Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS ambulances are equipped with an MHRA approved anti-choking device.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
At present, 'anti-choking' devices have not been adopted into routine National Health Service ambulance practice, as the current evidence base and national clinical guidance do not support their use over established techniques. As such, they are not included within standard ambulance equipment specifications.
Ambulance crews are equipped with a comprehensive range of airway management tools, including suction, oxygen, bag-valve-mask ventilation, airway adjuncts, both oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal, and, at a paramedic level, supraglottic airway devices, laryngoscopy, with the potential use of Magill forceps for removal of visible foreign bodies, and intubation equipment where appropriate. These enable clinicians to manage airway obstruction safely and in line with current clinical standards.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Ambulance call handlers are required to have working knowledge of (a) What Three Words and (b) the NATO phonetic alphabet.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is no national requirement for ambulance call handlers to have working knowledge of What3Words or the NATO phonetic alphabet, as responsibility for delivering and implementing training to call handlers on use of What3Words and the NATO phonetic alphabet sits with individual ambulance services.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministerial private offices are small teams whose composition varies by Minister and portfolio. Private secretaries are paid in line with Civil Service pay frameworks, with contractual hours set out in individual contracts. The Department does not hold data on turnover for individual private offices.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on a) turnover rates within Royal Navy catering services, b) the quality of food provided in messes, and c) sales receipts in mess facilities of returning responsibility for cooking and catering at shore‑based establishments to the Catering Services branch; and whether he has estimated the cost of phasing in such changes over time.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Royal Navy continuously reviews the catering provision provided to Service personnel to ensure this meets the standards expected. Recent initiatives have been introduced to further enhance nutrition, consistency, and customer satisfaction. There are currently no plans for the catering provision provide to shore-based establishments to be delivered by the Catering Services branch.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether police and fire call handlers are required to have working knowledge of (a) What Three Words and (b) the NATO phonetic alphabet.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Police Call Handlers are not required to have working knowledge of What Three Words and the Nato Phonetic Alphabet. This is an operational matter for Chief Constables.
For matters regarding the Fire Service, I would direct my Rt Hon friend to the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for fire policy.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vehicles are part of the Land Rover WOLF fleet.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I can confirm that as of 19 March 2026, there are 5,826 platforms in-service in the Land Rover WOLF fleet. This figure includes those in the active fleet and those in or awaiting to commence the disposal process.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMT ministerial private offices hire an average 6.5 FTE per office. Staff are appointed at grades: AO, EO, HEO, SEO, G7, G6 and Deputy Director. Contracted working hours for these staff members are 37 hours per week.
Staff salaries for the appointed grades are typically between £26,200 - £117,800. Designated posts may also benefit from Private Office Allowance.
The average staff turnover over the last 3 years was between 20-30%, which can include staff on loans to HMT returning to their home departments, or individuals leaving to other government departments, including on promotion.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Questions 118252, 118255 and 118258, for what reason the College of Policing and Independent Office for Police Conduct have not met their statutory obligation to respond within 56 days to the Prevention of Future Deaths reports of Oladeji Omishore, Sean Fitzgerald and Ashley Crews.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer my Honourable friend to the response published on 19 March and suggest that he consider writing to the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct concerning their statutory obligations to respond to the respective coroners who published the PFD reports in these cases.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department seeks feedback from military personnel on the catering service provided by Sodexo.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence actively seeks and acts upon the feedback from Military Personnel regarding catering services provided by Sodexo.
Military Personnel are able to submit feedback by scanning site QR codes displayed on tables, using digital feedback applications, or through established local engagement channels. Additionally, each catering facility maintains a comments and suggestions book, which is regularly reviewed.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to adopt a similar policy as the United States' Navy’s No Sailor Lives Afloat Initiative.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy already employs a range of measures to support work‑life balance and to minimise the need for personnel to live on board when ships are in harbour, including the use of shore‑side accommodation, flexible duty arrangements, and planned maintenance periods designed to maximise time ashore. These arrangements are kept under continuous review to ensure they meet operational requirements and the wellbeing needs of Service personnel.