Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his UN counterparts on the potential merits of creating a UN Convention on the rights of older persons.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is committed to equality and opportunity for all, with a particular focus on those most likely to be marginalised and discriminated against, including on the grounds of their age. We are open in principle to the idea of a multilateral instrument dedicated to the human rights of older people and will continue to play a constructive role in discussions on this issue at the UN and other relevant fora. UK officials continue to discuss the issue with international counterparts.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will amend the Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 to include siblings and parents in the entitlement to claim compensation in respect of deceased person criteria.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 provides for a redress scheme for victims who suffered abuse while resident in these institutions in Northern Ireland.
The legislation was put in place by the previous UK Government due to the prolonged absence of the Northern Ireland Assembly during that period. As a devolved matter, however, it was drafted by The Executive Office, which is now responsible for administering the Scheme. The Executive Office is therefore the appropriate department to which the Honourable Member for Lagan Valley should direct her query.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings of the Motor Insurance Taskforce have taken place; and when the next meeting will take place.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024. The Government will provide updates on the Taskforce’s work in due course.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and (b) Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of that plan in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out how we will achieve our AI ambitions by laying the foundations for AI growth, driving adoption and building UK capability at the frontier. The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology engaged with Northern Ireland’s Ministerial representatives about the Action Plan. We will continue to engage widely as government takes the Action Plan forward.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to create a visa scheme for Palestinians that is similar to the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK and do not have a current UK visa can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. There are no plans to create a bespoke family reunion scheme at this stage.
Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa.
We will accept applications, which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living, at any of the UK’s Visa Application Centres.
Visa Application Centres are open and operating in Egypt, in both Cairo and Alexandria, and Amman in Jordan.
The FCDO is also providing consular assistance to those with British nationality, or dual nationality including British, who are in Gaza or who have left Gaza to a third country. Dual national British-Palestinians are not required to make a visa application as they have the right of abode in the UK. Our embassy staff are ready to provide support as appropriate.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of blood cancer data.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Disease Registration Service, through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Services (NCRAS), collects information on how many people in England are diagnosed with or treated for cancer. Blood cancer is included as a distinct category, labelled haematological neoplasms. This creates a clinically rich data resource that is used to measure diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with cancer. The data held by the NCRAS supports service provision and commissioning in the National Health Service, clinical audits, and public health and epidemiological research, all of which contribute to improved outcomes for those diagnosed with cancer, including those with blood cancer. The information is available at the following link:
https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/
National Disease Registration Service analysts attend quarterly meetings with United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Cancer Registries analysts to discuss any differences in the reporting of cancer data and how these can be made analogous. Annual performance indicators, including key performance indicators for haematology, are available at the following link:
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Department of Health and Social Care's press release entitled Biggest investment into hospices in a generation, published on 19 December 2024, whether any Barnett consequentials will be made available for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Barnett formula applies to all increases or decreases to UK Government Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL).
As this funding for adult and children’s hospices is being re-allocated from within existing Department of Health and Social Care budgets there will be no additional Barnett consequentials for the devolved governments. The Barnett formula has already been applied to funding previously allocated at Autumn Budget 2024.
The Northern Ireland Executive’s block grant funding is growing in real terms in 2025-26 and the Executive’s spending review settlement for 2025-26 is the largest in real terms of any settlement since devolution. The Northern Ireland Executive will receive over 24% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK in 2025-26, including the 2024 Northern Ireland Executive restoration financial package. That translates into over £2.5 billion more in 2025-26.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many departmental bids have been (a) received and (b) approved by the Northern Ireland Public Sector Transformation Board.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Following the establishment of an Interim Public Sector Transformation Board in May 2024, the interim Board ran a process to consider the 47 proposals which were received from Northern Ireland Departments.
The Interim Board has recommended several proposals to the Northern Ireland Minister of Finance which it considers have the greatest potential to deliver real transformation and service improvement across a number of Executive priority areas in the draft Programme for Government.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce inequalities of care for blood cancer patients.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 October 2024 to Question 5808.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support British-based businesses to appoint a responsible person under the General Product Safety Regulations to access to Northern Ireland and EU markets.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is supporting small businesses to understand and comply with the new General Product Safety Regulation.
We have published guidance on the new Regulation in Northern Ireland, which we will keep under review, and we are continuing to engage directly with businesses, including through regular drop-in sessions. Firms exporting to the EU should note that EU guidance is now available and may also wish to contact the Government’s Export Support Service.