Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS England's website entitled Health and wellbeing programmes, what steps he is taking to improve (a) rest areas and (b) catering facilities for NHS staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Health and Wellbeing Framework highlights the importance of getting the basics right, such as providing access to good quality rest areas, food, and drink options. Through the Independent Review of NHS Hospital Food, officials have had, and continue to have, discussions in relation to improving catering for National Health Service staff in NHS hospital settings. The NHS Food and Drink Standards also contains detailed information for catering managers about sourcing and serving high quality, nutritious food to patients and staff.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals and support to work healthily and flexibly.
The New Hospital Programme will mandate that staff welfare spaces must occupy at least 6% to 7% of the total net internal area footprint for schemes that are fully compliant with the new standardised designs. This 6% to 7% minimum allocation will continue to be protected and maintained through the full life cycle of the building.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to extend funding for the NHS Practitioner Health programme beyond March 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Looking after the mental health of our hardworking National Health Service staff is a priority for the Government.
The NHS Practitioner Health programme is funded until March 2026, and more recently the 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Staff Treatment Hubs. These hubs will provide a high-quality occupational health service for all NHS staff, which includes support for mental health issues.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation plans to issue updated guidance to asset managers on the risks of holding Hong Kong-listed securities that track sanctioned Chinese parent companies through Stock Connect.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
UK businesses should ensure compliance with all UK sanctions regulations as part of their business operations, including performing due diligence checks on all of their clients, suppliers and partners. Non-compliance with UK sanctions is a serious offence and punishable through financial penalties or criminal prosecution.
OFSI has delivered a wealth of guidance, advisories, alerts and threat assessment reports assessing sectoral threats and vulnerabilities relating to financial sanctions. These products have been produced to support industry to comply with UK sanctions, including as part of their global operations. OFSI is not currently working on further guidance for the Hong Kong securities sector. If firms are unclear on their obligations, they should seek legal advice.
If somebody has evidence or information of activity that contravenes UK financial sanctions, this should be reported to OFSI immediately using the reporting form available on GOV.UK(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/suspected-breach-of-financial-sanctions-what-to-do).
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the proportion of UK solar-panel imports sourced from Xinjiang-based polysilicon manufacturers sanctioned by the United States; and whether he plans to introduce a full import ban on such products.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring UK businesses are not complicit in forced labour and human rights violations.
In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review of its approach to responsible business conduct policy. The review will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current Responsible Business Conduct measures and alternative policy options to support responsible business practices.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Pensions Regulator has issued guidance to trustees on the (a) financial and (b) reputational risks of holding equities in Hong Kong-listed companies named in overseas sanctions orders for human rights violations.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Pensions Regulator does not give investment advice, including on ethical grounds. It has not published specific guidance on these matters.
HMG offers Overseas Business Risk information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that suppliers (a) linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and (b) named in allied sanctions lists are excluded from public procurement frameworks.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The UK Government is committed to tackling human rights abuses including modern slavery and human trafficking in public supply chains.
On 24 February 2025 the Procurement Act came into force, providing contracting authorities with stronger powers to exclude suppliers from public procurements where there is compelling evidence of modern slavery within their supply chains. Contracting authorities are encouraged to review a wide range of information on suppliers when seeking to determine whether an exclusion ground applies, including sanction lists.
The Act’s new debarment powers also enable us to take stronger and broader action in relation to supplier misconduct which we will use, where appropriate, to effectively hold organisations to account.
The Cabinet Office has, in addition, published extensive risk-based policy and guidance for commercial teams to tackle labour rights abuses in UK and global supply chains.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent evaluation his Department has made of the adequacy of the Disability Confident scheme’s conversion rate from interview to appointment for disabled applicants across government departments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The purpose of the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) is to ensure that disabled candidates are given a fair opportunity to demonstrate their skills at interview. Of those who applied for a vacancy using the Civil Service Jobs website in the approximately five year period 2019-2024:
c.13% of applicants applied under the DCS
c.12% of candidates who were invited to interview had applied under DCS
c.9% of applicants who were successful at interview had applied under DCS
The Department for Work and Pensions is continuing to explore whether any reforms to the criteria for DCS are needed.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps she has taken on the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The fiscal position means that there have been tough choices to get us back on the path to recovery. It is in this context that the department is considering the request made for funding by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.
I was pleased to meet with Andy Lock to discuss the outstanding work done by the organisation across Britain’s coalfields. I recognise that addressing the acute challenges faced by our coalfield communities will require greater partnership working between government and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, and I am committed to working in partnership with them to explore opportunities for collaboration.
This government remains committed to supporting our most disadvantaged communities. At Spending Review, we announced funding for up to 350 places. Of the 100 places announced, 15 are in coalfield areas. Details of the remaining places will be announced in due course.