Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his timetable is for opening applications to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; and when his Department plans to publish full details of the application process.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
UK-wide funding for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will ramp up to at least match receipts from EU structural funds, which on average reached around £1.5 billion per year. Spending Review 2021 fulfils this commitment, with the announcement of over £2.6 billion for the UKSPF over the next three years, with funding reaching £1.5 billion in 2024-25.
The UKSPF will focus on restoring a sense of community, local pride and belonging across the country. The UKSPF will act as a primary lever in levelling up people and places in all parts of the UK to empower places to identify, and build on, their own strengths and needs at a local level.
The Government will publish further details on the fund in due course.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made on tackling waste crime.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020/21 the Environment Agency stopped illegal activity at 722 sites, contributing to a 14% reduction in known illegal sites from the previous year. In the same period, they prosecuted 12 individuals and companies – leading to over £417,000 of fines. They also prevented the export of more than 11,000 tonnes of illegal waste.
Going forward, the government is preparing significant reforms to continue to increase the pressure on illegal waste operators. Our planned electronic waste tracking reforms will make it harder than ever to mis-identify waste or dispose of it inappropriately. Planned changes to the Carriers, Brokers and Dealers licensing regime will modernise licensing and make it harder still for rogue operators to escape detection. This will come in addition to measures in the Environment Act 2021 which gives agencies stronger powers of entry and access to evidence in prosecuting waste crime.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the World Health Organization air quality guidelines on (a) odorous annoyance and (b) health in respect of hydrogen sulphide emissions from landfill sites.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines are internationally recognised guidelines. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has adopted the WHO air quality guidelines with respect to hydrogen sulphide for assessing odour and short-term exposure in their risk assessment for Walleys Quarry Landfill, available here: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/west-midlands/walleys-quarry-landfill-sliverdale/user_uploads/walley-s-ea-aq-monitoring-health-risk--assessment-august-final.pdf.
The WHO guideline value of 7 µg/m3 (5 ppb) over a 30-minute averaging period is protective of odour annoyance. The WHO guideline value of 150 μg/m3 (107 ppb) as a 24-hour (average) to protect against eye irritation.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to scrutinise the Environment Agency’s strategy in respect of Walley’s Quarry landfill.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Following my recent discussion with the hon. Member, I have taken a close interest in the issue of Walley’s Quarry. I am regularly updated by officials and the Environment Agency about air quality near the site, and the agency’s plans to improve it. The latest reports show a continuing reduction in hydrogen sulphide, which hopefully will improve further still as a result of the ongoing work at the site.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Regulation of Walleys Quarry landfill site, Plan to reduce hydrogen sulphide emissions, published by the Environment Agency in October 2021; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Environment Agency's plan to reduce hydrogen sulphide emissions arising from Walleys Quarry builds on the work it has done to require the operator to contain, capture, and destroy increasing volumes of hydrogen sulphide. This strategy has seen concentrations decrease at all monitoring stations over recent months, although I recognise there remains significant concern in the local community. In due course, the new capping material installed at the site, and the extra gas wells being dug should further improve the situation.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the cost to the Environment Agency of regulating (a) Walley’s Quarry landfill and (b) all other landfill sites regulated by the Environment Agency in 2021.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Environment Agency charges an annual subsistence charge to landfill sites to fund their regulation. Landfill sites of the same type as Walleys Quarry are charged £18,221.00.
Poorly performing sites pay higher charges and this year Walleys Quarry was charged £22,776.25 – an additional 25%. The current performance of Walleys Quarry would lead to an additional charge of 50% in 2022.
The Environment Agency can also charge the operators for time and materials to recover the costs of additional regulation. Up to 13 August 2021, the operator of Walleys Quarry has been charged £98,622.20 for the additional costs of regulation and communications. The Environment Agency will continue to charge Walleys Quarry the recoverable costs of additional regulation and expects further recharges to be made throughout the rest of the year.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Home Office:
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure the effective implementation of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.
Answered by Priti Patel
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to interpreters and other staff who risked their lives working alongside UK forces in Afghanistan.
It is why we have introduced a generous funding package, covering healthcare, accommodation, education, and integration. We are committed to working with local authorities and NGOs to ensure Afghans who are resettled in the UK are fully supported.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has plans to investigate a potential link between the properties of polypropylene mesh and foreign body reaction, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
There are no plans to investigate the link between the properties of polypropylene mesh and foreign body reaction, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders.
The Department has commissioned NHS Digital to undertake a retrospective audit of complications from pelvic mesh from a defined cohort of women. This was announced in the Government’s response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Review.
Planning is at an early stage and the requirements for this audit are currently being gathered from a range of stakeholders and patient representatives.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have had ventral mesh rectopexy surgery; and how many are experiencing complications as a result of that surgery.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The information is not collected in the format requested.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, why rectopexy mesh injured patients are not entitled to access care in the new specialist mesh centres.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The eight specialist mesh services, currently in operation, have been commissioned to treat women who have experienced complications due to vaginal or abdominal mesh procedures for urinary incontinence or prolapse, including removal of mesh.
NHS England and NHS Improvement are considering the commissioning of care and support for people with complications in the use of mesh inserted for colorectal indications, known as rectopexy mesh. This work includes exploring whether the remit of the existing specialist mesh services can be expanded. NHS England and NHS Improvement expect to make a decision by the autumn.