Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Mahon, M.B. et al. entitled A meta-analysis on global change drivers and the risk of infectious disease, published in Nature on 8 May 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
In December 2023 the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published the Health Effects of Climate Change report, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/climate-change-health-effects-in-the-uk
This report details the potential risks and impacts of climate change on human health. The UKHSA will continue to work closely with other departments and agencies, to assess emerging evidence on drivers of infectious diseases, to inform future health policies.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
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 potential merits of devolving employment support services to (a) London boroughs and (b) the Mayor of London.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the English Devolution Trailblazer deeper devolution deals, the Department of Work and Pensions have agreed with Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities to test a new approach to design of future Contracted Employment Programmes including co-design and a delegated delivery model, aligned with the Combined Authorities geographical footprint.
We will evaluate the impacts and outcomes of this new approach to further understand the opportunities and risks involved, before considering the Department’s approach to future contracted employment programmes.
Full details of the ‘Trailblazer’ deals can be found here:
Greater Manchester Combined Authority Trailblazer deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were waiting for a decision on their PIP application on 1 March 2024.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of outstanding PIP cases on the 1 of January 2024 was 263,000. Claims are considered outstanding when the claim has been registered but a decision has not yet been made by a Case Manager on whether to award PIP.
Data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions after January 2024 cannot be shared as the information is intended for publication at a future date. In line with National Statistics protocols, the department does not make any indication of the statistics public ahead of release.
Notes:
- Source: PIP Atomic Data Store;
- Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000;
- Figures are for England and Wales only;
- These figures include claims made under normal rules and special rules for terminal illness and include both new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were waiting for a decision on their PIP application on 1 April 2024.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of outstanding PIP cases on the 1 of January 2024 was 263,000. Claims are considered outstanding when the claim has been registered but a decision has not yet been made by a Case Manager on whether to award PIP.
Data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions after January 2024 cannot be shared as the information is intended for publication at a future date. In line with National Statistics protocols, the department does not make any indication of the statistics public ahead of release.
Notes:
- Source: PIP Atomic Data Store;
- Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000;
- Figures are for England and Wales only;
- These figures include claims made under normal rules and special rules for terminal illness and include both new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were waiting for a decision on their PIP application on 1 January 2024.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of outstanding PIP cases on the 1 of January 2024 was 263,000. Claims are considered outstanding when the claim has been registered but a decision has not yet been made by a Case Manager on whether to award PIP.
Data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions after January 2024 cannot be shared as the information is intended for publication at a future date. In line with National Statistics protocols, the department does not make any indication of the statistics public ahead of release.
Notes:
- Source: PIP Atomic Data Store;
- Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000;
- Figures are for England and Wales only;
- These figures include claims made under normal rules and special rules for terminal illness and include both new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many referrals have been received by HMRC from trading standards since the commencement of the Tobacco Products (Traceability and Security Features) Regulations 2023; and how many penalties have been issued following such referrals.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In July 2023 new powers were given to Trading Standards to make referrals to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) where they find evidence of tobacco products that don’t comply with the UK Tobacco Track and Trace System. The referral process which practically implements these powers started in October 2023. HMRC periodically publishes outputs of its tobacco strategy, and will publish the outputs of its work with Trading Standards as part of future publications
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Welsh Government and (b) local authorities in Wales on the operation of the Shared Prosperity Fund after March 2025.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Decisions regarding funding beyond March 2025 are ultimately a matter for the next Spending Review. We nevertheless appreciate the case for certainty and are committed to setting out further detail at the earliest opportunity.
Officials are in regular communication with all local authorities in Wales on this issue, as well as with the Welsh Local Government Association. We will work closely with the Welsh Government on the future of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the digital skills of older people.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The government recognises that digital skills are important for adults of all ages, and the department is committed to improving their level of digital skills to support active participation in society.
From August 2020, the department introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications free of charge. The new entitlement mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and mathematics. This puts essential digital skills on an equal footing in the adult education system, as the third essential skill adults need for work, life and further learning.
The department introduced new Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and level 1 from August 2020, funded under the digital entitlement. EDSQs are based on the national standards for essential digital skills and are designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills, reflecting different learning needs, motivations and starting points.
To further enhance the essential digital skills offer for adults, from August 2023, the department introduced new digital Functional Skills qualifications (FSQs), which have replaced FSQs in Information and Communication Technology. Digital FSQs have standardised content and assessment, providing a benchmark of digital skills for employers. These are based on subject content for digital FSQs the department published in October 2021.
The government recognises that formal qualifications are not necessary for everyone. That is why the department also fund community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the Adult Education Budget. Many local authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.
Of course, older people may also be looking to progress beyond essential digital skills, potentially through a desire to retrain or upskill. Through the department’s wider skills reforms, the department is continuing to ensure learners, whatever their age, can train, retrain and upskill towards better jobs, better wellbeing and better options for the future.
More information about essential digital skills and other government funded training opportunities can be found here: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their Social Care regulatory reform programme and what new protected professional medical titles they are considering introducing.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans to publish a social care regulatory reform programme. However, the Government has consulted on its proposed approach to modernising the legislation of the professional health and care regulators. As part of this work, we will consider whether to make any changes to the medical titles protected in law. Any proposals will be subject to statutory consultation, and the affirmative parliamentary process.
The Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order 2024 was made on 13 March 2024, and will bring Aanaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates into regulation by the General Medical Council (GMC), under a reformed regulatory framework. We are currently working on the next phase of reform, which includes introducing a new regulatory framework for medical practitioners. The future GMC order relating to the medical profession will be drafted and published for consultation in due course.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on improving service accommodation at HMNB Clyde since April 2022.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There has been no new accommodation built at His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde during the period from April 2022 to March 2024. Accommodation improvements are being carried out under the Future Maritime Support Programme Contract and approximately £687,000 has been spent on this work in the period since April 2022.