Yvonne Fovargue

The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match.

Results for all wards are available on the Commission's website here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls

The ward results for Makerfield were as follows:

The ward results for Borough of Wigan were as follows:

The figure given includes the £650 million funding the National Cyber Security Programme established in response to the UK Cyber Security Strategy.

The initial £650 million was allocated in the 2010 spending review and a further £210 million was allocated until 2016 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer following the 2013 Spending Review. MOD were allocated £59.5 million of funding until April 2014.

The number of people entering a formal personal insolvency solution since the commencement of the personal insolvency review at the beginning of July 2022 until 28 February 2023 was 74,124.

The Insolvency Service publishes official statistics each month on the number of people entering a personal insolvency solution. The latest insolvency statistics can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/monthly-insolvency-statistics-february-2023.

The call for evidence on the review of the personal insolvency closed on 23 October 2022. The Government is currently analysing the significant number of responses and feedback received and will publish its response in due course.

We have no plans to make an assessment of the impact on insomnia on UK productivity.

This is not a matter for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The Government is tackling the loyalty penalty experienced by households who do not shop around for their energy supply, which the Competition and Markets Authority has estimated, creates a £1.4bn average annual detriment to those consumers. We legislated for a price cap in 2018, which saves households £75-£100 a year on average. Ofgem, the sector regulator, is working to make it easier and quicker for households to switch energy deal. As set out in our Energy White Paper, the Government will introduce an opt-in switching scheme and trial out-out switching to help more households get a better deal on their energy.

The offering of exclusive tariffs by price comparison companies enables them to exert competitive pressure on suppliers to offer consumers better energy deals. The ability to offer exclusive tariffs and the removal of the requirement to show whole of the market tariffs by price comparison companies followed the Competition Markets Authority’s recommendation in its market study of digital comparison tools in 2017. Consumers can access the exclusive tariffs via the price comparison companies’ websites or telephone comparison service.

As a Competent Authority, the energy regulator Ofgem, has an obligation to ensure Alternative Dispute Resolution is provided in the energy sector under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015.

Ofgem has appointed Ombudsman Services: Energy as the redress provider in the energy sector and has set out the types of dispute that Ombudsman Services: Energy can resolve, including issues relating to billing, sales, switching, supply, micro-generation and Feed in Tariffs.

Consumer protection continues to be a central part of policy considerations in relation to new energy markets, for example we have recently consulted on extending access to redress to heat network customers.

The Government has extended the Energy Company Obligation to 2026 and expanded the Warm Home Discount to £475 million per year from 2022 to 2025/2026. This will see targeted support continue to be provided to low-income and vulnerable households to install energy saving measures and heat their homes over the winter months, while making savings on their energy bills through having better insulated homes. The future Home Upgrade Grant scheme, due to commence in 2022, will support low-income households with upgrades to the worst-performing homes off the gas grid in England. These upgrades will create warmer homes at lower cost and support low-income families with the switch to low-carbon heating. This increased energy efficiency is complemented by the Government’s rollout of over 26 million smart meters, which help consumers see how much energy they are using in near real-time and make sure they are ready to take advantage of the next wave of flexible, low-carbon technologies and energy tariffs.

This Government is committed to getting the transition to net zero right for all consumers, including those in vulnerable circumstances, and will shortly publish a call for evidence to begin an ongoing strategic dialogue between consumers, industry and the Government on affordability in the energy system.

The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill includes provisions that allow the Secretary of State to issue recall notices relating to relevant insecure consumer connected products, if deemed appropriate.

Security requirements to be set out using the powers in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill will have to be complied with relation to all relevant consumer connectable products sold to customers in the UK, including those sold on online marketplaces.

The government is deeply concerned about the scale and growth of online fraud.

We have consulted widely on our world-leading online harms proposals. Further details about the new regulatory framework will be included in the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation, which will be published this year.

Ministers have had numerous discussions with sixth form colleges about VAT exemption since May 2010.

Any sixth form college can collaborate with an academy or academy chain. To create a more formal link, sixth form colleges can apply to become an academy sponsor. Since May 2010, fourteen sixth form colleges have expressed an interest in becoming an academy sponsor.

Ministers have had numerous discussions with sixth form colleges about VAT exemption since May 2010.

Any sixth form college can collaborate with an academy or academy chain. To create a more formal link, sixth form colleges can apply to become an academy sponsor. Since May 2010, fourteen sixth form colleges have expressed an interest in becoming an academy sponsor.

The information requested is published by the Department for Education and is available online at:

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/neet-statistics-quarterly-brief-july-to-september-2014

The exact information requested is not available for 16 to 18 year olds in EU countries.

The European Commission monitors the progress of member states in reducing the share of early leavers from education and training (adults aged 18-24 who left school without having achieved the minimum upper secondary qualification and who are not currently enrolled in any education and training) as part of their Europe 2020 education and training benchmarking strategy. The UK early leaving rate (12.4% in 2013) remains very slightly above the EU average (12% in 2013) but has been on a downward trend since 2011, falling from 15% in 2010 to 12.4% in 2013. However, the government’s official statistics (covering England only) are more up to date than these figures and show that the proportion of 16 to 18 year olds NEET at the end of 2013 was down to 7.6%, the lowest rate since comparable records began in 1994.

The Commission’s annual Education and Training Monitor (2014) is available here:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/library/publications/monitor14_en.pdf

The OECD publishes figures for 15 to 19 year olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), including 21 EU countries:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933118903

Defra is reviewing the F-gas Regulation, which includes an exemption from the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown for metered dose inhalers (MDIs). The review will consider the implementation of the current F-gas Regulation and options for future policy development. The implications of removing the exemption for MDIs, including the potential impact of this on cost and supply, will be included in the analysis.

NHS England is in the process of reducing the use of MDIs containing high global warming potential propellants and has produced cost estimates for the switch from MDIs to currently readily available alternatives. These cost estimates will be incorporated in Defra’s work.

Defra is working on this review jointly with the Scottish and Welsh Governments and we plan to consult on proposed future policies next year.

Defra has a legal duty to undertake a comprehensive review of the F-gas Regulation. As part of this work, Defra will identify additional action that can be taken with regard to F-gases and their contribution to net zero. At COP26, Defra committed to an accelerated hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. Defra intends to publish an assessment report by the end of 2022 as the first stage of the review. It will focus mainly on analysing the effects of the current Regulation, together with the current state of play in relevant industry sectors and international commitments. The second stage of the review will involve a public consultation on proposals for any legislative changes.

The F-gas Regulation currently includes an exemption from the HFC phasedown for metered dose inhalers (MDIs). The continuation or removal of the exemption for MDIs will be considered as part of the policy development and analysis into future options, as well as implications of the HFC phasedown on MDIs. To support this work there is ongoing engagement between Defra, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.

The shielding programme was put in place to protect clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people – those who have been advised by the NHS not to leave their homes, because they are at a high risk of developing complications from coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. Overall 2.2 million individuals have been identified as needing to shield. Of this group, approximately 350,000 have registered a need for essential supplies making the individual eligible for a priority slot for a supermarket delivery or food boxes, which they may cancel at any time.

In total over 2 million food boxes have been successfully delivered to CEV individuals since March. We are continuing to work with supermarkets to increase delivery capacity.

We do not hold centrally information on deliveries of food parcels by local authorities, total number of individuals benefiting from supermarket deliveries, or other support received by CEV individuals.

The Government is aware of research in relation to the sentience of decapod crustaceans and their ability to feel pain. We are continuing to engage with stakeholders to further refine the Government’s proposals on animal sentience, including which animals are covered by those proposals. The Farm Animal Welfare Committee’s advice on the definition of sentience will be published soon.

The UK Government is discussing short-term options to improve port infrastructure, including mobile cranes, with Gulf countries, the US and the UN. The conflict makes any long-term investment in infrastructure difficult so we are also calling on all parties to the conflict to protect civilian infrastructure, including Hodeidah port, from further damage; and to restart political talks in order to end the conflict.

The Department is preparing regulations that will enable trials of rental e-scooters to begin. Trials will gather evidence of the safety of e-scooters and the impacts they have on the road. This will inform any future legislation for e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles. The Department recently consulted on proposed rules for e-scooter use that will be contained in the regulations and is working with local authorities to allow trials to begin soon.

E-scooter trials will include only rental scooters. This allows trials to take place in a controlled manner while we assess their safety and other impacts. There are a wide range of e-scooters available, built to differing standards. Limiting trials to rental scooters ensures that only approved scooters are used, and that they can meet legal requirements. It will also improve the quality of the evidence we gather, that will inform whether e-scooters should be fully legalised.

We continuously monitor a range of indicators, including performance figures and passenger satisfaction. Rail use is at its highest level since the 1920s: 1.65 billion passenger journeys were made in Great Britain on franchised passenger trains in 2014-15. The number of journeys made on the rail network has more than doubled since the introduction of the franchise system.

No assessment has been made. However, the Government has funded an extension of the Midlands’ Mental Health and Productivity Pilot, which is trialling interventions, including one with a focus on insomnia, to support and improve employee mental health and wellbeing, to support employees to remain in work. The final evaluation will be available by Spring 2024.

