Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of changing the Industry Code to ensure that a parking fine is automatically cancelled where a motorist is able to provide evidence of mitigating circumstances.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a Code of Practice containing guidance on the operation and management of private parking facilities, which will replace the existing Sector Single Code of Practice. The Department consulted on the Code of Practice last year, including on mitigating circumstances that would warrant the cancellation of a parking charge. Consultation responses are currently being considered, and the Government’s response will be published alongside the new statutory Code of Practice in the autumn.
The Department consulted on the effectiveness of the current enforcement regime in the Parking Code Enforcement Framework consultation in 2021. The government response can be found here Parking code enforcement framework: consultation response - GOV.UK. To address the issues of transparency and the lack of independence, the Government is developing a Certification Scheme to hold operators accountable for not adhering to standards in the Code.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the use of sanctions by trade associations on private parking operators where they breach the Industry Code.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a Code of Practice containing guidance on the operation and management of private parking facilities, which will replace the existing Sector Single Code of Practice. The Department consulted on the Code of Practice last year, including on mitigating circumstances that would warrant the cancellation of a parking charge. Consultation responses are currently being considered, and the Government’s response will be published alongside the new statutory Code of Practice in the autumn.
The Department consulted on the effectiveness of the current enforcement regime in the Parking Code Enforcement Framework consultation in 2021. The government response can be found here Parking code enforcement framework: consultation response - GOV.UK. To address the issues of transparency and the lack of independence, the Government is developing a Certification Scheme to hold operators accountable for not adhering to standards in the Code.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his department has made of trends in levels of completion of courses of NHS Talking Therapies treatment in (i) England and (ii) the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board area.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what evaluation his department has made of the effectiveness of assessment by the NHS of the appropriateness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for patients through NHS Talking Therapies.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the appeals process against parking fines.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not made any such assessment of the longstanding independent appeals process.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of improving regulation of the way that debt collection is carried out in the case of parking fines.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The ten-minute grace period at the end of a paid-for parking period was introduced to recognise that drivers could arrive slightly late to their vehicle for reasons beyond their control. In this situation, a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) would be able to ascertain the precise time from which parking had been paid. This would not be possible with an equivalent concession at the beginning of a paid-for parking period, thus opening up the potential for drivers to delay paying until such time as a CEO is observed.
A requirement for transparency on matters relating to civil parking enforcement is enshrined in the Secretary of State's statutory guidance for local authorities in England on civil enforcement of parking contraventions. The guidance references the applicable legislation regarding debt collections. It applies at local authority owned or operated car parks and at the end of paid-for and free on-street parking in England. Private and off-street parking companies are the policy responsibility of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the grace period where a motorist takes longer than the time allowed to pay but can evidence a full payment before leaving.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The ten-minute grace period at the end of a paid-for parking period was introduced to recognise that drivers could arrive slightly late to their vehicle for reasons beyond their control. In this situation, a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) would be able to ascertain the precise time from which parking had been paid. This would not be possible with an equivalent concession at the beginning of a paid-for parking period, thus opening up the potential for drivers to delay paying until such time as a CEO is observed.
A requirement for transparency on matters relating to civil parking enforcement is enshrined in the Secretary of State's statutory guidance for local authorities in England on civil enforcement of parking contraventions. The guidance references the applicable legislation regarding debt collections. It applies at local authority owned or operated car parks and at the end of paid-for and free on-street parking in England. Private and off-street parking companies are the policy responsibility of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his department will review the rules for transitional protection in the case of severely disabled people living in supported housing.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Transitional Protection within Universal Credit is intended to support customers whose entitlement would otherwise be lower at the point of moving from legacy benefits. This includes Transitional Protection provided in respect of the Severe Disability Premium.
Rules apply equally to all forms of Transitional Protection, ensuring that entitlement remains aligned with a customer’s circumstances. This is a standard feature of Transitional Protection and not based on disability status.
The Department keeps all aspects of Universal Credit policy under consideration to ensure it continues to provide effective support.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of reduction in the Transitional Severe Disability Premium Element on the ability of severely disabled people receiving Universal Credit to meet other daily living costs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Transitional Protection is designed to ensure that, at the point of moving onto Universal Credit, eligible customers do not see a reduction in their overall entitlement compared to their previous legacy benefits. These rules apply equally to the Severe Disability Premium Transitional Protection.
All forms of Transitional Protection are a temporary measure and will adjust over time as other elements of a customer’s Universal Credit award change.
Any reduction in the value of Transitional Protection occurs gradually and is offset by increases in underlying Universal Credit entitlement, for example through uprating or the addition of new elements. This means that a customer’s overall monetary entitlement does not decrease as a result of Transitional Protection reducing and will increase once Transitional Protection has fully eroded.
Universal Credit also provides additional support for disabled people, including through elements for those with limited capability for work and work-related activity, which may be included in awards where applicable.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will confirm the date when the turnout requirement of at least 50% will be replaced by a simple majority vote for industrial action ballots.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
To commence section 68 (turnout threshold) of the Employment Rights Act and repeal the 50% threshold, the government must lay a statement in Parliament setting out how it has had regard to the effect of e-balloting (or other non-postal balloting) on participation rates in industrial action ballots.
We are working towards delivering electronic balloting in August 2026. The subsequent review of the impact of e-balloting on participation rates will take place following this, before the repeal of the 50% threshold.