Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, on what dates Ministers in his Department have met with Housing Associations that administer communal heat networks to discuss the government financial support they have received and pass on to customers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Ministers have not met with housing associations which administer communal networks to discuss the heat network specific support provided under the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, however officials have been meeting with these organisations over the past year to discuss the design of the scheme and continue to do so to understand its effectiveness.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to require Housing Associations that administer communal heat networks to provide accounts to their customers of all deductions and costs that form their bill.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Energy Prices Act requires eligible heat network operators to pass on discounts they receive from the EBRS to their consumers. They will not be required to provide full accounts but they must explain to the customer how the discount amount that they have passed on is just and reasonable and the areas that they can consider are specified in accompanying regulations. We have appointed the Energy Ombudsman as a body that heat network customers in Great Britain can go to this winter if they are concerned that their heat network operator is not meeting the requirements of legislation.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the average percentage of the financial support provided to organisations that administer heat networks through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme that has been passed onto their customers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Energy Prices Act requires eligible heat network operators to pass on discounts from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to their consumers. Evaluation of the average discount provided to heat network customers is ongoing and we will update the house in due course on when details of the evaluation can be expected.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will outline a funding settlement alongside the NHS workforce plan when it is published, with particular reference to the workforce dealing with the treatment of Parkinson's Disease.
Answered by Will Quince
The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years, including for services for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Funding plans beyond the current Spending Review period will be subject to the outcome of future Spending Reviews.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to carry out a consultation with representatives of (a) Parkinson's UK and (b) other third sector organisations on the NHS workforce plan.
Answered by Will Quince
The long term workforce plan is currently being developed by NHS England. They are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders in developing this plan including a range of third sector organisations.
The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year and this will include independently-verified forecasts for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed in five, 10 and 15 years’ time, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a timetable for the implementation of the NHS workforce plan.
Answered by Will Quince
The long term workforce plan is currently being developed by NHS England. The Government has committed to publishing the plan next year.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the German Government to agree bespoke bilateral arrangements for UK musicians seeking to tour in Germany without restrictions.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. We have engaged bilaterally with all EU Member States, and nearly all (24 out of 27) have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for short-term touring.
This includes the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, this also includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021; and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, currently due to be in place until 31 December 2022. The UK Government is continuing to engage with Greece on extending this arrangement beyond the end of this year, however this is ultimately a decision for the Greek Government to take.
The Government is engaged with the remaining Member States - Cyprus, Malta and Portugal - on allowing creative professionals to tour more easily. However, ultimately it is up to these countries to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from EU Member States, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Finnish Government to agree bespoke bilateral arrangements for UK musicians seeking to tour in Finland without restrictions.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. We have engaged bilaterally with all EU Member States, and nearly all (24 out of 27) have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for short-term touring.
This includes the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, this also includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021; and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, currently due to be in place until 31 December 2022. The UK Government is continuing to engage with Greece on extending this arrangement beyond the end of this year, however this is ultimately a decision for the Greek Government to take.
The Government is engaged with the remaining Member States - Cyprus, Malta and Portugal - on allowing creative professionals to tour more easily. However, ultimately it is up to these countries to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from EU Member States, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the French Government to agree bespoke bilateral arrangements for UK musicians seeking to tour in France without restrictions.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. We have engaged bilaterally with all EU Member States, and nearly all (24 out of 27) have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for short-term touring.
This includes the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, this also includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021; and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, currently due to be in place until 31 December 2022. The UK Government is continuing to engage with Greece on extending this arrangement beyond the end of this year, however this is ultimately a decision for the Greek Government to take.
The Government is engaged with the remaining Member States - Cyprus, Malta and Portugal - on allowing creative professionals to tour more easily. However, ultimately it is up to these countries to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from EU Member States, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any bilateral arrangements are in place for UK musicians seeking to tour in Germany.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. We have engaged bilaterally with all EU Member States, and nearly all (24 out of 27) have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for short-term touring.
This includes the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, this also includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021; and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, currently due to be in place until 31 December 2022. The UK Government is continuing to engage with Greece on extending this arrangement beyond the end of this year, however this is ultimately a decision for the Greek Government to take.
The Government is engaged with the remaining Member States - Cyprus, Malta and Portugal - on allowing creative professionals to tour more easily. However, ultimately it is up to these countries to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from EU Member States, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits.