Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the availability of Great British Insulation scheme grants for loft insulation to properties in Council Tax Band E.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is not a government-funded grant scheme but an obligation on larger energy suppliers to support eligible households in the least energy-efficient homes by installing insulation measures. Support is offered to households in Council Tax bands A-D in England and A-E in Scotland and Wales, based on property values from 1991 in England and Scotland, and 2003 in Wales. These Council Tax bands capture a similar proportion of homes in each nation and serve as a proxy for income, ensuring the scheme proportionately captures low- to mid-income households. GBIS will be reviewed as part of the Warm Homes Plan and lessons from GBIS will inform future schemes, with decisions communicated to industry and the public.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the requirement in the Economic and Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 to publish full lists of shareholders on (a) survivors of domestic abuse who own shares in private residential property management companies as a by-product of owning their own home and (b) shareholders in private residential property management companies who cannot afford the cost of applying to have their details redacted.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Requiring certain companies to provide a one-time full shareholder list will allow Companies House to present shareholder information that is already displayed on the register in a more user-friendly way.
The Government aims to strike the right balance between transparency and privacy. New measures will enable those whose details appear on the register (including people at increased risk of harm such as domestic abuse survivors) to apply to have more personal information protected from public disclosure than currently possible. Any fees payable will adhere to HM Treasury’s cost recovery principles.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will offer provisionally registered status to overseas-qualified dentists.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2024, the Department carried out a consultation on introducing legislation that would give the General Dental Council (GDC) powers to provisionally register overseas-qualified dentists who have not yet met the GDC’s requirements for full registration. Dentists that meet our high standards should be able to enter the workforce efficiently.
Further information on the consultation is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/provisional-registration-for-overseas-qualified-dentists
We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions and we are considering whether to proceed with the proposal to introduce provisional registration. Our position on this proposal will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral answer of 20 January 2025 from the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution on Local Government Reorganisation: Devon, Official Report columns 720-721, whether (a) the reorganisation of district councils and (b) other local government reorganisation is optional.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The question in the House was taken in relation to the current applications to join the Devolution Priority Programme. As stated in the House this allows for areas to put forward locally led proposals on both devolution and local government reorganisation. We are very pleased with the level of interest and can confirm again that no area was required to submit proposals by government.
Beyond the Devolution Priority Programme the English Devolution White Paper sets out our priorities in reorganisation where we believe there are clear efficiencies which can redirect resources to frontline services, and this will need to align to the reforms to local government funding. We will expect all two tier areas and smaller or failing unitaries to develop proposals for reorganisation.
We will take a phased approach to delivery, taking into account where reorganisation can unlock devolution, where areas are keen to proceed at pace or where it can help address wider failings. However, we are clear that reorganisation should not slow down devolution, and plans for both should be complementary. We will deliver this process as quickly as possible including through legislation where it becomes necessary to ensure progress.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 potential impact on (a) cashflow, (b) income and (c) patient access to medication of practices of receiving re-imbursement monthly rather than quarterly for each prescription submitted.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Contractors are already paid monthly. The full payment timetable for community pharmacy contractors is detailed in Clause 5C Part I of the Drug Tariff, and on the Schedule of Payments that contractors receive each month.
In 2021, in recognition of the improved automation of the claims process, the timing of the advanced payment was brought forward by 20 days to improve cash flow.
Contractors receive an advance payment early in the month. This covers an estimate of the full income from claims submitted for the previous month. A reconciliation payment follows two months later, when all the claims have been fully processed.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many requests she has granted from local authorities to postpone elections set for May 2025.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A number of councils have responded to my letter of 16 December, making requests involving postponement of their May 2025 elections. A list of those councils can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-reorganisation-letter-to-two-tier-areas.
In my letter I set out that requests will only be considered where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. A decision will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the total cost of the Government's plans for local authority re-organisation.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The English Devolution White Paper sets out the overall case for local government reorganisation, including referencing the 2020 PwC report, “Evaluating the importance of scale in proposals for local government reorganisation”, for the County Councils Network, which estimated that reorganisation of the then 25 two-tier areas to a single unitary structure would have a one-off cost of £400 million, with the potential to realise £2.9 billion over 5 years, with an annual post-implementation net recurring saving of £700 million.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on what date the Government will inform councils on its decision on postponing local elections.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A decision on the requests made by councils to postpone local elections will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible. As set out in my letter of 16 December, these requests will only be considered where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase the effectiveness safeguards for people with mental health conditions when engaging with the benefits system.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All customer-facing DWP colleagues are undertaking mandatory mental health awareness training to better support claimants who may present with mental health issues. All colleagues also have access to a wide range of guidance and signposting to help support customers. Where further specialist help is required, DWP has a national network of Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders who can provide additional advice and support through the local networks they have built with external partners and organisations.
Additionally, through the national DWP Visiting Service, the department provides additional face-to-face support across all service lines to customers who cannot access DWP services in any other way. A visit can be arranged for a customer if they need extra help to claim benefits, for example because they have complex needs, are disabled, are a vulnerable young person making a claim for the first time, have nobody else to support them or cannot claim benefits in any other way.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to allow optometrists to share scan data directly with consultants, in the context of patient waiting times.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is testing how improving digital connectivity between primary care optometry and secondary care will allow optometrists to share diagnostic images and receive advice and guidance from specialists. This will enable more patients to be managed in the community, reducing the need for patients to be referred, and for those needing a referral to the hospital eye service, this could reduce the need for repeat diagnostics.
This approach aims to free up secondary eye care capacity and improve clinic efficiency, so specialists can prioritise patients needing specialist input on ophthalmology waiting lists.