirmed in his announcement on 23 June, providers who run community activities, holiday clubs, after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school provision for children – such as commercial dance lessons for children – can operate over the summer holiday, with safety measures in place. Providers of these settings have been able to open since 4 July, provided that they follow the protective measures set out by government.

Protective measures guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

Providers who offer indoor sports activities (including dance lessons) for children should also refer to the guidance for Keeping workers / volunteers and customers safe during COVID-19 for providers of grassroots sports and gym / leisure facilities. As announced on the 9 July, indoor gyms, sports courts and fitness and dance studios will be able to open from 25 July and cannot be used for holiday clubs and activities for children until that point.

6th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what engagement he is having with the entertainment and music industry and their relevant trade bodies with respect to establishing safe working practices so that entertainment venues in Blackpool can safely reopen as soon as possible. what discussions he has had with representatives from the (a) entertainment and live music sector and (b) associsated trade bodies in relation to establishing safe working practices to ensure that those venues in (i) England and (ii) Blackpool can reopen safely as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

We are committed to reopening creative businesses, including live entertainment and music venues, in Blackpool and across the UK in line with the latest Government regulations and advice.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport recently set out a five stage roadmap that the government will work through to get the performing arts and live entertainment sectors back up and running as soon as possible.

The ministerially-chaired Events and Entertainment Working Group was established to support the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce. It focuses on developing covid-19 secure guidance to enable the safe reopening of the performing arts, music and entertainment sectors. Members of the Working Group include the Association of Circus Proprietors, the Music Venue Trust and the Theatres Trust.

6th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with (a) the casino industry and (b) trade organisations on establishing safe working practices to enable casinos in Blackpool to reopen.

DCMS officials are in regular contact with Public Health England and the casino sector to discuss the protections that are needed to allow casinos to reopen safely. This includes arranging a visit for senior public health representatives to assess the measures which are in place. I have spoken with representatives of the sector about the impacts of closure, and the government is working to ensure casinos can open as soon as the medical and scientific advice is that it is safe to do so.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
6th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with representatives from LGBT (a) entertainment venues and (b) trade bodies in relation to establishing safe working practices to ensure that those venues in (i) England and (ii) Blackpool can reopen safely as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

We are committed to reopening creative businesses, including LGBT entertainment and music venues, in Blackpool and across the country in line with the latest Government regulations and advice.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has set out a five stage roadmap that the government will work through to get the performing arts and live entertainment sectors back up and running as soon as possible.

The ministerially-chaired Events and Entertainment Working Group was established to support the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce. It focuses on developing covid-19 secure guidance to enable the safe reopening of the performing arts, music and entertainment sectors and is attended by a number of trade bodies including the Night Time Industries Association, the Music Venue Trust and the Live Comedy Association.

1st May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with tourism businesses on developing guidance on (a) social distancing and (b) improved hygiene measures to help facilitate the re-opening of those business as quickly as possible following the covid-19 lockdown.

I have held multiple recent discussions with tourism businesses on this issue. These include meetings last week with the Tourism Industry Council and with senior leaders from across the business events industry. My Department is also collating evidence from tourism businesses across the country on the potential impact of any changes to the current measures.

We will take into account information and feedback from the sector as we review our approach and will continue to be guided by the latest medical advice. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will encourage people to book holidays and support the recovery of the tourism sector.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with English Football League football clubs on a level of reimbursement for (a) season ticket holders and (b) people who have already purchased tickets in the eventuality that the remainder of the games left in the current season cannot admit fans or do not take place at all.

We have been liaising closely with the sport sector, including the Premier League and English Football League, to discuss a wide range of matters during these difficult times.

This includes whether it would be possible for events to go ahead and in what capacity, whilst making it clear that the Government will not consent to events taking place unless we can be sure it is safe to do so. The Premier League and English Football League will be considering the player, staff, and of course ticket holders in their assessments.

The Government will continue to liaise closely with all the football authorities as the situation develops.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Premier League football clubs on devising a level of reimbursement for season ticket holders, and for people who have already purchased tickets, in the event that the remainder of the games left in the current season take place behind closed doors or do not take place at all.

We have been liaising closely with the sport sector, including the Premier League and English Football League, to discuss a wide range of matters during these difficult times.

This includes whether it would be possible for events to go ahead and in what capacity, whilst making it clear that the Government will not consent to events taking place unless we can be sure it is safe to do so. The Premier League and English Football League will be considering the player, staff, and of course ticket holders in their assessments.

The Government will continue to liaise closely with all the football authorities as the situation develops.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
20th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits for the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors of introducing additional bank holidays in late 2020, in the event that lockdown restrictions implemented in response to the covid-19 outbreak have been lifted.

The Government is committed to helping the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors through this crisis and beyond. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the sector during the recovery period.

Our immediate national priority is containing the spread of the virus. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be encouraging people to embrace the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors once again.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
18th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to expand the availability of gigabit-capable broadband throughout (a) Lancashire and (b) Blackpool.

The Government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit capable broadband as soon as possible. Much progress has already been made, with full fibre coverage doubling in the past year to reach 10% of UK premises, according to the latest Ofcom figures.

This Government will continue to take action to remove barriers to network rollout and to ensure that those in the hardest to reach areas are not left behind. We have introduced legislation to make it easier for operators to deploy broadband in blocks of flats, will be legislating to mandate gigabit connectivity in new builds and will invest £5 billion of funding to support gigabit rollout in hard to reach areas.

Lancashire has 97.8% superfast coverage, up from 37% in January 2011. In Blackpool, superfast coverage is 99.5%, compared to the UK average of 96%. Blackpool City Council was successful in their Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) Wave 2 bid for funding, and were allocated £3.1 million to upgrade its fibre presence across the city using 20km of the existing duct tramway. A separate company, ITS Technology Group, has extended its gigabit-capable broadband services to the Fylde Coast by harnessing the local, publicly owned Cooperative Network Infrastructure (CNI). This is currently live in Blackpool and is expanding across the Fylde coast.

16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of covid-19 on (a) the UK tourism industry and (b) coastal communities; and if he will make a statement.

We are aware that the COVID-19 outbreak is significantly impacting the tourism industry and connected communities, including those in coastal regions.

My Department regularly engages with stakeholders in the tourism and events sector and across Government on this developing issue. We will continue to monitor its impact on the sector and would urge businesses from all parts of the country to share information with VisitBritain via their Tourism Industry Emergency Response group.

The Chancellor has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, tax relief and cash grant measures, plus £330bn worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to support (a) bed and breakfasts, (b) guest houses and (c) hotels in coastal towns in the event of reduced tourism as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

We are aware that the coronavirus outbreak is impacting businesses across many industries.

I regularly engage with stakeholders in the tourism sector on this developing issue. My Department and VisitBritain have organised two meetings between the industry and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. I will continue to monitor its impact on tourism businesses across the country and would urge tourism businesses to share information with VisitBritain.

Measures announced in the recent Budget relating to rates relief will also assist SMEs in the hospitality and leisure space.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to work with the (a) English Football League, (b) Premier League and (c) Football Association to promote sustainable (i) financial planning and (ii) good governance in football league clubs.

Football clubs are the heart of local communities, they have unique social value and many with a great history. It is vital they are protected.

This government is committed to undertaking a fan led review of football governance, which will include consideration of the Owners’ and Directors’ test, and will work closely with the football authorities as we decide the scope and structure of the review.

My predecessor also recently met with the EFL to discuss the progress of their own review into club governance.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make representations with his international counterparts and tourist industries overseas to online hotel booking websites on revising their practices on (a) brand jacking, (b) fear of missing out statements, (c) undercutting partner prices and (d) the online reviewing system.

I will continue to meet regularly with stakeholders across the Tourism sector to discuss a range of issues.


The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) previously investigated the practices of hotel booking websites, reporting its conclusions in September 2019. Following this, 25 major hotel booking sites signed up to the CMA’s sector-wide principles for providing online accommodation booking services. The CMA continues to monitor compliance with consumer protection law in the sector.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support he is providing to help England Beach Soccer establish a northern beach soccer league.

The Government is committed to supporting people to get involved in sport and physical activity in whatever way best suits them. To date, Government has not invested in, or been approached for investment in, beach soccer.

Subject to eligibility requirements, England Beach Soccer may be able to apply for funding from Sport England’s Small Grants Fund which provides amounts up to £10,000 for projects that help people to lead more active lives. It may also wish to explore making an application to the Football Foundation’s Grow the Game Fund.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Jan 2020
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the level of commission charged by online booking websites on (a) small hoteliers and (b) bookings for hotel accommodation; and whether his Department plans to review the regulatory framework in relation to the charging of that commission.

My Department has not assessed the effect of the level of commission charged by online booking websites on either small hoteliers or bookings for hotel accommodation.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's independent competition authority, is responsible for investigating markets where competition or consumer problems are detected. The CMA previously investigated the practices of hotel booking websites, reporting its conclusions in September 2019, and continues to monitor their compliance with consumer protection law in the sector.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking with local authorities to promote schemes which tackle loneliness and social isolation at Christmas time.

Government’s strategy on tackling loneliness stresses the important contribution of all parts of society, including local authorities, throughout the year not just at Christmas.

Government’s work with local authorities includes: working with three local authorities to pilot ways of making information about local activities and services addressing loneliness more easily available; and working with the Local Government Association and National Association of Local Councils to publish a comprehensive guide outlining how councils can create the right structures and conditions locally to tackle loneliness.

In addition, the Let’s Talk Loneliness communications campaign promotes many schemes across the country that bring people together. The campaign website hosts a toolkit of resources and case studies; these have been shared with a network of over 300 organisations and have been widely used.

The government has also established the £11.5m Building Connections Fund; 126 grants were made to successful applicants in December 2018. Projects are now underway, bringing people together across the country. On 15 October 2019 the Minister for Civil Society, Baroness Barran, announced a new £2 million fund to help organisations at the frontline of tackling loneliness across the country.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) the Government's loneliness strategy in reducing loneliness and (b) cross-departmental working to implement that strategy.

Government is committed to understanding the impact of its activity on loneliness and will use this insight to inform future decision-making. The 60 commitments made in the loneliness strategy vary widely and so learning is captured in different ways. Many of these commitments are still in progress and evaluation will emerge over time. For example, an independent evaluation of the £11.5m Building Connections Fund is underway, and the findings will be published from mid-2020 onwards.

The first annual report on government’s work on tackling loneliness will be published shortly, and will set out progress to date.

Cross-departmental working has continued to be effective, with close working between the nine departments involved to ensure successful implementation of the strategy.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access for children in (a) Blackpool South constituency and (b) other deprived communities to (i) music, (ii) film, (iii) dance and (iv) theatre.

Arts Council England funds a number of national music and cultural education programmes across the country which aim to reach those from deprived communities. Alongside this, in 2019, five new Youth Performance Partnerships were launched to provide new opportunities for young people from areas of low cultural engagement and high levels of deprivation to experience high quality performances and to develop practical skills both on and off stage (including dance, art, music, creative writing, lighting, sound, costume and set design). And, as announced in our election Manifesto, we will also offer an Arts Premium to secondary schools to fund enriching activities for all pupils.

In Blackpool, programmes such as Curious Minds have supported the development of an established Local Cultural Education Partnership now led by Blackpool Teaching Schools Alliance which plays an important role in developing strong provision for children in Blackpool. In addition, Into Film, a UK-wide body funded by the government through the BFI, encourages children to engage with film culture through after-school film clubs. There are 8000 across the UK, including 35 in the Blackpool South constituency. Last year, the BFI held two BFI Film Academy taster sessions in the Blackpool area to encourage young people to consider a career in the industry, and also ran a discounted ticket scheme for disadvantaged schools across the country.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the cost of providing education to people who crossed the English Channel in small boats and were found to be children in each of the last three years.

All children in the UK are entitled to access a school-based education in England, and this includes all refugee and asylum-seeker children. The department does not collect data on whether children attending schools in England crossed the English Channel in a small boat.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what capital resources his Department has made available since December 2019 to support schools and colleges in Blackpool.

Blackpool local authority receives an annual School Condition Allocation (SCA) to spend on improving the condition of its maintained schools. The SCA funding allocated to Blackpool local authority since the financial year 2019/2020 is set out below. For the financial year 2020/21, the figure includes an extra £166,210 as part of an additional £560 million committed to schools in that year.

Financial year

SCA funding for Blackpool LA

2019-2020

£357,830

2020-2021

£524,097

2021-2022

£574,864

2022-2023

£579,194

There have been three annual bidding rounds for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) since December 2019 and, over these rounds, CIF-eligible schools in Blackpool have received a total of £2.1 million in funding.

The Department also provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient mainstream school places, based on their own forecast data. The total funding Blackpool has been allocated between 2019 and 2025 is just over £1.4 million.

Blackpool has also received just over £2.4 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations between 2021 and 2024 to create new places and improve existing provision for children and young with special educational needs and disabilities or who require alternative provision. It also received just under £850,000 between 2018 and 2021 through the Special Provision Capital Fund to help create new places for pupils with education, health, and care plans.

In addition, there has been a total of £5,304,205 in capital funding allocated to colleges in Blackpool since December 2019.

Capital funding secured through the free schools programme has also led to the opening of Lotus Special School in September 2020 and the completion of all works on the permanent site for the new Armfield Academy in February 2021.

21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional funding his Department has made available through (a) education investment areas and (b) education opportunity areas to support young people in Blackpool.

Blackpool benefited from over £10 million of funding through the Opportunity Areas programme between 2017 and July 2022. Blackpool will continue to benefit from continued support as a Priority Education Investment Area (PEIA).

In all 55 Education Investment Areas (EIAs), the Department will be taking steps to support underperforming schools to make necessary improvements, build trust capacity and improve digital connectivity. Over the next 3 years, up to £86 million in trust capacity funding and £150 million for extending the Connect the Classroom programme are being prioritised in EIAs, with all schools in Blackpool receiving the offer of Connect the Classroom funding. In EIAs, the Department is also offering the Levelling Up premium, worth up to £3,000 tax free, to eligible teachers.

In each of the 24 PEIAs, the Department will offer further investment in addition to the significant support available to all EIAs. PEIAs will receive a share of around £40 million of funding to address local needs, and priority access to a number of other programmes offered by the Department.

10th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the school travel sector on options for the safe resumption of school visits during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department continues to work with representatives of the tour industry, devolved administrations, trade unions as well as other Government Departments.

The guidance for full school opening enables schools to resume educational day visits but continues to advise against UK overnight educational residential visits. This advice will remain under review and will be updated in line with guidance from Public Health England, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

2nd Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the number of vocational training places available to young people who wish to acquire practical and trade qualifications.

We are introducing new T Levels from this September – high quality, practical courses designed by employers that will provide a credible alternative to A levels and prepare students for skilled work or further study.

We are currently reforming and simplifying the qualifications system so that learners can easily find high-quality qualifications that give them the skills they need. With our proposals, any qualification, including existing ones, can be approved if they provide learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours that employers need.

We have also been working across Government to build a package of support measures to boost skills among those who will be hardest hit by the labour market impacts of COVID-19. On 8 July the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced measures across a range of targeted work-based training offers to support people to build the skills they need to get into work. This amounts to investment of £1.6 billion in employment support schemes which will substantially expand existing provision. This includes:

  • £111 million to triple the number of traineeships;
  • £17 million to triple the number of sector-based work academy placements;
  • Paying businesses to take on new apprentices – an extra £2000 for each apprentice under 25 and £1,500 for apprentices over 25;
  • £32 million to help 269,000 more people receive advice from the National Careers Service;
  • £101 million for school/college leavers to study high value courses when there are not employment opportunities available to them.
Gillian Keegan
Secretary of State for Education
25th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the ineligibility for student loans of students at private higher education institutions on the (a) financial viability of those institutions and (b) their ability to attract students.

Under the 2017 Higher Education and Research Act, a higher education provider in England that wishes to access public grant funding and/or student support funding, is required to register with the Office for Students. This applies to those previously known as a ‘private’ or ‘alternative’ provider, as well as to existing publicly funded institutions.

Registered providers are regulated by the Office for Students and must meet regulatory requirements, which include conditions surrounding quality and financial viability. Once registered, providers are able to submit to the Student Loans Company the courses they wish to attract student support.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
25th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to support private higher education providers in (a) attracting students to their courses and (b) improving (i) their viability and (ii) the diversity of courses on offer to the higher education sector; and if he will make a statement.

Under the 2017 Higher Education and Research Act, a higher education provider in England that wishes to access public grant funding and/or student support funding, is required to register with the Office for Students. This applies to those previously known as a ‘private’ or ‘alternative’ provider, as well as to existing publicly funded institutions.

Registered providers are regulated by the Office for Students and must meet regulatory requirements, which include conditions surrounding quality and financial viability. Once registered, providers are able to submit to the Student Loans Company the courses they wish to attract student support.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
21st Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of university students from British Overseas Territories studying in the UK.

The government fully recognises the important contribution that international students make to the UK’s higher education sector, including those from the British Overseas Territories, both economically and culturally.

We have set out our ambition to increase the number of international higher education students hosted in the UK to 600,000 per year by 2030, within the International Education Strategy.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publishes statistics on students studying at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by domicile. The latest available data is from 2018/19, published in January 2020.

In 2018/19, HESA estimated there to be 2,130 British Overseas Territory domiciled students enrolled at UK HEIs at all levels of study. The table below shows the breakdown by domicile.

Table: Student enrolments by country of domicile, UK HEIs, 2018/19

Domicile[1][2][3]

2018/19

Anguilla

55

Bermuda

500

British Virgin Islands

180

Cayman Islands

315

Falkland Islands

50

Gibraltar

900

Montserrat

15

Pitcairn Islands

0

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

0

St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

25

Turks and Caicos Islands

95

British Overseas Territories Total

2,130

British and EU nationals residing in British Overseas Territories or in other Member States’ overseas territories are currently eligible for Home Fee Status if they are studying at either undergraduate or postgraduate level at English HEIs and have been living in the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the overseas territories for the three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of the course. They will remain eligible for home fee status for the duration of courses starting in the 2020/21 academic year or before. We will provide sufficient notice for prospective students on fee arrangements ahead of the 2021/22 academic year and subsequent years in future.

The Department for Education (DfE) funds Commonwealth scholarships for five or six PhD scholarships from non-ODA Commonwealth countries. DfE funding for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships means there will be 150 new scholarships awarded by 2025, all of which are open to British citizens from overseas territories.

[1] Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals.

[2] Domicile refers to country of student’s permanent address prior to entry.

British Antarctic Territories and British Indian Ocean Territories are omitted from this analysis as HESA defines them as having ‘no settled inhabitants’. HESA defines 'no settled inhabitants' as no inhabitants apart from military and scientific personnel, staff of contractors and seasonal residents (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c18051/a/domicile).

[3] Source: DfE analysis of the HESA student record https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-28.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
21st Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the number of university students studying in the UK from the British Overseas Territories of charging those students the same level of tuition fees as British students.

The government fully recognises the important contribution that international students make to the UK’s higher education sector, including those from the British Overseas Territories, both economically and culturally.

We have set out our ambition to increase the number of international higher education students hosted in the UK to 600,000 per year by 2030, within the International Education Strategy.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publishes statistics on students studying at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by domicile. The latest available data is from 2018/19, published in January 2020.

In 2018/19, HESA estimated there to be 2,130 British Overseas Territory domiciled students enrolled at UK HEIs at all levels of study. The table below shows the breakdown by domicile.

Table: Student enrolments by country of domicile, UK HEIs, 2018/19

Domicile[1][2][3]

2018/19

Anguilla

55

Bermuda

500

British Virgin Islands

180

Cayman Islands

315

Falkland Islands

50

Gibraltar

900

Montserrat

15

Pitcairn Islands

0

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

0

St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

25

Turks and Caicos Islands

95

British Overseas Territories Total

2,130

British and EU nationals residing in British Overseas Territories or in other Member States’ overseas territories are currently eligible for Home Fee Status if they are studying at either undergraduate or postgraduate level at English HEIs and have been living in the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the overseas territories for the three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of the course. They will remain eligible for home fee status for the duration of courses starting in the 2020/21 academic year or before. We will provide sufficient notice for prospective students on fee arrangements ahead of the 2021/22 academic year and subsequent years in future.

The Department for Education (DfE) funds Commonwealth scholarships for five or six PhD scholarships from non-ODA Commonwealth countries. DfE funding for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships means there will be 150 new scholarships awarded by 2025, all of which are open to British citizens from overseas territories.

[1] Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals.

[2] Domicile refers to country of student’s permanent address prior to entry.

