Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when opt-out testing for HIV will be expanded to (a) Slough and (b) and other areas with a high prevalence of HIV.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
HIV testing is essential, as it allows those with HIV to be offered lifesaving treatment, and prevents its onward transmission. This is why we have committed to scaling up HIV testing in our HIV Action Plan. As part of the HIV Action Plan, NHS England made an initial £20 million available over three years to 2025, for HIV opt-out testing in 34 emergency departments (EDs) in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence, areas with five or more HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old. The plan also included Blackpool in 2019, at 4.9 HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and the whole of London, including some local areas with high HIV prevalence supported with additional funding from NHS London.
In November 2024, the Government announced new research, commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to evaluate an expansion of blood-borne virus opt-out testing, including HIV, in 47 additional EDs in local areas of England with high HIV prevalence. These would be areas with two to five HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and would include the Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital in Slough. The research project is currently in the set-up phase, and funding will support 12 months of testing for each ED, although it is at the discretion of individual sites when the testing will commence. It is the responsibility of individual EDs to make service users aware of the availability of HIV and other blood-borne virus opt-out testing, as appropriate.
HIV opt-out testing in EDs in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence has shown very encouraging outcomes so far, and at 21 months has delivered 2.6 million HIV tests, and found more than 1,000 people with undiagnosed or untreated HIV, including those who would not have been found via other testing routes. Making HIV testing routine in a front-line health care setting such as an ED, raises the awareness of HIV and helps remove the stigma associated with HIV testing.
We are also working to improve workforce training in the National Health Service to increase HIV awareness, and in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), to continue to monitor the levels of stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV within the health and social care system, as well as within community settings. The UKHSA published the positive voices survey report in early 2024, which presents key indicators for HIV stigma, and is available at the following link:
Further work is underway to develop key indicators for monitoring quality of life and stigma for people living with HIV.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to publicise opt-out testing for HIV to those attending emergency departments.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
HIV testing is essential, as it allows those with HIV to be offered lifesaving treatment, and prevents its onward transmission. This is why we have committed to scaling up HIV testing in our HIV Action Plan. As part of the HIV Action Plan, NHS England made an initial £20 million available over three years to 2025, for HIV opt-out testing in 34 emergency departments (EDs) in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence, areas with five or more HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old. The plan also included Blackpool in 2019, at 4.9 HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and the whole of London, including some local areas with high HIV prevalence supported with additional funding from NHS London.
In November 2024, the Government announced new research, commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to evaluate an expansion of blood-borne virus opt-out testing, including HIV, in 47 additional EDs in local areas of England with high HIV prevalence. These would be areas with two to five HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and would include the Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital in Slough. The research project is currently in the set-up phase, and funding will support 12 months of testing for each ED, although it is at the discretion of individual sites when the testing will commence. It is the responsibility of individual EDs to make service users aware of the availability of HIV and other blood-borne virus opt-out testing, as appropriate.
HIV opt-out testing in EDs in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence has shown very encouraging outcomes so far, and at 21 months has delivered 2.6 million HIV tests, and found more than 1,000 people with undiagnosed or untreated HIV, including those who would not have been found via other testing routes. Making HIV testing routine in a front-line health care setting such as an ED, raises the awareness of HIV and helps remove the stigma associated with HIV testing.
We are also working to improve workforce training in the National Health Service to increase HIV awareness, and in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), to continue to monitor the levels of stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV within the health and social care system, as well as within community settings. The UKHSA published the positive voices survey report in early 2024, which presents key indicators for HIV stigma, and is available at the following link:
Further work is underway to develop key indicators for monitoring quality of life and stigma for people living with HIV.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce the stigma of HIV testing.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
HIV testing is essential, as it allows those with HIV to be offered lifesaving treatment, and prevents its onward transmission. This is why we have committed to scaling up HIV testing in our HIV Action Plan. As part of the HIV Action Plan, NHS England made an initial £20 million available over three years to 2025, for HIV opt-out testing in 34 emergency departments (EDs) in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence, areas with five or more HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old. The plan also included Blackpool in 2019, at 4.9 HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and the whole of London, including some local areas with high HIV prevalence supported with additional funding from NHS London.
In November 2024, the Government announced new research, commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to evaluate an expansion of blood-borne virus opt-out testing, including HIV, in 47 additional EDs in local areas of England with high HIV prevalence. These would be areas with two to five HIV cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59 years old, and would include the Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital in Slough. The research project is currently in the set-up phase, and funding will support 12 months of testing for each ED, although it is at the discretion of individual sites when the testing will commence. It is the responsibility of individual EDs to make service users aware of the availability of HIV and other blood-borne virus opt-out testing, as appropriate.
HIV opt-out testing in EDs in areas with extremely high HIV prevalence has shown very encouraging outcomes so far, and at 21 months has delivered 2.6 million HIV tests, and found more than 1,000 people with undiagnosed or untreated HIV, including those who would not have been found via other testing routes. Making HIV testing routine in a front-line health care setting such as an ED, raises the awareness of HIV and helps remove the stigma associated with HIV testing.
We are also working to improve workforce training in the National Health Service to increase HIV awareness, and in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), to continue to monitor the levels of stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV within the health and social care system, as well as within community settings. The UKHSA published the positive voices survey report in early 2024, which presents key indicators for HIV stigma, and is available at the following link:
Further work is underway to develop key indicators for monitoring quality of life and stigma for people living with HIV.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the Convention on International Civil Aviation with direct flights from London to Taipei, and in this respect why the UK does not permit flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK recognises only one Cypriot state – the Republic of Cyprus – and only one government as the sole legitimate government. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Ercan (in the north of Cyprus) as an international customs airport and grant permission for flights to operate from within its territory. Which it has not done so. This means that no direct air services between the north of Cyprus and the UK can take place.
