Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle violence against women and girls.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have published our transformative VAWG Strategy, which sets out an ambitious cross-government vision and concrete commitments to halve VAWG in a decade. I chair a cross-government ministerial Board with Minister Davies-Jones to oversee the implementation of these commitments. We have already delivered a pilot for the Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in five forces and £13.1 million of funding for the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection to improve the policing response to these crimes. We have also appointed Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose.Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the impact of State Pension age changes for 1950s-born women living in Wolverhampton West.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.
Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place for homeowners affected by spray foam insulation.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For installations under DESNZ schemes consumers are entitled to remediation where work has not been up to standard, however we understand most spray foam loft insulation has been installed outside of our schemes where the protection available depends on what was agreed at the time between the homeowner and the installer.
Poor-quality installations are the result of years of a failed system, and this government is committed to introducing new reforms to drive up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.
Faulty work is completely unacceptable. This is why we have taken it so seriously as a department and are working to address the issues that have arisen. Consumers have a right to expect that work is done properly.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK's membership of the European Convention on Human Rights on the Good Friday Agreement.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK is a proud signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights which underpins many international agreements on trade, security and migration, as well as the Good Friday Agreement.
That Agreement also required domestic incorporation of the ECHR into Northern Ireland law which was enacted through the Human Rights Act 1998.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of regulations allowing dormant companies to be appointed to (a) statutory and (b) regulatory roles.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It may be appropriate for dormant companies to hold some statutory or regulatory roles. No recent assessment has been undertaken across all statutory and regulatory roles. The Government keeps company law, as a whole, under regular review and makes changes when issues arise. If there is evidence of an issue, the department is happy to look into it.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including the music industry in the creative industries tax reliefs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government supports the creative industries, including orchestras, through funding and through the tax system. Specifically in respect of orchestras, Orchestra Tax Relief provides tax relief on production costs and provided £33 million of support in 2022-23.
When considering changes to tax reliefs, the Government takes into account a wide range of factors including costs, complexity, and fairness.
Announcements on tax are made at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to impose penalties on NHS Trusts who fail to tackle (a) racism and (b) racial discrimination.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Any form of racism or discrimination is unacceptable and has no place in our National Health Service.
Action is being taken to address racism and discrimination in the NHS including an urgent review of antisemitism, other forms of racism and the oversight and regulation of healthcare professionals. The review will consider how regulators address complaints of antisemitism and other forms of racism from a complaint being raised, to investigation and fitness to practice proceedings. The review will also consider how greater transparency can be brought to regulatory processes, including General Medical Council investigations and Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service decision making on antisemitism and other racism complaints.
Additionally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment which will include reducing violence against staff and tackling racism and sexual harassment. They will underpin the NHS Oversight Framework and act as an early warning signal for the Care Quality Commission.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on the national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We are working urgently to establish the national inquiry and appoint a suitable independent chair.
Baroness Casey is now actively supporting this process. We are also developing the Terms of Reference with partners across government and beyond, informed by early consultation with victims and survivors so that work on the inquiry can begin as soon as possible.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle (a) racism and (b) racial discrimination in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Any form of racism or discrimination is unacceptable and has no place in our National Health Service.
Action is being taken to address racism and discrimination in the NHS, including an urgent review of antisemitism, other forms of racism, and the oversight and regulation of healthcare professionals. The NHS is also strengthening mandatory anti-racism training across the NHS.
Additionally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment which will include reducing violence against staff and tackling racism and sexual harassment. They will underpin the NHS Oversight Framework and act as an early warning signal for the Care Quality Commission.
Asked by: Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that funding provided through the National Portfolio is distributed equally between (a) charities and (b) for-profit companies in (i) Wolverhampton, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) England.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund in the National Portfolio independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no political involvement in arts funding decisions.
However, ACE ensures fair distribution of the National Portfolio, by using a place-based approach. It analyses data on regional cultural engagement, local needs, and economic conditions to address historic funding imbalances. Initiatives like Priority Places support underrepresented areas. The assessment process considers geographic diversity alongside artistic quality and public benefit. Funding also includes support for charities and non-profit organisations that deliver cultural, educational, and community outcomes. Regular monitoring and reporting ensure accountability, transparency, and that investment benefits audiences and artists nationwide, not just in major urban or historically well-funded regions. The current Portfolio delivers activity in every corner of England, with over £1 million going to Wolverhampton this year, and £88m going to the West Midlands more broadly each year.