Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve Care Quality Commission processing times for the registration of care providers in (a) England and (b) Leicester East constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.
Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.
The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.
The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the Care Quality Commission’s registration process times; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of those processing times on the (a) capacity and (b) continuity of care services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.
Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.
The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.
The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the timeliness of Care Quality Commission processing of applications for registration as (a) care providers and (b) registered managers in (i) England and (ii) Leicester East constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.
Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.
The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.
The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the National Institute for Health and Care Research will report on its evaluation into the Sickle Cell Disorder Emergency Department Bypass Unit pilots.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS England pilot (Oct 2023 - July 2025) is being independently evaluated by the Rapid Service Evaluation Team (REVAL), which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and based at the University of Manchester. Preliminary findings are due in September 2025, with full results in December 2025.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the compliance of the BBC’s closure of Asian Network News with its (a) service agreement and (b) Charter duties to reflect diverse communities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters, including how it engages and reflects listeners in the UK. However, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and it is solely responsible for all editorial, budgetary and scheduling decisions.
Ofcom as independent regulator, is required to set the regulatory conditions it considers appropriate for requiring the BBC to fulfil its Mission and promote the Public Purposes. It does this through setting an Operating Licence. The BBC is responsible for complying with its Operating Licence requirements, and Ofcom monitors and reports annually on the BBC’s performance and its compliance with its licence conditions.
In October 2024, BBC News announced plans to make changes to some of its services, including closing the Asian Network’s bespoke news service. The BBC did not require Ofcom’s approval to close it because all budgetary and editorial decisions remain the responsibility of the BBC Board. However, in April 2025 the BBC submitted a request to change its news and current affairs quota on BBC Asian Network from 1,224 hours to 675 hours per financial year in the Operating Licence.
On 29 May 2025 Ofcom consulted on this request, and in that consultation Ofcom set out its provisional view that it is minded to approve the change, recognising changing audience habits. Ofcom will announce its final decision in due course.
The Government does not hold information about whether the BBC conducted a race equality impact assessment ahead of closing the Asian Network News Service.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Ofcom approval was sought before the BBC announced the closure of Asian Network News; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of seeking retrospective approval.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters, including how it engages and reflects listeners in the UK. However, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and it is solely responsible for all editorial, budgetary and scheduling decisions.
Ofcom as independent regulator, is required to set the regulatory conditions it considers appropriate for requiring the BBC to fulfil its Mission and promote the Public Purposes. It does this through setting an Operating Licence. The BBC is responsible for complying with its Operating Licence requirements, and Ofcom monitors and reports annually on the BBC’s performance and its compliance with its licence conditions.
In October 2024, BBC News announced plans to make changes to some of its services, including closing the Asian Network’s bespoke news service. The BBC did not require Ofcom’s approval to close it because all budgetary and editorial decisions remain the responsibility of the BBC Board. However, in April 2025 the BBC submitted a request to change its news and current affairs quota on BBC Asian Network from 1,224 hours to 675 hours per financial year in the Operating Licence.
On 29 May 2025 Ofcom consulted on this request, and in that consultation Ofcom set out its provisional view that it is minded to approve the change, recognising changing audience habits. Ofcom will announce its final decision in due course.
The Government does not hold information about whether the BBC conducted a race equality impact assessment ahead of closing the Asian Network News Service.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on whether the BBC conducted a race equality impact assessment prior to the decision to close Asian Network News.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters, including how it engages and reflects listeners in the UK. However, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and it is solely responsible for all editorial, budgetary and scheduling decisions.
Ofcom as independent regulator, is required to set the regulatory conditions it considers appropriate for requiring the BBC to fulfil its Mission and promote the Public Purposes. It does this through setting an Operating Licence. The BBC is responsible for complying with its Operating Licence requirements, and Ofcom monitors and reports annually on the BBC’s performance and its compliance with its licence conditions.
In October 2024, BBC News announced plans to make changes to some of its services, including closing the Asian Network’s bespoke news service. The BBC did not require Ofcom’s approval to close it because all budgetary and editorial decisions remain the responsibility of the BBC Board. However, in April 2025 the BBC submitted a request to change its news and current affairs quota on BBC Asian Network from 1,224 hours to 675 hours per financial year in the Operating Licence.
On 29 May 2025 Ofcom consulted on this request, and in that consultation Ofcom set out its provisional view that it is minded to approve the change, recognising changing audience habits. Ofcom will announce its final decision in due course.
The Government does not hold information about whether the BBC conducted a race equality impact assessment ahead of closing the Asian Network News Service.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to discuss the closure of Asian Network News with the BBC Director-General.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters, including how it engages and reflects listeners in the UK. However, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and it is solely responsible for all editorial, budgetary and scheduling decisions.
Ofcom as independent regulator, is required to set the regulatory conditions it considers appropriate for requiring the BBC to fulfil its Mission and promote the Public Purposes. It does this through setting an Operating Licence. The BBC is responsible for complying with its Operating Licence requirements, and Ofcom monitors and reports annually on the BBC’s performance and its compliance with its licence conditions.
In October 2024, BBC News announced plans to make changes to some of its services, including closing the Asian Network’s bespoke news service. The BBC did not require Ofcom’s approval to close it because all budgetary and editorial decisions remain the responsibility of the BBC Board. However, in April 2025 the BBC submitted a request to change its news and current affairs quota on BBC Asian Network from 1,224 hours to 675 hours per financial year in the Operating Licence.
On 29 May 2025 Ofcom consulted on this request, and in that consultation Ofcom set out its provisional view that it is minded to approve the change, recognising changing audience habits. Ofcom will announce its final decision in due course.
The Government does not hold information about whether the BBC conducted a race equality impact assessment ahead of closing the Asian Network News Service.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54068 on Housing: Contracts, what guidance her Department has issued to contractors on Bed Space Size in relation to accommodation contracts.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
None.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data on (a) occupancy levels and (b) property capacity is provided to her Department by accommodation providers under Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Occupancy and Capacity are not terms defined within asylum accommodation contracts. Data on the number of individuals occupying asylum accommodation is published in the quarterly migration statistics.