Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on the contractual requirements for NHS primary dental care from 1 April 2021.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Office of the Chief Dental Officer on contractual arrangements for 2021/22 onwards. An announcement will be made shortly.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department’s Rough Sleeping Strategy, published in 2018, what progress the Government has made on (a) improving understanding of LGBT homelessness and the experiences of LGBT homeless people and (b) improving interventions for LGBT homeless people.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are committed to tackling all forms of homelessness and recognise that LGBT people who find themselves homeless may have a different experience of homelessness due to their protected characteristics. We are working with the Government Equalities Office to undertake research into the nature of LGBT homelessness. This will be published in due course.
When delivering their homelessness duties and designing their services, local authorities must consider the needs of LGBT service users. The Government has worked with Stonewall Housing to provide training to staff working with LGBT individuals across various housing services about the issues they may face and how best to support LGBT people.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what long term estimates his Department has made of the level of risk of flooding in the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre site in Victoria Tower Gardens from a potential (a) breach of river wall or (b) overtopping of the river wall if water levels were to rise as a result of global warming.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a) The Flood Risk Assessment required under paragraph 163 of the National Planning Framework, together with other associated assessments submitted by the applicant, has satisfactorily demonstrated that the integrity of the flood defence can be maintained throughout construction. This is subject to the actions of a detailed monitoring plan outlined within the application.
b) The applicant has demonstrated, through design and loading calculations, that the proposal will not preclude the requirement to raise the flood defences in the future as required by the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan.
It should be noted that while it may be impacted by this proposal, the flood defence is outside of the application boundary and will require cooperation between the applicant and the riparian owner to ensure that a continuous defence is maintained at all times.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 has taken to (a) coordinate with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the latter Department duly considers the risk of flooding to the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre site in Victoria Tower Gardens in its planning consultation process, and (b) ensure that sufficient measures are taken to protect buildings in Thames Flood Zone 3 from an excessive risk of damages from potential flooding.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a) The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee as outlined in the Development Management Procedure Order (DMPO) 2015. The Environment Agency formulates its response based on evidence and the requirements set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and associated Planning Practice Guidance (Flood Risk and Costal Change). This was created by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
b) Within the Thames Estuary, a complex network of defences, including nine major barriers, around 330km of walls and embankments, and more than 900 other structures (such as flood gates, outfalls and pumps), work together to protect over 1.4 million people and £321 billion worth of property from tidal flooding.
The current tidal flood defences protect to a one in 1000 year flood event. To meet the challenge of climate change and sea level rises, the Thames Estuary 2100 plan details the requirements to raise flood defences in order to protect homes and businesses.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what long term risk assessment his Department has made of the (a) likelihood and (b) severity of possible flooding scenarios of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre site in Victoria Tower Gardens over the next 100 year period.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a) Victoria Tower Gardens, the location of the proposed Holocaust Memorial, is located within Flood Zone 3 but is protected by the Thames Tidal flood defences up to a 1 in 1000 (0.1%) chance in any year flood event. However, the Environment Agency’s most recent breach hazard modelling study shows the site to be impacted by flooding if there was to be a breach in the defences or they were to be overtopped.
The applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that the structural integrity of the wall can be maintained throughout the construction phase of the development and that a continuous monitoring plan will be in place to identify any unacceptable movement within the wall together with contingency actions. The Environment Agency has requested that the requirements of the monitoring plan be secured by way of planning condition.
b) The Environment Agency’s modelling highlights that a breach in the tidal flood defences, while a low probability, could have an impact due to the depth and velocity of the flood water, increasing risk to life. The applicant, in discussion with the Local Authority’s Local Emergency Planning team, should asses the risks of internal flooding, access and exits of the building as part of a Flood Emergency Plan.
The Environment Agency does not assess or approve the adequacy of flood emergency response procedures accompanying development proposals as it does not carry out these roles during a flood.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2021 to Questions 152648 and 152649, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending remote or hybrid meetings for local councils beyond 7 May 2021.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government keeps all policy under review. To extend the facility for all local authorities to continue to meet remotely or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation. We have received representations from local authorities and sector representative organisations making the case for the continuation of remote meetings beyond 7 May 2021 and we are carefully considering next steps in this area.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2021 to Questions 152648 and 152649, when his Department plans to set out its approach to local authorities when current provisions for remote or hybrid meetings for local councils expire on 7 May 2021.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government keeps all policy under review. To extend the facility for all local authorities to continue to meet remotely or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation. We have received representations from local authorities and sector representative organisations making the case for the continuation of remote meetings beyond 7 May 2021 and we are carefully considering next steps in this area.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2021 to Question 152648 and 152649, what plans his Department has to bring forward additional primary legislation to extend remote or hybrid meetings for local councils when current provisions expire on 7 May 2021.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government keeps all policy under review. To extend the facility for all local authorities to continue to meet remotely or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation. We have received representations from local authorities and sector representative organisations making the case for the continuation of remote meetings beyond 7 May 2021 and we are carefully considering next steps in this area.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2021 to Question 155387, how private individuals or households can employ skilled childcare workers from overseas since they are unable to register as approved UK employers.
Answered by Kevin Foster
It is possible for skilled professional childcare workers to be employed through the Skilled Worker route. This would require the salary to reach a sufficient threshold, along with the employment structure of such roles to be facilitated through a registered company, whom holds a valid sponsor licence.
In addition, there are other immigration routes which lead to general work rights in the UK, such as those who arrive under our family routes or our Youth Mobility Schemes (YMS). Although it should be noted our YMS is primarily an exchange system based on reciprocal arrangements, it is not intended as a one-way route to sourcing labour overseas.
While I recognise the importance of childcare for many people, immigration cannot be the first recourse for employers, especially at a time when many UK based workers are facing uncertainty due to the economic impact of the global pandemic. There are many childcare options available from within the resident labour market which should be considered in the first instance.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether inbound tourist currency exchange shops serving inbound tourists are distinct from bureau de change shops serving local immigrants transferring currency out of the country, in respect of eligibility for covid-19 Business Rates Relief.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has published guidance on eligibility for the business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
It is for Local Authorities to implement any reliefs and make decisions on eligibility in line with that guidance.