Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve recycling rates.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The collection and packaging reforms as a whole will increase recycling and reduce our reliance on imported and virgin materials. These reforms are estimated to increase the municipal recycling rate in England from around 44% in 2024 to over 55% in 2035, mostly driven by Simpler Recycling.
Simpler Recycling in England will reform the recycling system. Across England, people will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to the confusion over what can and cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.
Under pEPR, producers who pay fees to cover household packaging disposal costs will have their fees modulated (varied) from the second year of pEPR (2026/27). Producers who use unrecyclable packaging (such as polystyrene or black plastic), will have their fees increased, thereby incentivising them to use packaging that can be recycled easily.
The Deposit Return Scheme will complement the other collection and packaging reforms to help drive recycling levels, reduce littering, and promote a circular economy.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which integrated care boards have reimbursed dental practices for up to 110% of General Dental Services contracts.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the 2023/24 financial year, 37 integrated care boards (ICBs) reimbursed at least one dental practice for over 100%, and up to 110%, of their General Dental Services contract value. These ICBs are as follows:
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the two year survival rate for patients with bowel cancer in Walsall; and what assessment he has made of the impact of levels of availability of robotics for cancer operations on that figure.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The Department has not made a specific estimate on the two-year survival rate for patients with bowel cancer in Walsall, however, the Department is focused on improving survival rates for all cancers, and on meeting all National Health Service cancer waiting time targets, so no patient waits longer than they should.
No specific assessment has been made on the impact of the levels of availability of robotics for cancer operations. However, there is a robotic assisted surgery clinical strategy for the Black Country Provider Collaborative which has increased robotic surgery access for all patients in the Black Country, particularly for renal service.
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of robotics capability for cancer operations at Walsall Manor Hospital.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
No specific assessment is planned. There is a robotic assisted surgery clinical strategy for the Black Country Provider Collaborative which has increased robotic surgery access for all patients in the Black Country, particularly for renal service.
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 improve the disparities experienced by those from (a) ethnic minorities, (b) deprived backgrounds and (c) geographically remote locations in accessing a timely diagnosis of blood cancer.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Making improvements across different cancer types is critical to reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the National Health Service’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities.
We recognise there are particular challenges for a number of different populations, particularly for people living in the most deprived areas of the country. As part of our wider strategy on early diagnosis, we are directly targeting our activity at areas we know will make a difference.
The NHS’s Help Us, Help You cancer campaigns increase awareness of cancer symptoms, address barriers, and encourage people to get checked. Some campaigns focus on specific symptoms while others focus on fear as a barrier to help-seeking, which is relevant across all cancer types. The key target audience for these campaigns are people aged 50 year old and over living in more disadvantaged areas, as well as groups more likely to experience health inequalities, such as black and South Asian people.
NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel.
Asked by: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to improve the (a) availability and (b) quality of physical rehabilitation services in Dudley.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that the National Health Service and social care face many challenges, including in the area of physical rehabilitation services. We need to have effective rehabilitation services available when people need them to help them recover and return to their day-to-day activities and regain their quality of life. Physical rehabilitation services are a key element of Dudley’s Better Care Fund (BCF) plan developed by the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. The ICB and the council have jointly commissioned a new Short-Term Assessment and Reablement Service (STARS) designed to support timely discharge from hospital. In addition, health and social care partners in Dudley are developing a comprehensive plan for rehabilitation, reablement and recovery following discharge from hospital.
Asked by: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that people in Dudley have access to improved employment prospects; and what steps she is taking to (a) reduce unemployment and (b) enhance skill development.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Under new leadership the DWP will shift from being a department for welfare to being the department for work. We will create a new jobs and careers service, bringing together Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service.
The service will be focused on helping people get into work and get on at work, not only monitoring and managing benefits claims. For our employment support systems, the outcomes that will matter are higher engagement, higher employment and higher earnings.
Jobcentre teams in Dudley and across the Black Country are supporting people into work and helping those in work to progress to higher paid jobs. We are working with local and national employers to help fill vacancies quickly, delivering Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), recruitment days, and job fairs.
We work closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to shape and deliver the skills offer to residents. The devolved adult education budget forms the basis for our partnership work with discussions around pre-employment training, SWAPs and English for Speakers of Other Languages provision, with input from local Colleges and providers on delivery and plans. The Department is also an integral stakeholder on the West Midlands Local Skills Improvement Plans Delivery Board.
