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Written Question
Unadopted Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department are taking to enforce the repair of potholes by owners of unadopted roads where such damage poses a danger to (a) traffic and (b) the public.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This is a matter for local highway authorities.

Under the 1980 Highways Act, the highway authority is responsible for the management of those streets that have been adopted by it, or its predecessor authorities. A road that is not maintained at public expense by a highway authority is known as a private street, as defined by Section 203(2) of the Act. The responsibility for management of private streets generally rests with those who own properties that either front onto or border the street concerned (known as “frontagers”).

Under section 230 of the 1980 Highways Act the local highway authority has the power, without commitment to adoption, to require the frontagers of a private street to carry out urgent repairs, within in a set time limit, to prevent danger to road users or the public. This is, however, entirely a matter for local authorities.


Written Question
Digital Technology: Wigan
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to tackle digital exclusion among older people in Wigan constituency.

Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is responsible for coordinating HMG digital inclusion policy as part of its commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age. Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that spans social engagement, education, employment, access to services and many more elements of everyday life.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology leads on telecoms and digital infrastructure, including Project Gigabit, the Government’s £5 billion mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband to the hardest to reach parts of the UK. In the Wigan constituency, over 98% of premises can access a superfast connection (>=30Mbps), while 92% can access a gigabit-capable connection, up from 0.8% in December 2019. Both of these current figures are higher than the national averages of 97% and 81% for superfast and gigabit-capable coverage, respectively.

More broadly across Government, the Cabinet Office is working to remove barriers and ensure online services are as inclusive as possible by making public sector websites accessible to as many people as possible. The Cabinet Office leads on the Service Standard, a set of principles government service teams and departments must adhere to when creating and running new public services – such as the NHS – and some Local Authorities, including Greater Manchester Combined Authority, have committed to using these as well.

Training is available for elderly people wishing to acquire essential digital skills. Department for Education has introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. Essential Digital Skills Qualifications, introduced alongside the digital entitlement, are based on new national standards which set out the digital skills people need to get on in life and work.

We also recognise that ongoing support is essential to overcome barriers of access. Our network of 2,900 public libraries across England provide a trusted network of accessible locations with staff, volunteers, free Wi-Fi, public PCs, and assisted digital access to a wide range of digital services.


Written Question
Development Aid
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much overseas development aid has been paid by his Department (a) directly and (b) indirectly to consultancies in each year since 2019.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Development Aid
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many and what proportion of development projects were delivered through in-country contracts in each year since 2019.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The information requested is not held centrally by the Department and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.


Written Question
Cystic Fibrosis: Prescriptions
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding cystic fibrosis to the list of medical conditions for which a medical exemption certificate for free NHS prescriptions may be issued.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

While the Government’s policy remains that there are no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate, there are extensive arrangements currently in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone.

Around 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place, for which those with cystic fibrosis may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. The scheme provides income related help to people who are not automatically exempt from charges, but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income and savings below a defined limit.

To support those with greatest need, who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need, for a set cost.


Written Question
Development Aid
Friday 15th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much development funding has been paid (a) directly and (b) indirectly to consultancies in each year since 2019.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Conferences: Expenditure
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what the cost to the public purse was of each international summit held in the UK since 2019.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department. The budget for international summits are often held by different departments and therefore FCDO would not necessarily hold or record the complete costs for all summits.


Written Question
Conferences: Costs
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what the average cost was to host an international summit in the last five years.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The requested information is not centrally held and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.


Written Question
Epilepsy: Drugs
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure adequate levels of supply of medications prescribed for epilepsy.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are around 14,000 medicines licensed for supply in the United Kingdom, and while most are in good supply, there can sometimes be supply issues with a limited number of medicines. The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the UK, as well as the other countries around the world.

The Department has been working intensively to address issues with the supply of some epilepsy medications. Guidance has been issued to healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring affected medicines while supply is disrupted.

We will continue to work closely with industry, the National Health Service, and others to help ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock. The Department has been engaging with the Epilepsy Society, and we will continue to keep them updated on any developments.


Written Question
Chevening Scholarships Programme
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what estimate he has made of the gender split in each cohort of Chevening Scholars for each year since 2019.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The gender split of Chevening scholars from 2019 to present is as follows:

Date

% Female

% Male

Non-binary

Prefer not to say

Prefer to self-identify

NULL (blank)

2019/20

55.20%

44.39%

0.00%

0.40%

0.00%

0.00%

2020/21

58.45%

40.38%

0.00%

0.29%

0.29%

0.58%

2021/22

59.02%

40.12%

0.37%

0.18%

0.31%

0.00%

2022/23

60.74%

38.40%

0.36%

0.21%

0.29%

0.00%

2023/24

55.48%

43.19%

0.88%

0.29%

0.07%

0.07%

We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion amongst awardees and ensure applicants of all genders, sexualities, races and religions feel confident in applying for Chevening.