Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria her Department uses to determine who will be consulted on the Government’s BBC funding model review; and if she will publish a list of those that have been consulted.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As set out in the Terms of Reference for the BBC Funding Model Review, the review will take evidence from a range of relevant stakeholders as we seek to assess the merits of different options for securing the sustainability of the BBC. The Secretary of State issued formal evidence requests to industry stakeholders across the broadcasting and media sector and to all three of the Devolved Administrations.
The review aims to report to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by Autumn 2024. The findings will inform Charter Review, which is where any final decisions on changing the BBC’s funding model will be made by the Government. As required by the Charter, the Government will consult the public as part of the Charter Review process.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the BBC Funding Model Review: Terms of Reference, published on 21 March 2024, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the review assesses the potential merits of all options for securing the sustainability of the BBC.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government believes that there are challenges around the sustainability of the current licence fee funding model, and is therefore conducting a review of the BBC’s funding model.
As the Terms of Reference make clear, the Review is assessing a range of options for funding the BBC. It is looking at how alternative models could help secure the broadcaster’s long-term sustainability amid an evolving media landscape, increased competition and changing audience behaviour, while reducing the burden on licence fee payers.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his planned timetable is for laying the secondary legislation required to commence section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is currently considering how best to take forward implementation of section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her Department’s policies of the report by the APPG on Hormone Pregnancy Test entitled Bitter Pill: Primodos - the forgotten thalidomide, published on 27 February 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We remain hugely sympathetic to the families who believe that they have suffered due to the use of Hormone Pregnancy Tests (HPTs). In 2017 an independent Expert Working Group conducted a comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence, and concluded that the data did not support a causal association between the use of HPTs, such as Primodos, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This remains the Government’s position. The Government has committed to reviewing any new evidence related to HPTs, and a possible causal association with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will implement the recommendations in the report by the APPG on Hormone Pregnancy Test entitled Bitter Pill: Primodos - the forgotten thalidomide, published on 27 February 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We remain hugely sympathetic to the families who believe that they have suffered due to the use of Hormone Pregnancy Tests (HPTs). In 2017 an independent Expert Working Group conducted a comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence, and concluded that the data did not support a causal association between the use of HPTs, such as Primodos, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This remains the Government’s position. The Government has committed to reviewing any new evidence related to HPTs, and a possible causal association with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which stakeholder groups representing the LGBT+ community she has met in the last 12 months.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Equality Hub Ministers and officials conduct regular engagement with stakeholders across a wide range of topics in the LGBT area. Most recently, these have included hate crime and hate speech, homelessness, healthcare, conversion practices and gender recognition. This engagement consists of, but is not limited to, holding conversations with victims and survivors, LGBT groups, healthcare professionals, faith groups, groups advocating for sex-based rights and parliamentarians.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of when the asylum backlog will be reduced to 2010 levels.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Provisional data indicates that between the end of November 2022 and October 2023 the legacy backlog reduced by 64% and we remain on track to clear the legacy backlog by the end of the year as per the Prime Minister’s commitment last year.
We will continue the steps we are already taking to speed up asylum processing whilst maintaining the integrity of the system. This includes better performance management, overtime, and shorer, focussed interviews.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department has made the US Administration on greater transparency for UK nationals on the reasons for Electronic System for Travel Authorization refusals.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have no records of recent discussions with the US regarding greater transparency for UK nationals on the reasons for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation refusals.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of households that have (a) had pre-payment meters removed and (b) received compensation due to the involuntary installation of pre-payment meters since February 2023.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government does not hold this data. The Government has always been clear on the importance of protecting energy consumers, particularly the most vulnerable. Ofgem has been clear that suppliers will not be able to resume involuntary installations of prepayment meters (PPM) until they have amongst other things showed readiness to comply with Ofgem’s new rules regarding involuntary PPM installations and demonstrated progress through an independent audit to identify wrongly installed meters and provide redress where appropriate.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of households that have been involuntarily fitted with pre-payment meters since October 2022.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government does not hold this data. The Government has always been clear on the importance of protecting energy consumers, particularly the most vulnerable. Ofgem has been clear that suppliers will not be able to resume involuntary installations of prepayment meters (PPM) until they have amongst other things showed readiness to comply with Ofgem’s new rules regarding involuntary PPM installations and demonstrated progress through an independent audit to identify wrongly installed meters and provide redress where appropriate.