In addition, a range of Government initiatives are supporting disabled people, and people with health conditions, including insomnia, to start, stay, and succeed in, work. These include:

• Increasing Work Coach support in Jobcentres for people with health conditions receiving Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance;
• Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work;
• The Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support, providing tailored and personalised support for participants;
• Access to Work grants towards the extra costs of working beyond standard reasonable adjustments;
• Disability Confident, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues employees face in the workplace;
• The Information and Advice Service, providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting and managing health and disability in the workplace; and
• Support in partnership between the DWP and the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continues its activity to help prevent work related respiratory ill health by using the best available evidence to design interventions that will improve health outcomes. HSE delivers a wide range of regulatory activity to prevent work related respiratory ill health, focusing on steps employers and workers can take to control occupational exposures.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of developments in real time monitoring instruments claiming to measure aerosols containing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) onsite.

HSE will continue to monitor developments, as validation data to confirm accuracy remains limited. As with all advances in technology claims made for any of these instruments would need to be examined further and substantiated with robust data.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a well-established regulatory framework in place to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances at work.

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) employers have a duty to prevent or adequately control worker exposure to hazardous substances such as Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS). COSHH sets out the hierarchy of control that must be implemented and, if managed appropriately, should result in achieving a level below the Work Exposure Limit (WEL) as detailed in HSE Guidance ‘EH40/2005, Workplace exposure limits’.

HSE also delivers communications campaigns to support its regulatory activity. These campaigns inform duty holders and workers of the hazards faced and how these should be controlled and monitored. HSE’s dust campaign which ran in late 2021, included silica exposure, and involved social media and press activity to support awareness of the risks and how to control them.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and apply to all sectors and workplaces in Great Britain.

The 2013 regulations clarified and simplified the list of reportable ill-health conditions (occupational diseases), as a result of a recommendation made by Professor Löfstedt in his report “Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and safety legislation,” published in 2011.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) keeps the regulations, including specified injuries and reportable diseases, under review. The list of current reportable occupational diseases, including silicosis, will be considered as part of the next formal post-implementation review of RIDDOR, which is due to report in October 2023. HSE will engage with a range of stakeholders as part of the review process.

Ministers have not met with Greater Manchester NHS Board about the statutory commissioning of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended medicines. Similarly I am informed that NHS England is not aware of any such discussions.

The National Health Service in England is legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. This requirement is reflected in the NHS Constitution as a right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, if their doctor believes they are clinically appropriate.

The NHS Standard Contract is mandated by NHS England for use by commissioners for all contracts for healthcare services other than primary care. The 2024/25 standard contract states that, where any service involves or may involve the prescribing of medicines, the provider must ensure that its formulary reflects all relevant positive NICE technology appraisals. NICE’s guideline on developing and updating local formularies states that when a NICE technology appraisal recommends a medicine, it should be adopted into the local formulary automatically if clinically appropriate and relevant to the services provided by the organisation, and that this process should take place within three months.

Ministers have not met with Greater Manchester NHS Board about the statutory commissioning of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended medicines. Similarly I am informed that NHS England is not aware of any such discussions.

The National Health Service in England is legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. This requirement is reflected in the NHS Constitution as a right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, if their doctor believes they are clinically appropriate.

The NHS Standard Contract is mandated by NHS England for use by commissioners for all contracts for healthcare services other than primary care. The 2024/25 standard contract states that, where any service involves or may involve the prescribing of medicines, the provider must ensure that its formulary reflects all relevant positive NICE technology appraisals. NICE’s guideline on developing and updating local formularies states that when a NICE technology appraisal recommends a medicine, it should be adopted into the local formulary automatically if clinically appropriate and relevant to the services provided by the organisation, and that this process should take place within three months.

Ministers have not met with Greater Manchester NHS Board about the statutory commissioning of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended medicines. Similarly I am informed that NHS England is not aware of any such discussions.

The National Health Service in England is legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. This requirement is reflected in the NHS Constitution as a right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, if their doctor believes they are clinically appropriate.

The NHS Standard Contract is mandated by NHS England for use by commissioners for all contracts for healthcare services other than primary care. The 2024/25 standard contract states that, where any service involves or may involve the prescribing of medicines, the provider must ensure that its formulary reflects all relevant positive NICE technology appraisals. NICE’s guideline on developing and updating local formularies states that when a NICE technology appraisal recommends a medicine, it should be adopted into the local formulary automatically if clinically appropriate and relevant to the services provided by the organisation, and that this process should take place within three months.

Through ‘Advancing Our Health: Prevention in the 2020s’, the Government committed to review the evidence on sleep and health. That review has been undertaken, and the outcomes will be published in due course.

No assessment has been made by the Department or NHS England of the annual cost to the National Health Service for treating patients with insomnia.