British Antarctic Territories and British Indian Ocean Territories are omitted from this analysis as HESA defines them as having ‘no settled inhabitants’. HESA defines 'no settled inhabitants' as no inhabitants apart from military and scientific personnel, staff of contractors and seasonal residents (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c18051/a/domicile).

[3] Source: DfE analysis of the HESA student record https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-28.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
21st Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits to the (a) UK and (b) British Overseas Territories (BOTs) of increasing the number of students from BOTs studying at UK universities.

The government fully recognises the important contribution that international students make to the UK’s higher education sector, including those from the British Overseas Territories, both economically and culturally.

We have set out our ambition to increase the number of international higher education students hosted in the UK to 600,000 per year by 2030, within the International Education Strategy.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publishes statistics on students studying at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by domicile. The latest available data is from 2018/19, published in January 2020.

In 2018/19, HESA estimated there to be 2,130 British Overseas Territory domiciled students enrolled at UK HEIs at all levels of study. The table below shows the breakdown by domicile.

Table: Student enrolments by country of domicile, UK HEIs, 2018/19

Domicile[1][2][3]

2018/19

Anguilla

55

Bermuda

500

British Virgin Islands

180

Cayman Islands

315

Falkland Islands

50

Gibraltar

900

Montserrat

15

Pitcairn Islands

0

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

0

St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

25

Turks and Caicos Islands

95

British Overseas Territories Total

2,130

British and EU nationals residing in British Overseas Territories or in other Member States’ overseas territories are currently eligible for Home Fee Status if they are studying at either undergraduate or postgraduate level at English HEIs and have been living in the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the overseas territories for the three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of the course. They will remain eligible for home fee status for the duration of courses starting in the 2020/21 academic year or before. We will provide sufficient notice for prospective students on fee arrangements ahead of the 2021/22 academic year and subsequent years in future.

The Department for Education (DfE) funds Commonwealth scholarships for five or six PhD scholarships from non-ODA Commonwealth countries. DfE funding for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships means there will be 150 new scholarships awarded by 2025, all of which are open to British citizens from overseas territories.

[1] Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals.

[2] Domicile refers to country of student’s permanent address prior to entry.

British Antarctic Territories and British Indian Ocean Territories are omitted from this analysis as HESA defines them as having ‘no settled inhabitants’. HESA defines 'no settled inhabitants' as no inhabitants apart from military and scientific personnel, staff of contractors and seasonal residents (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c18051/a/domicile).

[3] Source: DfE analysis of the HESA student record https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-28.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
28th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department records the number of young people who (a) visit Auschwitz on educational visits and (b) take part in other educational visits to remember the Holocaust and its victims.

The Department funds the Holocaust Educational Trust’s ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ which provides for two students, aged 16-18, and a teacher from every state funded school/sixth form college in England to visit Auschwitz-Bikenau. £2,126,437 is being provided in 2019-20 and £2,193,675 in 2020-21. We expect a minimum of 1,968 students to undertake visits through this programme in 2019-20.

Additionally, £1.7 million for the 2019-20 financial year is being provided for the Bergen-Belsen Commemoration Programme. The programme provides for pupils and teachers from state funded secondary schools in England to visit Bergen-Belsen to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp. We expect a minimum of 1,290 pupils to undertake visits through this programme in 2019-20.

18th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle fly-tipping.

The Prime Minister’s Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan sets out how we will support councils to take tougher action against those who fly-tip. This includes raising the upper limit of spot fines for fly-tipping to £1,000; delivering on our manifesto commitment to increase penalties.

We have also awarded councils nearly £1.2 million to purchase equipment to tackle fly-tipping, such as CCTV, and consulted on reforms to how waste is managed to stamp out criminal activity.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
6th Dec 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's timeframe is for (a) consulting on and (b) confirming plans to spend recent allocations of flood defence funds in Blackpool South.

The Environment Agency is currently working with Blackpool Council (the respective Coast Protection Authority) to progress three coastal schemes on its coastal frontage. Consultation has already commenced on the two Bispham schemes and a second consultation event will take place in early 2022.

  • Little Bispham to Bispham: the Environment Agency is due to receive an Outline Business Case by the end of January 2022 for assurance. The Local Authority has £800,000 allocated in 2021/22 for preliminary studies and design with a forecast of £29.3 million capital works to follow, with an estimated completion date in 2025.
  • Bispham Capital Maintenance: the Environment Agency is due to receive an Outline Business Case by the end of January 2022 for assurance. The Local Authority has £500,000 allocated in 2021/22 for preliminary studies and design, with a forecast of £5.6 million capital works to follow, with an estimated completion date of 2025.
  • Blackpool Beach Nourishment: the Environment Agency has received an application to approve funds to commence preliminary studies and investigations. The Local Authority has £342,000 allocated for preliminary studies in 2021/22 and £12 million forecast for design and capital works to follow, with an estimated completion date of 2026. Consultation will commence during 2022/23.

The sea bees re-profiling work at South Shore has an allocation of £7 million and is programmed to commence 2024/25 through to 2026/27. Initial work on this has not commenced yet. (Sea bees are hexagonal concrete revetments designed to dissipate the energy of the waves.)

The Environment Agency works closely with Local Authorities, Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) and Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) to ensure that all projects are well represented within the capital programme.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
8th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he is having with zoos and aquariums in relation to providing information which would give those organisation sufficient preparation time to allow them to open up their attractions to the public later in 2021.

I am aware of the pressure that the current coronavirus restrictions are placing on zoos and recognise this has been an extremely tough time for the sector. The Government has not yet announced how and when the current coronavirus restrictions applying to zoos and aquaria will be eased. In preparation for an announcement, we have worked closely with BIAZA (British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums) on their reopening guidance to ensure that zoos and aquariums have the information on how to open safely. Defra officials have also met with the CEOs of the largest chartable zoos and BIAZA to understand the measures that zoos have put in place to manage social distancing. We are also aware that a number of zoos and aquariums have secured the Visit Britain 'We’re Good To Go’ COVID-19 industry standard and consumer mark. This mark provides reassurance that the business adheres to Government and public health guidance and that the necessary COVID-19 safety processes have been put in place.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
1st Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to increase public awareness of the importance of keeping unneutered cats aged four months and over inside while access to neutering services is limited during the covid-19 outbreak.

We welcome animal welfare charity campaigns, including those by Cats Protection, encouraging people to both microchip and neuter their cats and we have included such messaging in the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats about responsible ownership of cats, a copy of which can be found on the GOV.UK website. Anyone considering acquiring a kitten should ensure, before they take possession of it and if they do not intend it to breed, that they can arrange for it to be neutered. Many veterinary practices are now carrying out certain non-essential work such as neutering, but it is up to individual vets to decide whether to do this. As always owners should refer to their vets for advice about neutering and breeding control.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
18th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the compulsory micro-chipping of cats.

The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and has a manifesto commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping of cats. In October 2019 Defra published a call for evidence on compulsory microchipping for cats, which attracted over 3,000 responses. We are in the process of assessing the responses with a view to publishing the summary of them in due course.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the amount of UK funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency that was disbursed on education using Palestinian Authority approved textbooks in the latest period for which figures are available.

In 2018/19 DFID provided £65.5 million to UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) including £47.5 million to UNRWA’s programme budget, which includes their education programme. On average UNRWA spends 58% of this budget on education enabling UNRWA to educate more than 533,000 children, half of whom are girls. Around 325,000 children attend schools in Gaza and the West Bank.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with the Palestinian Authority on the removal and replacement of textbooks from schools in the Palestinian Territories as a result of reports of anti-Semitic and extremist content in those books.

The UK government is deeply concerned about allegations of incitement in Palestinian Authority’s school textbooks. Ministers have regularly raised the issue of incitement in the education sector with the PA’s Minister for Education,?which the Secretary of State did most recently in February this year.?We are pleased that the PA are undertaking a review of their textbooks and updating them in time for the new academic year in September.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
25th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to support the development of (a) an airport and (b) port infrastructure in Montserrat to assist that country's economic growth.

DFID is investing in infrastructure on the island of Montserrat to promote economic growth and build resilience to natural disasters. This includes resurfacing the runway at the John Osborne airport. This action is necessary to prevent the airport from being closed by the regulator, thereby cutting off a key source of access to and from the island.

DFID is also providing support through the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UK CIF) managed by the Caribbean Development Bank for improved port facilities in Montserrat. Procurement is underway for the design and build of a new jetty and associated works.

21st Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to replace European Development Funds with Official Development Assistance to support British Overseas Territories following the UK's exit from the EU.

Under the Withdrawal Agreement Article 152, paragraph 3 confirms that the Overseas Territories (OTs) shall benefit from EDF11 until its closure. Based on current patterns of expenditure, we reliably estimate they will continue to have access to EDF 11 until 2024 and possibly beyond.

After we leave the EU, we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. The UK Government will take account of the impact of EU Exit on the Overseas Territories, including the question of access to EDF funds, to ensure that we discharge our full responsibilities to the OTs.

28th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the proportion of his Department's budget that is allocated to (a) women's reproductive programmes and initiatives and (b) abortions.

Between 2013/14 – 2017/18 DFID’s average direct bilateral expenditure, under the sector codes Reproductive Health care, Maternal and Neonatal health, and Training of Personnel was nearly £218 million each year. This excludes direct bilateral expenditure on family planning, which is reported separately. To note, this £218 million does not cover DFID’s core contributions to multilateral organisations such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) which also provide reproductive health care services in developing countries.

Data for all sector codes and spend are available on the Statistics for International Development website, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-international-development-uk-gross-public-expenditure-gpex.

As DFID takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights, it is not possible to give a specific figure for our funding for safe abortion.

Andrew Murrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department has had discussions with representatives of the state government of (a) Alabama, (b) Mississippi and (c) Arkansas on securing memorandums of understanding on trade in the last two years.

We regularly engage states through our network of consulates on how we can enhance our strong, existing trade relationships. My predecessor also met with the Governor of Arkansas in April last year to discuss how we could boost trade further.

We welcome continued interest from states in strengthening trade ties and will continue to focus on how best we can work together to deliver the greatest impact for business.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
1st Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of trade in services between the UK and Israel in the past ten years.

The United Kingdom is strongly committed to our trade and investment relationship with Israel, one of the Middle East’s most dynamic and innovative economies. In 2020, our services trade totalled £1.7 billion, which is an increase of 84.5% since 2010. Financial services and professional business services were our largest exports to Israel in 2020.

On 1st February, the Department for International Trade launched a public consultation on a new free trade deal that will play to British and Israeli strengths as fellow tech superpowers, boosting our strong trade relationship in digital, services and life sciences.

11th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department has taken to recommence multilateral talks on the proposed Trade in Services Agreement.

Making multilateral progress on services trade liberalisation is a priority for the UK as an independent trading nation. As an active member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the UK is advancing market access negotiations through the Joint Initiatives on Services Domestic Regulation and E-Commerce, which draw on and have a much broader membership than the Trade in Services Agreement. Demonstrating further global services leadership, we are co-sponsoring exploratory market access discussions on environmental services and financial services at the WTO. We will continue to advocate strongly for services trade liberalisation in our multilateral and plurilateral engagement, including through the UK Presidency of the G7 trade track and through the G20.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to improve (a) trade links with Qatar and (b) investment in the UK from Qatari businesses.

In 2019, total trade between the United Kingdom and Qatar was £7.2 billion, an increase of 37% (£1.9 billion) from 2018 and there are significant existing investment links between our countries. HM Government is committed to supporting more bilateral trade and investment.

My Department will continue to work with our Qatari counterparts to identify ways to boost trade and investment and remove barriers to trade. To explore opportunities to support our bilateral trade, the United Kingdom-Qatar Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) has been established and, in June, our third Working Group took place with the Qatar Investment Authority to promote the United Kingdom as a top investment destination and discuss future investment opportunities.

9th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to improve (a) trade links with Bahrain and (b) investment in the UK from Bahraini businesses.

In 2019, total trade between the United Kingdom and Bahrain was £1.3 billion, an increase of 10% (£117 million) from 2018 and there are significant existing investment links between our countries. HM Government is committed to supporting more bilateral trade and investment.

My Department will continue to work with our Bahraini counterparts to identify ways to boost trade and investment and remove barriers. Through recent engagement, Bahrain simplified certification requirements for goods, enabling British businesses to continue to export to Bahrain during the Covid-19 pandemic.

6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph.

A previous Government made an initial assessment of the possibility of introducing trials of 80 mph limits.

The safety of road users is our priority, and any change to speed limits would be evidence-led, looking at the impact on safety, air quality and carbon emissions as well as road conditions.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
6th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of 20mph zones on the level of CO2 emissions.

The Department has not undertaken any recent assessments on 20mph roads or the impact on road users and has no current plans to do so.

The Department published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits on 22 November 2018.

The headline findings were:

  • 20mph limits are supported by the majority of residents and drivers
  • There is insufficient evidence to conclude that that there has been a significant change in collisions and casualties following the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas.
  • In one city centre case study there has been a significant reduction in collisions and casualties.

Local traffic authorities are responsible for their procurement procedures, and the Department for Transport would not be able to estimate the average cost of erecting signage.

The causes of congestion can be systemic, for example increasing population and urbanisation, or more localised, for example network pinch points, inadequate public transport or road works. It is for traffic authorities to decide what systems to put in place to help them manage their road networks as efficiently as possible.

The Department is fully committed to reducing emissions from road transport. We recently published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan Transport decarbonisation plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which identified policy measures to decarbonise road traffic and all other forms of transport, in order to ensure the transport sector delivers its contribution to upcoming carbon budgets, and put us on a pathway to net zero.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
6th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the introduction of 20mph zones on the number of road fatalities; and what the evidential basis is for this estimate.

The Department has not undertaken any recent assessments on 20mph roads or the impact on road users and has no current plans to do so.

The Department published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits on 22 November 2018.

The headline findings were:

  • 20mph limits are supported by the majority of residents and drivers
  • There is insufficient evidence to conclude that that there has been a significant change in collisions and casualties following the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas.
  • In one city centre case study there has been a significant reduction in collisions and casualties.

Local traffic authorities are responsible for their procurement procedures, and the Department for Transport would not be able to estimate the average cost of erecting signage.

The causes of congestion can be systemic, for example increasing population and urbanisation, or more localised, for example network pinch points, inadequate public transport or road works. It is for traffic authorities to decide what systems to put in place to help them manage their road networks as efficiently as possible.

The Department is fully committed to reducing emissions from road transport. We recently published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan Transport decarbonisation plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which identified policy measures to decarbonise road traffic and all other forms of transport, in order to ensure the transport sector delivers its contribution to upcoming carbon budgets, and put us on a pathway to net zero.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
6th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of levels of public support for 20mph zones (a) nationally and (b) in local areas where zones have been created.

The Department has not undertaken any recent assessments on 20mph roads or the impact on road users and has no current plans to do so.

The Department published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits on 22 November 2018.

The headline findings were:

  • 20mph limits are supported by the majority of residents and drivers
  • There is insufficient evidence to conclude that that there has been a significant change in collisions and casualties following the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas.
  • In one city centre case study there has been a significant reduction in collisions and casualties.

Local traffic authorities are responsible for their procurement procedures, and the Department for Transport would not be able to estimate the average cost of erecting signage.

The causes of congestion can be systemic, for example increasing population and urbanisation, or more localised, for example network pinch points, inadequate public transport or road works. It is for traffic authorities to decide what systems to put in place to help them manage their road networks as efficiently as possible.

The Department is fully committed to reducing emissions from road transport. We recently published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan Transport decarbonisation plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which identified policy measures to decarbonise road traffic and all other forms of transport, in order to ensure the transport sector delivers its contribution to upcoming carbon budgets, and put us on a pathway to net zero.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
6th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the average cost of erecting the signage required for a 20mph zone.

The Department has not undertaken any recent assessments on 20mph roads or the impact on road users and has no current plans to do so.

The Department published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits on 22 November 2018.

The headline findings were:

  • 20mph limits are supported by the majority of residents and drivers
  • There is insufficient evidence to conclude that that there has been a significant change in collisions and casualties following the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas.
  • In one city centre case study there has been a significant reduction in collisions and casualties.

Local traffic authorities are responsible for their procurement procedures, and the Department for Transport would not be able to estimate the average cost of erecting signage.

The causes of congestion can be systemic, for example increasing population and urbanisation, or more localised, for example network pinch points, inadequate public transport or road works. It is for traffic authorities to decide what systems to put in place to help them manage their road networks as efficiently as possible.

The Department is fully committed to reducing emissions from road transport. We recently published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan Transport decarbonisation plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which identified policy measures to decarbonise road traffic and all other forms of transport, in order to ensure the transport sector delivers its contribution to upcoming carbon budgets, and put us on a pathway to net zero.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
6th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of 20mph zones on levels of traffic congestion.

The Department has not undertaken any recent assessments on 20mph roads or the impact on road users and has no current plans to do so.

The Department published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits on 22 November 2018.

The headline findings were:

  • 20mph limits are supported by the majority of residents and drivers
  • There is insufficient evidence to conclude that that there has been a significant change in collisions and casualties following the introduction of 20mph limits in residential areas.
  • In one city centre case study there has been a significant reduction in collisions and casualties.

Local traffic authorities are responsible for their procurement procedures, and the Department for Transport would not be able to estimate the average cost of erecting signage.

The causes of congestion can be systemic, for example increasing population and urbanisation, or more localised, for example network pinch points, inadequate public transport or road works. It is for traffic authorities to decide what systems to put in place to help them manage their road networks as efficiently as possible.

The Department is fully committed to reducing emissions from road transport. We recently published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan Transport decarbonisation plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which identified policy measures to decarbonise road traffic and all other forms of transport, in order to ensure the transport sector delivers its contribution to upcoming carbon budgets, and put us on a pathway to net zero.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional funding his Department provided to (a) Blackpool Council and (b) Blackpool Transport to support the provision of (i) bus and (ii) tram services in Blackpool during the covid-19 outbreak.

The total funding provided to Blackpool Council and Blackpool Transport for Bus and Light Rail services for March 2020 to October 2022 is £9.5m, broken down below.

The additional funding provided to Blackpool Council for Bus Services since March 2020 is £216,052.

The additional funding provided to Blackpool Council for Light Rail Services since March 2020 is £3,520,190.

The additional funding provided to Blackpool Transport for Bus Services since March 2020 is £5,779,425.

21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to help reduce the cost of tram services in England.

The provision of tram services is largely devolved in England. It is for local transport authorities and operating companies to determine ticket prices.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has supported tram systems with exceptional financial support. In total, the Government will have provided around £250 million to English tram and light rail systems outside London. This funding has helped keep services running and reduced any need for local authorities and operators to pass financial pressures on to passengers.

The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all businesses and other non-domestic customers, including local authorities, are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter. As an energy intensive sector, it is expected many Light Rail systems will benefit significantly from this scheme.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
15th Sep 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reforming Public Service Obligations in order to assist the growth of (a) regional and (b) Blackpool airports.

While we recognise that bringing new routes into a regional airport is likely to increase its passenger footfall, it is important to recognise that Public Service Obligations (PSOs) are a route support measure to strengthen connectivity.

We will consider whether there are further opportunities to utilise PSOs, alongside other policy measures, towards meeting our ongoing regional connectivity and levelling-up objectives. We will also continue to consider applications for PSOs on vital routes into London and lifeline services for remote communities that are in danger of being lost.

15th Sep 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the usage of capital and revenue funding to support the development of small regional airports.

Airports operate in a private capacity and their funding streams are subject to their own private and commercial activities. The DfT has not undertaken any assessment in relation to the usage of capital and revenue funding to support development of airports.

3rd Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives from (a) the UK travel industry and (b) travel agents on bespoke packages of support for the sector during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department for Transport is in regular contact with the travel industry regarding the challenges facing the sector as a result of COVID-19. The sector is crucial to the UK’s economy and businesses across the industry are able to draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures we have put in place during this time.

This includes a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, two business interruption loan guarantee schemes for different sizes of business, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and VAT deferrals.

The Department for Transport is in close contact with the travel sector ensuring that the Government is kept fully aware of the latest developments with all firms and to understand where additional policy measures and address specific industry issues.

Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing financial assistance during autumn and winter 2020 for the travel sector and travel agents sector to support that sector through the covid-19 pandemic.

The Government recognises the challenging times facing the travel sector as a result of COVID-19. The sector is crucial to the UK’s economy and businesses across the industry will be able to draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures we have put in place during this time.

This includes a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme which facilitates access to finance for businesses affected by the outbreak. Firms are also able to access ‘Time to Pay’ scheme which eases restrictions with tax bills and VAT deferrals.

The Department for Transport and other departments are in close contact with the travel sector ensuring that the Government is kept fully aware of the latest developments with all firms and to understand where additional policy measures should be considered to address specific industry issues.

Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the level of compliance with (a) vehicle tax and (b) insurance requirements of drivers employed in the gig economy delivering food for online retailers, takeaways and restaurants; and whether he plans to make an assessment of the effectiveness of regulation in that sector.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s register records the name and address of registered keepers and their vehicles. As it does not include any information about an individual’s employment status, no assessment is made of the level of compliance with vehicle tax of drivers employed in the gig economy.

Additionally, all motorists require motor insurance to cover minimum third-party risks. This must cover all purposes for which the driver is using the vehicle, such as for employment. As such the Department does not conduct assessments of compliance in individual sectors.

Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing a compulsory registration scheme for all drivers employed in the gig economy delivering food for (a) online retailers and (b) takeaways and restaurants.

All drivers and riders must ensure that they comply with road traffic regulations. The Department has not made an assessment, and does not plan to carry out an assessment, of the potential merits of introducing a compulsory registration scheme for all drivers employed in the gig economy for delivering food for either online retailers or takeaways and restaurants.

Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
18th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to (a) announce further details on e-scooter trials, (b) provide information on how local authorities can participate in those trials and (c) bring forward legislative proposals on the use of e-scooters.

The Department is rapidly developing plans for e-scooter trials. We are hosting meeting with local authorities and rental e-scooter providers who may be interested in participating in trials, setting out our proposals. We have also launched a consultation on the rules that would apply during trials. Legislative proposals to enable trials will follow shortly after the consultation closes.

16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 1.132 of the Budget 2020 Red Book, how much funding will local authorities in (a) Lancashire and (b) Blackpool receive to repair pot holes.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget 2020 that £500 million is being made available in 2020/21 to local highway authorities in England, outside London, to repair potholes. The North West’s share is £53 million. The Department will shortly publish details of the individual funding allocations we are making available, including (a) Lancashire and (b) Blackpool.

5th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing a devolved budget for Transport for the North.

The Secretary of State keeps the performance and role of Transport for the North under regular review. The legislation which established Transport for the North as a statutory Sub-National Transport Body enables the organisation to bring forward proposals for additional functions to be devolved to them. To date, the Secretary of State has not received any such proposals.

4th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives from Transport for the North on the (a) integration and (b) economic benefit of transport infrastructure programmes in the North.

Ministers meet regularly with Transport for the North to discuss delivery of the Government’s infrastructure programme. The Government is committed to increasing infrastructure investment that will support levelling up and drive growth and productivity across our Northern communities.

24th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to increase funding for bus services in (a) Blackpool and (b) the North West.

The bus market outside London is deregulated and decisions regarding service provision are primarily a commercial matter for bus operators. However, the Bus Services Act 2017 provides the tools local authorities need to improve local bus services and increase passenger numbers.

The annual Bus Service Operators Grant the Government provided for Blackpool Borough Council during 2018/19 was £41,141.

We have announced an additional £30 million of additional funding to improve current services and restoring lost services. Blackpool Council has been allocated £41,640 which will be available from April 2020 if the funding requirements are met. This is from the £220 million Better Deal for Bus Users package to transform bus services. The Government’s ambition is to secure a long term, sustained improvement in bus services underpinned by a National Bus Strategy for England which will be accompanied by a long-term funding settlement.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-better-deal-for-bus-users/a-better-deal-for-bus-users

On 11 February 2020, the Prime Minister announced there will be £5 billion of new funding to overhaul bus and cycle links for every region outside London which may benefit bus services serving Blackpool and the wider North West.

13th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from Blackpool Council on the economic benefits of increasing rail services into Blackpool South through the introduction of a passing loop on the South Fylde Rail line.

The Chief Executive of Blackpool Council made some representations to the Secretary of State for Transport for a passing loop and additional rail services over to the South Fylde line. I am also aware that my hon Friend, the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys Paul Maynard has advocated further expansion of Blackpool’s light rail system over this line, supported by a study carried out for the Council.

I understand that as part of their Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) business case work Lancashire County Council commissioned a study to assess potential conventional rail improvements over the South Fylde line. However, this scheme was not included in the final TCF bid and no decision has been taken by the Council regarding next steps.

I encourage local authorities and stakeholders in Blackpool and Lancashire to work together to agree a preferred way forward.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
13th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential economic benefit to Blackpool of increased rail services into that resort through the creation of a passing loop on the South Fylde Rail line.

The Chief Executive of Blackpool Council made some representations to the Secretary of State for Transport for a passing loop and additional rail services over to the South Fylde line. I am also aware that my hon Friend, the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys Paul Maynard has advocated further expansion of Blackpool’s light rail system over this line, supported by a study carried out for the Council.

I understand that as part of their Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) business case work Lancashire County Council commissioned a study to assess potential conventional rail improvements over the South Fylde line. However, this scheme was not included in the final TCF bid and no decision has been taken by the Council regarding next steps.

I encourage local authorities and stakeholders in Blackpool and Lancashire to work together to agree a preferred way forward.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
13th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential increase in rail passengers travelling from (a) Blackpool South, (b) Blackpool Pleasure Beach and (c) Squires Gate station in the event of the creation of a passing loop on the South Fylde Rail line.

The Chief Executive of Blackpool Council made some representations to the Secretary of State for Transport for a passing loop and additional rail services over to the South Fylde line. I am also aware that my hon Friend, the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys Paul Maynard has advocated further expansion of Blackpool’s light rail system over this line, supported by a study carried out for the Council.

I understand that as part of their Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) business case work Lancashire County Council commissioned a study to assess potential conventional rail improvements over the South Fylde line. However, this scheme was not included in the final TCF bid and no decision has been taken by the Council regarding next steps.

I encourage local authorities and stakeholders in Blackpool and Lancashire to work together to agree a preferred way forward.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what capital funding her Department has made available to facilitate the development of a new JobCentre Plus site in Blackpool.

The Department currently has no plans to develop a new Jobcentre Plus site in Blackpool.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional funding her Department has made available to support people in Blackpool into work.

In Blackpool, all customers have access to the Plan for Jobs offer, delivering a comprehensive range of support to help people back into work. Mainstream employment support is supplemented through DWP’s local Flexible Support Funded (FSF) provision, in response to needs identified within the local community, delivering tailored support to enhance employment prospects.

The local jobcentre team have the flexibility and discretion to make awards through Flexible Support Fund (FSF) that will enhance the employment prospects of the claimants and other customers with whom they are engaged. This includes single parents. Payments of FSF are discussed with the claimant on an individual basis as part of the support provided by Work Coaches on a day-to-day basis as part of the Jobcentre Plus offer.

Financial assistance for childcare costs is available to eligible parents undertaking activity to move them closer to the labour market or into work. Work Coaches regularly discuss support available during their interactions with claimants which includes support available for upfront childcare costs through FSF.

The jobcentre team continue to work with local employers to deliver Sector Work Based Academy Programmes (SWAPs) in various sectors including care, construction, and education. SWAP’s deliver short vocational training linked directly to vacancies within a particular employer or in a specific sector, helping customers to learn the skills and behaviours that employers in particular industries look for.

In additional the team are working in partnership with local organisations including Blackpool Council, Blackpool and Fylde College, and the Blackpool Football Club Community Trust, to provide a range of employment support programmes in the community.

Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
13th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress she has made on amending the Special Rules for Terminal Illness fast-track process in relation to illnesses that qualify under those rules; and what the timeframe is for the publication of those changes.

On 11 July the Secretary of State announced an in depth evaluation of how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with severe conditions.

The Department understands how important it is to support those nearing the end of their life and is taking this work forward as a priority. We have made progress on all areas of this work, and will be engaging with clinicians and claimants over the coming months.

9th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding on page 4 of the report entitled Every minute counts, published by Parkinson's UK in September 2023, that 42% of patients with Parkinson's who are admitted to hospital get their medication on time every time.

Within secondary care, hospital providers are responsible for ensuring that patients within hospital settings, including those with Parkinson’s disease, receive the appropriate medication on time.

NHS England has published a RightCare toolkit which aims to address challenges in providing services for those with progressive neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. The toolkit provides advice on medicine optimisation, highlighting the importance of timely administration of specific drugs, such as Levodopa, in acute and community health settings.

Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the compliance with (a) the Abortion Act 1967 and (b) other relevant legislation by providers of telemedicine abortion schemes.

We have no plans to make such an assessment. The Department continues to work closely with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission and abortion providers to ensure abortions, including telemedicine abortions, are only performed in accordance with the legal requirements set down by Parliament in the 1967 Abortion Act.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
9th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to (a) practitioners and (b) producers on the use of telemedicine for abortion care.

The Department has published Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, which set outs the conditions and requirements for all independent sector providers to be approved for undertaking abortion care. The RSOPs include guidance for providers and practitioners on the provision of home-use early medical abortion (EMA) and sets out the expectation that home-use EMA must be carried out in line with clinical guidelines published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The Department has also published guidance to support practitioners to complete the EMA1 abortion form, which must be completed by the practitioner terminating the pregnancy to certify their opinion, formed in good faith, that the pregnancy will not exceed 10 weeks at the time when the first EMA pill is taken.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
9th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training is required for NHS medical professionals working in abortion provision to ensure that they can (a) identify potential pressure and coercion and (b) understand its impact on informed consent.

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) for approved independent sector abortion providers in England include the requirement that all abortion providers have effective arrangements in place to safeguard vulnerable women accessing home-use early medical abortion who may be experiencing coercion to end a pregnancy. Providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse and coercion and know how to respond.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects against all the Department’s RSOPs when it inspects an independent sector provider, and safeguarding procedures are included in the CQC’s Termination of Pregnancy inspection framework as areas to be considered during an inspection.

As commissioners of abortion care, NHS England and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring abortion providers have appropriately trained staff to meet safeguarding requirements.

The standard of training for health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses. Higher Education institutions write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the regulators outcome standards. Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all emphasize the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients, including for abortion.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
9th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that telemedicine abortion providers are not able to supply abortion drugs to people over the legal limit for that procedure.

The Department continues to work closely with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission and abortion providers to ensure abortions are only performed in accordance with the legal requirements set down by Parliament in the 1967 Abortion Act.

Home use of early medical abortion pills is permitted if the pregnancy has not exceeded 10 weeks gestation at the time the first medicine in the course is administered. If there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the woman should attend an in-person appointment.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
7th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an urgent assessment of the adequacy of the operation of the telemedicine abortion policy.

We have no plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of this policy’s operation.

Parliament decides the circumstances under which abortion is permitted. It would be for Parliament to decide whether to change the law on abortion. The Department continues to work closely with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission and abortion providers to ensure abortions are only performed in accordance with the legal requirements set down by Parliament in the 1967 Abortion Act.

Home use of early medical abortion pills is permitted if the pregnancy has not exceeded 10 weeks gestation at the time the first medicine in the course is administered. If there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the woman should attend an in-person appointment. If she does not attend in-person, the doctor would not be able to form an opinion in good faith that the pregnancy is below 10 weeks gestation and therefore would not be able to prescribe abortion pills for home use.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
7th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that vulnerable women are protected from (a) coercion and (b) other pressure to have an abortion.

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) for approved independent sector abortion providers in England include the requirement that all abortion providers have effective arrangements in place to safeguard vulnerable women accessing home-use early medical abortion who may be experiencing coercion to end a pregnancy. Providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse and coercion and know how to respond.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects against all the Department’s RSOPs when it inspects an independent sector provider, and safeguarding procedures are included in the CQC’s Termination of Pregnancy inspection framework as areas to be considered during an inspection.

As commissioners of abortion care, NHS England and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring abortion providers have appropriately trained staff to meet safeguarding requirements.

The standard of training for health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses. Higher Education institutions write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the regulators outcome standards. Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all emphasise the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients, including for abortion.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
7th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training is required for NHS medical staff working in abortion provision to help ensure that they (a) can identify potential pressure and coercion and (b) understand its impact on informed consent.

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) for approved independent sector abortion providers in England include the requirement that all abortion providers have effective arrangements in place to safeguard vulnerable women accessing home-use early medical abortion who may be experiencing coercion to end a pregnancy. Providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse and coercion and know how to respond.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects against all the Department’s RSOPs when it inspects an independent sector provider, and safeguarding procedures are included in the CQC’s Termination of Pregnancy inspection framework as areas to be considered during an inspection.

As commissioners of abortion care, NHS England and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring abortion providers have appropriately trained staff to meet safeguarding requirements.

The standard of training for health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses. Higher Education institutions write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the regulators outcome standards. Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all emphasise the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients, including for abortion.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
7th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that women accessing telemedicine for early medical abortions are not being (a) coerced and (b) otherwise pressured into that procedure.

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) for approved independent sector abortion providers in England include the requirement that all abortion providers have effective arrangements in place to safeguard vulnerable women accessing home-use early medical abortion who may be experiencing coercion to end a pregnancy. Providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse and coercion and know how to respond.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects against all the Department’s RSOPs when it inspects an independent sector provider, and safeguarding procedures are included in the CQC’s Termination of Pregnancy inspection framework as areas to be considered during an inspection.

As commissioners of abortion care, NHS England and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring abortion providers have appropriately trained staff to meet safeguarding requirements.

The standard of training for health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses. Higher Education institutions write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the regulators outcome standards. Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all emphasise the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients, including for abortion.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
7th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Parkinson's UK entitled Every minute counts, published in September 2023, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the proportion of patients with Parkinson's admitted to hospital who always receive their medication on time.

Within secondary care, hospital providers are responsible for ensuring that patients within hospital settings, including those with Parkinson’s disease, receive the appropriate medication on time.

NHS England has published a RightCare toolkit which aims to address challenges in providing services for those with progressive neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. The toolkit provides advice on medicine optimisation, highlighting the importance of timely administration of specific drugs, such as Levodopa, in acute and community health settings.

Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with abortion providers on potential changes to the law on abortion.

The Department has not held discussions with abortion providers regarding potential changes to the 1967 Abortion Act.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
22nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the legal time limit for abortions.

No assessment has been made. As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government adopts a neutral stance. Any change to the law in this area would be a matter of conscience for individual Parliamentarians rather than for the Government.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
21st Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risks of the provision of abortion pills through the post to women who are beyond the legal limit for gestational age; and if he will commission an urgent review into the potential impact of at-home abortion provision on women’s (a) health and (b) safety.

No assessment has been made. The Government has no current plans to commission a review into the impact of home use of pills for abortion on women’s health and safety.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
15th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold an inquiry into the operation of Section 178 of the Health and Care Act 2022 on the early medical termination of pregnancies at home.

There are no current plans to review or hold an inquiry into the operation of Section 178 of the Health and Care Act 2022.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
15th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the effectiveness of the operation of Section 178 of the Health and Care Act 2022 on the early medical termination of pregnancies at home.

There are no current plans to review or hold an inquiry into the operation of Section 178 of the Health and Care Act 2022.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
14th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the safeguards used in the abortion pills by post scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Following amendments to the 1967 Abortion Act that allow women in England and Wales to take early medical abortion (EMA) pills at home, the Department have taken forward work to ensure that robust safeguarding processes for home-use EMA are embedded across all services. This included publication of national safeguarding guidance for under 18 year olds accessing EMA services, and strengthening the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures, which all independent abortion providers must comply with, to require providers to have robust safeguarding processes in place to identify and support women and girls who need it.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of immediate closure of abortion clinics that fail to ensure proper safety procedures are in place for under 16 year olds.

There are no plans to change the existing systems in place to ensure that under 16 year olds receive safe, age appropriate abortion care. All independent sector services wishing to perform termination of pregnancy must be approved by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) before they are able to provide abortion services. The CQC inspect independent sector abortion services. If a CQC inspection identifies instances of non-compliance, then appropriate regulatory action will be taken.

The Department expects all abortion providers to have due regard to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health national guidance on safeguarding under 18 year olds accessing early medical abortion services, which will ensure that robust safeguarding processes are embedded across all abortion services. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://childprotection.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/safeguarding-guidance-for-children-and-young-people-under-18-accessing-early-medical-abortion-services/

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
13th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of people with diabetes in (a) Blackpool South constituency and (b) NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated care board and its predecessor had a urine-to-albumin ratio test in the last year.

The following table shows the number of people with diabetes in Blackpool South Parliamentary Constituency that had a urine-to-albumin ratio (UACR) test during the audit year, January 2021 to March 2022, broken down by diabetes type.

Blackpool South

England

Diabetes type

Total

UACR

Percentage

Total

UACR

Percentage

Type 1

380

150

39.5

250,125

124,440

49.8

Type 2 and other

5,725

3185

55.6

3,289,925

1,997,825

60.7

Source: National Diabetes Audit

The following table shows the number of people with diabetes in NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board that had a urine-to-albumin ratio (UACR) test during the audit year, January 2021 to March 2022, broken down by diabetes type.

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

England

Diabetes type

Total

UACR

Percentage

Total

UACR

Percentage

Type 1

7,645

3,230

42.2

250,125

124,440

49.8

Type 2 and other

102,135

60,635

59.4

3,289,925

1,997,825

60.7

Source: National Diabetes Audit

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in (a) Blackpool South constituency and (b) NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated care board and its predecessor in each year since 2019.

Data is not held at the individual constituency level. Data is available from the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and its predecessor, the Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group, which is comprised of Blackpool South, Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituencies. The following table shows the number of people diagnosed with chronic kidney disease within the geographical footprints of the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and the Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group in each year since 2019.

Year

Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group

2019/20

69,282

9,574

2020/21

66,411

8,779

2021/22

66,355

8,534

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of eligible patients with end stage kidney failure in (a) Blackpool South constituency and (b) NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated care board and its predecessor were given access to home based haemodialysis in each year since 2019.

The requested data is not held in the format requested.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were living with chronic kidney disease with classification of categories G3a to G5 in (a) Blackpool South and (b) NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated care board and its predecessor in each year since 2019.

The requested data is not held in the format requested.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in (a) Blackpool South constituency and (b) NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated care board and its predecessor were(i) assessed as being at high risk of kidney disease through the NHS Health Check and (ii) diagnosed with kidney disease following referral from the NHS Health Check in each year since 2019.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost of providing healthcare to people who have crossed the English Channel in small boats in each of the last three years.

We do not have estimates of the costs of providing healthcare to people who have crossed the English Channel by small boats. A breakdown of healthcare costs for people who have entered the country this way is not available.

Healthcare for those seeking asylum is delivered by a number of bodies, reflecting different parts of an individual’s journey through the immigration system.

Information about healthcare for migrants is in the Department’s Migrant Health Guide and available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitlements-migrant-health-guide

19th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure children and young people are not suffering from (i) coercion, (ii) sexual abuse and (iii) other adverse treatment, (b) provide counselling services and (c) provide other adequate care prior to an early medical abortion by a child or young person.

Providers are required to have effective arrangements in place to safeguard children and young people accessing abortion services throughout their pathway, including complying with all legal requirements and ensuring staff are trained to recognise signs of abuse, including sexual violence or evidence of coercion.

The Department commissioned the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to develop safeguarding guidance for those aged under 18 years old accessing early medical abortion services. The guidance, published in August, aims to ensure that children and young people’s holistic and safeguarding needs are identified and implemented in early medical abortion settings. This includes managing physical, psychological and wider care needs as appropriate.

The guidance emphasises the importance of abortion providers having strong working relationships and networks with wider health services including primary care, community and acute paediatrics and counselling services for children and young people.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
19th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure children and young people are not suffering from adverse (i) physical and (ii) psychological effects, (b) provide counselling services and (c) provide other adequate care following an early medical abortion undergone by a child or young person.

Providers are required to have effective arrangements in place to safeguard children and young people accessing abortion services throughout their pathway, including complying with all legal requirements and ensuring staff are trained to recognise signs of abuse, including sexual violence or evidence of coercion.

The Department commissioned the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to develop safeguarding guidance for those aged under 18 years old accessing early medical abortion services. The guidance, published in August, aims to ensure that children and young people’s holistic and safeguarding needs are identified and implemented in early medical abortion settings. This includes managing physical, psychological and wider care needs as appropriate.

The guidance emphasises the importance of abortion providers having strong working relationships and networks with wider health services including primary care, community and acute paediatrics and counselling services for children and young people.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
7th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has provided to Blackpool to help (a) reduce and (b) detect HIV infections, including on a new opt-out testing programme at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

NHS England will invest £20 million over the next three years to expand opt-out testing in emergency departments in the highest prevalence local authority areas, including Blackpool.

