Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to bring together islands from across the UK to discuss shared challenges.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Islands are distinct and vital parts of the United Kingdom. The Islands Forum was established to empower island communities to communicate with government, inform future policy, and work together. I am delighted the fourth forum will be meeting on Ynys Môn next month and I’m looking forward to joining her there.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in waterways.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has been working with the Environment Agency, the UK Health Security Agency, and others, to trial methods for detecting and quantifying antibiotic resistant bacteria in 3 river catchments in England as part of the PATHSAFE programme. The work involved sampling river waters at sites along the length of each river and subject to different land uses and potential sources of resistant bacteria. This work is still in progress, although the Environment Agency has already published some of the preparatory aspects and will publish further reports in the coming months.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme 2023 on (a) UK food security and (b) associated agribusinesses.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of the design of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) we have made both qualitative and quantitative assessments of the impact actions will have on food production and as such food security. Long term food security and agribusiness viability relies on farming becoming more sustainable and SFI is designed to support farmers in this. Many SFI actions are undertaken alongside agricultural operations and do not require land be taken out of production. Some actions within SFI are likely to take small areas of often marginally productive land out of production, lowering overall output for the farm in the short term. In the longer term this is likely to be offset by long term improvements in soil health and pollinator abundance which will support increased yields. Some actions in SFI will also reduce the need for fertilisers or pesticides leading to lower inputs and higher productivity. We have further schemes within the farming and countryside programme including for example the Farming Resilience Fund, the Farming Investment Fund and the Farming Innovation Programme which will further help to improve farm productivity in line with the government commitment on food security set out in the food strategy. Innovation funding will help to support and build the agribusiness economy and new opportunities may arise from environmental land management as markets for environmental goods and services are expanded or created.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to (a) develop the tidal stream ringfence and (b) work with industry on this resource.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is undertaking analysis of the technology pipeline available for Contracts for Difference Auction Round 6 against our legal obligation to ensure the auction round is competitive. We are considering the appropriate parameters for all technologies, including tidal stream.
Final parameters will be published in the Budget Notice in March 2024, ahead of the round opening.
The Department continues to engage with the industry and other stakeholders to maximise opportunities for developing tidal stream in the UK.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) setting a 1GW tidal stream target for 2035 and (b) taking steps to support UK companies bidding for tidal stream contracts (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will continue to review the merits of setting a potential target for tidal stream deployment.
The Department continues to engage with the Department for Business and Trade on maximising private investment opportunities for the tidal stream companies, as well as with the tidal stream industry.
An unprecedented 94MW of tidal stream capacity has been secured through the Contracts for Difference scheme so far, including 11 contracts in the latest round.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if her Department will set a £30m tidal stream ringfence for Allocation Round 6.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is undertaking analysis of the technology pipeline available for Contracts for Difference Auction Round 6 against our legal obligation to ensure the auction round is competitive. We are considering the appropriate parameters for all technologies, including tidal stream. Final parameters will be published in the Budget Notice in March 2024, ahead of the round opening.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the title of Physician Associates to Physician Assistants.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Physician Associate (PA) title has been well established in the United Kingdom since 2014 and the role has been part of the National Health Service workforce for more than twenty years. The title reflects the fact that they are part of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, working together to deliver coordinated patient care.
It is the responsibility of professionals and their employers to ensure professional titles are used appropriately. As set out in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, all healthcare professionals should introduce themselves and explain their role to the patient regardless of their job title, with PAs being no different.
The General Medical Council has published interim standards for PAs in advance of regulation which make it clear that professionals should always introduce their role to patients and set out their responsibilities in the team.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the Welsh Government on the levels of public awareness of (a) the role and (b) competencies of physician associates in the NHS in Wales.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
I have regular discussions with Welsh Government Ministers on a wide range of issues. As a devolved matter, it is for the Welsh Government to consider the operational deployment of the role of physician associates (PAs) within the NHS workforce in Wales.
The UK Government greatly values the work of physician associates (PAs) and is introducing regulation as part of our commitment to the roles and to their place in the multi-disciplinary workforce.
The regulation of PAs which is a reserved matter has been subject to extensive public consultation over several years. Throughout the project, UK Government officials have engaged thoroughly with stakeholders including regulators, the devolved administrations, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, representative bodies and service users in developing the policy behind this legislation. This engagement has been crucial in shaping both UK Government policy intention and the resultant legislation, to ensure that it remains a practical piece of legislation for the benefit of patient safety and registrants.
Regulation will give the GMC responsibility and oversight of PAs, allowing it to take a holistic approach to education, training, and standards. Once regulation commences, GMC guidance will apply to PAs.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Green Taxonomy will recognise (a) advanced biofuels, (b) renewable fuels of non-biological origin and (c) recycled carbon fuels as compliant.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government recognises that renewable, low carbon fuels have potential to play an important role in decarbonising sectors such as heat.
The UK Green Taxonomy will be an important tool to increase transparency in the market, helping to both mobilise private investment into green activities and tackle greenwashing. Developing a usable and useful taxonomy is a complex and technical exercise. The Government continues to work at pace, and expects to publish the Taxonomy consultation shortly. The Government would welcome stakeholder input on criteria for key Net Zero sectors in the upcoming consultation.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to encourage green investment in the production of renewable liquid gases for decarbonising off-grid (a) homes and (b) businesses unsuitable for a heat pump.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 5 September 2023, during Parliamentary debates on the Energy Act, the Government committed to exploring the potential of renewable liquid fuels – including renewable liquid gases - for heat by issuing a consultation within 12 months.
The Government has also taken powers in the Energy Act to impose obligations on heating fuel suppliers to increase the supply of renewable liquid heating fuels, should that be necessary.