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Written Question
Employment: Mental Health
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Health and Safety Executive employees are dedicated to mental health related workplace matters.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information on the work and resourcing within Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is not available in the format requested.


Written Question
Maternity Disparities Taskforce
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the maternity disparities taskforce (a) last met and (b) is next scheduled to meet.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Maternity Disparities Taskforce brings experts from across the health system, governmental departments, and the voluntary sector to explore and consider evidence-based interventions to tackle maternal disparities. The taskforce last met on 31 January 2024, and is due to meet again in the coming months in spring.


Written Question
Russia: Oil
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of the current sanctions regime on the flow of Russian oil into the UK; and whether he has plans to strengthen those measures.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK, alongside the G7 and Australia, has banned the import of Russian oil and oil products. We have also created the Oil Price Cap which prohibits UK and G7+ firms from providing services facilitating the maritime transport of Russian oil and oil products to third countries above that Cap. Importers must provide proof of origin to relevant UK enforcement authorities, to demonstrate that goods are not of Russian origin.

We continue to monitor the efficacy of our oil-related sanctions and, in coordination with our partners and will take further action if needed.


Written Question
Sanctions: Russia
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that UK-based companies are fully complying with the sanctions imposed on (a) Russian oil and (b) other Russian exports.

Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OSFI) and The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) have published extensive guidance to support industry in complying with sanctions measures against Russia.

OFSI takes a proactive enforcement approach and is currently undertaking a number of investigations into suspected breaches of the oil price cap, using their legal powers to request information and working closely with our international partners in the G7+ Coalition.

HM Revenue & Customs is responsible for enforcing export controls on strategic goods and sanctions and investigating potential breaches of those controls.

HMRC enforcement mechanisms are robust and act as a deterrent against those considering circumventing sanctions measures. They take breaches of sanctions seriously and undertake a preliminary investigation into all credible allegations of an offence. They have improved their capacity to investigate and enforce sanctions and are developing new capabilities to enforce sanctions on services under criminal law. Non-compliance with UK sanctions is a serious offence and punishable through large financial penalties or criminal prosecution.


Written Question
Autism and Learning Disability: Housing
Wednesday 14th February 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much capital funding NHS England plans to make available for housing for people with a learning disability and autism in the 2024-25 financial year; and if she will make an estimate of the number of people who will be provided housing through this funding.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

NHS England’s 2024/25 Learning Disability and Autism Housing Capital Programme plans to support up to 85 people with learning disabilities or autism who need housing to be discharged from a mental health hospital or to avoid hospital admission. This estimate is based on an expected £13 million capital allocation for 2024/25. Please note that this includes housing schemes that were initiated in 2023/24, as well as schemes that will continue into 2025/26.


Written Question
Offenders: Mental Illness
Wednesday 7th February 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to amend the right of offenders sentenced to an Indefinite Hospital Order to apply for a review every 12 months; and whether he has made an assessment of the impact of those reviews on (a) victims and (b) families.

Answered by Gareth Bacon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Hospital Orders and the provisions around them are set out in the Mental Health Act 1983 and ensure regular access for patients to a review of their detention by an independent court which will determine whether the criteria for detention continue to be met.

This Government is committed to ensuring that victims’ voices are heard. We are working with the judiciary to introduce an entitlement in the Victims’ Code for Victim Personal Statements in the Mental Health Tribunal, where an offender’s detention is being reviewed. This will give victims the opportunity to explain the impact of the crime on them, and we continue to assess the provision of support for victims engaging with criminal justice processes like the Mental Health Tribunal.


Written Question
Autism and Learning Disability: Patients
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to set targets from April 2024 on reducing the number of people in inpatient settings with (a) learning disabilities and (b) autism.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out a commitment to reduce reliance on mental health inpatient care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. NHS England will publish their Operational Planning Guidance for 2024/25, which will set out the planning expectations for National Health Service systems to support delivery of NHS services next year.


Written Question
Psychiatric Hospitals: Autism and Learning Disability
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help tackle variations between Integrated Care Boards in levels of adults in mental health hospitals with (a) learning disabilities and (b) autism.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Each integrated care board (ICB) produces a five-year joint forward plan with partner trusts and foundation trusts. This will encompass the needs of the entire local population, including people with a learning disability and autistic people.

NHS England will continue to work with regional teams and local systems to identify and share areas of good practice, where services have been successful in reducing avoidable admissions to hospital, and helping people to leave hospital when they are clinically ready for discharge.

We expect ICBs, as set out in NHS England statutory guidance published 9 May 2023, to assign an executive lead role for learning disability and autism to a suitable board member. The named lead will support the board in planning to meet the needs of its local population of people with a learning disability and autistic people and to have effective oversight of, and support improvements in, the quality of care for people in a mental health, learning disability and autism inpatient setting.


Written Question
Building the Right Support Delivery Board
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Building the Right Support Delivery Board will continue beyond March 2024.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

While we have made progress on reducing the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people in mental health inpatient settings, we recognise that there is more to be done. The Building the Right Support (BtRS) Delivery Board will continue to work collectively to oversee the implementation of remaining BtRS action plan commitments, and to consider what next step actions are required.


Written Question
Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8607 on Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists, if she will provide this data by NHS provider.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The information requested is shown in the attached tables.