Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran of (a) 15 September, (b) 16 October and (c) 25 October 2023.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A response was issued to the Hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran on 27 November 2023.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of exempting air jackets for motorcyclists from VAT.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Whilst there are currently no plans to remove VAT on motorcycle air jackets, the Government remains committed to ensuring the safety of motorcyclists. For example, motorcycle helmets, which satisfy the requirements of regulation 8(2) of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002, are zero-rated for VAT. Further information can be found here: Protective equipment (VAT Notice 701/23) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
VAT has been designed as a broad-based tax on consumption, and the twenty per cent standard rate applies to the vast majority of goods and services, including motorcycle air jackets. While there are exceptions to the standard rate, these have always been strictly limited by both legal and fiscal considerations.
VAT is the UK’s third largest tax forecast to raise £173.3 billion in 2023/24, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education and defence.
The Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the supply of Liraglutide to the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of global supply issues with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs), which are licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes. This includes liraglutide. We have issued guidance in the form of a Medicine Supply Notification, addressing all GLP-1 RAs advising healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring these medicines. Further guidance has been issued through a National Patient Safety Alert which provides further background and clinical information and actions for providers.
Our guidance is clear that GLP-1 RA medicines that are solely licensed to treattype 2 diabetes should only be used for that purpose and should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.
The General Pharmaceutical Council, General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have also issued a joint statement stressing the importance of health and care professionals meeting regulatory standards in relation to these medicines. We have also added some of these products to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the United Kingdom.
We are continuing to work closely with manufacturers and others working in the supply chain to help ensure the continued supply of these medicines for UK patients, for example by asking suppliers to expedite deliveries.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help secure the supply of Liraglutide for the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of global supply issues with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs), which are licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes. This includes liraglutide. We have issued guidance in the form of a Medicine Supply Notification, addressing all GLP-1 RAs advising healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring these medicines. Further guidance has been issued through a National Patient Safety Alert which provides further background and clinical information and actions for providers.
Our guidance is clear that GLP-1 RA medicines that are solely licensed to treattype 2 diabetes should only be used for that purpose and should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.
The General Pharmaceutical Council, General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have also issued a joint statement stressing the importance of health and care professionals meeting regulatory standards in relation to these medicines. We have also added some of these products to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the United Kingdom.
We are continuing to work closely with manufacturers and others working in the supply chain to help ensure the continued supply of these medicines for UK patients, for example by asking suppliers to expedite deliveries.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of not applying IR35 rules for domestic contractors where a contract is forecast to end within a two week period.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The off-payroll working rules are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own company pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) as those who are directly employed.
The government considered the suggestion of an exemption based on the length of a contract when consulting on the reforms to the off-payroll working rules, but concluded that it was not appropriate.
HMRC’s employment status manual (ESM0548) explains the role of the length of engagement in determining employment status.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2023 to Question 200792 on Defence Equipment & Support: Industrial Disputes, what the cost was of moving personnel to the Beith Defence Equipment & Support site during this year’s industrial action.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The cost of bringing qualified Defence Munitions personnel from other Defence Munition sites to continue to support continued operations during the industrial action was c. £32,500.
This cost represents less than 20% of the total reduction in paybill that resulted from the unpaid days from those taking industrial action.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the cancellation of the second stage of HS2 on rail travel in Scotland.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
£36 billion will be reinvested from the scrapping of Phase Two of the HS2 project. Under our Network North plan, connections across the UK will be strengthened, including through funding for targeted improvements to the A75 in Scotland. Rail is devolved in Scotland, so decisions on rail travel in Scotland are for the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on tackling pensioner poverty among women.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In 2021/22 there were 200 thousand fewer female pensioners in absolute poverty than in 2009/10, after housing costs.
In 2023/24, we will spend over £151.6 billion on benefits for pensioners in Great Britain, which is 5.9% of GDP.
This includes spending on the State Pension which is forecast to be £124.3 billion in 2023/24.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of civil servants graded as senior civil servant two (SCS2) on full-time equivalent contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
43% of civil servants graded as senior civil servants (SCS2) on full-time equivalent contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of civil servants on temporary contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
64% of civil servants on temporary contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.