Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) returning the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme investment reserve to scheme members and (b) commissioning a review into future investment reserve surplus sharing arrangements.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has ended the injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme (MPS) and agreed the transfer the Investment Reserve Fund to members, so that the mineworkers who powered our country receive a fairer pension.

The resulting bonus will increase pensions by 32% and should start to be paid in November. The Government will soon start talks with the MPS Trustees on the future arrangements for surplus sharing.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent progress her Department has made on bringing forward proposed reforms to the gender recognition certificate process.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In our manifesto, we committed to reforming gender recognition law. We will remove indignities for trans people who deserve recognition and acceptance whilst retaining the need for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

We will set out our next steps on this work in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) pensioners and (b) dependents are recipients of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in Cannock Chase constituency.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We are unable to provide the breakdown requested. However, information from the trustees shows that, as at October 2024, the number of pensioner and dependant members in Cannock Chase was 530.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of lowering the turnover threshold of £1 billion for businesses that are required to fund the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is currently funded by an annual levy on the 14 large retailers that are designated under the Code by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA assesses annually whether retailers which have a turnover exceeding £1bn of grocery sales in the UK should be designated under the Code. The £1bn threshold is set out in the Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order 2009 which is the responsibility of the CMA.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was lost to fraud in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows fraud losses in the National Health Service in England, for each of the last five years:

Source: NHS Counter Fraud Authority Consolidated Data Report.

Notes:

1. figures shown in this table are gross losses that do not include monies subsequently recovered as a result of loss recovery activity; and
2. figures shown relate to cases closed in the relevant year.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce response times for applications to the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Sustainable Farming Incentive has been expanded to now include Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier actions, with around a further 80 new actions now available for customers to select. The scheme is in the late stages of the controlled rollout, something always normally undertaken when new schemes are implemented to make sure that everything is working as expected for everyone. This allows the Rural Payments Agency to monitor all aspects closely, covering not only the technical elements of the application process but also including customer guidance and support. carrying out additional checks on all applications before issuing agreements. These checks are being scaled back as we move through this initial controlled period, and the number of agreements being offered has increased since the start of October.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS mental health support available to trans patients under the age of 18.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The independent Darzi investigation of the NHS in England found that NHS waiting lists for mental health services have surged, and that by April 2024, about 1 million people were waiting for mental health services. The Cass review also noted the unacceptable waiting times across Children and Young People’s Gender Services. The government and NHS England are working to improve Children and Young People’s Gender Services in a variety of ways, including expanding the number of services offered. The Government and NHS England are committed to implementing the recommendations from the Cass Review to ensure children and young people with gender incongruence get the holistic care they need. In line with NHS England’s ambitious two-year implementation plan, three new services in the North-West, London, and South West have now opened. A fourth service in the East of England will open in spring of next year. NHS England is advancing towards meeting its commitment for there to be a specialist children’s gender service in every region by 2026.

NHS England has rolled out an improved referral pathway into Children and Young People’s gender services, which ensures that children are assessed more holistically through referral via paediatrics or children’s mental health services. These services have been given detailed guidance, aligned to findings and recommendations from the Cass Review, on how to support this group of young people and their families. NHS England has also written to all children and young people on the waiting list to offer them a mental health assessment.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many recipients of pensions under the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme in Cannock Chase constituency will be affected by the Government's return of money from the investment reserve fund to the scheme.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 November to Question UIN 12551.

Separate to our inquiries the Committee holds regular evidence sessions with the Secretary of State, other Defra Ministers and senior officials to question them on the work of the Department. The transcripts of those sessions and follow up written evidence is collected here.

The agricultural sector is experiencing a period of significant change as it transitions away from a legacy direct payments regime towards nation-specific farming schemes.