Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government Communication Service are taking to fact-check the content of Government communications on the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Government has a robust process in place to fact-check all guidance it publishes,
including information relevant for preparing for Brexit. Content that is created by
departments is fact-checked by relevant experts within that department.
All content relating to Brexit is underpinned by policy decisions taken at a departmental
level and drafted with the support of content editors. A dedicated team will ensure
GOV.UK Brexit content continues to meet users’ needs on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the tenth special report of the Environmental Audit Committee, published on 24 October 2018 on Heatwaves: adapting to climate change: Government Response to the Committee's ninth report, HC 826, whether the Government has updated the adaptation guidance for local authorities.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Yes. On 27 June a new good practice guidance document was published to help local authorities strengthen preparedness to climate change risks: www.adeptnet.org.uk/climategpg.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the tenth special report of the Environmental Audit Committee, published on 24 October 2018 on Heatwaves: adapting to climate change: Government Response to the Committee's ninth report, HC 826, whether the Government plans to reinstate the regional climate change partnerships.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government works closely with an extensive set of stakeholders to build resilience to climate change risks across the whole country, including with the Local Adaptation Advisory Panel (LAAP), the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport, and Core Cities. In particular we support the LAAP, the forum on climate change adaptation at a local level, which brings together central and local government and agencies to promote and deliver adaptation in the local government sector.
In November last year we launched a new set of UK Climate Projections 2018 (UKCP18), commissioned from the Met Office. UKCP18 is the first major update to the UK’s national climate change projections for nearly ten years, and this time it includes global and regional scenarios. The Government will use UKCP18 to inform its adaptation and mitigation planning and decision making, and the projections will also help local authorities, businesses and communities to take action to improve resilience.
This year we will be releasing a new addition to UKCP18 in the form of local projections on a similar resolution to that of operational weather forecast models (i.e. 2.2km). This will provide locally relevant information to inform decision making on future climate change to enhance resilience.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions his Department has had on publishing guidance on safe temperature in schools and replacing school uniform policy in hot weather.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their staff and others present in the workplace (including schools) meaning they should seek to protect against excessive working temperatures.
Similarly, Regulation 7 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 requires employers to ensure that temperatures in workplaces should be reasonable.
The Department published updated guidance for new school buildings in 2018 that covers indoor temperatures and measures to reduce overheating. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ventilation-thermal-comfort-and-indoor-air-quality-in-schools. The Department is also working with wider industry to develop good practice in response to climate change to ensure we have a sustainable school estate.
Guidance for schools during a heat wave is widely available for both indoor and outdoor activities including practical advice that includes relaxation of uniform policy. It is for the governing body of a school (or in the case of academies, the academy trust) to decide rules relating to appearance, including whether there should be a school uniform.
Public Health England guidance for teachers and schools for early years provision during heatwaves is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/428850/Looking_After_Children_Heat_PHE_AC_AB_Publications_MP_JRM_FINAL.PDF.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the timeframe is to introduce a ban on the sale of plastic backed (a) fridges, (b) freezers and (c) fridge freezers.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Action to improve the safety of fridges and freezers has been led by the UK at a global level. The UK Government worked closely with the British Standards Institution and the International and European Standardisation Committees to update the fire safety requirements in the Standard for refrigeration appliances which has applied since 11 July 2019.
The essential safety requirements which must be met for fridges and other white goods are set out in the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. From 11 July 2019, any business using the revised Standard for refrigeration appliances to demonstrate compliance with legal safety requirements under the Regulations, will need to ensure their appliances pass the tests introduced in the revised Standard. Refrigeration appliances using flammable materials will not pass the tests introduced in the new Standard.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what date her Department took the decision to ban the manufacture of plastic backed (a) fridges, (b) freezers and (c) fridge freezers.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Action to improve the safety of fridges and freezers has been led by the UK at a global level. The UK Government worked closely with the British Standards Institution and the International and European Standardisation Committees to update the fire safety requirements in the Standard for refrigeration appliances which has applied since 11 July 2019.
The essential safety requirements which must be met for fridges and other white goods are set out in the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. From 11 July 2019, any business using the revised Standard for refrigeration appliances to demonstrate compliance with legal safety requirements under the Regulations, will need to ensure their appliances pass the tests introduced in the revised Standard. Refrigeration appliances using flammable materials will not pass the tests introduced in the new Standard.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many casualties from the Grenfell Tower fire were transported to hospital.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Following the Grenfell fire, enhanced health checks were introduced as a result of community concerns. The health checks are delivered though general practitioner practices and a community provider.
Since the health checks were established, 1,097 assessments have taken place (to July 2019). Of the 1,097 assessments that have taken place, 52 related to children and young people up to the age of 18. The remainder were adults. The precise age of those individuals assessed has not been collected at this stage but is something that will be considered going forward.
On Wednesday 14 June 2017, London Ambulance Service reported 68 casualties had been conveyed to hospitals from Grenfell Tower.
Additional National Health Service funding will provide up to £50 million over five years to support physical and mental health services as well as systematic health checks in the Grenfell area.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people received health testing in the community as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire; and what the age was of people tested.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Following the Grenfell fire, enhanced health checks were introduced as a result of community concerns. The health checks are delivered though general practitioner practices and a community provider.
Since the health checks were established, 1,097 assessments have taken place (to July 2019). Of the 1,097 assessments that have taken place, 52 related to children and young people up to the age of 18. The remainder were adults. The precise age of those individuals assessed has not been collected at this stage but is something that will be considered going forward.
On Wednesday 14 June 2017, London Ambulance Service reported 68 casualties had been conveyed to hospitals from Grenfell Tower.
Additional National Health Service funding will provide up to £50 million over five years to support physical and mental health services as well as systematic health checks in the Grenfell area.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the tenth special report of the Environmental Audit Committee, published on 24 October 2019, on Heatwaves: adapting to climate change: Government Response to the Committee's ninth report, HC 826, what research his Department has commissioned on overheating in new homes; and what steps his Department is taking to tackle overheating in new homes.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
MHCLG commissioned a research project, completed in 2018, to investigate overheating in new homes. We are currently expanding on this initial piece of research and officials are consulting with industry experts. We will present our plans for tackling overheating in new homes as part of our forthcoming consultation into the energy efficiency and ventilation standards of the Building Regulations later this year.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Wakefield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to review Part G of the building regulations.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The programme to review the suite of Approved Documents to the Building Regulations, including Approved Document G, will be announced later in the year.