Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle authorised push payment fraud, including that which targets vulnerable people.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Authorised Push Payment scams are often highly sophisticated and emotionally manipulative and it is unacceptable that victims may lose their money as a result. The Government is working with industry, including the banking and tech sectors to ensure that victims are protected from these crimes in the first place and are not left out of pocket because of them
The government is legislating through the Financial Services and Markets Bill to give the Payment Systems Regulator the powers it needs to make all Payment Service Providers reimburse victims of authorised fraud on the Faster Payments System in circumstances where the victim hasn’t been grossly negligent. We expect that this will materially improve outcomes for victims and provide enhanced incentives for firms to prevent these scams in the first place. The Payment Systems Regulator has consulted on the mechanism for reimbursement and industry liability and will publish its response shortly.
We are focused on stopping unscrupulous fraudsters in their tracks and supporting victims so they can recover and protect themselves. Raising awareness and safeguarding victims will form a key part of the Government’s forthcoming fraud strategy.
We are already taking concrete steps to protect the most vulnerable victims:
.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to take steps with the Payment Systems Regulator to increase the compensation available to people affected by authorised push payment fraud.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this devastating crime. We have now introduced legislation in the Financial Services and Markets Bill which enables the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) to mandate banks to reimburse victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud. Moreover, the legislation also specifies that the PSR must mandate reimbursement for payments made via the Faster Payments system within 6 months of the legislation coming into effect. This will ensure the vast majority of victims are protected to a swift timescale.
We expect that this legislation will result in more consistent and comprehensive reimbursement outcomes, ensuring victims are not left out of pocket through no fault of their own. The Government will also continue its work across Departments to tackle APP fraud at the source, and will shortly publish a comprehensive Fraud Strategy to detail our ongoing and upcoming actions.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to introduce a Minister for Economic Crime.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister’s office.
The Home Office and HM Treasury lead the policy response to tackling economic crime for government. It is right that these two departments jointly lead the government’s approach, to support system leadership that fully considers the long-term ramifications of decisions that impact both the UK’s prosperity and security. The Treasury leads on supervision and regulation, while the Home Office leads on law enforcement capabilities and related legislation
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2023 to Question 150442 on NHS Trusts: Debts, if his Department will publish a list of each NHS trust and NHS foundation trust in financial deficit in the financial year 2021-22 and its deficit.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department do not routinely publish lists of National Health Service trust and NHS foundation trusts in financial deficit. Each individual trust will report their latest financial position in their individual board papers and year-end accounts.
However, the following table shows provides a list of those trusts who reported a financial deficit at the end of 2021/22 based on the latest data made available by NHS England.
NHS providers in deficit 2021-22 | £000,000 |
Mid and South Essex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 111.0 |
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 6,039.4 |
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 2,272.7 |
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 721.0 |
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 6,328.2 |
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 3,629.0 |
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust | 5,646.0 |
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust | 3,478.0 |
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 13,179.2 |
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 362.0 |
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 23,227.0 |
Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust | 1,438.0 |
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust | 543.0 |
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | 1,538.0 |
The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 2,858.1 |
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 1,356.0 |
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust | 6,834.0 |
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust | 1,052.4 |
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust | 10,889.5 |
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust | 6,029.0 |
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust | 9,723.0 |
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust | 1,633.0 |
Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust | 11,424.0 |
North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 1.0 |
East London NHS Foundation Trust | 1,178.1 |
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust | 4,577.6 |
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust | 4,370.0 |
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that new 5G infrastructure is equally distributed throughout the country.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country. With industry, we are investing £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network, to extend 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by the end of 2025.
We have also steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 5G. This includes reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.
Our forthcoming Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will articulate a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure, including 5G, can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK's economy and society by 2030. We will set out how we will continue to drive 5G deployment across the UK.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department are taking to improve 5G infrastructure in rural areas.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country. With industry, we are investing £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network, to extend 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by the end of 2025.
We have also steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 5G. This includes reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.
Our forthcoming Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will articulate a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure, including 5G, can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK's economy and society by 2030. We will set out how we will continue to drive 5G deployment across the UK.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department are taking to improve 5G infrastructure in Suffolk.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country. With industry, we are investing £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network, to extend 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by the end of 2025.
We have also steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 5G. This includes reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.
Our forthcoming Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will articulate a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure, including 5G, can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK's economy and society by 2030. We will set out how we will continue to drive 5G deployment across the UK.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to provide funding for improvements at (a) Ely and (b) Haughley rail junctions.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are carefully reviewing the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline for England and Wales, following the Autumn Statement. We remain committed to publishing an update on RNEP and this will confirm the status of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and Haughley Junction upgrade project.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to take steps to seek private investment to help fund improvements at (a) Ely and (b) Haughley rail junctions.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are carefully reviewing the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline for England and Wales (including the potential for alternative fund contributions), following the Autumn Statement. We remain committed to publishing an update on RNEP and this will confirm the status of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and Haughley Junction upgrade project.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his role is in (a) suspending or (b) removing poorly performing NHS and NHS foundation trust board Chief Executives and Chairs.
Answered by Will Quince
The NHS Oversight Framework details the overall principles, responsibilities and ways of working for oversight, including the key metrics and factors NHS England will consider when determining support needs, and the circumstances in which it considers formal regulatory intervention may be necessary to address particular issues with integrated care boards, National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts.
My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care maintains powers to intervene where there are significant issues with appointed leaders. The Health and Care Act 2022 provides a new duty for NHS England to inform my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care where it considers that my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ought to make an ‘Intervention’ or ‘Default’ order in relation to an NHS trust. A Default order, where deemed necessary, removes a Chair immediately from post and an Intervention Order, Chair and Board members.