Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of closing train ticket offices on (a) elderly and (b) disabled passengers.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In October 2023, the Government communicated to the industry that no ticket offices should close following consultation when it became clear that industry-led proposals did not meet the high thresholds for service set by Ministers. The consultation raised several important issues which we are working with the industry on, including the modernisation of fares and ticketing and improving accessibility.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help support rail passengers who do not have access to digital ticketing, in the context of proposals to close ticket offices.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In October 2023, the Government communicated to the industry that no ticket offices should close following consultation when it became clear that industry-led proposals did not meet the high thresholds for service set by Ministers. The consultation raised several important issues which we are working with the industry on, including the modernisation of fares and ticketing and improving accessibility.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has held recent discussions with rail unions on the potential impact of ticket office closures on employment within the rail sector.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In October 2023, the Government communicated to the industry that no ticket offices should close following consultation when it became clear that industry-led proposals did not meet the high thresholds for service set by Ministers. The consultation raised several important issues which we are working with the industry on, including the modernisation of fares and ticketing and improving accessibility.
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, how many and what proportion of homes that have been recorded as vacant for over two years are categorised as (a) primary residences, (b) second homes, and (c) other properties in each region; and what steps he is taking to bring these homes back into use.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The department publishes live tables on dwelling stock, which includes vacant homes here: Live tables on dwelling stock (including vacants) - GOV.UK. This data is collated from Council Taxbase data, collected by local authorities.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with (a) mental health professionals and (b) welfare recipients on the treatment of individuals with mental health issues.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department routinely engages with expert stakeholders to inform policy development. For example, to support development of the proposals in the ‘Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper’, officials met and continue to meet with interested stakeholders and welfare recipients with health conditions and disabilities.
Officials meet regularly with clinical stakeholders from a range of specialties, including those with a mental health background from national representative organisations. When undertaking work on mental health specific polices the engagement increases in intensity to ensure the professional voice is heard and advice is taken in the best interests of our claimants.
The Department has an ongoing health and disability benefits research programme including studies with claimants which often look specifically at the treatment of claimants with mental health issues. For example, we will shortly be publishing the Barriers to Accessing Health Support research, which found valuable insight into the health support needs of disability benefit claimants with mental health conditions. Other research has also been designed to include fluctuating mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders or depression, and cognitive conditions, such as Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria he uses to assess the human rights compliance of foreign military units before they are eligible to receive military aid; and how frequently those assessments are reviewed.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
All proposals to gift controlled military equipment and dual-use equipment are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, in the same way as commercial export licence applications and with the same degree of rigour. Assessments are conducted at the time a proposal is submitted and may be reviewed for subsequent proposals.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) manages the assessment process and seeks advice on gifting proposals from advisers in the MOD and the FCDO, with the latter being responsible for assessment of human rights compliance under Criterion Two of the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when opt-out testing for HIV will be expanded to (a) Slough and (b) and other areas with a high prevalence of HIV.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
HIV testing is essential, as it allows those with HIV to be offered lifesaving treatment, and prevents its onward transmission. This is why we have committed to scaling up HIV testing in our HIV Action Plan. As part of the HIV Action Plan, NHS England made an initial £20 million available over three years to 2025, for HIV opt-out testing in 34 emergency departments (EDs) in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence, areas with five or more HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old. The plan also included Blackpool in 2019, at 4.9 HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and the whole of London, including some local areas with high HIV prevalence supported with additional funding from NHS London.
In November 2024, the Government announced new research, commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to evaluate an expansion of blood-borne virus opt-out testing, including HIV, in 47 additional EDs in local areas of England with high HIV prevalence. These would be areas with two to five HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and would include the Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital in Slough. The research project is currently in the set-up phase, and funding will support 12 months of testing for each ED, although it is at the discretion of individual sites when the testing will commence. It is the responsibility of individual EDs to make service users aware of the availability of HIV and other blood-borne virus opt-out testing, as appropriate.
HIV opt-out testing in EDs in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence has shown very encouraging outcomes so far, and at 21 months has delivered 2.6 million HIV tests, and found more than 1,000 people with undiagnosed or untreated HIV, including those who would not have been found via other testing routes. Making HIV testing routine in a front-line health care setting such as an ED, raises the awareness of HIV and helps remove the stigma associated with HIV testing.
We are also working to improve workforce training in the National Health Service to increase HIV awareness, and in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), to continue to monitor the levels of stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV within the health and social care system, as well as within community settings. The UKHSA published the positive voices survey report in early 2024, which presents key indicators for HIV stigma, and is available at the following link:
Further work is underway to develop key indicators for monitoring quality of life and stigma for people living with HIV.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of school policies on (a) religious practices and (b) inclusivity.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
There is currently no legal requirement for schools to allow their pupils time within the school day to pray upon request, nor are they required to provide any pupil with a physical space, such as a prayer room, to conduct their prayers. It is a matter for individual schools and headteachers to make a decision that is in the interest of their pupils. It is important when considering any requests relating to prayer that they do so in the context of the Equality Act 2010, and their public sector equality duty.
Under the Equality Act 2010 schools must not discriminate against a pupil in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the Act, including religion or belief. State-funded schools are also subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). All children and young people must be treated fairly and supported to thrive and reach their potential within a respectful environment.
The department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010, which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools. This includes specific advice on religion or belief.
The PSED was introduced in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and places a legal obligation on public authorities to consider how their policy or service decisions impacts differently on individuals. The department as a public body is required to give due regard to PSED in its decision making. According to the PSED, a public authority must, in the exercise of its functions, have due regard to the need to:
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) tackle potential discrimination in schools against students based on their religious practices.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
There is currently no legal requirement for schools to allow their pupils time within the school day to pray upon request, nor are they required to provide any pupil with a physical space, such as a prayer room, to conduct their prayers. It is a matter for individual schools and headteachers to make a decision that is in the interest of their pupils. It is important when considering any requests relating to prayer that they do so in the context of the Equality Act 2010, and their public sector equality duty.
Under the Equality Act 2010 schools must not discriminate against a pupil in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the Act, including religion or belief. State-funded schools are also subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). All children and young people must be treated fairly and supported to thrive and reach their potential within a respectful environment.
The department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010, which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools. This includes specific advice on religion or belief.
The PSED was introduced in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and places a legal obligation on public authorities to consider how their policy or service decisions impacts differently on individuals. The department as a public body is required to give due regard to PSED in its decision making. According to the PSED, a public authority must, in the exercise of its functions, have due regard to the need to:
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to schools on balancing inclusivity and religious freedoms.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
There is currently no legal requirement for schools to allow their pupils time within the school day to pray upon request, nor are they required to provide any pupil with a physical space, such as a prayer room, to conduct their prayers. It is a matter for individual schools and headteachers to make a decision that is in the interest of their pupils. It is important when considering any requests relating to prayer that they do so in the context of the Equality Act 2010, and their public sector equality duty.
Under the Equality Act 2010 schools must not discriminate against a pupil in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the Act, including religion or belief. State-funded schools are also subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). All children and young people must be treated fairly and supported to thrive and reach their potential within a respectful environment.
The department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010, which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools. This includes specific advice on religion or belief.
The PSED was introduced in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and places a legal obligation on public authorities to consider how their policy or service decisions impacts differently on individuals. The department as a public body is required to give due regard to PSED in its decision making. According to the PSED, a public authority must, in the exercise of its functions, have due regard to the need to: