Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the commercial resale of practical driving test appointments by third parties for profit.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continue to review and improve the driving test booking system to make sure that learner drivers can book their test easily and efficiently.
On 28 May, DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. Views are being sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers from being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 July. In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.
While the selling of tests for profit is not illegal, DVSA deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly, but these applications are constantly evolving and changing. DVSA continues looking for ways to ensure the safest and fairest way to book a driving test is for a legitimate candidate to use its services. DVSA has zero tolerance for those who exploit learner drivers and is committed to tackling the reselling of driving tests.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners released through early release schemes in 2024 are resident in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold this data and to provide it would result in a disproportionate cost.
We have published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics, in line with the Lord Chancellor’s commitment to transparency: Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) release data - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's planned timetable is for the publication of its forthcoming delivery plan on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, final delivery plan will be published shortly. The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that the non-pipeline transport of CO₂ for offshore storage does not cause marine pollution.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has an established environmental regulatory regime in place to protect human health and the environment, with the Environment Agency (EA), and Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), and Natural Resource Wales (NRW) for projects based in Wales, all evaluating the environmental impacts of CCUS projects. The Statutory Nature Conservations Bodies are also consulted as part of this process. The UK ETS Authority has also consulted on proposals to requiring ships transporting CO2 for offshore storage to monitor and report emissions.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the accessibility of (a) the Life in the UK Test and (b) naturalisation application costs for older spouses of British citizens on the route to settlement and citizenship; and what steps she is taking to ensure such applicants are not disadvantaged due to (i) age, (ii) language ability and (iii) financial circumstances.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
All applicants currently applying for citizenship are required to demonstrate Knowledge of Language and Life (KoLL) in the UK unless they are either aged under 18, aged 65 or over, or have a medical condition that prevents them from doing so.
Where someone cannot reasonably be expected to prepare for or pass the Life in the UK test on medical grounds, the requirement can be waived.
If a candidate needs assistance to access the test or needs special adjustments at a test centre, candidates can contact the provider of the tests to make arrangements, at no extra cost.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of aligning Universal Credit rules with legacy social security provisions in cases where a single claimant dies, in the context of the final payment dates for those benefits.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made.
Universal Credit is paid for the whole month based on the circumstances on the last day of a customer’s Assessment Period (AP). In the sad circumstances where a customer dies, and the death occurs before the last day of the Assessment Period, there is no entitlement to Universal Credit in that month.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to regulate the use of (a) algorithmic and (b) AI-driven decision-making tools in the private rental sector.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is clear that tenants living in the private rented sector should be treated fairly and with respect. Landlords are responsible for any decision they make, including where they have used AI-driven tools to support their decision making process.
In designing and implementing the digital aspects of our reforms, including the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman and the Private Rented Sector Database, the Department will capitalise on the opportunities that AI offers to create modern and efficient services. These services will be built in line with the Government Digital Service Standard and the code of practice for cyber security of AI published by DSIT.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to allow people to (a) pay additional Class 3A voluntary National Insurance contributions to increase State Pension entitlement beyond the last six years of working lives and (b) make back-payments to 1975.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The rules for Class 3 voluntary National Insurance Contributions allow individuals to fill gaps in their National Insurance record for the past 6 tax years. There are no plans to change these rules.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help protect small businesses from bank account closures.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Banking services fulfil a vital role for businesses across the UK.
I recently laid legislation before Parliament which will require banks and other providers to give customers a longer notice period of 90 days before closing accounts and to provide a sufficiently detailed and specific explanation.
This will give people and businesses the time and information they need to challenge decisions or find an alternative provider.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to increase procurement from UK businesses.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Our new Defence Industrial Strategy will make sure national security and a high-growth economy are aligned to deliver the change we promised: cracking down on waste, building resilient supply chains and boosting Britain's defence industry.
By strengthening our relationship with industry, innovators and investors we will make it easier and more attractive to do business in Defence than ever before.