Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve the transparency of sentencing.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Government is committed to transparency in our courts and tribunals, and I know the judiciary are too.
Last month we announced that we are expanding free access to sentencing remarks to all victims whose case is sentenced in the Crown Court.
This is a landmark moment for transparency and open justice, and a meaningful improvement for victims across the country.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role local authorities will play in monitoring compliance with planned updated school food standards.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.
We want to gather a broad spectrum of perspectives. To achieve this, we intend to consult on these revisions and further details on timings will be available in due course.
School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance, holding school leaders to account for meeting the School Food Standards. Through our review, we will engage with the sector on a range of matters, including monitoring compliance.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what timeline her Department has set for its consultation on updating school food standards in England.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.
We want to gather a broad spectrum of perspectives. To achieve this, we intend to consult on these revisions and further details on timings will be available in due course.
School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance, holding school leaders to account for meeting the School Food Standards. Through our review, we will engage with the sector on a range of matters, including monitoring compliance.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to publish the outcome of the review of the online marketplace VAT liability rules announced in April 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In the Spring 2025 Simplification, Administration and Reform Tax Update Summary, the Government sought stakeholder views on VAT online marketplace liability. The Government is grateful to all those who have taken the time to respond and share evidence. Given the complexity of this issue, it is right that the Government takes the necessary time to carefully consider the evidence and determine the most appropriate next steps.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to implement the healthy food standard policy announced as part of the 10-year health plan for England within the current Parliament; and if he will publish a timeline for these legislative or regulatory changes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan committed to introducing mandatory healthy food sales reporting for all large companies in the food sector before the end of this Parliament and targets to increase the healthiness of sales in all communities.
To fulfil this commitment, the Government is working towards a Spring 2026 public consultation on Healthier Food Targets and Reporting. Decisions on policy proposals and implementation will be taken following consultation.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the publication of the new nutrient profiling model announced in the 10-year health plan for England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan also stated that the Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) 2004/5, which underpins the advertising and promotions restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink products, is out of date. Updating the standards to reflect the latest dietary advice will strengthen the restrictions and more effectively target the products of most concern to childhood obesity.
The Government intends to publish the updated NPM next year and will consult on the application of the NPM to the advertising and promotions restrictions.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which (a) individuals and (b) organisations have been appointed to governance structures responsible for developing the Modern Service Frameworks for Dementia and Frailty.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We intend to engage with a range of partners over the coming months to enable us to build a modern service framework which is both ambitious and practical, to ensure we can improve system performance for people with dementia and frailty both now and in the future.
No specific individuals or organisations have been appointed at this time. However, we intend to formalise a governance structure for the development of the modern service framework shortly which we will share with partners in due course.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review the operation of assessed household charges where a household is unable to have a water meter fitted.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the importance of fair charges for households that are unable to have a water meter fitted. Currently, water companies have the ability to charge by water meters on a mandatory basis in areas designated as water stressed.
Defra is committed to working with Ofwat to ensure to ensure a smooth rollout of 10.4m smart water meters over the next five years (2025-30) and is considering the recommendations made by the Independent Water Commission and the 'Learning from experience' report from Baringa to ensure vulnerable customers are protected during the rollout.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
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 have discussions with food retailers on ending the use of cages for hens.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to continue working closely with all stakeholders to deliver high standards. The major retailers have pledged to stop selling shell eggs from caged hens by the end of 2025, with some retailers extending that pledge to products containing liquid or processed egg.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring regulation on packaging of cigars and cigarillos in line with that for cigarettes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the November 2024 Government response to the consultation 'Mandating quit information messages inside tobacco packs', we are considering introducing more stringent packaging requirements for all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarillos, tobacco related devices, cigarette papers, and herbal smoking products.
We ran a call for evidence on standardising packaging for all tobacco products between November 2024 and January 2025. We will publish a consultation next year on future regulations. We will listen very carefully to the views and evidence put forward by stakeholders.