Since 2013 the Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive open access to most sexual and reproductive health services, including free and confidential HIV testing through the Public Health Grant. In 2021/22, the Public Health Grant was adjusted to include the cost of financing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which reduces the risk of acquiring HIV infection. Blackpool received £18,705,648, of which £69,525 was allocated to PrEP provision. Funding for PrEP is now included within the Public Health Grant and embedded within its baseline for 2022/23. In 2022/23 Blackpool has been allocated £19,231,130.

22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of allowing prescriptions to be amended when there is a shortage of a hormone replacement therapy medication.

The Department has issued Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) which allow pharmacists to substitute a specified alternative hormone replacement therapy (HRT) product if the prescribed product is not available. There are currently 14 SSPs in place for five HRT medicines, to manage and mitigate medicine supply issues. Enabling the supply of an alternative product in accordance with an SSP is a safe, effective way to ensure HRT continues to be available.

21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional funding her Department has made available to Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to tackle care backlogs associated with the covid-19 outbreak.

The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ set out a target to deliver a 10% increase in elective activity compared to pre-pandemic levels, rising to 30% by 2024/25. In 2021/22, the Department provided an additional £39 billion to support health and care services, including a £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund to increase elective activity.

n Lancashire and South Cumbria, £60.5 million was allocated for the recovery of elective services. Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust received £15.1 million from this allocation, with a further £2.5 million from specialised commissioners to support the restoration of tertiary activity.

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional funding her Department has made available to Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to help tackle health inequalities.

Allocations to integrated care boards (ICBs) made through NHS England, including NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, are adjusted for health inequalities and unmet need in the weighted capitation formula, which was recently reviewed by the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation. ICB allocations were published in April 2022 and are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2022-23/

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional funding her Department made available to Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust during the course of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department issues funding to NHS England which determine allocations to integrated care boards. National Health Service trusts receive payment by activity commissioned by integrated care boards to provide a range of healthcare services.

The funding received by Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, including funding related to the COVID-19 pandemic, is published in the Trust’s published Annual Report and Accounts for 2019/20 and 2020/21. The Trust has not yet published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2021/22.

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional funding her Department has provided to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for schemes designed to combat the spread of HIV.

In 2020/21 and 2021/22 we have invested £33 million in the deployment of the HIV prevention drug pre-exposure prophylaxis in specialist sexual health clinics, which has been made routinely available in England, including Blackpool.

NHS England is investing £20 million for opt-out HIV testing in 21 local authority areas with the highest HIV prevalence, including Blackpool, in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines. All sites aim to be fully established during 2022/23.

21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional capital funding her Department has made available for the development of facilities at Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust receives an annual capital allocation for its operational needs. In addition, the Trust has received £22.7 million for local infrastructure schemes over the last three years. The Trust received £5.1 million for investment in its estate and digital initiatives from the Elective Recovery Targeted Investment Fund announced in September 2021. In 2020/21, the Trust received £2.8 million for the expansion of the emergency department and £1.9 million to address backlog maintenance across its estate. In 2021/22, we also provided the Trust with £12.9 million for improvements to Fylde Coast Emergency Department to expand and develop an ambulatory village and centralise clinical care.

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
5th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the care of babies born alive after their mother's have accessed at-home early abortion pills during late pregnancy.

In line with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ clinical guidelines, feticide should be performed before medical abortion after 21 weeks and six days of gestation to ensure that there is no risk of a live birth. We are aware of a small number of incidents where late gestation abortions have occurred after taking early medical abortion pills and these are being investigated appropriately.

5th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that late-term abortions do not take place under the at-home early abortion scheme in the absence of a requirement to verify gestational age in-person.

Independent clinical advice states that an ultrasound should be provided in certain conditions, including if a woman is unable to provide her last menstrual period with reasonable certainty or if there is a high risk of ectopic pregnancy. The Department has published guidance on the new legal requirement for doctors prescribing abortion pills for use at home to record their good faith opinion that the pregnancy will not have exceeded 10 weeks when the first pill is taken.

17th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms, published in September 2021, if he will publish the full numerical mathematical calculation that was the basis for the estimate of the £335.5m cost of depression associated with gambling only.

The Department is reviewing the evidence published in Public Health England's ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’ report. We plan to publish an addendum in the autumn setting out the specific calculations and modelling assumptions in the report.

17th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms, published in September 2021, if he will publish the full numerical mathematical calculation that was the basis for the estimate of the £619.2m annual cost of suicides associated with problem gambling.

The Department is reviewing the evidence published in Public Health England's ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’ report. We plan to publish an addendum in the autumn setting out the specific calculations and modelling assumptions in the report.

17th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms, published in September 2021, if he will publish the full numerical mathematical calculation that was the basis for stating that there were 409 deaths by suicide associated with problem gambling only.

The Department is reviewing the evidence published in Public Health England's ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’ report. We plan to publish an addendum in the autumn setting out the specific calculations and modelling assumptions in the report.

6th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the implications for its policies of (a) the recommendation by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' in the 2010 working party report, Fetal Awareness: Review of Research and Recommendations for Practice, that the fetus does not require analgesia for interventions occurring before 24 weeks of gestation and that evidence that analgesia confers any benefit on the fetus at any gestation is lacking and (b) research published by the British Medical Journal of Medical Ethics in 2020 on Reconsidering fetal pain, supporting the possibility of fetal pain before 24 weeks.

No specific assessment has been made as the Department does not set clinical practice.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is currently reviewing its report ‘Fetal Awareness: Review and Recommendations for Practice’. The College has established a review group to consider the latest evidence on fetal pain and fetal awareness which is expected to report on its findings by the end of 2022.

16th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing interim guidelines permitting fetal painkiller in all interventions in utero.

The Department does not set guidelines for clinical practice. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists considered the issue of fetal pain and awareness in its guidelines ‘Fetal Awareness: Review of Research and Recommendations for Practice’. The Royal College is currently reviewing this guidance.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
1st Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent correspondence he has had with domestic abuse charities on the use of at-home abortion in cases of domestic abuse.

During the Government’s consultation on the temporary approval which allowed home use of early medical abortion, we assessed evidence from the responses received, including from domestic abuse charities.

We will work with those in the violence against women and girls sector and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to monitor the impact as face to face services return from August 2022.

1st Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential relationship between domestic abuse and at-home abortion.

During the Government’s consultation on the temporary approval which allowed home use of early medical abortion, we assessed evidence from the responses received, including from domestic abuse charities.

We will work with those in the violence against women and girls sector and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to monitor the impact as face to face services return from August 2022.

24th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the eligibility requirements of the Government’s human papillomavirus vaccination programme to include more adults in the 35-45 age bracket.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) keeps the eligibility criteria of all vaccination programmes under review and considers new evidence as it emerges.

In 2018, a human papillomavirus (HPV) programme targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) aged up to 45 years old who attend sexual health clinics was introduced, after a recommendation from the JCVI as they are a high-risk group for HPV exposure and some related cancers. Clinicians can offer the HPV vaccine to individuals in this age group who have a similar risk profile to the eligible MSM population.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
12th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many reports of home abortions carried out (a) above 24 weeks and (b) at 28 weeks gestation the Department received between January and June 2020; and whether those reports are accounted for in his Department's response to FOI-1250644.

From January to June 2020, the Department was not notified of any abortions in England and Wales where one or both medical abortion pills were taken at home at 24 weeks gestation or above. The Department was also not notified of any abortions where one or both medical abortion pills were taken at home at 28 weeks gestation for residents of England and Wales, from January to June 2020. This aligns with our response to FOI-1250644.

12th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the context of the death of Sarah Dunn in April 2020, what steps his Department is taking to (a) prevent deaths following medical abortions and (b) improve safety standards for women seeking abortion.

Regular meetings are held with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and abortion service providers to ensure the appropriate safeguards are in place to protect women accessing abortion services.

All services registered by the CQC to provide termination of pregnancy services are subject to ongoing monitoring and providers have a statutory duty to report incidents to the CQC. Where concerns or evidence of risk are identified, the CQC will follow up to ensure the safety of woman accessing those services and will use its enforcement powers where necessary to protect people. In addition, Prevention of Future Deaths Reports play a valuable role in drawing matters of concern to the attention of the Government, its agencies and others to determine if action is needed or should be taken.

13th Dec 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of safeguards to ensure that medical abortion pills sent to women by post without an in-person consultation are taken within the legal limit of ten weeks’ gestation.

The Department continues to carefully monitor the impact of and compliance with the temporary approval of home administration of both sets of abortion medication. Officials have regular meetings with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Care Quality Commission and abortion service providers to ensure the appropriate safeguards are in place to protect women accessing this service.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has issued clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals on ‘Coronavirus infection and abortion care’. The guidance sets out the circumstances where women should be asked to attend a clinic for an ultra-sound scan. However, it states that “most women can determine the gestational age of their pregnancy with reasonable accuracy by last menstrual period (LMP) alone”. The Royal College’s guidance includes a decision aid for clinicians to use to help determine if an ultra-sound scan is required. This includes detailed questions to identify gestational age.

13th Dec 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women have suffered (a) ruptured ectopic pregnancies, (b) haemorrhage, (c) uterine perforation, (d) sepsis and (e) cervical tear complications following the use of medical abortion pills at home since March 2020.

The information is not held in the format requested as abortion notification forms (HSA4) submitted by clinics and hospitals to the Chief Medical Officer at the Department do not record the number of individual women. From 1 April 2020 to 31 December 2020 eight complications involving haemorrhage after early medical abortion for residents of England and Wales were notified to the Department, where one or both medications were taken at home. No complications related to perforation, sepsis or cervical tear were notified. We do not hold information on ruptured ectopic pregnancies. Data for 2021 will be published in June 2022.

The Department is undertaking a project to review the system of recording abortion complications data and we anticipate this work will be completed shortly. The review will cover all data on complications arising from abortion including home use of early medical abortion pills.

To improve the accuracy of the data collected, the Department is working closely with a range of statutory bodies, professional organisations and abortion providers to identify additional sources of information that could be used to complement complications data collected via HSA4 abortion notification forms and improve the flow of data on abortion complications between different organisations, such as independent and National Health Service abortion providers and wider NHS health and care services.

12th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women seeking abortion in England and Wales who had a consultation decided not to proceed with the termination since 1 April 2020; and how many of those consultations took place in person.

The Department does not collect this information.

25th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what threshold of evidence on fetal viability would prompt his Department to (a) review and (b) reduce the current upper gestational limits on abortion.

It would be for Parliament to decide whether to make any changes to the law on abortion. As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government adopts a neutral stance and allows hon. Members to vote according to their moral, ethical or religious beliefs.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
14th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to abortion pills sent through the post, what estimate his Department has made of the number of women who have chosen not to take those pills so received since those arrangements have been in place; what steps his Department is taking to ensure that untaken abortion pills are retrieved or safely disposed of; and what assessment his Department has made of the risks to (a) children of finding and taking those pills and (b) women of taking those pills at a later date and past their expiry date.

The Department has made no such estimate. Abortion providers should provide women with information on what to do with the pills if they choose not to take them after they have been received, for example returning pills to a pharmacy, clinic or general practitioner for safe disposal.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's consultation, Home use of both pills for early medical abortion, which closed on 26 February 2021, whether his Department has met with (a) relevant stakeholders, (b) hon. Members and (c) Peers to discuss that policy; and when he plans to publish a response to that consultation.

We have met with a number of Parliamentarians and a range of stakeholders to discuss the consultation and implementation of the temporary measure. The consultation has now closed and we are carefully considering all of the responses received and plan to publish our response later this year.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
1st Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that those standards are being met in each region in England.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with regional teams as well as community eating disorder services and commissioners to manage demand and support teams. The data shows that community eating disorder services continue to expand access to treatment to increasing number of children and young people and their families.

On 5 March 2021, we announced £79 million of funding for to expand mental health support for children and young people in 2021/22. This includes funding to treat an additional 2,000 children and young people with eating disorders. This is in addition to the new early intervention services to open in 18 sites across the country for 16 to 25 year olds, announced in November 2020.

18th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide private hospitals providing mental health treatment with access to publicly-funded asymptomatic covid-19 testing kits for patients, staff and visitors.

Private hospital settings providing National Health Service commissioned care can access testing through their local commissioning NHS trust or clinical commissioning group. Private hospitals who do not provide NHS-commissioned care may access publicly funded asymptomatic testing through national workplace testing.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking in response to reports of a lack of post-abortion care in the case of home abortions.

Guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists sets out that healthcare staff caring for women requesting abortion should identify those who require more support in the decision-making process and pathways to additional support, including counselling and social services, should be available. As part of their consultation, clinicians will discuss possible complications with the woman and women will be provided with written advice and information about possible symptoms, including those which would necessitate urgent review. Women have access to a 24 hour telephone helpline should they have any concerns.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with the Department for Health and Social Care to help prevent new HIV cases by 2030.

In 2019 the United Kingdom met the UNAIDS target for the third consecutive year, with 94% of people living with HIV being diagnosed, 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment and 97% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load. As well as developing a new sexual and reproductive health strategy, this year we have also committed to publish a HIV Action Plan which will set out actions to reach zero new HIV transmissions in England by 2030. This work will be informed by the report and recommendations of the independent HIV Commission. The Department will work in collaboration with key partners including the Government Equalities Office on both the strategy and HIV Action Plan.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure equitable access to the anti-HIV drug PrEP for all groups who could benefit from it.

In March 2020, we announced that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) will be routinely available across England in 2020/21 as part of the Government’s aim to end HIV transmission by 2030. This year we provided £11 million to local authorities for routine commissioning of PrEP and this is already in place in the majority of areas. Routine commissioning of PrEP will benefit tens of thousands of people and, along with other measures, will take us closer to our ambition of zero HIV transmissions by 2030.

Public Health England, in collaboration with stakeholders, is currently developing a monitoring and evaluation framework for the routine commissioning of PrEP. This will use established surveillance systems and include measures of PrEP need and use among key population groups to inform equitable delivery and access.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations his Department has received on the effect of the Government's decision to allow self-administered medical abortions at home without in-person consultation on the ability of (a) women to provide informed consent and (b) medical professionals to assess whether informed consent has been given in those circumstances.

A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified no items of correspondence received since March 2020. This figure represents correspondence received by the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit only.

We have no central record of any other representations and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2020 to Question 54271, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that advice given during consultation on abortion complications is accurate for the patient in circumstances where there is no in-person examination or ultrasound to determine gestational age.

Clinicians will discuss possible complications with the woman during the consultation and women will be provided with written advice and information about possible symptoms, including those which would necessitate urgent review. Women have access to a 24 hour telephone helpline should they have any concerns.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have issued clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals on ‘Coronavirus infection and abortion care’. The guidance sets out the circumstances where women should be asked to attend a clinic for an ultra-sound scan. However it states that “most women can determine the gestational age of their pregnancy with reasonable accuracy by last menstrual period (LMP) alone”. The RCOG guidance includes a decision aid for clinicians to use to help determine if an ultra-sound scan is required. This includes detailed questions to identify gestational age.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to assist private hospitals and health care providers to acquire covid-19 testing kits for patients and staff.

Private hospitals settings providing National Health Service commissioned care can access testing through their commissioning body, normally their local commissioning NHS trust or clinical commissioning group. Private hospitals who do not provide NHS-commissioned care may access publicly funded asymptomatic testing through National Workplace Testing which is accessible to organisations who are registered in England, employ 50 people or more and whose employees cannot work from home. Tests are currently being provided free to both public and private sector employers until at least 31 March 2021. The Government’s support will be kept under review and will engage with employers before any changes to the support offer are made.

Organisations who do not meet the criteria for National Workplace Testing can contact their local authority to gain information on their local asymptomatic testing offer.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
1st Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) stakeholder groups on trends in the level of suicide among elderly people.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regularly engages with colleagues across Government on mental health and suicide prevention and meets regularly with suicide and self-harm prevention stakeholders, including meetings of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group.

30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the current Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines Fetal Awareness Review of Research and Recommendations for Practice, published in 2010, are updated to reflect current research.

The Department does not set clinical practice. It is for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to consider whether to revise their guidelines, having looked at the available evidence.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
21st Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the scientific basis for the decision to close bookmakers in Tier 3 local covid alert level areas.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions affecting businesses such as casinos and bookmakers in tier 3 is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf

21st Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the scientific basis for the decision to close casinos in tier 3 local covid alert level areas.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions affecting businesses such as casinos and bookmakers in tier 3 is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf

15th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what scientific evidence the Government has received on the effect of casinos on the transmission of covid-19.

We do know that the virus spreads readily in any indoor environment where members of different households and/or support bubbles spend time together, so the transmission risk in indoor settings, such as casinos, remains high. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies provided advice to the Department and considered the risks of transmission through different routes and environments in a paper which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/933225/S0824_SARS-CoV-2_Transmission_routes_and_environments.pdf

15th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the scientific basis is for the Government's decision to close casinos under the very high local covid-19 alert level restrictions.

Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions affecting businesses such as casinos and bookmakers in tier 3 is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf

13th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the UK National Screening Committee's recommendation that non-invasive prenatal testing should not be used for testing of foetal sex, what his policy is on prenatal screening for foetal sex.

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has not looked at the evidence to offer prenatal screening for fetal sex as a population screening programme.

Every year the UK NSC hosts a call for new topics to be considered. The UK NSC’s call for new topics is open and will close on 6 December 2020. The UK NSC welcomes submissions.

More information about the 2020 annual call can be found at the following link:

https://phescreening.blog.gov.uk/2020/09/15/annualcall2020/

Information on how to submit a proposal can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process

13th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the increased replacement of in-person consultations with telemedicine appointments on patients with mental health conditions.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with colleagues across Health Education England, Public Health England, Care Quality Commission, NHSX and the Department to bring together local and national intelligence of the impact of digital and remote working during the COVID-19 outbreak. This will include consideration of patients with mental health conditions.

13th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the increased use of digital health appointments on people who are homeless.

Local initiatives are in place to address digital barriers to access remote services, including access for the most excluded citizens. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with local service providers to ensure the homeless have access to the right healthcare and support including registering with a general practitioner and access to mental health services. NHS England and NHS Improvement are also working with Groundswell to understand the experiences of people who are homeless, in order to drive improvements in the services they receive.

13th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has received evidence that betting shops have contributed to a rise in the transmission of covid-19.

We have not received any specific evidence.

13th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the scientific basis is for the Government's decision to close betting shops under the very high local covid-19 alert level restrictions.

While we have no specific evidence relating to betting shops, we know that the virus spreads readily in any indoor environment where members of different households and/or support bubbles spend time together, so the transmission risk in indoor settings, such as bookmakers, remains high. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies provided advice to the Department and considered the risks of transmission through different routes and environments in a paper which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/933225/S0824_SARS-CoV-2_Transmission_routes_and_environments.pdf

6th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many abortions have taken place at 10 weeks' gestation and above from 1 January 2020 where either (a) both sets of abortion pills were taken at home or (b) the second abortion pill was taken at home.

Between January to June 2020, notifications on form HSA4 indicate that abortions took place at 10 weeks gestation or above where both sets of pills were taken at home (out of a total number of 23,061 abortions) and 40 abortions took place at 10 weeks gestation or above where only the second set of pills was taken at home (out of a total number of 30,977 abortions). This is out of a total number of 54,038 abortions where either both sets or one set of the abortion pills was taken at home.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
21st Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on levels of maternal death during early medical abortion of the temporary approval of home use for both stages of early medical abortion decision of 30 March 2020.

We continue to closely monitor the impact of the temporary approval for women’s homes to be classed as a place where both sets of medication for early medical abortion can be taken up to 10 weeks gestation.

Since the 1 April the Department has not been notified of any maternal deaths relating to abortion. The Department is aware of reports of two women who died after seeking abortion treatment earlier this year. Both sought care before the temporary approval came into force on 30 March and physically attended an abortion clinic. Both deaths have been appropriately investigated and in one case investigations are continuing. For the other case, the coroner concluded that there was no evidence to suggest the pregnancy or abortion contributed to the death either directly or indirectly.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the health risks of abortion pills taken at home.

The Department continues to closely monitor the impact of the temporary approval for women’s homes to be classed as a place where both sets of medication for early medical abortion can be taken up to 10 weeks gestation. Officials have regular meetings with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Care Quality Commission and abortion service providers.

The Government has committed to undertake a public consultation on making permanent the COVID-19 measure allowing for home use of both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation for all eligible women. Further details on the consultation will be available in due course.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
7th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to lines 1 and 2 on page 20 of the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019-20 to 2023-24, published in July 2019, when NHS England plans to publish the specific baseline on access to NHS-funded mental health treatment for 18 to 25 year olds.

The work around validating and publishing baseline data on access to mental health services for 18 to 25-year olds is currently underway.

NHS England does not yet have a revised publication or dissemination date. Work on the development of metrics has been slowed due to the pandemic but is continuing in order to ensure delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to increase access and improve experience of care for this age group.

28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on abortion coercion for (a) surgical abortions and (b) out-of-clinic medical abortions.

No comparative assessment has been made on the rate of complications to date.

The Department does not hold data on coercive abortion. Safeguarding is an essential component of abortion services. Individual providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse in adult women and know how to respond.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment was made of the rate of complications resulting from abortion performed at (a) hospital and (b) home prior to the introduction of the temporary provision which permits both sets of abortion pills to be used at home.

No comparative assessment has been made on the rate of complications to date.

The Department does not hold data on coercive abortion. Safeguarding is an essential component of abortion services. Individual providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse in adult women and know how to respond.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the new guidelines for do not resuscitate orders will be published; and how that guidance will prevent such orders being applied without patient consent.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working on revised, patient-facing information on Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) and where to get support. This document will help clarify
that people are meant to be engaged in conversations before a DNACPR recommendation is made and how to ask for a review, if such recommendation is made.The guidance will be published shortly following consultation with key stakeholders and people with lived experience.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2020 to Question 58102 on Eating Disorders: Children and Young People, if he will provide further explanatory information on the statistical formulae used to determine the geographic distribution of that funding in (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20 to 2023-24.

The additional funding for children and young people’s eating disorder services was added to the overall clinical commissioning group (CCG) funding and distributed using the main CCG allocation formula.

The CCG allocation formula as a whole is based on a number of different components which, together, are intended to take account of the different aspects of healthcare need in a population, including mental health needs.


The technical guide to CCG allocations explains how these formulae are developed and used. This can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/technical-guide-to-allocation-formulae-and-pace-of-change-for-2019-20-to-2023-24-revenue-allocations/

10th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 9 of Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and page 21 of the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019-20 to 2023-24, what funding formula was used to determine CCG baseline allocations for community eating disorder services for children and young people.

The indicative funding profile for children and young people’s eating disorder services in the Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20-2023/24 correlates to the national workforce and activity trajectories also set out in the Implementation Plan. These were modelled on the indicative workforce costs to achieve the children and young people’s eating disorder waiting time standard by the end of 2020/21 and being maintained thereafter.

Funding is then allocated as part of overall clinical commissioning group budgets, using a statistical formula to make geographic distribution fair and objective so that it more clearly reflects local healthcare needs and helps to reduce health inequalities.

5th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Israel’s use of plasma samples obtained by Magen David Adom from patients who have recovered from covid-19 on patients with severe symptoms of that disease.

An assessment has not been made at this stage of the effectiveness of Israel’s use of plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients (convalescent plasma) on patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. However, all international evidence on the use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients will be considered when the results of the trials are available, in addition to the findings from the clinical trials currently taking place in the United Kingdom.

Clinical trials in the UK include patients receiving convalescent plasma, to determine if it can help those with the virus. NHS Blood and Transplant is collecting convalescent plasma to supply the clinical trials and for wider treatment, if it is shown to be effective in reducing disease symptoms.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) healthcare support the Government is providing to people born with a cleft palate.

NHS England commissions all specialist cleft palate services provided by Cleft Lip and Palate Centres, including services delivered on an outreach basis as part of a clinical network of services.

The service provides surgery and specialist care for patients with cleft lip and/or palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction in order to ensure that patients achieve an aesthetic and functional facial appearance, and to maximise oral feeding, hearing, speech and psycho-social wellbeing.

Delivery of the service is through a network of care managed and delivered from the specialist centre. The network will commonly include outreach services and relies on strong links to and coordination with local community services. These local community services are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups including local speech and language therapy; local ear, nose and throat services and audiology; and community and local paediatric care. These locally delivered services work collaboratively with the Centres.

Spend on related cleft lip and palate services in 2018/19 (the most recent year for which financial data is currently available) was £28.6 million.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) healthcare support the Government is providing to people with a cleft lip.

NHS England commissions all specialist cleft lip services provided by Cleft Lip and Palate Centres, including services delivered on an outreach basis as part of a clinical network of services.

The service provides surgery and specialist care for patients with cleft lip and/or palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction in order to ensure that patients achieve an aesthetic and functional facial appearance, and to maximise oral feeding, hearing, speech and psycho-social wellbeing.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of women receiving a follow-up call after taking both sets of abortion pills at home to ensure that there are not subsequent medical complications.

Abortion providers will discuss possible complications with the woman during the consultation and women will be provided with written advice and information about possible symptoms, including those which would necessitate urgent review. Women have access to a 24 hour telephone helpline should they have any concerns.

Any complication known to the practitioner terminating the pregnancy should be reported to the Chief Medical Officer on form HSA4. All serious incidents should be reported by the provider to their commissioner, the Care Quality Commission and other relevant organisations in line with the framework published by NHS England and NHS Improvement at the following link:

https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/serious-incident-framework/

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it is the Government's policy that the temporary regulations to permit the use of both sets of abortion pills at home will not be extended beyond the covid-19 outbreak.

The measures were put in place to ensure that the vast majority of women and girls could continue to access abortion services whilst limiting COVID-19 transmission. This change was made on a temporary basis only and is time limited for two years, or until the pandemic is over. The Department is keeping under review when the temporary approval will be removed.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the process is for a woman to report a medical complication after an at-home abortion; and whether those reports are recorded.

Abortion providers will discuss possible complications with the woman during the consultation and women will be provided with written advice and information about possible symptoms, including those which would necessitate urgent review. Women have access to a 24 hour telephone helpline should they have any concerns.

Any complication known to the practitioner terminating the pregnancy should be reported to the Chief Medical Officer on form HSA4. All serious incidents should be reported by the provider to their commissioner, the Care Quality Commission and other relevant organisations in line with the framework published by NHS England and NHS Improvement at the following link:

https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/serious-incident-framework/

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for the Care Quality Commission to publish data on medical complications after an at-home abortion.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not have a statutory responsibility to report routinely on complications arising from abortion procedures. It may, however, report on such issues if they have been identified during the course of an inspection, or if a number of reported issues results in the CQC deciding to inspect the provider, and any concerns would be highlighted in its resulting provider inspection report. The CQC engages regularly with the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement on these matters.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what treatment is available to people born with a cleft lip.

NHS England commissions all specialist cleft lip services provided by Cleft Lip and Palate Centres, including services delivered on an outreach basis as part of a clinical network of services.

The service provides surgery and specialist care for patients with cleft lip and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction in order to ensure that patients achieve an aesthetic and functional facial appearance, and to maximise oral feeding, hearing, speech and psycho-social wellbeing.

Care covers pre-natal and post-natal diagnosis and advice including feeding advice, corrective surgery including specialist and outreach nursing, lip and palate repair, speech assessment, investigation and treatment/surgery, children’s dentistry, bone grafting, orthodontics, dento-alveolar surgery, restorative dentistry including implant treatment, rhinoplasty, orthognathic surgery, audiology/Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) (hearing and ENT problems), clinical psychology, genetics, and revision treatment.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
1st Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that doctors providing medical abortion consultations via (a) video link, (b) telephone conference and (c) other electronic means will be able to certify that a woman has not passed nine weeks and six days gestation; and how that information will be recorded.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has issued clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals on ‘Coronavirus infection and abortion care’. The guidance sets out the circumstances where women should be asked to attend a clinic for an ultra-sound scan. However, it states that “most women can determine the gestational age of their pregnancy with reasonable accuracy by last menstrual period (LMP) alone”. The RCOG guidance has recently been updated and now includes a decision aid for clinicians to use to help determine if an ultra-sound scan is required. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends in its guidance ‘Abortion Care’ that services should consider providing abortion assessments by phone or video call, as evidence shows that community services and telemedicine appointments improve access to abortion services.

The Schedule to the Abortion Regulations 1991 set out the forms for the purpose of certifying the opinion of a registered medical practitioner under the Act. The regulations also set out the form for notification of abortions to the Chief Medical Officer.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
19th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government's timescale is for reviewing restrictions on day patient care for people with eating disorders during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mental health services, including eating disorder services have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic and are continuing to support people with eating disorder issues.

Services across the country are adapting their protocols, as needed, to ensure that medical monitoring continues in way that is safe for both patients and workforce. Examples of adaptation include using dedicated rooms with strict cleaning timetables for weighing patients, working with primary care or local neighbouring teams to undertake measurements and utilising digital means or telephone or video consultations to share information between clinicians and people with eating disorders.

Services are adapting delivery of evidenced based therapies, as clinically appropriate to do so, to provide ongoing support and treatment and keep people with eating disorders engaged during this time.

12th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that women and girls seeking abortion under the March 2020 regulations to enable at-home abortions receive adequate support and assistance (a) when they wish to continue the pregnancy but are concerned about covid-19 and (b) in other circumstances.

The Required Standard Operating Procedures set out in the Department’s Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy require that all women requesting an abortion should be offered the opportunity to discuss their options and choices with a trained counsellor and this offer should be regularly repeated. Guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists sets out that healthcare staff caring for women requesting abortion should identify those who require more support in the decision-making process and pathways to additional support, including counselling and social services, should be available. All abortion providers should ensure that women have the time and space to discuss their reasons for seeking abortion. Impartial, accurate information is supplied to help the woman consider her options so she can reach an informed choice this should include information on the impact of a COVID-19 diagnosis on pregnancy if this is a particular concern.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
12th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the March 2020 regulations permitting the use of both sets of abortion pills at home are in force temporarily.

The changes to abortion regulation made on 30 March 2020 is on a temporary basis only and is limited for two years, or until the COVID-19 pandemic is over. It is not permanent.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that medical monitoring of at risk people with eating disorders continues in the absence of face to face appointments during the covid-19 outbreak.

Eating disorder services across the country are adapting their protocols, as required, to ensure that medical monitoring continues in way that is safe for both patients and the workforce.

Examples of this adaptation include using dedicated rooms for weighing patients with strict cleaning timetables, working with primary care or local neighbouring teams to undertake measurements and utilising digital means or telephone or video consultations to share information between clinicians and people with eating disorders.

20th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what services his Department is providing to people with eating disorders whose (a) outpatient, (b) day patient and (c) intensive outpatient treatment has been paused during the COVID 19 outbreak.

Eating disorder services have not been paused during COVID-19 and are working around the clock to support people with eating disorder issues through the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond. Where people with eating disorders need support, they should contact their general practitioner or local community eating disorder service or mental health crisis service.

Community eating disorder services are deploying innovative digital tools to connect with people and provide ongoing support, assessment and treatment. They are also adapting the delivery of evidence-based therapies, where it is clinically appropriate to do so, to provide ongoing support and treatment and keep people with eating disorders engaged during this time. Guidance has been published to help services manage their capacity and demand for community mental health services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

20th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that people with eating disorders are able to access the ingredients necessary to continue with their meal plans during the covid-19 outbreak.

National Health Service mental health services have remained open throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, and we have continued to support the NHS to provide services in other innovative ways, such as through greater use of digital channels. It is important that people with eating disorders are able to continue with their agreed meal plans during social isolation arrangements. People in contact with eating disorder services should discuss arrangements for their eating plans with the team in charge of their care.

We have published guidance online that explains what steps people can take if they are unable to access food. This guidance has been shared with local authorities, retailers and charities to help them respond to enquiries from those seeking help. The guidance can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-accessing-food-and-essential-supplies

18th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what advice his Department is providing to hotels and guest houses on admitting guests during the covid-19 outbreak.

On 23 March 2020, the Government ordered hotels and guest houses to close to reduce social contact, prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. The exception to this is where hotels, guest houses, hostels and bed and breakfasts are providing rooms to support homeless and other vulnerable people through arrangements with local authorities or to provide accommodation for key workers.

Further information on closing certain businesses and venues is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876905/300320_Revised_Guidance.pdf

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the teaching of eating disorders in medical training.

Mental health should be an integral part of medical education and training so that all doctors have the necessary knowledge and experience of mental health to assess patients holistically, considering the individuals’ physical, social and psychological needs. All newly qualified doctors, as a condition of their registration with the General Medical Council (GMC), must explain and illustrate by professional experience the principles for the identification, safe management and referral of patients with mental health conditions.

The Government is committed to provide the best training experience for all doctors in training and works with the GMC and relevant stakeholders to ensure doctors in training receive the necessary mental health training to meet the current and future needs of patients. The GMC, at the request of the Department held a roundtable on 21 November 2019 to use their influence to improve educational knowledge and skill in the recognition and treatment of eating disorders.

11th Mar 2020
What steps she is taking to tackle (a) homophobic and (b) transphobic bullying in schools.

Since 2016, the government has funded a programme supporting primary and secondary schools in England to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. The programme has reached over 1,800 schools so far. I am clear that no child should be bullied for any reason at all.

9th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what statutory responsibilities the General Medical Council has to ensure that doctors have sufficient (a) knowledge and (b) clinical skills to (i) identify and (ii) treat patients with eating disorders.

Undergraduate training is set by individual Medical Royal Colleges against standards set by the General Medical Council (GMC) and the curricula for postgraduate specialty training.

The GMC’s General Professional Capabilities Framework sets out the essential generic capabilities needed for safe, effective and high-quality medical care in the United Kingdom. The framework, which the GMC requires colleges to embed in all curricula, covers the knowledge, skills and behaviours that a doctor must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients.

Diagnosing and treating eating disorders is an important area of medical practice. It is included within the curriculum for all doctors, including for general practitioners (where most eating disorders initially present) and in more depth within training for psychiatry, particularly child and adolescent psychiatry.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives from the General Medical Council on the implementation of the recommendations made by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s in its report entitled, Ignoring the alarms: How NHS eating disorder services are failing patients, published in December 2017.

In response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report, a working group has been set up to address the recommendations and ensure they feed into planned improvements to eating disorder services. The group meets every quarter and includes representatives from the Department and the General Medical Council (GMC)


The GMC, at the request of the Department, held a roundtable on 21 November 2019 to discuss steps to improve education, knowledge and skills in the recognition and treatment of eating disorders. The GMC is also working with the Faculty of Eating Disorders, Beat and other key stakeholders, including medical schools and Health Education England, to explore how education and training in eating disorders can be strengthened through the development of a common understanding and shared resources.


9th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS report entitled Stepping forward to 2021, the mental health workforce plan for England, published in July 2017, what assessment his Department has made of the progress made by (a) Health Education England and (b) the partners of that organisation on meeting the target of recruiting 30 consultant psychiatrists for community eating disorder services for children and young people by 2020-2021.

The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out the improvements expected in mental health services by 2021. This is underpinned by the report Stepping Forward to 2021 – the mental health workforce plan for England.

As at November 2019, there are 661 consultants working in child and adolescent psychiatry1 this is 33 (or 5.3%) more than in 2010. Data are not collected on the number of consultant psychiatrists working within children and young people’s eating disorder services.

Through their program of work, Enhancing Junior Doctors Working Lives, Health Education England (HEE) is promoting the benefits of psychiatry training. HEE has also increased the number of Psychiatry placements available for junior doctors undertaking foundation training.

Note:

1Data taken from NHS Hospital and Community Health (HCHS) data set.

24th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of full-time equivalent (a) general practitioners, (b) other doctors and (c) nurses employed by the NHS in Lancashire in (a) 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which figures are available.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner (GP) surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

The following table shows the full time equivalent (FTE) number of doctors, and nurses and health visitors employed in the Lancashire area as at November 2019, the latest available data, compared to November 2010.

November 2010

November 2019

Change

% Change

Doctors

1,479

1,881

402

27

Nurses and health visitors

4,439

5,794

1,356

31

The Lancashire area is defined as those working at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NHS East Lancashire CCG or NHS West Lancashire CCG.

The following table shows the number of GPs and nurses employed in the area covered by NHS East Lancashire CCG as at September 2019 compared to September 2015, FTE.

-

-

All regular GPs (excludes locums)

All nurses

NHS East Lancashire CCG

September 2019

193

132

September 2015

198

117

The following table shows the number of GPs and nurses employed in the area covered NHS West Lancashire CCG as at September 2019 compared to September 2015, FTE.

-

-

All regular GPs (excludes locums)

All nurses

NHS West Lancashire CCG

September 2019

58

30

September 2015

57

26

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to hospital trusts on the treatment of pain experienced by adults with a damaged cortex.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guideline, ‘Neuropathic pain in adults: pharmacological management in non-specialist settings’, updated July 2019, sets out evidence-based guidance for healthcare professionals in pharmacological treatments for neuropathic pain. This guidance can be found at the following link:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg173

In addition, NICE is currently developing guidance on the assessment and management of chronic pain, with an expected publication date of 19 August 2020. Guidance scope for the NICE clinical guidance document in development can be found at the following link:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/gid-ng10069/documents/final-scope

30th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the potential annual savings of fully integrating health and social care provision.

Government continues to support the integrated provision of health and social care because of the improvements it brings to the quality of care people receive. Integrated provision has been found to improve health, quality of life and patient satisfaction.

Integration across health and social care commissioning also enables improved co-operation and joint decision-making between health and social care partners in delivering shared outcomes. A number of local areas have reported improved outcomes through the adoption of integrated approaches.

At the national level, evidence of savings due to integrated provision is limited, therefore, the department does not have an estimate of the annual savings of integration.

30th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Care Act 2014 in integrating health and social care services.

The Care Act 2014 enshrined in law asset and strengths-based approaches to how we design and deliver care and support, with social workers and other professionals co-producing care and support to deliver better outcomes for individuals, communities and services.

An evaluation of the Care Act was completed in 2019 and findings will be published in early 2020, including a summary of lessons learned for implementation of major policy and legislative changes.

13th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of missed GP appointments in Blackpool South constituency in each of the last three years.

The data requested is not collected or held centrally.

Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of relocating the British Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

There are no plans to move the UK embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv. Israel is a close friend and key strategic partner, built on decades of cooperation. We will continue to strengthen our relationship with Israel through our Embassy in Tel Aviv.

David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support economic development in Monserrat.

The UK Government is committed to supporting the economic development of Montserrat as part of our enduring commitment to the Overseas Territories. The FCDO is funding a five-year £30 million capital investment programme which will deliver a package of infrastructure projects, including a subsea fibre cable and a new hospital. The FCDO is also providing £28.3 million to develop a new port which will improve access to the island. The UK also provides approximately 65 per cent of the Government of Montserrat's recurrent budget which supports the delivery of key public services and funding to improve local resilience from a variety of government funding streams.

David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
31st Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps he has taken in negotiations with the EU to help support peace in Northern Ireland.

The Foreign Secretary is in regular and close contact with Vice President Sefcovic to find solutions to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Our priority is protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and political stability in Northern Ireland.

Leo Docherty
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
24th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of reports that the Islamic revolutionary guard corps launched an explosive drone at an oil tanker off the coast of Oman.

The UK condemns the recent drone attack on MV PACIFIC ZIRCON. We remain committed to assuring the safety of shipping in the Middle East region, including through the Gulf of Oman. The UK is a member of the International Maritime Security Construct, along with several Gulf partners, which addresses the threat in the region by providing reassurance to commercial shipping and deterring further threats. We note recent reporting that Iran may be behind the attack. We will work with partners to ensure that those responsible are held to account.

David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
26th Apr 2022
What recent discussions she has had with her G7 counterparts on strengthening European security.

The UK has played a leading role alongside our G7 allies in driving the response to Putin’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

On 7 April, the Foreign Secretary met her G7 counterparts at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels. They reiterated our unwavering support for Ukraine, and our readiness to assist further, including providing weapons and financial assistance to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression.

The Foreign Secretary will meet her G7 counterparts again in Germany next month.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
14th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts regarding Iran’s refusal to provide clarification to the International Atomic Energy Agency about nuclear material present at four previously undeclared locations in Iran.

As a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) the UK is regularly involved in discussions on the outstanding issues related to Iran's implementation of its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, most recently at the quarterly meeting 7-11 March 2022. Ahead of the meeting, the UK consulted with international counterparts and during the Board session issued a joint statement with France and Germany noting Iran's recent agreement with the IAEA to make progress on this issue, and reinforcing that Iran is legally obliged to cooperate with the IAEA by providing technically credible information, documentation and answers to questions requested by the IAEA.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
9th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding from the public purse has been allocated to programmes on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the last five years for spending overseas (a) in total and (b) on the provision of abortion.

From January 2016 to December 2020 FCDO allocated a total of £256 million to Marie Stopes International (MSI), and £96 million to International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF). Comparable figures beyond December 2020 are not yet available.

A new standard methodology to capture donors' official development assistance spending on sexual and reproductive health and rights was developed by The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) in December 2020. Spending figures for 2016 are reported in the 2020 EPF donor delivery report (https://www.epfweb.org/sites/default/files/2021-04/DD_Report2020_webversion_new.pdf) and 2017 to 2019 spending figures are reported in the 2021 EPF donor delivery report (https://donorsdelivering.report/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DD_Report_2021.pdf). Comparable figures beyond December 2019 are not yet available.

As FCDO takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights, it is not possible to give a specific figure for our funding for the provision of safe abortion services.

Amanda Milling
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding from the public purse has been allocated to International Planned Parenthood Foundation over the last five years for spending overseas (a) in total and (b) on the provision of abortion.

From January 2016 to December 2020 FCDO allocated a total of £256 million to Marie Stopes International (MSI), and £96 million to International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF). Comparable figures beyond December 2020 are not yet available.

A new standard methodology to capture donors' official development assistance spending on sexual and reproductive health and rights was developed by The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) in December 2020. Spending figures for 2016 are reported in the 2020 EPF donor delivery report (https://www.epfweb.org/sites/default/files/2021-04/DD_Report2020_webversion_new.pdf) and 2017 to 2019 spending figures are reported in the 2021 EPF donor delivery report (https://donorsdelivering.report/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DD_Report_2021.pdf). Comparable figures beyond December 2019 are not yet available.

As FCDO takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights, it is not possible to give a specific figure for our funding for the provision of safe abortion services.

Amanda Milling
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding from the public purse has been allocated to Marie Stopes International in the last five years for spending overseas (a) in total and (b) on the provision of abortion.

From January 2016 to December 2020 FCDO allocated a total of £256 million to Marie Stopes International (MSI), and £96 million to International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF). Comparable figures beyond December 2020 are not yet available.

A new standard methodology to capture donors' official development assistance spending on sexual and reproductive health and rights was developed by The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) in December 2020. Spending figures for 2016 are reported in the 2020 EPF donor delivery report (https://www.epfweb.org/sites/default/files/2021-04/DD_Report2020_webversion_new.pdf) and 2017 to 2019 spending figures are reported in the 2021 EPF donor delivery report (https://donorsdelivering.report/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DD_Report_2021.pdf). Comparable figures beyond December 2019 are not yet available.

As FCDO takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights, it is not possible to give a specific figure for our funding for the provision of safe abortion services.

Amanda Milling
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
22nd Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities.

On 19 August, the UK issued a joint statement with France and Germany underlining our grave concern at the latest reports of the IAEA. These reports confirm that Iran has produced uranium metal enriched up to 20% for the first time, and has significantly increased its production capacity of uranium enriched up to 60%.

60% enrichment constitutes an important step towards developing a nuclear weapon. No State without nuclear weapons has ever before produced Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU). We urge Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA and return to the negotiations in Vienna as soon as possible with a view to bringing them to a swift, successful conclusion.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
22nd Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether Hamas is meeting the Quartet Principles.

The Quartet Principles call on parties to renounce violence as a means of achieving their goals. Hamas continues to embrace violence. We continue to call upon Hamas and other terrorist groups to permanently end their incitement and indiscriminate rocket fire against Israel. Hamas' military wing has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK since 2001 and the UK maintains a no contact policy with Hamas in its entirety.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
27th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of reports of Iran-linked attacks against Israeli-owned naval vessels.

The UK is committed to ensuring the safety of shipping and to maintaining the principle of freedom of navigation. Growing tensions around strategic maritime choke points threatens the ability of trade to safely pass through international waters. The UK continues to underline the need for a reduction in tensions on all sides.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
27th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his E3 counterparts on the triggering of the Dispute Resolution Mechanism in January 2020 in response to Iran’s nuclear activities.

The UK, with France and Germany, triggered the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA's) Dispute Resolution Mechanism on 14 January 2020 in response to Iran's systematic non-compliance with the deal. Our priority continues to be to bring Iran back into compliance with its commitments and to return the US to the deal. Negotiations on a return to the JCPOA are currently ongoing in Vienna.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
11th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 27 January 2020 to Question 6055 on Developing Countries: Genito-urinary Medicine, if he will publish details of foreign governments funding UK grassroots organisations to change UK laws on abortion.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not track foreign governments funding of UK grassroots organisations to change UK abortion laws so is unable to provide this information.

11th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 27 January 2020 to Question 6055, on Developing Countries: Genito-urinary Medicine, on what basis his Department allocates funding to grassroots organisations in other countries for sexual and reproductive health services and rights.

The UK is proud to defend universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. Investing in SRHR can reduce some of the factors that lead girls to drop out of school, such as early pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, period poverty and shame.

Grassroots organisations are critical to achieving lasting transformation. The barriers to achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights are multi-dimensional and complex, and particular to a country or community context. Grassroots organisations are well placed to understand this context, to be a voice for people affected by these barriers and to define where actions should be focused. An example of UK support is to the Robert Carr Fund which supports networks of grassroots organisations that seek to serve key populations affected by HIV, and ensure that their issues and concerns are raised and addressed.

12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will review its relationship with the British Red Cross charity in response to that charity's recent criticisms of Government policy.

The UK Government's relationship with the British Red Cross is established under the BRC's Royal Charter. There are no current plans to review this relationship.

19th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the February 2021 pre-trial ruling regarding the scope of the ICC’s territorial jurisdiction in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, what steps he is taking to prevent politically motivated cases at the International Criminal Court.

We closely follow the important work of the International Criminal Court and are looking at the implications of this decision.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
19th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the International Criminal Court’s assertion of legal authority to UN General Assembly resolutions, with reference to the February 2021 ICC pre-trial ruling on the situation of Palestine.

We closely follow the important work of the International Criminal Court and are looking at the implications of this decision.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
10th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of moving the UK Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
5th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK Government is conducting an investigation into reports that the UN Relief and Works Agency distributed educational material to Palestinian children allegedly inciting violence against Israel during the covid-19 pandemic to aid home learning; and if he will make a statement.

The UK Government has zero tolerance towards incitement of violence and we have raised this issue with UNRWA.

UNRWA informed us that they had identified the material in question through their own regular monitoring and took swift action to correct the issue. The Agency also conducted a review to identify and address any education materials in breach of its policies. UNRWA has reported that these materials are no longer circulated and are not used in current lessons.

We continue to monitor the situation to ensure self-learning materials remain in line with UN values.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
5th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what mechanisms are in place to monitor self-learning educational materials distributed by the UN Relief and Works Agency to Palestinian children in the West Bank and Gaza.

The FCDO monitors UNRWA's self-learning material via different tools including programme monitoring and annual assessments to assess UNRWA's implementation of the curriculum framework.  This ensures lessons taught with UNRWA self-learning materials are in line with UN values.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
14th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the International Atomic Energy Agency on the recent announcement by Iran that it is enriching uranium to 20 per cent fissile purity.

On 4 January, Iran commenced uranium enrichment up to 20 per cent at the Fordow plant in violation of its JCPoA commitments. The E3 issued a statement on 7 December 2020 making it clear that Iran should not implement any measures set out in its recently adopted nuclear law. We remain in regular touch with the IAEA, who have a mandate to monitor and verify Iranian nuclear activity, on this and other JCPoA compliance matters.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
16th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of Iranian compliance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal; and if he will make a statement ahead of the biannual UN Security Council meeting on 22 December 2020 on Iranian compliance.

We remain deeply concerned by Iran's continued and systematic non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). We note with great concern both Iran's recent announcement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it intends to install an additional three cascades of advanced centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz, and the recent law passed by the Iranian Parliament, which - if implemented - would substantially expand Iran's nuclear programme and limit IAEA monitoring access. We have been clear, both at the 16 December Joint Commission and at the 21 December ministerial meeting of JCPoA participants, that Iran must not implement these measures and must return to full compliance with its commitments under the deal. We also made this point clearly at the UN Security Council meeting on 22 December on the Secretary General's ninth report on the implementation of UNSCR 2231.

The UK remains firmly committed to the JCPoA. Along with France and Germany, we have consistently worked to preserve the JCPoA framework over the last two years. We have made clear at every stage that we favour a diplomatic solution to resolve our concerns over the Iranian nuclear programme. And we have worked tirelessly to keep the diplomatic door open for renewed talks between Iran and the US. President-elect Biden has said that if Iran returns to compliance with the deal, the US would re-enter the agreement and seek to both strengthen it and extend it. We welcome this commitment. This is an important opportunity to restart engagement between Iran and the US, and to realise the objectives of the JCPoA.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
3rd Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the finding of the 2018 ICAI report that the Department for International Development's policies focused on family planning rather than strengthening health systems to provide good quality maternal care, what steps his Department has taken to prioritise quality maternal care since that report was published.

The UK has a strong track record of investment in maternal and newborn health through strengthening health systems, alongside other essential services, including family planning. Since the 2018 ICAI report, we have taken a series of steps to improve our approach, embedding a focus on quality, respectful maternity care. These were recognised and commended by ICAI in their 2020 follow-up review.

The UK Government has a manifesto commitment on ending the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and children by 2030. We have invested in staff knowledge and skills, and are supporting our partners, including the World Health Organisation, to promote, deliver, and measure quality maternal health care. We support the Global Financing Facility for women, children, and adolescent health in its efforts to strengthen quality and sustainability of services in 36 countries. This action is more important than ever given the negative indirect impacts of COVID-19, which is reducing access to maternity care, and other essential health services.

30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the requirement to invoke the snapback of sanctions against Iran under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

Our position regarding the US notification to snapback sanctions pursuant to UNSCR 2231 has been very clearly expressed to the UN Security Council Presidency and all UN Security Council members. E3 Foreign Ministers have made clear that the US ceased to be a participant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) following their withdrawal from the deal on 8 May 2018. We cannot therefore support the US' action, which is incompatible with our current efforts to support the JCPoA. We remain committed to the JCPoA and have always said we regret the US' withdrawal from the deal.

However, Iran's continued non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the JCPoA remains deeply concerning and seriously undermines the non-proliferation benefits of the agreement. We have called for a ministerial Joint Commission meeting to address Iran's non-compliance and find a way forward. We are clear that Iran must engage seriously with this process, and that its current actions put the JCPoA at risk.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what effect Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon has on the UK’s policies in that region.

Hizballah's destabilising influence threatens regional stability and endangers Lebanon and its people. The UK has long had a no contact policy with the whole organisation. Hizballah was proscribed in its entirety in March 2019 and an asset freeze put in place against the entire organisation in January 2020. The UK does not provide any assistance or funding directly to Hizballah, Hizballah-led ministries or Hizballah-led institutions. Following proscription, we went through a due diligence process with all our programme implementing partners to ensure that they were fully aware of the implications of the UK decision to proscribe Hizballah in its entirety. We regularly raise our concerns about Hizballah at the UN Security Council, and call on all parties to abide by the provisions of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is working with the US Administration to encourage Arab states to follow the United Arab Emirates' example and agree a peace deal with Israel.

The UK welcomed the historic Israel-United Arab Emirates normalisation deal. The Foreign Secretary discussed wider US efforts to normalise Israel and Arab state ties in a meeting with Jared Kushner on 3 September, following both of their recent visits to the Middle East. The UK welcomes all efforts towards peace and we continue to work closely with international partners strongly advocating a two-state solution and a regional approach to peace. We believe that negotiations on a two state solution will only succeed when they are conducted between Israelis and Palestinians, but international action has a role in facilitating progress. The changing regional context and converging Arab and Israeli interests presents an opening to develop Arab-Israeli relations and create the conditions for serious Israeli-Palestinian talks to resume. The Arab League and Arab states have a key role in the peace process and we are in close contact on this issue.

James Cleverly
Home Secretary
20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) Hamas and (b) Izz-al-Din Al-Qassem will continue to be subject to UK Terrorism and Terrorist Financing sanctions after the end of the transition period.

Hamas, including Izz Al-Din Al-Qassem, is subject to financial sanctions in the UK through the EU counter-terrorism sanctions regime CP931. Her Majesty's Government is transferring existing EU sanctions regimes into UK law through regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, and the Secretary of State and the Treasury have made regulations providing for counter terrorism sanctions after the end of the transition period. We will look to carry over existing EU designations at the end of the transition period.

21st Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is giving to the British Overseas Territories to help develop their trade links with surrounding economies.

The Government is committed to supporting the sustainable economic development of the British Overseas Territories (OTs). The Territories have some autonomy over their own trade relationships, and many already have established trading links with their neighbours. Working jointly with the Department for International Trade, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is exploring opportunities for the OTs to strengthen their global trade standing. This has included considering their interests in future Free Trade Agreements, posts connecting to our overseas network, and the GREAT campaign.

21st Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to increase trade links between the UK and British Overseas Territories.

The UK's Overseas Territories (OTs) have preferential access to the UK market, which means that they are able to export goods to the UK tariff and quota free. The British Government has ensured that this access will continue at the end of the transition period. The UK has established trade links with some OTs, and stands ready to support UK and OT businesses that want to strengthen their trade links.

11th Sep 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what regulatory framework is in place to supervise (a) unregulated collective investment schemes and (b) the promotion of those schemes.

The UK’s financial promotions regime, underpinned by Section 21 and Section 238 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), seeks to ensure that consumers are provided with clear and accurate information that enables them to make appropriate decisions for their individual circumstances. Under this regime, the FCA has imposed rules on the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes, including that such schemes cannot be promoted to ordinary members of the public.

Enforcement relating to the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes is generally a matter for the FCA, which is operationally independent from the Government. These questions have therefore been passed to the FCA who will respond directly to the honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Sep 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data his Department holds on he number of (a) cases investigated and (b) enforcement actions taken against individuals and entities involved in the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes in each of the last five years.

The UK’s financial promotions regime, underpinned by Section 21 and Section 238 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), seeks to ensure that consumers are provided with clear and accurate information that enables them to make appropriate decisions for their individual circumstances. Under this regime, the FCA has imposed rules on the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes, including that such schemes cannot be promoted to ordinary members of the public.

Enforcement relating to the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes is generally a matter for the FCA, which is operationally independent from the Government. These questions have therefore been passed to the FCA who will respond directly to the honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Sep 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures his Department has in place to protect investors from the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes; and what penalties or enforcement action is being pursued against those found promoting such schemes.

The UK’s financial promotions regime, underpinned by Section 21 and Section 238 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), seeks to ensure that consumers are provided with clear and accurate information that enables them to make appropriate decisions for their individual circumstances. Under this regime, the FCA has imposed rules on the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes, including that such schemes cannot be promoted to ordinary members of the public.

Enforcement relating to the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes is generally a matter for the FCA, which is operationally independent from the Government. These questions have therefore been passed to the FCA who will respond directly to the honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Sep 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to identify and prevent entities and individuals promote unregulated collective investment schemes.

The UK’s financial promotions regime, underpinned by Section 21 and Section 238 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), seeks to ensure that consumers are provided with clear and accurate information that enables them to make appropriate decisions for their individual circumstances. Under this regime, the FCA has imposed rules on the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes, including that such schemes cannot be promoted to ordinary members of the public.

Enforcement relating to the promotion of unregulated collective investment schemes is generally a matter for the FCA, which is operationally independent from the Government. These questions have therefore been passed to the FCA who will respond directly to the honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing businesses in the land-based gambling sector that pay Machine Games Duty to reclaim VAT.

The takings from gaming machines that are subject to Machine Games Duty are exempt from VAT. This means that businesses do not have to charge any VAT on the machine takings but, in line with the normal VAT rules, they cannot reclaim VAT on related costs.

There are no plans to review the VAT liability of this income.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
1st Nov 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the amusement machine industry will be eligible for the 50 per cent business rates relief discount available to the retail, leisure, and hospitality industry.

Guidance setting out eligibility for the 2022-23 retail, hospitality and leisure relief will be published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in due course.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
1st Nov 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase the cap on the 50 per cent reduction in business rates for the retail, leisure and hospitality sector to support businesses with larger numbers of sites.

Together with Small Business Rates Relief, over 90 per cent of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will receive at least a 50 per cent reduction in their business rates bills in 2022-23.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
15th Sep 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) reducing or (b) removing Air Passenger Duty on two-way domestic UK flights to assist the growth of (i) regional and (ii) Blackpool airports.

As part of its recent consultation on aviation tax, the Government outlined its initial view that the effective rate of Air Passenger Duty (APD) on domestic flights should be reduced in order to support Union and regional connectivity and that the number of international distance bands should be increased in order to align APD more closely with our environmental objectives.

The consultation sought evidence on the potential impacts of these proposals, including on regional air routes. As part of the consultation process the Government engaged with airports in all parts of the UK.

The Government is currently reviewing responses to the consultation and will update in due course.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing Machine Games Duty for high street arcades to mitigate the financial effects of covid-19 restrictions.

The Government has no current plans to reduce Machine Games Duty. High street arcade operators will have been able to benefit from the package of measures introduced to mitigate the financial impact of Covid-19 worth over £280 billion, including the Job Retention Scheme, which has been extended until April, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the bounce back loan and payment deferral schemes.

HM Treasury keeps all taxes, including Machine Games Duty, under active review.

Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
22nd Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the VAT reduction to 5 per cent to amusement arcades.

The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July to support the cash flow and viability of over 150,000 businesses and protect 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors, and will run until 31 March 2021. While we keep all taxes under review, this relief comes at a significant cost to the Exchequer, and there are currently no plans to extend the scope of the reduced rate.

The Government has announced a significant support package to help businesses through the winter months, which includes an extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, an extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant, and an extension of the application window for the government-backed loan schemes.

Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
12th Oct 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the outcome of HMRC v The Rank Group PLC; Done Brothers (Cash Betting) Ltd and Others, what steps HMRC has taken to make appropriate repayments to operators; and whether HMRC is prioritising the repayment of operators in a particular order.

Revenue and Customs Brief 5 (2020): VAT treatment on fixed odds betting terminals and gaming machines published on 26 May 2020 (updated on 26 June 2020) sets out the process for claimants in relation to the Rank Group PLC and Done Brothers (Cash Betting) Ltd and Others litigation to be repaid the sums due to them. Repayments have now started and will continue. There has been no prioritisation of any particular claimant.

3rd Sep 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme through autumn and winter 2020 for (a) the travel industry and (b) other sectors in which trade has been adversely affected by the covid-19 pandemic.

After eight months of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the scheme will close in October.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme must be temporary and the Government must ensure people can get back to work when it is safe to do so and get the UK economy up and running again.

It would be challenging to target the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to specific sectors in a fair and deliverable way, and it may not be the case that this is the most effective or sensible way to provide longer term support for those sectors most affected by coronavirus.

It would also be difficult to target the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme at specific sectors without creating distortion, particularly as some firms work across multiple sectors.

There are other schemes, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, that can provide support to specific firms.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason ice cream parlours were not included in the list of businesses that are able to reduce the VAT levied on their products to 5 per cent.

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chancellor has introduced a range of measures to help individuals and businesses through the crisis, including grants, loans and relief from business rates at a cost of more than £300 billion.

The temporary reduced rate of VAT will support the tourism and hospitality sectors and will help over 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs. Ice cream served for consumption on the premises in ice cream parlours or other food establishments will benefit from the reduced rate.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reconsider the decision not to include ice cream parlours and their products within the scope of the VAT reduction to 5 per cent for businesses in the leisure and hospitality industry.

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chancellor has introduced a range of measures to help individuals and businesses through the crisis, including grants, loans and relief from business rates at a cost of more than £300 billion.

The temporary reduced rate of VAT will support the tourism and hospitality sectors and will help over 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs. Ice cream served for consumption on the premises in ice cream parlours or other food establishments will benefit from the reduced rate.

22nd Jun 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an economic diversification fund to assist constituencies where economies have historically been dependent on a single industry.

The Government is committed to supporting every local area invest in their local economic priorities and to level up opportunity across the country, including Blackpool. This is why at the previous Budget we announced £6bn for local transport in England, £10.9bn new capital investment into housing, and £5bn to support the rollout of gigabit broadband to the 20% hardest to reach areas. These build on the government’s previous investments, such as the Blackpool 21st Century Centre, the Blackpool Bridges and the Blackpool Tramway Extension funded through our Local Growth Fund. In addition to this Blackpool has been shortlisted as one of the 100 Towns for our £3.6bn Towns Fund.

Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
7th May 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he is having with representatives from the insurance industry to ensure that insurers pay claims from tourism and hospitality businesses for business interruption in the event of a pandemic.

The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector about its contribution to handling this unprecedented situation. The Government is also working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that the rules are being upheld during this crisis.

For those businesses which have an appropriate policy that covers government ordered closure and unspecified notifiable diseases, the Government’s social distancing instructions are sufficient to allow businesses to make a claim against their insurance, provided the other terms and conditions in their policy are met.

The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. In addition, the FCA has said that, in light of COVID-19, insurers must consider very carefully the needs of their customers and show flexibility in their treatment of them.

Furthermore, on 15 April, FCA sent a letter to the insurance industry, setting out the FCA's expectation of firms regarding their handling of business interruption insurance claims, urging insurers to settle claims quickly in cases where there was a clear obligation to pay the claim in full or in part.

In addition, on 1 May, the FCA published a statement setting out their intention to seek legal clarity on the handling of business interruption insurance claims, in order to resolve any doubt for businesses facing uncertainty on their claims. In their statement the FCA also noted that insurers should look at how they can help consumers who are experiencing financial distress as a result of COVID-19.

However, most businesses have not purchased insurance that covers losses from COVID-19. Insurance policies differ significantly, so businesses are encouraged to check the terms and conditions of their specific policy and contact their providers.

The Government recognises that businesses who do not have appropriate insurance cover will require support from elsewhere. As such, businesses should explore the full package of support set out by the Chancellor, which includes measures such as business rates holidays, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and wage support.

John Glen
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
4th May 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a business rates freeze for small retail, tourism and leisure commercial units which are currently unoccupied.

The Government maintains empty property relief to support property owners between the reoccupation of vacated premises. Under empty property relief, owners of properties do not normally have to pay business rates on newly vacated buildings for three months. Certain properties are also eligible for extended empty property relief.

Properties which have closed temporarily due to the Government’s advice on COVID-19 should be treated as occupied for the purposes of the business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.

A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, has also been made available.

29th Apr 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to provide financial support to casual workers and freelancers in the creative, entertainment, event and performance industries during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. The Government has made significant changes to the operation of Statutory Sick Pay, Universal Credit, and Employment and Support Allowance, in order that people have quicker and more generous access to a support system.

For casual workers and freelancers, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will provide grants to those who are self-employed, or members of partnerships, worth 80% of their trading profits/partnership trading profits, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The value of the grant is based on a three-year average of trading/partnership trading profits, from the tax years 2016-17 to 2018-19. SEISS is available to those who generate majority of their income from self -employment and who earn less than £50,000. Some 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment could benefit from this scheme.

To support those on low incomes, the Government has announced a package of temporary welfare measures, including:

  • A £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element.
  • An increase in the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants.
  • A relaxation of the UC minimum income floor for all self-employed UC claimants affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19.
  • Advances for all new UC claimants are now available online or via telephone.

Details of the range of support for individuals affected by COVID-19 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.

23rd Mar 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support football league clubs facing financial difficulties as a result of the outbreak of covid-19 through (a) improving their access to Government-supported loans and (b) encouraging the Football Association and Premier League clubs to provide short-term financial assistance.

The government has announced a significant package of financial support for businesses and employees, including the sport sector. This includes the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-employment Income Support Scheme amongst other measures to support businesses and employees during this period. Further details of this package are available at: www.businesssupport.gov.uk
Steve Barclay
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
19th Mar 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to provide financial support to third sector organisations in financial difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Charities, social enterprises and other third sector organisations will benefit from the new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The government has announced an unprecedented package of financial support that will also support charities and social enterprises, including small business grants. Many charities are already eligible for 80% charitable rate relief, they will benefit from the new enhanced retail rate relief at 100%. Further detail of government support is available at: www.businesssupport.gov.uk

Steve Barclay
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
19th Mar 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to provide financial assistance to third sector organisations that experience an increase in demand following the closure of community-based services as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Charities, social enterprises and other third sector organisations will benefit from the new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The government has announced an unprecedented package of financial support that will also support charities and social enterprises, including small business grants. Many charities are already eligible for 80% charitable rate relief, they will benefit from the new enhanced retail rate relief at 100%. Further detail of government support is available at: www.businesssupport.gov.uk

Steve Barclay
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9th Mar 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to ensure that internet-based businesses pay an adequate level of tax in the UK.

Ensuring that digital businesses pay their fair share of tax in the UK is a priority for the Government.

The Government is actively working on a multilateral solution to ensure that digital businesses pay an appropriate level of tax in the countries in which they operate.

Pending that solution, the Government is introducing the digital services tax from April 2020; a 2% tax on the UK revenues of social media platforms, online marketplaces and search engines.

24th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have sought to enter the UK to study a course that was found to be fake in each of the last five years.

The Home Office does not publish a record of those on student visas who overstayed.

Our published data can be found in the available Migration Statistics on GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-september-2022/why-do-people-come-to-the-uk-to-study

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
24th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who entered the UK on a student visa overstayed the duration of their visa in each of the last five years.

The Home Office does not publish a record of those on student visas who overstayed.

Our published data can be found in the available Migration Statistics on GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-september-2022/why-do-people-come-to-the-uk-to-study

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to issue guidance on the new buffer zone provision in the Public Order Bill.

Ahead of the commencement of the Public Order Bill, expected to be in Spring/Summer 2023, the College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service are updating relevant public order guidance and training to reflect the inclusion of the offence of interference with access to or provision of abortion services.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
27th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of public spaces protection orders.

Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) are designed to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public space.

Several local authorities have imposed PSPOs outside of abortion clinics. Decisions regarding restrictions imposed are for the local authority which is required to consider people’s rights under the European Convention.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
27th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of public spaces protection orders around abortion clinics.

Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) are designed to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public space.

Several local authorities have imposed PSPOs outside of abortion clinics. Decisions regarding restrictions imposed are for the local authority which is required to consider people’s rights under the European Convention.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
7th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much police forces spent on campaigns aimed at diversifying their recruitment in the most recent year for which figures are available.

The recruitment of an additional 20,000 officers across England and Wales is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to support all forces become more representative of the communities they serve.

The Home Office does not hold information on how much forces have spent on local recruitment campaigns. Decisions on the use of funding & resource are an operational matter for Chief Constables & Police and Crime Commissioners who are best placed to make decisions based on local knowledge and experience.

Sarah Dines
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of project ADDER in combating drug crime in Blackpool.

Through Project ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) we are trail-blazing a whole-system response to combatting drug misuse in 13 hardest hit areas across England and Wales.

Project ADDER is underpinned by a robust monitoring and evaluation framework. Our internal monitoring shows positive early signs. Between January 2021 and September 2022 across all sites, Project ADDER boosted activity and supported: over 1,600 Organised Crime Gangs disruptions; £7m in cash seized; nearly 20,500 arrests; over 12,400 Out of Court Disposals offered; and over 28,500 drug treatment interventions.

Partner feedback in Blackpool is positive with increased partnership working between the police, Local Authority and service providers to address drug related crime and support people into treatment and wider services.

The Home Office have also commissioned Kantar Public to undertake an independent evaluation of Project ADDER, and this is due to report in late 2023. The evaluation will look at how Project ADDER has been implemented across all Project ADDER sites and the overall impact of the programme in meeting the aims and objectives to reduce drug use, drug-related offending and drug-related deaths.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative estimate of the number of Albanian nationals who (a) crossed the Channel in a small boat and (b) were involved in serious organised crime in each month in each of the last three years.

The Home Office publishes statistics on small boat arrivals to the UK in the 'Irregular Migration to the UK statistics' report. Data on small boat arrivals by year for the top 20 nationalities in the latest year (January to September 2022) are published in table Irr_02b of the 'Irregular migration to the UK data tables' with the latest data up to the end of September 2022.

Data up to the end of December 2022 will be published on 23 February 2023. Future irregular migration publication release dates can be found on the research and statistics calendar.

There are no published statistics on nationalities involved in serious organised crime.

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
3rd Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people crossing the English Channel in small boats were found to be children in each of the last three years.

The Home Office publishes statistics on small boat arrivals to the UK in the ‘Irregular Migration to the UK statistics’ report. Data on small boat arrivals by age are published in table Irr_02c of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK data tables’ with the latest data up to the end of September 2022.

Data up to the end of December 2022 will be published on 23 February 2023. Future irregular migration publication release dates can be found on the research and statistics calendar.

Robert Jenrick
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration)
11th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the use of Public Spaces Protection Orders to prohibit (a) silent and (b) other forms of prayer.

The Home Office does not collect any data on breaches of Public Space Protection Orders.

Public Space Protection Orders are designed to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public space. Decisions regarding what restrictions are imposed are matters for the local authority which is required to consider people’s rights under the European Convention.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
11th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted of breaching a Public Space Protection Order around an abortion clinic in each year since 2018.

The Home Office does not collect any data on breaches of Public Space Protection Orders.

Public Space Protection Orders are designed to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public space. Decisions regarding what restrictions are imposed are matters for the local authority which is required to consider people’s rights under the European Convention.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
6th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate with Cabinet colleagues of the average cost of policing a 20mph zone in the last 12 months.

The Home Office does not hold or collect information on the average cost of policing a 20mph zone, nor are there any current plans to do so.

The enforcement of speed limits is an operational matter for the police and any costs associated with enforcement activity will inevitably vary between forces.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum claims her Department has yet to determine and in which year those claims were initially logged with the Home Office.

There are 99,419 asylum applications awaiting an initial decision as at 30 June 2022.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum applications awaiting a decision can be found in table Asy_D03 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. Please note the data show a snapshot as at the last day of each quarter, rather than the number of asylum application awaiting a decision over the entire quarter. The latest data relates to as at 30 June 2022. Data as at 30 September 2022 will be published on 24 November 2022. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

The Home Office are unable to state when these claims were initially lodged; however, published transparency data provides a detailed breakdown of initial asylum claims that have been outstanding for less than 3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months and 12months + and can be found at Asy_02 published transparency data: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost was of policing the 2022 Notting Hill Carnival; and whether any contributions towards that cost were received from (a) charities, (b) businesses and (c) other organisations.

The Home Office does not hold this information.

22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much additional funding, including through Project ADDER, has been provided to (a) combat drug crime and (b) support general policing in Blackpool in the last 12 months.

This Government’s 10-year Drug Strategy, underpinned by significant investment, sets out a whole system approach to reducing drug-related crime, harms and overall drug use. This includes £300m of dedicated investment over three years to drive work on tackling drug supply and county lines.

Through Project ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) we are trail-blazing a whole-system response to combatting drug misuse in 13 hardest hit areas across England and Wales. Project ADDER in Blackpool has provided the Lancashire Constabulary with over £650k of dedicated enforcement funding in 2021/22, with a further £575k provided for 2022/23. In total, Blackpool’s Project ADDER funding allocation will be £1,925,000 for 2022/23, which includes both health and enforcement funding.

Police funding for the Lancashire Constabulary more generally will be up to £343.7m in 2022/23, an increase of up to £17.9m when compared to 2021/22. Decisions on how to use this funding are an operational matter for Chief Constables.

20th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government’s position on buffer zones around abortion clinics has changed since the outcome of the Abortion Clinic Protest Review in 2018.

The Government is clear that it is unacceptable that patients seeking healthcare advice or staff working in healthcare facilities should feel intimidated or harassed.

Since the review in 2018, the Government has continued to keep the matter of abortion-related protests outside clinics under review. Having considered the evidence, the Government continues to believe that national buffer zones outside abortion clinics in England and Wales would be disproportionate.

Existing laws enable the police and local authorities to deal with harmful protests and the Government expects the police and local authorities to use their powers appropriately.

23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of migrants arriving in the UK since 2019 have arrived without travel documents.

Border Force does not hold the data requested in an accessible format.

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum applications have been successfully appealed by the claimant since 2019.

The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on the number of small boat arrivals is published in the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’, including breakdowns by nationality, age and sex. The latest data cover the period up to the end of December 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum and returns in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

  • Data on asylum applications and initial decisions on asylum applications are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’.
  • Data on appeals and appeal outcomes are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the detailed datasets (available at the above link). For appeals, please note that most, but not all, appeals will relate to those who have had their claim refused at initial decision; a small number of appeals relate to cases which received a grant of leave other than asylum.
  • Data on asylum-related returns by type of return (including enforced returns, of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) are published in table Ret_05 in the returns summary tables. The latest data relate to the year ending September 2021.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK, which includes people who:

  1. enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry);
  2. overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK;
  3. breach their conditions of leave;
  4. are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction, and
  5. have been refused asylum.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the demographic data of migrants who have arrived in the UK via illegal crossing on the English Channel since 2019.

The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on the number of small boat arrivals is published in the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’, including breakdowns by nationality, age and sex. The latest data cover the period up to the end of December 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum and returns in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

  • Data on asylum applications and initial decisions on asylum applications are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’.
  • Data on appeals and appeal outcomes are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the detailed datasets (available at the above link). For appeals, please note that most, but not all, appeals will relate to those who have had their claim refused at initial decision; a small number of appeals relate to cases which received a grant of leave other than asylum.
  • Data on asylum-related returns by type of return (including enforced returns, of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) are published in table Ret_05 in the returns summary tables. The latest data relate to the year ending September 2021.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK, which includes people who:

  1. enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry);
  2. overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK;
  3. breach their conditions of leave;
  4. are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction, and
  5. have been refused asylum.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people whose claim for asylum was unsuccessful have been deported by her Department since 2019.

The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on the number of small boat arrivals is published in the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’, including breakdowns by nationality, age and sex. The latest data cover the period up to the end of December 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum and returns in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

  • Data on asylum applications and initial decisions on asylum applications are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’.
  • Data on appeals and appeal outcomes are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the detailed datasets (available at the above link). For appeals, please note that most, but not all, appeals will relate to those who have had their claim refused at initial decision; a small number of appeals relate to cases which received a grant of leave other than asylum.
  • Data on asylum-related returns by type of return (including enforced returns, of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) are published in table Ret_05 in the returns summary tables. The latest data relate to the year ending September 2021.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK, which includes people who:

  1. enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry);
  2. overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK;
  3. breach their conditions of leave;
  4. are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction, and
  5. have been refused asylum.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum claims have been successfully processed by her Department since 2019.

The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on the number of small boat arrivals is published in the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’, including breakdowns by nationality, age and sex. The latest data cover the period up to the end of December 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum and returns in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

  • Data on asylum applications and initial decisions on asylum applications are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’.
  • Data on appeals and appeal outcomes are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the detailed datasets (available at the above link). For appeals, please note that most, but not all, appeals will relate to those who have had their claim refused at initial decision; a small number of appeals relate to cases which received a grant of leave other than asylum.
  • Data on asylum-related returns by type of return (including enforced returns, of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) are published in table Ret_05 in the returns summary tables. The latest data relate to the year ending September 2021.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK, which includes people who:

  1. enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry);
  2. overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK;
  3. breach their conditions of leave;
  4. are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction, and
  5. have been refused asylum.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants successfully crossed the English Channel in each year since 2019.

The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on the number of small boat arrivals is published in the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’, including breakdowns by nationality, age and sex. The latest data cover the period up to the end of December 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum and returns in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

  • Data on asylum applications and initial decisions on asylum applications are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’.
  • Data on appeals and appeal outcomes are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the detailed datasets (available at the above link). For appeals, please note that most, but not all, appeals will relate to those who have had their claim refused at initial decision; a small number of appeals relate to cases which received a grant of leave other than asylum.
  • Data on asylum-related returns by type of return (including enforced returns, of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) are published in table Ret_05 in the returns summary tables. The latest data relate to the year ending September 2021.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK, which includes people who:

  1. enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry);
  2. overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK;
  3. breach their conditions of leave;
  4. are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction, and
  5. have been refused asylum.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of migrants who crossed the English Channel illegally into the UK since 2019 are being housed in (a) hotels and (b) other temporary accommodation.

The Home Office does not accommodate illegal migrants, but does have a statutory obligation to provide accommodation and other support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area. These statistics can be found at Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Data is published on a quarterly basis, with the latest information published 24 February 2022. The next quarterly figures are due to be released in May 2022. The Home Office does not publish a breakdown these statistics which disaggregates the number of asylum seekers accommodated in specific accommodation. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Costs are subject to change depending on numbers being accommodated within the asylum system. Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential, therefore the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts

23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to the public purse was of providing accommodation for migrants who illegal crossed the English Channel to the UK since 2019.

The Home Office does not accommodate illegal migrants, but does have a statutory obligation to provide accommodation and other support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area. These statistics can be found at Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Data is published on a quarterly basis, with the latest information published 24 February 2022. The next quarterly figures are due to be released in May 2022. The Home Office does not publish a breakdown these statistics which disaggregates the number of asylum seekers accommodated in specific accommodation. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Costs are subject to change depending on numbers being accommodated within the asylum system. Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential, therefore the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts

23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people since 2019 whose application for asylum was rejected have been uncontactable by her Department but are believed to still be in the UK.

Information regarding the number of failed asylum seekers still living in the UK can be found on tables ASY03 and RCM02 of the most recently published immigration and protection transparency data:

Immigration and protection data: Q4 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

When individuals fail to remain in contact with the Home Office, we have dedicated resources to bring them into contact. We will work with the police, other government agencies and commercial companies to track these people down.

We are currently refreshing our approach to contact management.

5th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of providing funding to male domestic violence victim service providers.

This Government is committed to protecting and supporting all victims of domestic abuse, regardless of gender. That is why we recently passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act, which includes a new definition of domestic abuse. Additionally, the Statutory Guidance that will accompany the Act will address the impact on male victims and their unique needs and barriers to accessing support. We will be publishing this guidance for consultation shortly.

Since 2017/18 the Home Office has provided funding of over £160,000 per year to the Men’s Advice Line run by Respect which supports and advises male victims of domestic abuse. Additional funding of £151,000 was provided to further bolster the helpline during the pandemic. In addition, The Home Office has provided approximately £365,000 from 2018 to 2020 to Hestia to improve support for male victims of domestic abuse.

In March 2019 the Home Office published the Male Victims Position Statement which sets out 12 specific commitments to better enable male victims and survivors to come forward and receive necessary support, and to tackle offenders. This will be refreshed later this year following the publication of the Violence against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse Strategies.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
22nd Mar 2021
What steps her Department is taking to simplify asylum (a) claims and (b) appeals.

The Home Office is working to transform the broken asylum system and processes: the work will simplify, streamline and digitise processes, ensuring that genuine asylum claimants are treated quickly, fairly and are supported; and those who do not qualify are rapidly identified and prepared for return.

As part of this programme of work, the Home Office is working collaboratively with HMCTS on their ambitious programme of court reform.

20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of allegations that senior members of Hamas’ Political Bureau are personally (a) designated terrorists by the US government and (b) subject to UK Terrorism and Terrorist Financing sanctions.

The Government and the security and intelligence agencies keep the threat from terrorist groups, including Hamas, under review. In March 2001, the Government proscribed the military wing of Hamas (Hamas Izz al-Din al-Qassem Brigades), as a terrorist organisation. It is criminal offence in the UK to be a member of the military wing. The investigation and prosecution for all criminal offences, including whether an actual offence has been committed, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service

The Terrorist Asset Freezing Act (TAFA) 2010 permits HM Treasury to designate an individual or entity for sanctions if they meet the statutory test. Currently there are three individuals designated under TAFA 2010 who are associated with Hamas. Hamas, including its military wing, is also subject to financial sanctions in the UK through the EU counter-terrorism sanctions regime CP931.

The Government does not routinely comment on intelligence matters. While we work closely with our international partners in the global fight against terrorism, any executive action must be underpinned by intelligence that satisfies the UK’s criminal and statutory thresholds.

20th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing compulsory ID cards for British nationals; and when her Department last reviewed its policy on ID cards.

The Home Office has made no recent assessment on compulsory ID cards. The previous identity card scheme was abolished by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government in 2010.

29th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for asylum have been (a) housed and (b) housed in temporary hotel or B&B accommodation in Blackpool South constituency in each year since 2010.

The Home Office publishes quarterly figures on the number of asylum seekers housed in dispersed accommodation, by local authority, in the Immigration Statistics release, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

We would not disclose figures for the people we accommodate temporarily. We can confirm that the use of hotels for contingency is permitted under the terms of the Asylum Accommodation & Support Contracts.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing visa charges for Commonwealth UK armed forces personnel and their immediate families applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain after completing their service.

The Home Office is listening carefully to those with concerns about how members of HM Forces can have the support of their families whilst serving our country.

