Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports that Hezbollah has established military outposts in the Shebaa Farms Mount Dov region.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are actively monitoring reports of a tent being placed south of the Blue Line border by Hezbollah in the Shebaa Farms area. We have discussed this issue with both Lebanon and Israel. We encourage all parties to engage with the relevant UN authorities to find a diplomatic solution to removing the tent and avoid escalation. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we support the stability and security of Lebanon and Israel through our contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The UK remains concerned by Hezbollah's activities within Lebanon which are in clear breach of UN Security Council Resolutions 1509 and 1701.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2686.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2686, co-penned by the UK and UAE, advances our commitment to the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), by addressing the discrimination faced by a range of minority groups in conflict settings, including religious groups.
Furthermore, the Resolution consolidates new internationally recognised Women, Peace and Security language and encourages States to ensure their education systems promote gender equality and help to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. This is in line with the UK's commitment, in our international strategy on women and girls, to use our UNSC membership to stand up against coordinated attempts to roll back their rights.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) the Czech Republic and (b) Poland on compensation for properties and possessions that were seized during the Holocaust.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK continues to meet its commitments under Terezín Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets. Lord Pickles, the UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues, raises these issues with his Polish and Czech counterparts at every appropriate opportunity, most recently with Czechia at the June International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance plenary in Dubrovnik. In March, Lord Pickles hosted a meeting of his counterparts where the Foreign Secretary also spoke. In November 2022, Lord Pickles chaired a discussion on property restitution in Czechia. The UK will continue to encourage partners, including Czechia and Poland, to ensure that any restitution or compensation claims are addressed.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry, published on 19 June, what plans he has to disseminate that guidance to all (a) branches and (b) levels of government and public authorities.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Department has written to other Government Departments who may engage with the tobacco industry to inform them of the publication of Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry. A version of the guidance tailored to local authorities developed in collaboration with the Local Government Association will be published shortly.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies make use of the Section 317 exemption of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This information is not collected as the provision of these benefits are not subject to Income Tax or National Insurance contributions, therefore there is nothing for employers to report to HM Revenue & Customs.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of working alongside development companies to make the establishment of new nuclear projects a faster process.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In April Great British Nuclear (GBN) launched the first phase of the competitive process to select the best Small Modular Reactors technologies in the form of a market engagement exercise. The second phase – the down-selection process - will be launched in the summer, with an ambition to decide on the leading technologies by autumn.
The market engagement exercise will help GBN to improve its understanding of market capability and technical offering of the full vendor community, the financial position of potential projects, and potential delivery models.
The Government will provide co-funding that will be deployed by GBN and will work with successful bidders on ensuring the right financing and site arrangements are in place, in line with its commitment to take two Final Investment Decisions next parliament.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much money NHSE planned to allocate to Integrated Care Boards to fully implement the NHS Long Term Plan tobacco dependence treatment services in 2023-24 as at February 2022; how much money was allocated to ICBs for those services after the publication of the Spring Statement 2022, CP 653; and whether any, additional funding has been allocated by NHSE during financial year 2023-24 to help reduce smoking at regional and national level.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
As at February 2022, NHS England had an indicative planned integrated care board (ICB) allocation of £65.6 million to fully implement the NHS Long Term Plan tobacco dependence treatment services in 2023/24. In line with the NHS Operating Model and in agreement with ICBs, broader funding allocations have been made in 2023/24 with tobacco dependence treatment allocations forming part of the wider universal and targeted Prevention bundles, totalling £69 million.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of increasing access to eye care services for (a) care home residents, (b) young people enrolled in residential special schools and (c) other vulnerable people.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
National Health Service funded access to domiciliary eye care services is already available to eligible individuals unable to leave home unaccompanied, including those living in residential care homes. Action is being taken to improve access to NHS sight testing services from high street optical practices for individuals with no fixed address.
The NHS Long Term Plan made a commitment to ensure that children and young people with a learning disability and/or autism in special residential schools have access to sight checks in school. NHS England commenced a proof-of-concept programme in 2021 to pilot and evaluate a potential sight testing service model. The pilot has been subject to evaluation and will inform decisions about the future sight testing service in special residential schools.
Beyond the provision of primary eye care services, the responsibility for ensuring secondary eye care services meet local identified needs rests with integrated care boards and in some cases NHS England. NHS England’s transformation programme is also considering how eye care services should be commissioned to ensure future sustainability.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to meet representatives of London’s Air Ambulance Charity to discuss their campaign for two new helicopters.
Answered by Will Quince
Ministers have not currently received any invitations from London’s Air Ambulance Charity to meet. If and when they receive an invitation, they will be considered in the usual way.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of introducing a national eye health strategy on economic productivity.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We recognise the economic impact of sight loss, and this is why we continue to take action to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of sight threatening conditions. Furthermore, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has invested over £100 million over the last five years to support research into diagnosis, prevention and treatment of eye conditions.
NHS England’s transformation programme is also considering how eye care services should be commissioned to ensure future sustainability, taking into account local commissioning structures.