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Written Question
Energy: Housing
Tuesday 20th February 2024

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will take steps to introduce post-installation inspections for ECO4-funded works to ensure that those works are carried out to a high standard.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Under ECO4 installations of all energy efficiency measures, excluding district heating system connections, need to be carried out by TrustMark registered businesses, which are required to adhere to the independent Publicly Available Specification standards.

TrustMark carries out post-installation inspections on up to 10% of all projects, taking a risk-based approach.


Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Polyethylene Glycol
Monday 18th December 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the motor industry to use polyethylene glycol in vehicle cooling systems; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits for the environment of using this chemical.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has made no assessment on this issue. The design of vehicle cooling systems is the responsibility of manufacturers.


Written Question
Energy: Meters
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people in rural areas who do not have smart meter coverage are not left without heat and hot water when the radio teleswitching service is turned off.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Discussions are underway with radio teleswitching service (RTS) providers to secure its ongoing operation into 2025, beyond the end of the current contractual period ending March 2024.

The Government expects energy suppliers to upgrade households with RTS to smart meters as soon as possible. Households should contact their energy supplier who are best placed to advise based on knowledge of individual circumstances, including solutions for where smart meter coverage is not available.

Government is also working with the Data Communications Company on technical solutions to extend smart metering Wide Area Network coverage for those currently unable to receive it.


Written Question
Employment and Support Allowance: National Insurance Contributions
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants of New Style Employment Support Allowance were refused assistance because of insufficient National Insurance contributions during the covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make it his policy to reduce the requirement for National Insurance contributions in that period.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

As part of the Government's strategy to support people affected by the Coronavirus, we made a number of changes to ensure people who needed financial help could have access to the benefit system. People who were unable to claim New Style ESA due to insufficient National Insurance credits could alternatively make a claim for Universal Credit, which is a means tested benefit. There are no plans to change the New Style ESA contribution conditions for this period of the Coronavirus pandemic.


Written Question
Prisoners of War: Military Decorations
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce a medal for armed forces personnel who were prisoners of war.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no plans to recommend the introduction of a prisoner of war medal. Armed Forces personnel who were prisoners of war would have been awarded the relevant Campaign Star, or Medal, for the theatre in which they served, and an individual who performed a particular act of distinction could have been considered for a gallantry award. Any consideration of a separate medal for prisoners of war would be a matter for the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee, a sub-committee of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medal, rather than the MOD.


Written Question
Veterans: Identity Cards
Friday 20th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timetable is for full rollout of ID cards for veterans; and what assessment he has made of the merits of veterans having such cards (a) in Scotland and (b) across the UK.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Veterans' Recognition Scheme has a two-phase rollout. Phase 1 is complete; with all Service leavers since December 2018 automatically receiving a HM Armed Forces Veteran Card as part of their discharge process. As of July 2023, there have been over 71,000 Veteran Cards issued as part of Phase 1. Phase 2 will extend access to the recognition card scheme to those who left before December 2018. Continued progress has been made towards the launch of a new digital verification service to enable all veterans to apply for the card.

With around two million veterans in the UK, we are focused on building the technology and processes to deal with large volumes of card applications accurately and securely. As production increases into next year, the Ministry of Defence will have the capacity to produce up to 50,000 cards per month and the number of cards issued will depend on demand.


Written Question
Transcaucasus: Roads
Friday 20th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to convene international partners to help support work on finding a resolution to the situation in the Lachin corridor.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Following Azerbaijan's military action in Nagorno-Karabakh in September, the UK was active in working with international partners to call upon Azerbaijan to end the use of force and to avoid further conflict. We welcome UN and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access following the conflict, and we are providing £1 million to the ICRC to provide life-saving medication, healthcare and other essential support to those affected. We are continuing to liaise with the UN, ICRC and others to assess humanitarian need in the region and what further UK assistance is required.


Written Question
Azerbaijan: Crimes against Humanity
Thursday 19th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure Azerbaijan’s compliance with international law on prevention of atrocity crimes.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK believes that those who commit atrocities in armed conflicts need to be held accountable. We call on states and non-state actors engaged in armed conflict to respect international humanitarian law, and to act in accordance with their obligations under it. In the case of Azerbaijani military action in Nagorno-Karabakh in September, the UK was vocal in calling for an end to the conflict, the protection of civilians and for immediate humanitarian access. The UN and other international actors have subsequently been granted access to the region.


Written Question
Veterans
Thursday 19th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the all-party parliamentary group for veteran's survey findings, published in 2023, what steps he is taking to (a) strengthen the services provided by Veterans UK, (b) ensure that veterans receive high-quality (i) care, (ii) support and (iii) communication throughout the process of claiming compensation and (c) ensure that veterans' physical and mental health is taken into consideration during that process.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) welcomes the results of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG's) recent survey. The MOD also undertakes a variety of surveys and canvassing to ensure it is giving serving personnel, their families and veterans what they need to pursue their careers and ensure their lived experience is positive.

Many of the issues raised by veterans relate specifically to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) which is subject to the Quinquennial Review. The latest Quinquennial Review was published on 17 July 2023. Its aim is to ensure that the AFCS remains fit for purpose and identify opportunities for improvement. Its recommendations are currently being considered, and a Government response will be published later this year.

We recognise delays do happen and we are always working to minimise these but the interaction and dependency on OGDs, in particular the NHS means some delays are outside our control. The need to obtain proper, full, comprehensive medical reports from claimant's medical practitioners being the most frequent reason for delay.

The Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) helps Veterans with form completion for MOD administered schemes and signposting to entitlements and support available from the wider public and voluntary sectors.


Written Question
Veterans
Thursday 19th October 2023

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the APPG for Veteran's Survey Findings relating to respondents' awareness of activities undertaken by the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committee (VAPCS), what steps he plans to take to enhance awareness among (a) veterans and (b) military personnel of the role of in providing support to veterans.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) acknowledges the results of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Veterans’ survey.

The MOD has already taken steps towards raising awareness of the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees by delivering on its commitment to capture the breadth of their activities through a Private Member’s Bill that has now been passed into law. The passage of this Act has raised broader awareness of the role of the Committees and the support they provide to our Armed Forces community at a regional level.

The issue of how the Committees communicate within their regions and with relevant stakeholders, forms part of both their public bodies independent review and the UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans, which were published in July 2023. The MOD and Office for Veterans' Affairs, along with other stakeholders, will now consider these reports and will develop an action plan to address findings and recommendations, with a focus on implementing meaningful change that will enhance service effectiveness and delivery. The Government’s response to these reports will be published later in the year.