Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he will take steps to update military law to ensure the secure use of social media by armed forces personnel.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence does not have any plans to update military law regarding the use of social media by Armed Forces personnel.
Policy and guidance on the use of social media is set out in the MOD’s Acceptable Use Policy (JSP 740), which is available to all armed forces personnel. The MOD recognises the importance of educating personnel on the security risks of social media and runs both security awareness campaigns and online learning programs. The MOD has recently introduced new cyber security training for all personnel that includes a module on social media and will continue to use different communication means to reinforce the message.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to take steps to increase access to Abiraterone.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.
NICE has published guidance recommending abiraterone for the treatment of metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer before chemotherapy is indicated and for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen. NHS England funds abiraterone for these indications of prostate cancer in line with NICE’s recommendations, making it routinely available for the treatment of eligible patients.
Abiraterone is not licensed for the treatment of non-metastatic prostate cancer and has therefore not been appraised by NICE for such use. NHS England is currently considering a clinical policy proposal for abiraterone as a treatment option for patients newly diagnosed with high risk, non-metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or in whom prostate cancer has relapsed after at least 12 months without treatment. This specific policy proposal is due to be discussed later this month, and if supported by a clinical panel it will progress to stakeholder testing by January 2024.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will amend the national curriculum to include teaching on the dangers of (a) road collisions, (b) drink-driving and (c) driving under the influence of drugs.
Answered by Robert Halfon
From September 2020 in England, Relationships Education became compulsory for all primary school aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education compulsory for all secondary school aged pupils, and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state funded schools.
The statutory guidance for Health Education sets out the following content on drugs, alongside drug education as a statutory subject in maintained schools as part of the National Curriculum for science in Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3. Primary education guidance covers the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use and drug taking. Secondary education guidance builds on the primary areas and additionally covers the associated legal and psychological risks of using drugs.
In Health Education, there is a strong focus on mental wellbeing, including a recognition that mental wellbeing and physical health are linked. This includes teaching about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, including drug misuse. The Department has published non statutory implementation guidance titled ‘Plan your Relationships, Sex and Health Education Curriculum’, alongside teacher training materials. Further information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum.
The Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance states that, in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking. A link to this guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
To support schools to deliver this content effectively, the Department published a suite of teacher training modules, including one on drugs, alcohol and tobacco, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-drugs-alcohol-and-tobacco.
Personal safety, which would include road safety, is currently a part of the Personal, Social, Health and Economic curriculum, but this subject is not mandatory in schools.
The Department will be launching a public consultation by the end of this year on draft revised RSHE guidance, so that interested parties can contribute their comments and ideas, including the impact of drink driving and drug taking on driving and road safety generally. The Department intends to publish final guidance in 2024.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to extend the eligibility of British cheese producers to export cheese to Canada under the reserve for the European Union within Canada's World Trade Organisation Tariff Rate Quota until 31 December 2025.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Negotiations with Canada on this issue are ongoing. Our key aim is to ensure that we maintain current market access for the UK dairy sector. We have longstanding rights to this access at the World Trade Organisation, and a long-term solution is in the best interests of businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. We continue to make that clear to the Canadian government at Ministerial and official level.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will redirect funding that would have otherwise been used for the cancelled phase 2 of HS2 to electrification of the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I am aware of and grateful for Midlands Connect’s Strategic Outline Business Case which sets out the case for the electrification of the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line, as well as work from other local parties to identify and promote improvements to the line.
We are committed to a rail infrastructure portfolio which delivers benefits for rail users and value for money for the taxpayer. Individual schemes are assessed on their alignment with Government priorities and the strength of their business cases in line with the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline policy.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to prevent the use of modified car exhausts which generate excessive noise.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has been trialling noise camera technology to understand if it can be used to automatically detect when vehicles are excessively noisy, such as when car exhausts have been modified. As set out in the Government’s recent Plan for Drivers, the Department intends to publish the findings of the trial shortly and issue guidance to local authorities setting out minimum requirements and best practice for the use of noise cameras
Compliance with vehicle standards is monitored by the Department’s Market Surveillance Unit based in the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Current and past market surveillance activity includes targeted investigation of both illegal vehicle modifications in respect of exhaust replacement and of the legality of silencers which form part of the exhaust system. Prosecutions will be taken where there is sufficient evidence to do so. There are currently cases of this type in the court system waiting to be heard.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce measures to help victims of domestic violence retrieve their possessions safely from their ex-partner's properties in circumstances when the police will not intervene.
Answered by Sarah Dines
It is important that police officers recognise and understand domestic abuse in all its forms. Post-separation abuse is an established risk factor for homicide. The College of Policing authorised professional practice guidance is clear that officers should offer assistance to victims intending to recover property from a residence to ensure this process is carried out safely.
Domestic abuse training plays a crucial role in police officers’ understanding and response to domestic abuse. The specialist Domestic Abuse Matters programme developed by the College of Policing and domestic abuse charities, has been delivered to the majority of forces to date. The Government is also now funding the rollout of the training to those forces who have yet to undertake it. It is, however, crucial that police forces continue to remain updated with domestic abuse training, particularly for new officers.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to update guidance to schools on the use of seclusion rooms.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Behaviour in Schools guidance, updated in 2022, provides advice on situations that may warrant the removal of pupils from the classroom due to serious misbehaviour, and to maintain the safety of all pupils. The removed pupil should never be isolated but taken to a supervised space where they can regain calm and continue to engage in their education. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools--2.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce instances of theft of farm equipment and machinery.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to driving down rural crime including theft of farm equipment and machinery.
To help prevent the theft of agricultural machinery, the Government has introduced the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act which will require immobilisers and forensic marking to be fitted as standard to all new All-Terrain Vehicles and quad bikes.
The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 gained Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. The Home Office issued a Call for Evidence to inform the necessary secondary legislation regulations, which closed on 13 July and responses are currently being considered.
There are currently no plans to include all agricultural vehicles. However, the provisions could be extended in the future, through secondary legislation, where evidence shows this is necessary.
I also welcome the recent commitment by chief constables across England and Wales, to pursue any available evidence where there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime. This relates to all crimes, no matter where they are committed.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce legislative proposals to ensure that gig economy delivery companies are responsible for (a) the roadworthiness of delivery vehicles and (b) the driving standards of delivery drivers who use their delivery app platforms.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Vehicles used for deliveries weighing over 3.5 tonnes are subject to the annual roadworthiness test and also fall under operator licensing requirements. Those vehicles used by delivery drivers weighing 3.5 tonnes or less are also subject to annual roadworthiness checks under what is commonly known as the MOT test. All drivers of goods vehicles used for commercial purposes are subject to the relevant drivers’ hours regulations.
Vehicles used on the public road are required by law to be in a roadworthy condition.