Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training his Department provides to Border Force staff to prevent discrimination.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Diversity & Inclusion is woven into the Foundation Immigration and Customs Training undertaken by all Border Force officers. The course teaches officers how to deal with the travelling public in a professional and courteous manner. Border Force staff also undertake the online Public Sector Equality Duty course, ensuring an understanding of their responsibilities as defined by the Equalities Act 2010.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department plans to manage the proposed national register for short-term lets; what information property owners will be required to provide to the register; and what estimate she has made of the (a) timeframe for implementing and (b) average cost to property owners to register their properties on the system.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are now conducting an initial phase of digital development to test how the short-term lets registration scheme is best delivered. This initial phase of digital development will allow us to consider and test how the scheme is best managed, including matters such as the frequency of registration, which information should be collected and cost to property owners. Further details on the scheme will be provided later this year, including our full response to the consultation and information on the legislative process that will bring the scheme to life.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with the BBC on ensuring that it advertises its upcoming consultation on reforming the licence fee post-2028 to help ensure the public's views are adequately represented.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers meet with senior BBC officials regularly to discuss a range of issues. Those discussions include how the BBC is delivering on its obligations, which includes a general duty to engage with the public. The BBC is operationally independent, and therefore questions on how it engages public views and runs consultations are a matter for the BBC itself.
As required by the Charter, the Government will consult the public as part of the forthcoming Charter Review process, where any decisions on reforming the licence fee post-2027 will be made and implemented.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had recent discussions with consumer rights groups on the potential introduction of a more dynamic energy price cap.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is seeking views on how default tariffs should support households in the future https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/default-energy-tariffs-for-households-call-for-evidence.
Alongside this Ofgem are seeking views on how price protections could apply in future, considering innovations such as time of use tariffs www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-launches-discussion-future-price-cap.
As part of these discussions the Government is meeting stakeholders, including those from consumer rights groups to seek their thoughts on options for the price cap going forward.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential (a) merits and (b) impact on vulnerable groups of dynamic energy pricing.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Smarter technologies, tariffs, and services, including potentially dynamic energy pricing, can bring benefits for many consumers.
At the same time, we recognise that we must have the right consumer protection framework in place, particularly for vulnerable consumers.
In February, the Department launched a Call-for-Evidence on Default Tariffs which explores how default tariffs should evolve to work in a future, more dynamic, market. More information can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66019a0065ca2fa78e7da7dc/future-default-tariffs-for-households-call-for-evidence.pdf
Additionally, in their future work plan, Ofgem have committed to look at consumer protection in the future market and update their vulnerability strategy, alongside their ongoing work to protect vulnerable consumers.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to (i) support and (ii) enhance the domestic solar manufacturing sector.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar is a mature technology with established global supply chains. Whilst we have no plans for the UK to become self-sufficient in the manufacture of solar panels, supply chain development is a government priority.
Government encourages renewable developers accessing its Contracts for Difference scheme to grow the supply chain through the Supply Chain Plan process and supports supply chain innovation through the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and initiatives funded by UK Research and Innovation.
Further actions needed to develop resilient, sustainable and innovative supply chains, as identified by the UK Solar Taskforce, will be outlined in the forthcoming Solar Roadmap.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department takes to (a) help ensure that imported (i) solar panels and (ii) related components are not produced using forced labour and (b) enforce that standard.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to tackling forced labour in solar supply chains. The UK’s approach is focused on transparency. Over the last two years we have introduced enhanced export controls, new guidance on the risks of doing business in Xinjiang and announced the introduction of financial penalties under the Modern Slavery Act.
The Government also supports voluntary due diligence approaches by UK businesses.
The UK’s main solar trade association is leading industry’s response by developing and piloting the Solar Stewardship Initiative to further develop a responsible, transparent, and sustainable solar value chain. We will continue to keep our policy response under review.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce the digital skills gap.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to ensuring access to digital skills for all. By 2024-25, we’re investing £3.8 billion in Digital Skills across England and have quadrupled the scale of Skills Bootcamps.
The Government provides free Essential Digital Skills Qualifications to address the diverse needs of adults with limited digital proficiency.
Additionally, the Digital Skills Council drives industry-led action. In February, DSIT partnered with the Council in delivering a communications campaign for Skills Bootcamps in high-demand digital fields. But plugging this gap also means getting the basics right – which is why this government has embarked on one of the largest infrastructure projects in modern times to connect millions of households to gigabit broadband – laying enough fibre optic cable to circle the Earth five times.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what information his Department holds on the proportion of private rental properties that do not meet the decent homes standard; and what plans he has to help improve housing quality.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The most recent data on properties in the private rented sector (PRS) that failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) are published at: English Housing Survey 2022 to 2023: headline report (data on dwelling condition is in Chapter 4).
Through the Renters (Reform) Bill, we are legislating to apply the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS for the first time.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of the level of experience of cover supervisors in schools and (b) potential impact of the use of cover supervisors on (i) student safety and (ii) educational outcomes.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.
The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:
Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.
Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.
In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.
The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:
The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.
Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.
The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.