Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish its findings on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers; and whether the review considers the need (a) for competition in the market and (b) to reduce emissions across the sector.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The outcome of my Department’s review into volumetric concrete mixers was published on 18 March. This can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/volumetric-concrete-mixers-review
The implications for road safety, infrastructure, the environment, and maintaining fair competition in the market have all been considered as part of the review.
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed relocation of his Department's site at East Kilbride on the local community.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO is awaiting a decision from HM Treasury on the Business Case submitted for the FCDO moving its joint HQ in Scotland from East Kilbride to Glasgow. The FCDO has not made any specific assessment of the impact to the local community of a decision to move out of East Kilbride. We do, of course, recognise that many of our staff live in East Kilbride and surrounding communities. Our focus remains on supporting them as we transition to Glasgow. We have also committed to ensuring the local community have access to information on future FCDO recruitment opportunities and our outreach is focused on helping enhance knowledge and understanding of the Civil Service as a future career option.
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the future of industry in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to ensure we work together to safeguard the future for key Scottish industries.
We inherited a fiscal crisis, and in Scotland an industrial crisis as well. Our industrial strategy will be for all parts of the UK.
Scotland is key to our defence, technology, professional services, higher education, food and drink and energy industries, all cornerstones of Scotland's strong economic and industrial base.
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of Bedrocan oil.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Bedrocan oils are a range of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. These products have not been assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for safety, quality, or efficacy, or assessed by National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for clinical and cost effectiveness.
Bedrocan, and other unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use, are available from independent providers across the United Kingdom, regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use can only be prescribed by, or under the direction of, a clinician on the General Medical Council Specialist Register. Prescribers of unlicensed medicines have increase medico-legal responsibilities and are responsible for the quality and availability of the medicine prescribed.
These products are not routinely prescribed on the National Health Service, as clinical guidelines from the NICE demonstrate a clear need for further evidence on the safety and effectiveness of unlicensed cannabis-based medicines to support prescribing decisions.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has issued two calls for research proposals and a highlight notice on medicinal cannabis. Manufacturers, including those for Bedrocan oils, are responsible for generating evidence to support the use of these products and to seek regulatory approval. The Government encourages manufacturers to do so and offers scientific and research advice from the MHRA and the NIHR.
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people living at the Bruce Hotel in East Kilbride have been granted asylum in the past 12 months.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on grants at initial decision is published in table Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the year ending September 2024. Data on grants of refugee status by location or accommodation type is not published.
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) age, (b) gender and (c) country of origin is of asylum seekers living at the Bruce Hotel in East Kilbride.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
For the safety and security of residents and staff at its accommodation sites, the Home Office does not publish detail of each site in use.
However, data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, by local authority and accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for the most recent stats release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk.)
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time is for asylum seekers to spend in the Bruce Hotel in East Kilbride.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
For the safety and security of residents and staff at its accommodation sites, the Home Office does not publish detail of each site in use.
However, data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, by local authority and accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for the most recent stats release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk.)
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many residents are accommodated at the Bruce Hotel in East Kilbride.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
For the safety and security of residents and staff at its accommodation sites, the Home Office does not publish detail of each site in use.
However, data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, by local authority and accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for the most recent stats release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk.)
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help create defence jobs in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
Scotland’s defence industry is vital to the UK’s security and economy. The newly published Defence Industrial Strategy is clear that this government will prioritise UK-based defence firms, including those in Scotland.
As part of Brand Scotland, I have been promoting the Scottish defence industry in Norway and in South-East Asia, where I visited HMS Spey, constructed by BAE Systems on the Clyde.
I welcome the announcement by BAE Systems that they will be investing £1 billion in education and skills across the UK, which will lead to more than 200 jobs in Glasgow.
Asked by: Joani Reid (Labour - East Kilbride and Strathaven)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support victims of sex trafficking.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Sex trafficking is a truly terrible crime. Those who’ve endured it are some of the bravest people I’ve ever met. Victims of modern slavery in England and Wales receive tailored support, through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract, to help rebuild their lives, engage with the criminal justice system, and transition back into the wider community.
Supporting victims is a devolved power, so comparable tailored support is provided in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the devolved administrations and their partnering organisations.