Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the policy of the Pensions Regulator for using the term "gender" in place of the Equality Act 2010's terms of (1) "sex", and (2) "gender reassignment" in its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR’s) strategy is wide-ranging, to ensure that it is fully inclusive and includes groups beyond the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, that encompass sex and gender reassignment. TPR uses ‘gender’ as was defined by the Office of National Statistics at the time the strategy was published, and will review their EDI Policy at the point of strategy refresh or when ONS issue new guidance, if earlier.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
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 with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of healthcare provision in HMP Wandsworth.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
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 improve the quality of healthcare provision across the prison estate.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of official statistics published by the Department for Transport on 26 September which show that there were 1,387 casualties in collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain in 2023, and that there were six deaths; and what weight they give to these statistics when considering legalising the use of private e-scooters on public roads.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This Government takes road safety very seriously and reducing those killed and injured on our roads is a key priority.
The Department is looking to better understand the safety of e-scooters. That is why we have extended the rental e-scooter trials for a further two years, to 31 May 2026, and commissioned a second national evaluation of the trials to expand the evidence base on e-scooter safety.
We are carefully considering how micromobility can help to deliver our transport objectives safely, including the possibility of legislation on e-scooters. The Government will consult before making any legislative changes and will consider the full range of evidence on e-scooter safety, including road safety statistics.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 8 of the Network Rail publication entitled 2022 Delivery Plan Update: North West and Central, published in May 2022, what was the outturn proportion of investment milestones that were missed in that region in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24; and what were the investment milestones that were missed in that region by each item in (i) 2022-23 and (ii) 2023-24.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There were no milestones missed for (a) Financial Year 22/23. For (b) 23/24, the outturn as a percentage for missed milestones was 2%. The two missed milestones were:
· Worcester Shrub Hill Canopies, which was the delivery of the scope of buildings work
The programme was delayed by site access and safety issues, including visibility of signals and the scope of works was increased as the assets were in a worse condition than anticipated.
· The Three Arch bridge between Cuddington and Delamere stations, which was a renewal of a 3-span bridge.
Further inspection of the asset showed that it was not in as bad condition as expected and it was deemed an inefficient use of public funds to progress with the work.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade is a newly formed Department established in February 2023. The new department absorbed the functions of the former Department for International Trade (DIT) and some of the functions of the former Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
The amount spent on consultancy by both departments are as follows:
Year | DIT | BEIS |
2021 | £5,782 | £636,000 |
2022 | £380,000 | £587,000 |
2023 | £865,000 | £649,000 |
The Department publishes its annual expenditure on consultancy in its Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of limiting the use of limonene in commercial aerosol products.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The safety of commercial aerosols is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), and other sector specific regulations. GPSR provides a baseline of safety for applicable products, requiring that only safe products, can be sold. Additionally, limonene is also used in cosmetics and is included in the list of restricted ingredients under the UK Cosmetic Regulation.
The government is confident that the current restrictions on limonene are sufficient to ensure that products are safe. However, to ensure that products remain safe, the government keeps the regulatory framework under constant review, including the use of specific chemicals in particular products.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Office for Product Safety and Standards has made an estimate of the number of constructions using (a) Mica, (b) Pyrite and (c) other defective building materials in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Product Safety and Standards was appointed by MHCLG in April 2021 as the national regulator of construction products, overseeing conformity of construction products with designated standards under the Construction Products Regulations 2013. In this role, OPSS has not made any estimates of the number of constructions in Northern Ireland using Mica, Pyrite or defective materials.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) reintroduce maintenance grants and (b) another scheme to support students from low income families with the cost of living.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the RPI All Items Excl Mortgage Interest (RPIX) inflation measure, to ensure more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. In addition, vulnerable groups of students eligible for benefits, such as lone parents and some disabled students, qualify for higher rates of loans for living costs.
The department publishes an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) each year which sets out the impact of changes to student support on students with protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups. We plan to publish an EIA for the 2025/26 academic year early in 2025.
There is much more to do to expand access and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. That is why we have announced that we expect the higher education (HE) sector to do more to support students by working with the government and the Office for Students, and by making the most of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
The government’s longer term plan for HE reform will be set out by summer 2025.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available for students from low-income families.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the RPI All Items Excl Mortgage Interest (RPIX) inflation measure, to ensure more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. In addition, vulnerable groups of students eligible for benefits, such as lone parents and some disabled students, qualify for higher rates of loans for living costs.
The department publishes an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) each year which sets out the impact of changes to student support on students with protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups. We plan to publish an EIA for the 2025/26 academic year early in 2025.
There is much more to do to expand access and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. That is why we have announced that we expect the higher education (HE) sector to do more to support students by working with the government and the Office for Students, and by making the most of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
The government’s longer term plan for HE reform will be set out by summer 2025.