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, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2024 to Question 21236 on Livestock: Exports, if he will make an assessment of the reasons for the change since 2020.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Exports of livestock by sea to continental Europe have not been viable since 2020, due to the lack of Border Control Posts designated to accept this trade in receiving EU Member States.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department has issued recent guidance to British High Commissioners on their responsibility to not interfere in the domestic political affairs of the countries to which they are appointed.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
British High Commissioners' sole aim is to support positive relations and UK interests. The UK does not interfere in the domestic political affairs of other nation states.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to help (a) ensure that regulations on cost-sharing flights do not disproportionately affect the general aviation community, (b) support pilots in meeting potential new regulatory requirements and (c) minimise the (i) financial and (ii) operational costs of meeting those requirements.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The CAA supports the practice of cost sharing and recognises that it brings many benefits to pilots. However, following a review of cost sharing regulations, the CAA determined that the rules on cost sharing are open to misinterpretation and potential abuse in their current form.
Proposals to reform cost sharing regulations in the UK include limiting the number of passengers that can be carried on a single flight, clarifying the costs which pilots can legitimately share and requiring pilots to complete and retain a Passenger Declaration Form. The latter will make their passengers aware of the increased risk associated with general aviation flying compared to commercial air transport flights. The CAA has also proposed changes to the advertising requirements for flights posted online to improve the transparency of cost sharing arrangements for the participating public.
The CAA has consulted extensively with the general aviation community on its proposed changes to cost sharing regulations and has taken this feedback into account when drafting its final recommendations to the DfT. The CAA plans to develop a range of guidance to be made available on its website, which will explain what is required of them and provide vital support for pilots. This guidance will be published once changes to the regulation are finalised. Providers of cost sharing services will be given appropriate time to adjust their systems and procedures before the changes come into effect.
The Department supports the CAA’s initiative to revise its cost sharing regulations, to help emphasise the safety measures to protect consumers and prevent potential abuse of the activity. The CAA will continue to provide updates on the progress of its changes to cost sharing regulation as part of the regular forums it holds with DfT and general aviation organisations.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Feedback on Proposed changes to the advertising element of the cost sharing regulations, published on 29 February 2024, what stakeholder consultations on the proposed changes to cost-sharing regulations were undertaken by the Civil Aviation Authority; and if he will make it his policy to ensure that (a) all relevant stakeholders and (b) general aviation organisations are consulted before the proposed changes are finalised.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) initially launched an open consultation on the proposed changes to the cost sharing regulation in November 2021. A response document was subsequently published in December 2022, which detailed the CAA’s policy recommendations to the Department for Transport (DfT). Following further engagement with general aviation organisations, the CAA opened a second consultation to gain stakeholder views on updated wording to the advertising element of the proposals in November 2023. A response was issued to this second consultation in February 2024, which detailed changes to the CAA’s recommendations based on the additional feedback received.
The CAA is currently in the process of finalising its advice to DfT on regulatory changes following both consultations and are conducting a de minimis impact assessment, which will include further consultation with businesses that could potentially be impacted by the proposed changes. The CAA will continue to provide updates on the progress of its changes to cost sharing regulation as part of the regular forums it holds with DfT and general aviation organisations.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps with (a) local authorities and (b) industry stakeholders to help increase the sustainability of (i) live music venues and (ii) other aspects of the night-time economy.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting touring artists, and the music industry more widely, to adapt to new arrangements following our departure from the EU, and we have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to provide clarity and support.
The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are more generous than those in many EU Member States.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits. We have also decoupled the provisions for creative and sporting professionals in the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) route, to recognise the unique requirements each group has.
We are committed to supporting the UK’s live music venues and grassroots sector, the research and development centres of our world-leading music sector. That is why we have provided an additional £5m to the highly successful Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, taking our total investment through the fund to almost £15m. This will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.
Music venues, other aspects of the night-time economy and some cultural venues are also currently eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
Ministers continue to engage with the sector to discuss the challenges facing grassroots music venues and explore potential opportunities to provide further support. DCMS actively supports sector-led initiatives such as increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on (a) venues hosting international artists and (b) other businesses and organisations in the cultural sector.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting touring artists, and the music industry more widely, to adapt to new arrangements following our departure from the EU, and we have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to provide clarity and support.
The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are more generous than those in many EU Member States.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits. We have also decoupled the provisions for creative and sporting professionals in the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) route, to recognise the unique requirements each group has.
We are committed to supporting the UK’s live music venues and grassroots sector, the research and development centres of our world-leading music sector. That is why we have provided an additional £5m to the highly successful Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, taking our total investment through the fund to almost £15m. This will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.
Music venues, other aspects of the night-time economy and some cultural venues are also currently eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
Ministers continue to engage with the sector to discuss the challenges facing grassroots music venues and explore potential opportunities to provide further support. DCMS actively supports sector-led initiatives such as increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the end of custody supervised licence scheme on rates of recidivism among early-release prisoners.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We are constantly monitoring the use of End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) and its impact.
We are taking action to drive down the reoffending rate for all offenders by investing in a wide range of rehabilitative interventions to get them into skills training, work, and stable accommodation. This includes delivering our ground-breaking transitional accommodation service, known as Community Accommodation Service – Tier 3 (CAS-3), so prison-leavers have a guaranteed 12 weeks of basic, temporary accommodation to provide a stable base on release. By January 2023, the proportion of offenders housed on the first night of their release from custody was 7.6 percentage points higher in CAS3 regions versus non-CAS3 regions.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released early under the end of custody supervised license scheme since October 2023.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The number of releases under End of Custody Supervised Licence will be published when sufficient robust and comprehensive data is available. To support orderly release, its publication will be announced through the GOV.UK release calendar.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary school places.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. The department collects pupil forecasts and school capacity data from local authorities annually through the School Capacity (SCAP) survey. The most recent SCAP data shows a need for 30,000 additional primary places and 40,000 additional secondary places between May 2023 and September 2027.
The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on the data they provide. The department has announced nearly £1.5 billion to support local authorities to create school places needed over the next three academic years, up to and including the academic year starting September 2026. This funding is on top of the department’s investment in the free schools programme and means the department has now committed Basic Need capital funding of over £14 billion to support the creation of new school places between 2011 and 2026.
The department also engages with local authorities on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional places and to consider alternatives where necessary. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, the department supports them to find solutions as quickly as possible.
Between 2010 and 2023, the department supported the creation of 722,000 primary and 466,000 secondary places in response to a substantial increase in pupil numbers. This is the largest increase in school capacity in at least two generations, following a fall of 100,000 places between 2004 and 2010. Many more places are in the pipeline.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what support is available to media organisations to (a) detect and (b) counteract foreign disinformation.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government takes the issue of information threats to national security seriously, and the UK has a strong record of working closely with a wide range of different stakeholders to tackle these risks.
We recognise the invaluable role of a free and independent press in providing accurate and reliable information. Government works to complement the efforts of our independent press sector through a number of initiatives to counter disinformation.
For example, in 2022 the Government provided the BBC World Service with £4.1m emergency funding to help it to continue to bring independent, impartial and accurate news to people in Ukraine and Russia and counter disinformation in the face of increased propaganda from the Russian state. The Government has also directly sanctioned Russia-backed state media organisations who spread disinformation, helping to prevent the most prolific and harmful sources of disinformation from spreading propaganda to UK audiences online.
The Government has also recently passed the Online Safety Act (OSA), which includes the Foreign Interference Offence as a priority offence. This will require social media companies to take action against a wide range of state-sponsored disinformation and interference targeted at the UK. Ofcom will produce guidance for providers on how they should fulfil these duties. The consultation for this guidance closed in March 2024 and Ofcom is currently finalising these codes, due to come into force at the end of 2024.