Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of FIFA on the process for awarding world cup tournaments.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Sport operates independently of the government, therefore direct representations to FIFA on their processes for awarding future events would be a matter for Home Nation football governing bodies to raise.
The Government has frank conversations at an international level with counterparts around the world on issues such as human rights, and we will continue to have those conversations.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department will respond substantively to the correspondence of 4 October 2022 from the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, reference MCB2022/23191.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Climate wrote to the hon. Member on 15 November about the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on countering foreign malign information, influence, disinformation and other misleading information of the establishment of the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency.
Answered by Paul Scully
Disinformation is one of a range of tools used by hostile actors from foreign states to attempt to achieve their wider objectives. DCMS leads the operational and policy response for countering disinformation across HMG. This includes responding to acute information incidents, such as Russian information operations during the war in Ukraine, disinformation relating to COVID-19, and electoral events.
The Government has amended the National Security Bill which strengthens our legislative response to state-linked disinformation aimed at the UK. The new Foreign Interference Offence brought forward in the National Security Bill will be named as a priority offence in the Online Safety Bill, forcing companies to proactively take action against a wide range of state-sponsored disinformation and state-linked online interference.
The UK, along with our G7 and NATO partners, is working hard to protect our democracies against disinformation. We work together with our allies on gaining a better understanding of the threat of mis and disinformation, and collaborating on our collective response.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers issued to traditional prepayment meter customers; and how many have so far been redeemed in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Suppliers are reporting to the Department on scheme delivery, including the redemption of prepayment meter vouchers. These figures will be published in due course.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on holding online marketplaces responsible for the safety of products sold on their platforms.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that whilst the growth of eCommerce has brought benefits for consumers and businesses, it has also brought new challenges, including the sale of non-compliant and unsafe products via online marketplaces, often by third-party sellers.
This is one of the reasons the Government is conducting a review of the Product Safety framework. The Government Response to the Call for Evidence published in November 2021 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-product-safety-review-call-for-evidence. A consultation, including proposals to take further steps to address unsafe products sold online, is currently being finalised.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to provide a substantive written response to the correspondence of 2 September 2022 from the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, reference MCSL2022/20612.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Climate wrote to the Hon. Member on 12 October about energy cost support for businesses, and on 25 October about standing charges.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps she is taking to help ensure that Homes for Ukraine sponsors receive their £350 payments in a timely manner.
Answered by Paul Scully
Lead sponsors are eligible for monthly payments for as long as the guest remains living in their accommodation for up to 12 months. Further information about the payment process can be accessed here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils under the 'payment mechanism' section.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Safer Streets Fund on reported crime in Wales.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
All rounds of the Safer Streets Fund are subject to independent evaluation, which is vital in ensuring we learn lessons about what works in preventing crime to inform future government policy and funding.
The evaluation of Round One of the Fund, which has now completed, has been finalised and we intend to publish in due course.
Interim lessons learnt, including from Rounds Two and Three where evaluation is ongoing, have been shared with those eligible to bid for funding and those subsequently awarded funding to help inform their approach.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Safer Streets Fund on reported crime.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
All rounds of the Safer Streets Fund are subject to independent evaluation, which is vital in ensuring we learn lessons about what works in preventing crime to inform future government policy and funding.
The evaluation of Round One of the Fund, which has now completed, has been finalised and we intend to publish in due course.
Interim lessons learnt, including from Rounds Two and Three where evaluation is ongoing, have been shared with those eligible to bid for funding and those subsequently awarded funding to help inform their approach.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the value for money of the Government’s funding of Motobilty in the context of waiting times for recipients entitled to Motability Allowance to be assessed for a licence renewal.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department works closely with Motability, and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme. Motability is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme, along with oversight of Motability Operations. Motability benefits from government support through tax concessions and the direct payment of mobility allowances.
There have been several external reports, including one by the National Audit Office (NAO) in December 2018, on the Motability Scheme. The Department agrees with the NAO’s finding that the Motability scheme provides an excellent service and that the Scheme is focused on delivering value for money. The Department continues to work with Motability the charity, who set the strategic policies and direction of the Scheme, to ensure that disabled people receive a value for money service with high standards for customer service.
The Department is unable to comment on waiting times for licence renewal as this is outside our remit.