We are continuing to assess the impact of immigration fees on members of the HM Forces in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence.

24th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on socio-economic diversity within the police force of the requirement for future applicants to the service to have a degree.

It is important that we have a police service which is fit for the future. The new entry routes for police constables introduced by the College of Policing (an undergraduate degree in policing, a degree holder entry programme and a degree apprenticeship) are an important step in ensuring that we provide our police with the skills they need. The new entry routes will also bring consistency: at a time when we are increasing investment in policing and the police are actively recruiting additional officers, ensuring that new recruits across all forces meet the same consistently high standards is vital.

The degree apprenticeship offers new entrants to policing the opportunity to earn a wage while becoming a police constable, with successful candidates acquiring a degree qualification at the end of the learning programme. This is an attractive option for people who want to take the first step in a rich and varied profession, meaning that forces will be able to encourage and maintain access to policing from people from all communities and backgrounds.

11th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers have been deported in each of the last 10 years.

The Home Office publishes data on returns from the UK in the ‘. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Data on the number of returns, by year, type of return and asylum and non-asylum related returns are published in table Ret_05.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but removed for other reasons (such as criminality). Therefore not all ‘asylum’ cases will relate to failed asylum seekers.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns which are enforced either following a criminal conviction or when it is judged a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. Information on those deported is not separately available and therefore the published statistics refer to all enforced returns.

The latest data relates to the year ending September 2019.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the. https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=home-office&order=release-date-oldest

11th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to locate failed asylum seekers who have absconded prior to deportation.

The Home Office takes a number of steps to re-establish contact with Failed Asylum Seekers (FAS) who have absconded. Our dedicated tracing team conducts a full range of checks which cannot be detailed for security reasons.

11th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of failed asylum seekers who have absconded before deportation in each of the last five years.

The Home Office does not hold the information you have requested.

11th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of failed asylum seekers still living in the UK.

Information regarding the number of failed asylum seekers still living in the UK can be found on tables OLCU_01, OLCU_04 and ASY_03 of the most recently published Asylum, UK Visa & Immigration Transparency Data:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-august-2019

11th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of the usage of stop and search powers by Lancashire Police; and if her Department will take steps to encourage that police force to increase its use of stop and search powers to help tackle crime in that area.

The police have the government's full support in the fair and targeted use of stop and search to crack down on criminality and violent crime. That is why, last year, we started a national pilot to test a relaxation of voluntary restrictions on "no suspicion" Section 60 powers, used when the police anticipate serious violence.

Stop and search in Lancashire increased 39% in 2018/19 compared with 2017/18, the first year-on-year increase since 2010/11. This is similar to the national trend.

The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on the number of stop and searches conducted by each police force in England and Wales on an annual basis. Results are published in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, the latest of which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2019

15th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent from the public purse to promote freedom of speech in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, and (d) 2018.

Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental values on which our society is based and in this country we have a long history of defending the right to free speech. We have not directly spent any public money on promoting free speech since 2015 and do not hold this information as a department.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
23rd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a specialist counter-insurgency force.

We will continue to develop our force structure and capabilities to allow us to contribute to addressing the full range of potential threats, including those from insurgents, to ensure we can both defend, deter and compete across all domains alongside our allies and partners.

Any specific policy changes or updates to force structure will be determined once the update to the Defence Command Paper has concluded.

James Heappey
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
23rd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps UK Space Command is taking to coordinate with (a) other military and (b) civilian organisations to (i) increase the UK's space capabilities and (ii) help tackle potential threats to national space assets.

Collaboration with civil and international partners is fundamental to our delivery of the National Space Strategy and Defence Space Strategy (DSS).

Defence is developing new capabilities to support military operations and to protect and defend our national interests. We are investing £1.5 billion over 10 years in a coherent Defence Space Portfolio (DSP). This is in addition to the £5 billion we are investing in the SKYNET satellite communications programme.

In delivering the DSP, we are working with international Allies and partners to maximise interoperability and provide resilience in our joint pursuit of a safe and secure space domain. We are also partnering with commercial providers to deliver the Portfolio and with partners across Government to determine where dual-use capabilities can meet civil and defence needs.

The DSS commits us to broadening and deepening our multinational collaboration. As a founding member of the Combined Space Operations initiative (Five Eyes + France and Germany), we use this forum to align on space policy, capability development and operations. We are also working with NATO to grow the NATO Space Enterprise and we are developing new bilateral relationships.

The UK is showing global leadership on space security. Ministry of Defence is supporting the FCDO-led initiative through the UN on Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours. This is aimed at reducing the risk of miscalculation in the space domain.

James Heappey
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
7th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the armed forces spent on campaigns aimed at diversifying their recruitment in the most recent year for which figures are available.

In financial year 2021-22, £921,110.93 was spent by the Armed Forces on recruitment marketing targeted to reach under-represented communities across the UK.

Andrew Murrison
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
21st Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to provide additional investment into the facilities at the Blackpool Reserve Centre.

Blackpool Army Reserve Centre is a relatively modern and well used facility. At this stage there is no assessed requirement for any major refurbishment or investment.

5th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his decision to relocate more jobs in Blackpool through the North West Estate Defence Business Services consolidation plans on the local economy of Blackpool.

The decision to consolidate the Defence Business Services northwest estate was based on qualitative benefits and through life costs of potential sites based on several factors including operational risk, sustainability, and compliance with key user requirements.

A regional economic impact assessment was undertaken during down selection, but did not form part of the decision making criteria. The consolidation into the Blackpool region brings an opportunity to bring circa 700 posts to Blackpool from our other northwest sites, and contributes to the redevelopment at Talbot Gate through the building of the new Government hub.

James Heappey
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
6th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) Israel and (b) Saudi Arabia to help ensure the adequacy of defences against the increased military threat to those countries from Iran.

Following the attacks on Saudi oil production facilities on 14 September 2019, we are working with other international partners and the Saudi Ministry of Defence to consider how best to improve the effectiveness of Saudi air defence systems.

With Israel, the UK undertakes routine Defence Engagement, including joint exercises, exchanges, visits, and training. In this current period of tension between Iran and the US, Israel has not approached the UK for any additional support.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
6th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to work his (a) Iraqi and (b) Turkish counterparts to tackle the insurgent threat posed by ISIS.

As part of the Coalition, the UK has provided support to the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces, which has been crucial in the fight against Daesh. We have trained over 114,000 Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga personnel to help build their capacity to ensure Daesh's enduring defeat.

Due to current circumstances, we have paused training with Iraqi Security Forces but we continue to train Kurdish forces in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. And we hope to resume counter-Daesh operations and training with the Iraqi Security Forces as quickly as possible, but this will not be at the expense of the right force protection measures for UK troops.

We have been continuously engaged with Turkey as a NATO Ally from the outset in countering the threat from Daesh. Following the incursion into Northeast Syria, we welcome the ceasefire and we hope that this will allow us to continue to protect our mutual counter-terrorism interests.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
19th Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking with Blackpool Council to deliver regeneration projects in Blackpool.

Since 2019, my department has invested £39.5 million in Blackpool’s Town Deal, £40 million of Levelling Up Fund and £5.8 million of Shared Prosperity Fund into Blackpool.

In February 2022, my department undertook a deep dive with Blackpool Council to better understand Blackpool’s regeneration needs, including relocating the court buildings. I thank my Honourable Friend for his continued support for regeneration in Blackpool

Jacob Young
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
7th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what business rate relief Blackpool Council received during the covid-19 pandemic.

The Department does not collect information on the amount of relief by property occupier and is not able to answer questions about individual entities. Public sector bodies should be able to offer proportionate responses to data requests as per their Freedom of Information obligations.

Lee Rowley
Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
24th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding his Department has provided to Blackpool Council for housing interventions to help reduce rough sleeping and homelessness since December 2019; and through which schemes this funding was provided.

Since 2019, Blackpool has received £3,469,343 in Government funding to help tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This includes funding from the Homelessness Prevention Grant, and its predecessors the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant and Homelessness Reduction Grant, and the Rough Sleeping Initiative, and includes its allocation for the three-year Rough Sleeping Initiative from 2022-2025.

Felicity Buchan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what additional funding was provided to Blackpool Council (a) to support businesses, and b) for public service provision during the covid-19 pandemic.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government delivered an unprecedented package of support for business. Nearly £27 billion was allocated to local authorities throughout England for Business Grant Support in 2020-21 and 2021-22, including over £135 million to Blackpool Council

During this period the Government also allocated over £15 billion directly to local authorities in England in 2020-21 and 2021-22 to tackle the impacts of Covid-19. Blackpool Council received £56.7 million in direct funding, of which £21.8 million was un-ringfenced.

12th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which Local Authorities have yet to reach an agreement on a housing Local Development Plan with his Department.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that local plans should provide a framework for addressing housing needs, as well as other economic, social and environmental priorities.

Having an effective, up to date plan in place is essential to planning for and meeting housing requirements; in ways that make good use of land and result in well-designed and attractive places to live. The Government expects local authorities to work together to plan for and deliver the housing and infrastructure our communities and businesses need.

On 19 January 2021, a Written Ministerial Statement was made in the House of Commons which set out the importance of maintaining progress to get up-to-date local plans in place by the Government's deadline of December 2023.

Authorities that fail to ensure an up-to-date plan is in place are failing their communities by not recognising the homes and other facilities that local people need. Without an up-to-date plan, homes can end up being built on a speculative basis, with no co-ordination and limited buy-in from local people.

As of 31 December 2021, 22 local planning authorities (7%) do not have an adopted local plan (under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004). Most are at an advanced stage of preparing plans: 12 have submitted their plan for examination in public; and 1 has had the plan found sound following examination and is expected to vote on adopting it shortly. The authorities that have no plan in place are:

Amber Valley

Ashfield

Basildon

Brentwood

Bury

Calderdale

Castle Point

Eastleigh

Epping Forest

Liverpool

Medway

North Hertfordshire

Northumberland

Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation

Salford

St Albans

Tameside

Uttlesford

Welwyn Hatfield

Windsor and Maidenhead

Wirral

York

20th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has for further Town Deals in addition to the (a) Towns Fund and (b) Future High Street programmes.

I am delighted that Blackpool in my Honourable friend’s constituency is one of the initial places that yesterday had its Town Deal offer announced for a transformative funding package worth up to £39.5 million. This Town Deal will help give a new lease of life to much loved tourist attractions as well as supporting the local business community to grow and thrive.

My officials are continuing to review Blackpool’s Future High Street Fund bid and I hope to make an announcement later in the Autumn.

In due course we will bring forward a further competitive round of the Towns Fund, building on lessons learned from the first Town Deals and Future High Streets Fund. We want to make sure that more places can benefit from investment that will improve our towns and high streets and drive long-term economic growth.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will announce when businesses that are currently closed under covid-19 restrictions in (a) Blackpool and (b) the UK may open again.

To reduce social contact and the spread of infection, the Government previously ordered certain businesses and venues to close to members of the public across England. This list of closures was in line with advice from medical professionals. Though there has been tragic loss of life, thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of the British people, the UK has slowed the spread of Coronavirus.

Following earlier easements in May and June, as part of Step Three of the government’s plan to return life to as near normal as we can, further businesses and venues were allowed to open from 4, 11 and 13 July.

Certain premises have been required to remain closed beyond 13 July, due to the higher risk of infection in those premises. The Prime Minister gave an oral statement on 17 July to set out the next chapter in the UK’s Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. From 25 July, subject to assessment of the evidence at the time regarding the rates of transmission, it is proposed that sports facilities and venues, such as indoor gyms, fitness and dance studios, indoor swimming pools and indoor facilities at water parks will be permitted to open.

From 1 August, subject to assessment of the evidence at the time regarding the rates of transmission, it is proposed that most remaining leisure settings, including bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks, and casinos will be permitted to reopen.

The venues where people are likely to be very close to each other and are particularly challenging to reopen in a safe way at the present time due to the high transmission risk, will be required to remain closed after 1 August. This includes nightclubs, soft play areas, and sexual entertainment venues. These will be kept under review.

The COVID-19 recovery strategy applies to England only. The Devolved Administrations are making their own assessments about the lifting of measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

16th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new (a) houses and (b) social houses have been constructed in Blackpool in each year since 2011.

The number of new homes built by local authority area since 2012-13 is published in Live Table 123, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-net-supply-of-housing.

The number of new affordable homes by local authority area, type (new build or acquisition) and tenure (e.g. social rent) since 1991-92 is published in Live Table 1011, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply.

24th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from the (a) Chief Executive of Blackpool Council and (b) Leader of Blackpool Council on (i) the local government finance settlement and (ii) Government funding of local authorities.

There is no record of written representations or correspondence from either the Chief Executive of Blackpool Council or the Leader of Blackpool Council on the local government finance settlement or Government funding of local authorities. However, I can confirm that through this year’s Local Government Finance Settlement, Blackpool’s spending power will increase by £8.5 million, or 6.4 per cent since 2019-20.

28th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of anti-Semitic incidents recorded in the North West in each of the last 10 years.

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, which is why we are taking a strong lead in tackling it in all its forms.

We recognise that there has been an increase in antisemitic incidents across the country. Home Office Official Statistics for hate crime, which report police recorded data, show that 18% of religiously motivated hatred was directed towards Jews, compared with 12 per cent in 2017/18. [‘Hate Crime, England and Wales, 2018 to 2019’ (Oct, 2019)].

We are also aware that Greater Manchester had the highest number of antisemitic incidents outside Greater London over last 10 years (2008-2018) according to the Community Security Trust, who are one of our key partners in tackling antisemitism and the main body reporting on the number of incidents each year.

That is why we became the first country in the world to adopt the working definition of antisemitism as set by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. We are making sure the police record hate crimes disaggregated by faith and our refreshed Hate Crime Action Plan reaffirms our commitment to combating antisemitism. We are working with partner organisations across England to make sure Jewish communities feel safe and are pressing for public sector institutions to adopt the IHRA definition.

14th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he is providing support to local authorities to mark the day on which the UK leaves the EU by (a) flying the Union flag from civic buildings and (b) holding civic events; and if he will make a statement.

Flags are a very British way of expressing joy and pride – they are emotive symbols which can boost local and national identities and strengthen community cohesion. There will be many who wish to mark our departure from the European Union on 31 January. The Government stands ready to work with local authorities and others up and down the country, to help them mark this important moment in our national history.

21st Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the effectiveness of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 in bringing prosecutions against (a) abusive partners and (b) traffickers who have coerced women into having an abortion.

It is important that the law protects those who may be coerced into having an abortion. Section 58 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 (use of poison or instrument to cause a miscarriage) can be used to prosecute those who coerce a woman to have an abortion. In addition, section 1 of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, which deals with late term abortions in England and Wales, makes it an offence for any person, with intent to destroy the life of a child which is capable of being born alive, to cause the death of that child unless it can be proved that the act was done to preserve the life of the woman.

Decisions to prosecute a person for a criminal offence in England and Wales are a matter for the independent CPS, who take into account both the evidence available and whether it is in the public interest to pursue a prosecution under the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
14th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department's policy is on decriminalising abortion after 24 weeks.

The Government maintains a neutral stance in terms of changing the criminal law relating to abortion in England and Wales.

Any change to the law in this area would be a matter of conscience for individual Parliamentarians rather than for the Government.

Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the estimated cost to the public purse of pursuing criminal charges against people for non payment of the TV license in the last year for which figures are available.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Mike Freer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
22nd Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what additional funding his Department has provided to Blackpool on schemes to discourage young people from committing crime.

Blackpool Youth Offending Team received the following sums from the Ministry of Justice in each of the last three years: £435k (anticipated allocation for 2022/23), £396k (2021/22), £365k (2020/21).

5th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure that more separation and divorce proceedings are resolved through mediation rather than the family courts system.

Divorce and dissolution are a fundamental change of legal status that may have implications for people’s rights and responsibilities, for matters such as property and inheritance, and for the families involved. Since the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857, divorce has always been a court process and only the court can legally end a marriage.

However, divorcing couples can use family mediation to reach agreement about the arrangements for any children and for dividing their financial assets, rather than asking the court to decide these matters.

This government is committed to supporting more families to resolve issues such as these through mediation, where appropriate. On 26 March 2021, a £1m Family Mediation Voucher Scheme was launched by the MoJ, to encourage and better support families to use mediation and resolve disputes outside of court.

The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is currently available in private law children cases where there are no safeguarding concerns and the case is deemed suitable for mediation. The scheme will offer over 2,000 families a financial contribution of up to £500 towards their mediation costs, giving these families the opportunity to resolve their disputes with the assistance of a trained mediator.

We are closely monitoring the uptake and impact of the scheme and are actively considering what more could be done to encourage parties to consider mediation as an alternative to court, including better signposting of mediation as part of the implementation of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020.

Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
21st Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to review the effectiveness of the right to (a) freedom of expression under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and (b) receive information under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

The UK is committed to protecting and respecting human rights. We have a longstanding tradition of ensuring rights and liberties are protected domestically and of fulfilling our international human rights obligations.

The Government is committed to upholding the right to freedom of expression. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides a right of access to recorded information held by UK public authorities. We have no plans for a review of these rights.

Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
27th Jan 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what statistics his Department holds on hate crime.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information regarding prosecutions, convictions and sentencing for hate crime offences specifically defined in legislation, i.e. ‘racially or religiously aggravated’ offences. The court outcomes for these offences can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802314/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2018.xlsx

(using the pivot table, filter by ‘Offence’ for offences starting with ‘racially or religiously aggravated…’ and select all that appear).

Other hate crime offences are prosecuted under the specific offence in legislation that they fall under and the ‘hate’ element is an aggravating factor in that crime rather than the offence itself but these cannot be separately identified in the data.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
18th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on supporting pregnant women in Northern Ireland who have decided to keep their babies since 21 October 2019.

Maternity and prenatal health is a devolved matter for Northern Ireland.

The Government recognises the importance of consulting with experts, counselling and other support services to support women and girls through any difficult decisions. This will be a matter for the Department of Health to take forward as part of its commissioning of abortion as a new healthcare service, once the regulations are laid in the UK Parliament shortly.

9th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support and (b) promote the Ulster-Scots cultural heritage in communities throughout Northern Ireland.

The devolved administration in Northern Ireland is primarily responsible for supporting and promoting languages, including Ulster-Scots. The New Decade, New Approach agreement contains important commitments for the Northern Ireland Executive to progress on supporting and promoting Ulster-Scots language and culture.

In reserved areas, such as broadcasting, the Government is committed to supporting Ulster- Scots as appropriate, and has ensured that the BBC Framework Agreement includes a specific clause which provides a clear commitment for the BBC to continue to deliver output in Ulster- Scots, and provides funding for the Ulster-Scots Broadcasting Fund (USBF).

The Government has also itself committed, under the New Decade, New Approach agreement, to supporting discussions with NI Screen to explore how the remit of the Ulster USBF can be broadened, and will increase funding to reflect any broadened remit. The Government will also, under the New Decade, New Approach agreement, work to recognise Ulster-Scots as a national minority under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

17th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of potential opportunities for the Welsh nuclear industry under the UK Energy Security Strategy.

The British Energy Security Strategy will speed up the UK’s nuclear programme and recognises the strength of Wylfa as a nuclear site. The Secretary of State for Wales and the Business Secretary recently chose the Wylfa site to announce the £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund, which will unlock and accelerate new nuclear technologies.

David T C Davies
Secretary of State for Wales
16th Sep 2020
What progress his Department has made on City and Growth deals in Wales.

The City and Growth Deals are progressing well. Cardiff has several exciting projects in the pipeline and I was pleased to approve and visit Swansea Bay’s Pembroke Dock Marine and see the progress on Swansea’s Digital District for myself. North Wales’ Full Deal Agreement and Mid Wales’ Head of Terms are also expected by the end of the year.

David T C Davies
Secretary of State for Wales
22nd Apr 2020
What steps his Department is taking to strengthen economic links between Wales and the North West of England.

I met with the leaders of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board, Programme Director Alwen Williams and the Business Advisory Board on 12 March, before the covid-19 crisis, where I discussed the opportunities that will be created by the North Wales Growth Deal to build on the already significant cross-border economic activity that exists between Northeast Wales and the Northwest of England.

David T C Davies
Secretary of State for Wales
15th Jan 2020
What steps he is taking to help strengthen the Union.

As the new Secretary of State for Wales I am wholeheartedly committed to strengthening the Union and to working hand in hand with Welsh Government colleagues.

I have already met with the First Minister and a number of Welsh Ministers to discuss how we can work together to maximise the opportunities of EU exit and support the Welsh economy.

Simon Hart
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)