Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many overseas voters from North East Hertfordshire constituency are impacted by frozen British Pensions; and whether she is taking steps to help tackle this.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no plans to change the policy on frozen State Pension.
UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only up-rated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.
The policy on up-rating UK State Pension paid overseas is a longstanding one and has been in place for over 70 years.
The Department does not hold information on voter identification and is not able to reliably identify voters from a specific constituency among those whose State Pension has not been up-rated
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent on (a) maternity, (b) paternity and (c) adoption leave in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC hold information on the amounts paid by employers to employees for Statutory Parental Pay, but do not hold this for additional ‘occupational’ pay offered by employers.
The table below shows the amounts paid for statutory pay in 2023/24 (the latest complete year available).
| Value of Employee Claims (£Million) |
Statutory Maternity Pay | 3,338.3 |
Statutory Paternity Pay | 69.0 |
Statutory Adoption Pay | 25.1 |
|
Notes:
1) Data collected using HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) and extracted in December 2024. RTI is subject to revision or updates.
2) Total value of claims rounded to nearest £100,000.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a national support scheme for the insurance of (a) thatched and (b) listed residential properties to help homeowners (i) manage increases in insurance costs and (ii) preserve heritage buildings.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government acknowledges that homeowners can face challenges in managing increased insurance costs and preserving heritage buildings, such as thatched properties.
The Department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a national support scheme for the insurance of thatched and listed residential properties. However, Historic England, the government's statutory advisors on the historic environment, commissioned analysis from industry experts to understand the causes behind these increases. The research revealed that fewer companies are offering insurance for highly listed (Grade I and II*) buildings, leading to reduced competition. The report found that the increased cost of materials and labour, which influence rebuild valuations, amongst other factors. These impacts are largely dictated by market forces and the Government is not considering intervention at this stage.
A range of policies and programmes the Government offers centrally and through its Arms Length Bodies, including repair and restoration grants, skills initiatives, and streamlining and simplifying the planning system, are designed to reduce the costs of works to listed buildings.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the implementation of community energy projects.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 2025 and 2026 Great British Energy will provide over £9m in support directly for community energy projects – from solar on rooftops to hydropower in rivers - through the GBE Community Fund as well as support for the CARES scheme in Scotland. These projects will help to support jobs, boost our energy security and increase public support for the energy transition. GBE will grow this support over this parliament as it becomes fully established.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of provisions within the Data, Use and Access Bill on (a) copyright and (b) AI on the long-term sustainability of the music and arts sector.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Data (Use and Access) Bill does not contain any provisions relating to copyright law and AI or the music and arts sectors. Nor does it change copyright law in any regard. In response to concerns, the Government has committed on the face of the Bill to produce an economic impact assessment and report on key matters relating to use of copyright works in the development of AI systems.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with providers of community equipment services on their role in supporting (a) timely hospital discharge and (b) effective community-based care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local National Health Service procuring authorities are responsible for assessing the timeliness and the quality of medical equipment delivered for their patients, procured under contracts they hold with suppliers.
Timely provision of community equipment supports people to remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible, and contributes significantly to the priorities of the Department, the NHS, and local authorities in terms of hospital avoidance and discharge.
Many NHS trusts and local authorities offer an Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) within the integrated health and social care system, as they support both the home first agenda and hospital flows. These services can be provided in-house or by external suppliers following a tender exercise. An ICES enables people to remain in or return to their homes as the primary setting for care, avoiding unnecessary stays in hospital or care homes. Also, an ICES facilitates timely hospital admissions, treatment, and discharge processes, minimising delays and improving capacity across the sector.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department’s long-term plan is for the community equipment services sector in the health and social care system.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local National Health Service procuring authorities are responsible for assessing the timeliness and the quality of medical equipment delivered for their patients, procured under contracts they hold with suppliers.
Timely provision of community equipment supports people to remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible, and contributes significantly to the priorities of the Department, the NHS, and local authorities in terms of hospital avoidance and discharge.
Many NHS trusts and local authorities offer an Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) within the integrated health and social care system, as they support both the home first agenda and hospital flows. These services can be provided in-house or by external suppliers following a tender exercise. An ICES enables people to remain in or return to their homes as the primary setting for care, avoiding unnecessary stays in hospital or care homes. Also, an ICES facilitates timely hospital admissions, treatment, and discharge processes, minimising delays and improving capacity across the sector.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
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 effectiveness of his policy on arms trade with Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In September 2024, we took decisive action, suspending licences for the Israeli Defence Forces that might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. We have maintained the suspension and assess there are no export licences currently being used for military operations in Gaza. This is subject to the specific measures taken with respect to the global F-35 programme.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has issued an expiry notice to Govia Thameslink Railway; and what her planned timetable is for the nationalisation of Govia Thameslink Railway.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The date on which Govia Thameslink Railway’s franchise will end, and its services transfer to public ownership, has not yet been decided. Accordingly, no expiry notice has been issued to Govia Thameslink Railway. The Rail Minister and Secretary of State meet with all the Train Operating Companies and their Network Rail counterparts regularly to discuss performance and staffing amongst other topical issues.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to consult people living with motor neurone disease on the development of the health and disability green paper.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government strongly values the input of disabled people and people with health conditions, and that is why we have brought forward this Green Paper and opened a public consultation. The consultation welcomes their views, and we hope that a wide range of voices will respond before it closes on the 30 June 2025.
We are also running a programme of accessible public events to further facilitate input. The series of both virtual and in-person events across the country, will help us to hear from disabled people and representative organisations directly.
We are continuing to facilitate other ways to involve stakeholders and disabled people in our reforms. In addition to the consultation itself, we will establish ‘collaboration committees’ that bring groups, including disabled people and other experts, together for specific work areas. Our wider review of the PIP assessment, led by myself, will also bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience.