Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to help ensure that ultra-processed foods are easily identifiable to consumers.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Nutrition labelling helps to support consumers in making informed choices about their food and non-alcoholic drinks by providing information on the nutrient content of products. Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling is intended to support healthier choices by communicating complex nutritional information via colour coding, in a way that is easy and quick to understand.
While there is no universally agreed definition of ultra-processed foods, NOVA is the most widely used classification system. NOVA categorises foods by how much processing they have been through rather than their nutritional composition. There are considerable uncertainties about whether these foods are unhealthy due to processing, or because a large majority of processed foods are high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt.
The Government’s dietary advice, as depicted within the Eatwell Guide, already shows that many foods that would be classified as ultra-processed are not part of a healthy, balanced diet, as they are high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt. The Government’s advice on healthy eating, including the Eatwell Guide principles, is communicated through the NHS.UK website and Government social marketing campaigns such as Better Health, Healthier Families and Start for Life. Further information on the Eatwell Guide is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports were made of (a) rape and (b) other serious sexual offences by an alleged perpetrator under the age of 18 in (i) each police force area and (ii) the UK in each of the last five years.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of rape and sexual offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, and their investigative outcomes, including the number of charge/summons. This information is published by Police Force Area on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office does not hold information on perpetrators under the age of 18. Statistics on convictions in England and Wales, including rape and sexual offences by perpetrator age, are published by the Ministry of Justice, in the release Criminal Justice System Statistics Quarterly, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly
Scotland have a different method of recording sexual offences to England and Wales but information on crimes and offences recorded by the police, including clear ups of crimes, can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2022-23/
Information on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Northern Ireland, including investigative outcomes, can be accessed here:
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charges have been brought against alleged perpetrators under the age of 18 for (a) rape and (b) serious sexual offences in each of the last five years (i) nationally and (ii) by police force area.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of rape and sexual offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, and their investigative outcomes, including the number of charge/summons. This information is published by Police Force Area on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office does not hold information on perpetrators under the age of 18. Statistics on convictions in England and Wales, including rape and sexual offences by perpetrator age, are published by the Ministry of Justice, in the release Criminal Justice System Statistics Quarterly, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly
Scotland have a different method of recording sexual offences to England and Wales but information on crimes and offences recorded by the police, including clear ups of crimes, can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2022-23/
Information on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Northern Ireland, including investigative outcomes, can be accessed here:
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been for (a) rape and (b) serious sexual offences where the perpetrator was under the age of 18 in each of the last five years.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of rape and sexual offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, and their investigative outcomes, including the number of charge/summons. This information is published by Police Force Area on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office does not hold information on perpetrators under the age of 18. Statistics on convictions in England and Wales, including rape and sexual offences by perpetrator age, are published by the Ministry of Justice, in the release Criminal Justice System Statistics Quarterly, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly
Scotland have a different method of recording sexual offences to England and Wales but information on crimes and offences recorded by the police, including clear ups of crimes, can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2022-23/
Information on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Northern Ireland, including investigative outcomes, can be accessed here:
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many people were turned away from polling stations due to lack of photo ID during the local elections on 2 May 2024.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 24793 answered on 13 May 2024.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of refugees that will be deported to Rwanda (a) on the first flight and (b) in each of the 12 months following the first flight.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
This is operationally sensitive information.
We have been clear that the scheme is uncapped.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he had discussions with rail unions on taking steps to avoid the strikes that commenced on 7 May 2024.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Negotiations must take place between the employer, which the Rail Delivery Group has done on behalf of the train operators, and the trade union over its dispute. The Government has no role in these negotiations and discussions. We remain committed to supporting the parties in the resolution of industrial action and the Secretary of State and I have previously met with all the rail unions to help facilitate discussions with the rail industry.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to allow beneficiaries to claim two years of a deceased person's state pension contributions in the event that they die before state pension age.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Whilst recognising the emotive nature of this issue and having sympathy for people in this position, the Government does not have plans to make any changes in this area,
Where a spouse, civil partner or, where there is a dependent child, cohabiting partner, passes away, Bereavement Support Payment is available to help working age people through the difficult period following a bereavement. Bereavement Support Payment is a contributory benefit based on the National Insurance contributions of the deceased person.
Pension Credit provides a safety-net for those over the State Pension age on low-incomes.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make it her policy to abolish hospital car parking fees.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has no plans to abolish hospital car parking charges. We have delivered on our commitment of providing free hospital car parking for those in greatest need, including National Health Service staff working overnight. The NHS Car Parking guidance is clear that where hospital car parking charges are in force, they should be reasonable and not significantly more than other hospitals in the local area.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many troops were serving in the British Army as of 24 April (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The table below shows the Army Full Time Trained Strength as at 1 April 2010 and Army Full Time Trade Trained Strength as at 1 January 2024.
| 01 April 2010 | 01 January 2024 |
Strength | 102,260 | 73,190 |
Notes/Caveats: