Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the availability of azelaic acid; and whether he plans to take steps to help increase the supply of that product.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department is aware of a current supply issue affecting Skinoren (azelaic acid) 20% cream. However, suitable alternatives are available, and communications will be issued to the National Health Service providing details of the supply issue and advising on alternative treatments.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people with dementia used a patient transfer service in 2022 to attend a medical appointment.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many people in Canterbury were turned away from the polls because they did not have the required voting identification at the local elections on 4 May 2023.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave to Questions UIN 183152, 183999 and 183968 on 9, 11 and 16 May 2023
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will conduct an equality impact assessment on the requirement of voter ID following the local elections on 4 May 2023.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave to Questions UIN 183152, 183999 and 183968 on 9, 11 and 16 May 2023
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that their Departments meet deadlines for replying to Members’ correspondence.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account and, as Leader of the House, I expect Government Ministers to respond quickly and effectively to Members’ correspondence. I will continue to drive that message and I encourage members who get an unsatisfactory response to write to me and I will take this up for any Member who does not get a proper response.
I recognise that my office and I have a role to play in making representations to Government on behalf of the House of Commons, and have taken a number of actions:
The Parliamentary Capability Team in the Cabinet Office also provides training on managing parliamentary work to civil servants of all departments and grades, including blended learning courses on ministerial correspondence and tailored workshops for Senior Civil Servants. Since April 2022, 686 civil servants from across government have attended training provided by the Parliamentary Capability Team on managing Ministerial Correspondence and Written Parliamentary Questions.
In addition, the Cabinet Office Guide to Handling Correspondence, which is available on Gov.uk, includes guidance for civil servants on how to handle correspondence from MPs, Peers, members of the devolved legislatures and members of the public (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/handling-government-correspondence-guidance).
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to assist non-qualifying leaseholders in selling their properties.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
On 20 December 2022, the six largest mortgage lenders released a joint statement confirming that, subject to their normal policy requirements, they will consider mortgage applications on properties in buildings in England of 11 metres or 5 storeys and above with building safety issues. There is no requirement for the building to have been remediated or the lease to be qualifying, providing it is part of a developer or government remediation scheme, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on financial support for non-qualifying leaseholders.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. The Chancellor and his officials are in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and his officials on a range of issues.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of processes for investigating allegations made against foster carers; and what right of access foster carers have to information on allegations made against them.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The National Minimum Standards (NMS) are clear that allegations should be handled fairly, quickly, and consistently in a way that provides effective protection for the child and at the same time supports the person who is the subject of the allegation.
The NMS are clear that fostering service providers should provide foster carers with written guidance that sets out how they will be supported during an investigation, including the payment of allowance and any fees to foster carers while investigations are ongoing. The NMS also makes clear the duty of the fostering service provider to make available a person, independent of the service provider, who can offer information, advice, emotional support and, where needed, mediation and/or advocacy.
Foster carers should be given appropriate information about any allegation made against them and the reasons for an unplanned removal of a child. As soon as the investigation is concluded a comprehensive summary of any allegations should be given to the person that has been subject to the allegation. This summary will be held confidentially by the organisation until the person reaches retirement age, or for ten years if this is longer.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the viability of members of the Chagossian community returning to the Chagos Islands.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise this is an important issue for many Chagossians.
We are not in a position to provide detail on the content of ongoing negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago or speculate on possible outcomes.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing funding to Chagossian residents in Canterbury through the Chagossian Support Package projects.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to supporting Chagossians wherever they live and will consider proposals from any organisations interested in delivering projects for the benefit of Chagossians.