Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with BT on the duration of the pause in its rollout of the digital switchover for elderly and vulnerable customers.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
When the UK’s major Communication Providers signed the Charter of Commitments in December 2023, they committed to pausing non-voluntary migrations of all customers until they had full confidence that they are taking all possible steps to protect vulnerable people through the migration process. As a result, BT have currently paused all non-voluntary migrations.
BT has not yet indicated when they will resume the practice of non-voluntary migrations. This is a commercial decision for BT to make, and we expect them to notify us when they intend to resume non-voluntary migrations. DSIT Ministers and officials are meeting with BT regularly to discuss the progress of the migration.
Government and Ofcom are engaging with all signatories of the Charter of Commitments to monitor their approach to the PSTN migration. This includes asking them whether they conduct non-voluntary migration programmes and what protections they have in place for vulnerable customers.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide financial assistance to vulnerable customers reliant on (a) monitoring and (b) emergency call services where their equipment has to be upgraded as a result of BT's digital switchover.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The analogue landline network, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a privately owned network and the decision to replace it with digital landlines has been made by the telecoms industry. Government has no formal role in the switchover process. While BT owns the largest amount of PSTN lines, this upgrade is not just confined to that company. This migration is due to necessity, as the PSTN is old and increasingly prone to failure. Retaining customers on the PSTN would mean a significant long-term risk to individuals.
The switchover process means that certain devices and services which rely on analogue landlines, such as some telecare alarms, will need to be replaced. Upgrading these devices will ensure that they are compatible with a more secure underlying infrastructure.
Since the switchover is not led by Government, there is no designated funding available from DSIT. Where telecare devices are provided by local authorities or the NHS, these organisations will need to ensure that telecare users have compatible devices. Telecare users should contact the organisation providing their devices, to discuss what support is available to them. We also encourage concerned customers to contact their Communication Provider (such as BT or VMO2) to understand their approach to the switchover and what support is available.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Army officers transferred to Intermediate Regular Commissions in each of the last ten years.
Answered by James Heappey
The below table shows the Army’s Regular Trade Trained Commission Conversions from Short Service Commissions to Intermediate Regular Commissions (IRC) over the last ten financial years (FY).
Commission to IRC Contract Type | FY 2013-14 | FY 2014-15 | FY 2015-16 3 | FY 2016-17 | FY 2017-18 | FY 2018-19 | FY 2019-20 | FY 2020-21 | FY 2021-22 | FY 2022-23 |
IRC Total | 350 | 230 | 910 | 520 | 530 | 480 | 450 | 460 | 390 | 390 |
Army IRC (Direct Entry) | 340 | 220 | 870 | 510 | 510 | 450 | 440 | 440 | 360 | 380 |
Army IRC (Late Entry) | 10 | 10 | 30 | 10 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Table notes:
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients are recorded as being on a waiting list for treatment more than once for the same condition.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information is not available in the format requested. Data is not collected based on the patient’s condition, but rather by what category of treatment they are waiting to receive. This Referral to Treatment data is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy that police officers should not be able to strip and intimately search suspects of the opposite sex if the police officer self-identifies as the same gender as the person being searched.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
There are clear same-sex provisions set out in law in relation to the conduct of certain searches of persons by police officers.
It is not right, safe or respectful to detainees of either sex for officers to conduct such searches on the basis of gender self-identification. All strip and intimate searches must be carried out by an officer of the same sex as the person being searched.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has confirmed that it has withdrawn its guidance on searches by transgender officers and is conducting a thorough review.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will consult the Agricultural Engineers Association on the drafting of regulations under the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government supported the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which gained Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. The Act will require immobilisers and forensic marking to be fitted as standard to specified new agricultural equipment such as All-Terrain Vehicles and quad bikes. The Act provides a power for the Secretary of State to extend these requirements to other equipment designed for use in agricultural or commercial activities, via secondary legislation.
The Government committed to consult prior to introducing secondary legislation, to assess the feasibility of including hand-held power tools and larger agricultural equipment within the secondary legislation, and to ensure that practical considerations for manufacturers and retailers are considered fully.
A Call for Evidence was published, seeking views on these detailed matters and specifically targeted at those who may be affected by the proposals should they become legislation, including manufacturers, dealers, retailers, tradespeople and law enforcement practitioners. The call for evidence closed on 13 July and the Government’s response will be published in due course.
The Home Office is continuing to engage with stakeholders on the development of this legislation. I met retailers and manufacturers of power tools on 29 January to understand their views and the potential implications of this legislation, including the Agricultural Engineers Association.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Second Church Estates Commissioner on 11 January 2023, Official Report, column 443, whether his Department has sought information on the (a) whereabouts and (b) wellbeing of staff from the Anglican al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza who were taken by the Israeli Defence Force.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on individual cases. However, we are concerned over reports about Israeli detention practices. The Government is clear that administrative detention should be used only where it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. The UK is committed to working with Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices and repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to implement section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 relating to the power for local authorities to take into account a developer's previous performance when determining planning applications.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Section 113 of the Levelling up and Regeneration Act 2013 gives local planning authorities the power to decline to consider planning applications from developers who have not completed or have been to slow completing earlier residential development in their area. It is an important part of the wider package of reforms in the Act to support the faster build out of residential development. We will be consulting on the detailed implementation of this package of reforms in due course.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the deer management strategy.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Native wild deer are an important component of our landscape but if left unchecked, they can cause serious problems to agricultural crops, tree planting schemes, conservation and biodiversity.
In the England Trees Action Plan and Environmental Improvement Plan, we committed to addressing these pressures through developing a National Deer Management Strategy. This strategy will be published in due course.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 23 October 2023 to Question 203179 on People's Postcode Lottery, if she will publish a consultation on removing the charity lottery annual sales limits.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in the response to WPQ 203179, the annual sales limits for society lotteries were reviewed 12 months after the reforms were implemented in 2020. The review concluded it was too soon to reach any firm view on the impact of the reforms, and that more data on the growth of the sector was needed before considering any further changes. I therefore have no current plans for a consultation.
My officials and I will continue working with the Gambling Commission, as part of its regulatory role, to keep the sector under review.