Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's press release entitled £15 million announced for flood recovery in Northern Ireland, published on 8 November 2023, whether the distribution of that funding will require his Department's approval in the absence of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive, the UK Government announced up to £15 million of support would be made available to respond to flooding in areas of Northern Ireland affected by recent storms.
This funding will be delivered by the Northern Ireland Civil Service and Accounting Officer responsibilities will rest within the appropriate officials in the Northern Ireland Civil Service; the UK Government will support them in doing so. Budget changes will formally occur at Supplementary Estimates 2023-24.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made a comparative assessment of the policy in (a) the UK and (b) other European countries on whether people affected by Huntington’s disease may serve in the armed forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
There has been no comparative assessment of the policy in the UK and other European countries on whether people affected by Huntington’s disease may serve in the Armed Forces. However, all medical entry and in-service standards are regularly reviewed by subject matter experts, military health professionals and military occupational physicians.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of prison inmates who have Huntington's disease.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The data requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted research on the guidance provided to insurance companies by the governments of other European countries on requesting information about the genetic history of life insurance applicants.
Answered by Will Quince
The Code on Genetic Testing and Insurance is a shared agreement between the Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on the use of genetic testing in underwriting insurance policies. Compliance with the Code, and the adoption of the Commitments in the Code, is a condition of membership for all ABI members.
The Government and the ABI launched a Call for Evidence on the Code on 25 July 2023 and closed on 17 October 2023. The Call for Evidence gathered views around how to transparently assess which predictive genetic test results may need to be disclosed under the Code in the future, as well as whether approaches used in other countries should be considered.
The ABI has recently published a revised Consumer Guide to the Code, which directly addresses concerns about the level of premiums offered to applicants who have tested negative for Huntington's disease. The consumer guide is available at the following link:
While no specific conversations have taken place with life insurance providers, the Government continues to work closely with the ABI to ensure the Code remains fit for purpose and beneficial to both consumers and the insurance industry.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department made an assessment of the potential merits of including references to conditions other than Huntington’s disease in the code on genetic testing and insurance.
Answered by Will Quince
The Code on Genetic Testing and Insurance is a shared agreement between the Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on the use of genetic testing in underwriting insurance policies. Compliance with the Code, and the adoption of the Commitments in the Code, is a condition of membership for all ABI members.
The Government and the ABI launched a Call for Evidence on the Code on 25 July 2023 and closed on 17 October 2023. The Call for Evidence gathered views around how to transparently assess which predictive genetic test results may need to be disclosed under the Code in the future, as well as whether approaches used in other countries should be considered.
The ABI has recently published a revised Consumer Guide to the Code, which directly addresses concerns about the level of premiums offered to applicants who have tested negative for Huntington's disease. The consumer guide is available at the following link:
While no specific conversations have taken place with life insurance providers, the Government continues to work closely with the ABI to ensure the Code remains fit for purpose and beneficial to both consumers and the insurance industry.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with providers of life insurance on the level of premiums offered to applicants who have tested negative for Huntington's disease.
Answered by Will Quince
The Code on Genetic Testing and Insurance is a shared agreement between the Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on the use of genetic testing in underwriting insurance policies. Compliance with the Code, and the adoption of the Commitments in the Code, is a condition of membership for all ABI members.
The Government and the ABI launched a Call for Evidence on the Code on 25 July 2023 and closed on 17 October 2023. The Call for Evidence gathered views around how to transparently assess which predictive genetic test results may need to be disclosed under the Code in the future, as well as whether approaches used in other countries should be considered.
The ABI has recently published a revised Consumer Guide to the Code, which directly addresses concerns about the level of premiums offered to applicants who have tested negative for Huntington's disease. The consumer guide is available at the following link:
While no specific conversations have taken place with life insurance providers, the Government continues to work closely with the ABI to ensure the Code remains fit for purpose and beneficial to both consumers and the insurance industry.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency on algae pollution in Lough Neagh.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Environmental matters including algae pollution in Lough Neagh are devolved. In the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive and Ministers, it is for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to work with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency on this matter.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what arrangements his Department is planning for the handling of groupage for the operation of the proposed red and green lanes covering goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Windsor Framework delivers significant benefits for operators who move groupage consignments and mixed loads, including the removal of burdensome paperwork and a reduction in checks.
The green and red lanes under customs arrangements are entirely virtual lanes with separate underlying electronic processes. Green and red lane goods can therefore be moved in the same vehicle without requiring physical segregation, meaning hauliers will not have to alter their logistical arrangements
Mixed loads containing agri-food goods moving through the red and green lane will also be permitted. Whilst the lorry as a whole would not benefit from the full facilitations of the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme, the subsection of goods moving under the scheme will still benefit from the advantages it offers, including removing the need for veterinary signed certificates for individual products. Guidance for traders on how these movements will operate is available on Gov.uk.
It will be a commercial decision for traders and hauliers as to how they move goods. This will be no different in principle to how hauliers make decisions on whether to operate groupage loads at present.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2023 to Question 187387 on Iraq: Political Prisoners, whether he plans to make further representations to the Kurdistan regional government in Iraq following the extension to the prison sentence of journalist Sherwan Sherwani.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government remains committed to pressing the case for improvements in the human rights situation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and to advocating for human rights for all, including in relation to freedom of expression and the freedom for journalists to do their jobs free from harm.
The UK Government, through our Consulate General in Erbil, takes a close interest in the treatment of journalists and human rights activists in the KRI, and they are monitoring the case of Mr Sherwani.
We have always been clear that journalists and political activists should be free to operate without undue interference from security forces or fear of indefinite detention.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information the Government holds on the number of electric vehicle charging points at each motorway service station in England.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Around 96% of motorway service areas in England have charging available. There are currently more than 450 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid (150kW+) chargepoints at motorway service areas across England.