Recent examples of collaboration include Path 2 Apprenticeships, aimed at 19 to 29-year-olds, with Apprenticeship placements in a variety of sectors such as Business Administration, Construction and Hospitality, and an upskilling and recruitment programme, due to be piloted in Coventry, where we are working with employers to address progression and recruitment needs.
We currently have SWAPs linked to vacancies with Midland Metro Ltd as well as jobs in the Social Care, education and HGV sectors.
A recent job fair hosted by Dudley Jobcentre was supported by 20 employers and training providers, including NHS, Betfred, The Army, Edgeview Homes, and Trinity Personnel, and was well attended by jobseekers. The team work closely with Dudley Metropolitan Council and the local NHS to promote their vacancies to residents. Customers with health barriers benefit from additional time with their Work Coach to explore provision available, including the Work and Health Programme and Thrive into Work, and those over 50 have access to a range of support, including the Mid-life MOT with a focus on work, health and pensions.
The Youth Hub in Merry Hill Shopping Centre works with Dudley council to offer bespoke training and support to young people, including Movement to Work. We also offer an outreach service at the Dudley Archives and Local History Centre and the Black Country Skills Shop, working closely with the National Careers Service. This includes partnership work with Dudley Children’s Services to identify care leavers across the borough, offering training and employment opportunities. Our Supporting Families Employer Advisors also work alongside key partners in Dudley to offer a tailored service for families and individuals as a route back into work.
We are working with The Salvation Army to raise awareness of their UK Shared Prosperity Fund provision, which includes employment and volunteering opportunities. Our Schools Advisers work with over 15 secondary schools and colleges across the Dudley area, supporting students to transition into work, training, or further study. The team provide advice on the labour market, traineeships and apprenticeships, and insight into what local employers are looking for.
Asked by: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to reduce health inequalities in Dudley.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
As part of our health mission, the Government is committed to ensuring people live well for longer. This includes tackling the determinants that underpin stark health inequalities, to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.
We are working closely with local Directors of Public Health to ensure the ring-fenced Public Health Grant funds evidence-based activity to improve health and tackle health inequalities. The grant allocated to the Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council for 2024/25 was £23,251,698. In addition, £1,221,970 was allocated to invest in drug misuse services. Dudley is one of 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation receiving funding to improve outcomes for families with babies as part of the £300 million Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme.
We are also working alongside NHS England Midlands and the Black Country Integrated Care System to support a range of local initiatives and to embed the Core20PLUS5 approach, focused on clinical areas with the most need of accelerated improvement in the poorest 20% of the population and other underserved population groups identified locally. Work also continues with the West Midlands Combined Authority to take forward a health in all policies approach across the wider determinants of health.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of monopodial bamboo on the UK's native flora and fauna.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The “bamboo” family is a collection of more than 1500 species, some of which are considered invasive.
The Government is aware that, if left uncontrolled, bamboo can in some cases become challenging to manage. It is advised that a physical barrier is used to prevent the uncontrolled spread of bamboo. Where the growth of bamboo poses an issue, the Government recommends that this is addressed by cooperation between owners and affected parties.
Whilst the Government recognises that many bamboo species are vigorous and fast-growing, they are not currently thought to pose a significant threat to wildlife or to socio-economic interests nationally. Defra utilises horizon scanning exercises to identify potentially invasive species. As a result, a risk assessment of Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) was recently undertaken, however this showed the species to be of low risk to the country and therefore no further action was taken.
Although the Government are not currently considering changing the legal status of one, or any, of the species of bamboo currently found in Great Britain, we keep matters such as these under review and continue to carry out horizon scanning and risk assessments for potential threats.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to restrict the planting of monopodial bamboo.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The “bamboo” family is a collection of more than 1500 species, some of which are considered invasive.
The Government is aware that, if left uncontrolled, bamboo can in some cases become challenging to manage. It is advised that a physical barrier is used to prevent the uncontrolled spread of bamboo. Where the growth of bamboo poses an issue, the Government recommends that this is addressed by cooperation between owners and affected parties.
Whilst the Government recognises that many bamboo species are vigorous and fast-growing, they are not currently thought to pose a significant threat to wildlife or to socio-economic interests nationally. Defra utilises horizon scanning exercises to identify potentially invasive species. As a result, a risk assessment of Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) was recently undertaken, however this showed the species to be of low risk to the country and therefore no further action was taken.
Although the Government are not currently considering changing the legal status of one, or any, of the species of bamboo currently found in Great Britain, we keep matters such as these under review and continue to carry out horizon scanning and risk assessments for potential threats.