Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the proposed statutory guidance on the implementation of low traffic neighbourhoods will apply to existing trial schemes.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department's statutory guidance on implementing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) will apply to new and existing LTN schemes once it is published in final form this summer. Its purpose is to set out the Department’s expectations for comprehensive local engagement; both before new schemes are implemented, and on an ongoing basis for existing schemes. This is to ensure the needs of communities and road users are properly considered.
The Department will not support LTNs unless they are designed and delivered in line with the eventual, finalised statutory guidance; and reserves the right to take further action if local authorities do not follow it.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the powers of the Financial Ombudsman Service to require companies to pay compensation to customers.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Parliament set up the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to decide complaints quickly as an alternative to the courts – not to act as a law enforcer. However, firms that are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are required under the FCA’s rules to co-operate with the ombudsman.
Following a consumer’s acceptance of the ombudsman’s final decision, this becomes binding on the firm. Firms are required to comply promptly with any decision that ombudsmen may make, including decisions on compensation.
If a firm fails to comply with the Ombudsman's decision, under the legislative framework, a complainant can enforce the decision through the courts. A money award can be recovered by execution of a county court order, while compliance with a direction is enforceable by way of an injunction. This does not require the merits of the case to be considered again by the court.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to require Ascot Lloyd to pay the amount of compensation to customers recommended by the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Parliament set up the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to decide complaints quickly as an alternative to the courts – not to act as a law enforcer. However, firms that are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are required under the FCA’s rules to co-operate with the ombudsman.
Following a consumer’s acceptance of the ombudsman’s final decision, this becomes binding on the firm. Firms are required to comply promptly with any decision that ombudsmen may make, including decisions on compensation.
If a firm fails to comply with the Ombudsman's decision, under the legislative framework, a complainant can enforce the decision through the courts. A money award can be recovered by execution of a county court order, while compliance with a direction is enforceable by way of an injunction. This does not require the merits of the case to be considered again by the court.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her oral statement of 7 February 2024 on NHS Dentistry: Recovery and Reform, Official Report column 251, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of using her powers under the Professional Qualifications Act 2022 to increase the number of foreign dentists qualified to practice in the UK.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has made an assessment of the merits of using powers under the Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (PQ Act) to increase the number of overseas-qualified dentists able to practice in the United Kingdom.
The PQ Act affirmed the Government’s commitment to protect the autonomy of regulators, including the General Dental Council, to assess overseas-gained professional qualifications and make decisions about whether individuals meet the requirements to work in a regulated profession in the UK.
The PQ Act contains a power for the Government to implement international agreements. This power was used to implement the UK’s free trade agreement with the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association member states in 2023, meaning that UK regulators are now required to recognise comparable qualifications obtained in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Work is currently underway to use the PQ Act power to implement the UK-Swiss Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement by 1 January 2025.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Oral Statement of 7 February 2024 on NHS Dentistry: Recovery and Reform, how she defines Somerset in the context of the area across which dentistry vans will be deployed.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will deploy dental vans offering appointments to patients in targeted rural and coastal communities who have the most limited access to dentistry, including Somerset, starting later this year.
We are currently working with NHS England and the integrated care boards (ICBs), including NHS Somerset ICB, to agree the exact number of vans, and where they will be deployed. I expect to be able to provide more details on this in due course.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many officials were working in his Department on (a) the date of the appointment and (b) 18 July 2023.
Answered by Will Quince
On 31 October 2022, the total number of civil servants employed within the core Department (excluding Arm’s Length Bodies) was 3,978. As of 18 July 2023, the total number of civil servants employed by the Department was 3,316.
Please note that these figures do not show the full establishment workforce of the Department in line with published figures on GOV.UK. Contingent Labour, secondments in, Fast Streamers and vacancies are not included.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the (a) effectiveness of regulations on parking restrictions in residential areas and (b) the impact of those regulations on residents in Bath and North East Somerset; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Local traffic authorities have the power to introduce parking restrictions by implementing Traffic Regulation Orders and around 98% of local authorities have the power to undertake civil parking enforcement, including Bath and North East Somerset Council. Responsibility for traffic management and parking enforcement on local roads rests with the relevant local authority, as they are best placed to consider how local needs can be effectively met. It is entirely a matter for individual authorities to decide on the nature and scope of parking policies and to balance the needs of residents, emergency services, local businesses and those who work in and visit the areas.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the time taken to process cases by the Somerset Coroners Court; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Coroner Statistics 2022: England and Wales, published on 11 May 2023, indicate that, for the Somerset coroner area in 2022, the average time from the report of a death to the coroner and the completion of an inquest was 31 weeks. This was an increase from 23 weeks in 2021.
In 2022, the average time for completion of an inquest in England and Wales as a whole was 30 weeks – a decrease from 31 weeks in 2021.
The Ministry of Justice does not have operational responsibility for coroner services, which are administered and funded by individual local authorities. Consequently, this department does not hold information on remote working by staff in the Somerset coroner service.
The Chief Coroner continues to work with individual coroner areas and their funding authorities and the police to ensure that services are effectively delivered. He is engaged with the relevant authority for the Somerset coroner area on service improvements.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of staff in the Somerset Coroners' Service have been remote working in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Coroner Statistics 2022: England and Wales, published on 11 May 2023, indicate that, for the Somerset coroner area in 2022, the average time from the report of a death to the coroner and the completion of an inquest was 31 weeks. This was an increase from 23 weeks in 2021.
In 2022, the average time for completion of an inquest in England and Wales as a whole was 30 weeks – a decrease from 31 weeks in 2021.
The Ministry of Justice does not have operational responsibility for coroner services, which are administered and funded by individual local authorities. Consequently, this department does not hold information on remote working by staff in the Somerset coroner service.
The Chief Coroner continues to work with individual coroner areas and their funding authorities and the police to ensure that services are effectively delivered. He is engaged with the relevant authority for the Somerset coroner area on service improvements.
Asked by: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative - North East Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2023 to Question 156952, how many administrative staff worked between midnight and 6am in each of the last six months.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
To process Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) applications, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has staff working day shifts and evening shifts, and both shifts then have further overtime hours. While staff do not routinely work between 12am and 6am, for evening shift staff who work from 4pm-10pm, overtime hours are available from 10pm-2am. The below data shows the number of staff who have taken that opportunity to work overtime at least once in each month, but not all of these staff will have worked beyond 12am while working overtime.
Staff do not work beyond 2am. The table below provides the total number of administrative evening shift staff who have worked overtime beyond 10pm. It does not include day shift staff who have worked overtime.
Month | Sept 2022 | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb |
Total number of staff who have worked overtime (i.e. past 10pm) each month. | 32 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 36 | 27 |