With regards to direct flights being permitted between London and Taipei, the situation is different in that the Chinese authorities have designated a number of airports in Taiwan as international customs airports which therefore permit airlines to operate between the UK and Taiwan.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 5 April (HL3471), what consideration they are giving to the creation of a Deputy Lieutenancy to cover the administrative local government areas of Middlesex.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
No consideration is being given to the creation of a Lieutenancy for Middlesex. Middlesex is covered by the Lieutenancies of Greater London, Surrey and Hertfordshire.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review their statistical methods regarding the inclusion of international students on postgraduate taught courses in net migration figures.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
The Right Hon. the Lord Johnson of Marylebone
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
19 April 2024
Dear Lord Johnson,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what plans there are to review the statistical methods regarding the inclusion of international students on postgraduate taught courses in net migration figures (HL3762).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing long-term international migration statistics. The most recent edition is for year-ending (YE) June 2023[1].
Net international migration accounts for a significant part of population change. Therefore, it is important that long-term international migration estimates account for those joining or leaving the UK population for all reasons, including international students (on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses). This ensures that the size of the population can be measured and the impact of migration on the economy and service requirements can be understood.
However, I recognise that there is also a user need for estimates of specific groups such as international students, as well as the need to understand the contribution of students to net international migration. Therefore, the latest long-term international migration estimates for YE June 2023 include breakdowns by reason for migration.
Alongside the latest estimates, the ONS also published an article named Reason for international migration: international students update: November 2023[2]. This presents further analysis of net migration of non-EU international students up to the YE June 2023 along with cohort analysis that provides insight on the changing behaviours of international students. This includes how long they spend studying in the UK before emigrating or, for example, transitioning onto work visas.
The ONS are continuing to develop their research in this area to provide more granular estimates, further insights on migration patterns of international students and identify priority areas for further research based on user priorities. Afurther update on this work will be published in May 2024, including estimates of international student migration for the YE December 2023.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the average mayoral precept in each mayoral authority.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government publishes data on the average Band D council tax set by each individual authority - including mayoral combined authorities - in the annual council tax levels publication. Band D is used as the standard for comparing council tax levels between and across local authorities. Individual local authorities also publish further details about their council tax charges.
The average Band D council tax set by each local authority for 2024-25 are as follows:
Authority | Average council tax for the authority (Band D) – general functions of the mayor £ | Average council tax for the Authority (Band D) – Police and Crime Commissioner functions of the mayor £ |
West Midlands | 0.00 | N/A |
Greater Manchester | 112.95 (Note 1) | 256.30 |
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 36.00 | N/A |
Liverpool City Region | 19.00 | N/A |
North of Tyne | 0.00 (Note 2) | N/A |
South Yorkshire | 0.00 | N/A |
Tees Valley | 0.00 | N/A |
West Yorkshire | 0.00 | 249.28 |
|
|
|
Greater London Authority | 166.27 (Note 3) | 305.13 |
Note 1: Greater Manchester’s general functions includes the responsibility for Fire and Rescue provision. This is not the case for any other Authority and so the figure is not directly comparable.
Note 2: The North of Tyne Combined Authority will be replaced by the newly established North East Mayoral Combined Authority.
Note 3: Greater London Authority is not a Combined Authority and therefore the Mayor has different roles and responsibilities which are not directly comparable.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of an increase in the non-residential limit for collective enfranchisement on the composition of retail streets in London’s Central Activity Zone.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
An Impact Assessment for the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill was published on 11 December 2023 and is available on the Parliament website at: Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament. The Impact Assessment considers the non-monetised impact of increasing the non-residential for collective enfranchisement claims including the potential impact on freeholders, high streets, and businesses.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Mayoral Combined Authorities on Local Skills Improvements Plans.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The department is delighted that across all areas of England, employer-led local skills improvement plans (LSIPs) have already helped engage thousands of local businesses and have brought them together with local providers and stakeholders, including the Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Greater London Authority (GLA), to collaboratively agree and deliver actions to address local skills’ needs. LSIPs were designed to support local innovation and growth so that every part of the country can succeed in its own unique way.
The department has purposely given employers the leading role in developing LSIPs, as they know their skills’ needs best. However, the department recognises the importance of the MCAs and GLA being involved in LSIPs, given their role as commissioners in their local areas and to support employer representative bodies (ERBs) to consider skills priorities within the broader context of economic growth and development. That is why the department placed a duty on the Secretary of State for Education to be satisfied, in approving LSIPs, that the views of the MCAs and the GLA had been considered in their development. The department also engaged MCAs and the GLA in the development of the LSIP statutory guidance in 2022, which clearly sets out the role they should play.
We welcome the positive engagement that took place between MCAs and the designated ERBs during the development of the plans and which is currently taking place as they are implemented. Indeed, each ERB will provide a public annual progress report in June 2024 and 2025 setting out progress made since publication of the plans.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will have discussions with the Mayor of London on the (a) reasons for the duration of time during which an escalator at Paddington Station has been out of service and (b) impact of that on elderly and disabled visitors to that station.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Facilities at Paddington London Underground station are the responsibility of Transport for London (TfL). DfT Ministers and officials meet regularly with TfL on a range of issues.