Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alison Bennett this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 181–200 of 245 · this parliament
How many households receive multiple PIP awards.
9% of households claimed Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in 2023-2024, with 10% of these households claiming multiple awards.Notes:Figures are for Great Britain, excluding Northern Ireland.Figures are for the 2023-24 financial year.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that all relevant medical health professionals are aware of the different manifestations of Parkinson’s disease in (a) women and (b) men.
Guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on Parkinson’s disease in adults does not make any reference to differences in Parkinson’s symptoms between women and men.We do know that the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease is higher in men than in women, as prevalence rates for men aged between 50 and 89 years old are more than 1.5 times higher than rates for women in the same age group. This equates to 22 in every 10,000 women and 32 in every 10,000 men diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.NHS England is updating the Neurosciences specialised neurology (adults) service specification, which includes Parkinson’s. The revised service specification also includes an annex which articulates minimum service requirements for both specialised and non-specialised neurology services, including movement disorder services. We are expecting the revised specification and standards to be published later in 2025.NHS England will publish an Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment alongside the specification. This will summarise the different incidence and impacts of neurological disease on protected characteristic groups, drawing on published evidence as appropriate.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the eligibility criteria for the Adoption and special guardianship support fund to include (a) kinship carers with informal childcare arrangements and (b) people under Special Guardianship Orders from 2025-26.
The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) supports children previously in care who are under special guardianship orders, residency orders or child arrangements orders. We are not proposing wider eligibility changes at this point. The ASGSF does not allow unused funds to be carried over from one financial year to the next. However, where applications were agreed and therapy started prior to April 2025, that therapy may continue under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.
What steps she is taking to help decarbonise schools.
The department is committed to supporting the UK net zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme in partnership with GB Energy that will install solar and other technologies such as electric vehicle chargers in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in the 2025/26 financial year.Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.
Whether people who started therapy funded by the Adoption and special guardianship support fund in 2024-25 will be permitted to carry over unused funds to fund therapy during the 2025-26 financial year.
The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) supports children previously in care who are under special guardianship orders, residency orders or child arrangements orders. We are not proposing wider eligibility changes at this point. The ASGSF does not allow unused funds to be carried over from one financial year to the next. However, where applications were agreed and therapy started prior to April 2025, that therapy may continue under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.
How many of the new surgical hubs will be focused solely on orthopaedic procedures.
The Elective Reform Plan has committed to providing quicker access for patients to common surgical hub procedures by opening 17 new and expanded surgical hubs by June 2025 and ramping up the number of hubs over the next three years, so more operations can be carried out.In line with direction set by the Getting it Right First Time High Volume Low Complexity programme, surgical hubs focus on driving improvement in six high volume specialties: ophthalmology; general surgery; trauma and orthopaedics, which includes spinal surgery; gynaecology; ear, nose and throat; and urology. There are no plans for any of the new hubs to solely focus on orthopaedic procedures.
Whether he is taking steps to provide mental health support for people waiting for joint replacement surgery.
The Government is committed to putting patients first, including those waiting for joint replacement surgery. Too many people have been left in limbo, with their personal and professional lives on hold waiting for National Health Service treatment. We understand the impact that long waits can have on patients’ mental health, which is why we have committed, in the Government’s Plan for Change, to return to the 18-week Referral to Treatment standard, which has not been met for almost a decade.We will ensure that patients are not only seen on time but also have the best possible experience of care. Our Elective Reform Plan, published on 6 January 2025, has committed us to working with patients and their carers to co-develop minimum standards for their experience of care.Dedicated and protected surgical hubs are helping to reduce elective surgery wait times by focusing on high volume low complexity surgeries, such as joint replacement surgery. As of March 2025, there are 114 elective surgical hubs that are operational across England.The Elective Reform Plan has committed to providing quicker access for patients to common surgical hub procedures by opening 17 new and expanded surgical hubs by June 2025, and by ramping up the number of hubs over the next three years, so even more operations can be carried out near where patients live.
Whether his Department plans to publish an implementation plan alongside the Elective Reform Plan.
There are currently no plans to publish an implementation plan alongside the Elective Reform Plan.Our Elective Reform Plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament, and outlines how these will be implemented by National Health Service systems, including a series of milestones for delivery. We have already achieved our pledge to deliver two million extra elective appointments, as a first step to delivering on this commitment.In addition, the Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has since been published and confirmed the interim targets for 2025/26, including a target that 65% of patients wait for 18 weeks or less by March 2026, up from 58.9% as of January 2025, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement on current performance over that period.
What steps he is taking to ensure people who need joint replacement surgery are able to access treatment where they live.
The Government is committed to putting patients first, including those waiting for joint replacement surgery. Too many people have been left in limbo, with their personal and professional lives on hold waiting for National Health Service treatment. We understand the impact that long waits can have on patients’ mental health, which is why we have committed, in the Government’s Plan for Change, to return to the 18-week Referral to Treatment standard, which has not been met for almost a decade.We will ensure that patients are not only seen on time but also have the best possible experience of care. Our Elective Reform Plan, published on 6 January 2025, has committed us to working with patients and their carers to co-develop minimum standards for their experience of care.Dedicated and protected surgical hubs are helping to reduce elective surgery wait times by focusing on high volume low complexity surgeries, such as joint replacement surgery. As of March 2025, there are 114 elective surgical hubs that are operational across England.The Elective Reform Plan has committed to providing quicker access for patients to common surgical hub procedures by opening 17 new and expanded surgical hubs by June 2025, and by ramping up the number of hubs over the next three years, so even more operations can be carried out near where patients live.
What steps she is taking to help protect (a) woodland and (b) natural habitats in the context of the construction of the lower Thames crossing.
The Minister for Local Transport’s considerations on the Lower Thames Crossing scheme are explained in the Decision Letter, published on the Planning Inspectorate website, and this sets out the proposed mitigations regarding habitats, including woodlands. The Honourable Member will understand that during the 6-week legal challenge period the Department is unable to comment in detail, but National Highways will be able to answer further questions about the scheme.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that farmers are not undercut by imports from countries with lower animal welfare standards.
The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. This Government will uphold and protect our high environmental and animal welfare standards in future trade deals. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report entitled Saving Lives Is Not Enough, published by the British Burn Association in August 2019.
I note this report is from 2019, my officials will discuss this further with colleagues in the Department for Health and Social Care, and the National Fire Chiefs Council.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle fly-tipping.
We are seeking powers in the Home Office’s Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory enforcement guidance to help councils make full and proper use of their fly-tipping enforcement powers. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, vehicle seizure and prosecution action which can lead to a significant fine or even imprisonment. We have committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course. Defra officials chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, including officials from the Department for Transport, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and devolved governments, to promote good practice on preventing fly-tipping. Various practical tools are available from their webpage which can be found at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group.
What assessment he has made of the benefits of extending protections for retail workers to retail delivery drivers in the Crime and Policing Bill.
Under the previous government, shop theft soared to record highs, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We won’t stand for this because everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work. To tackle the unacceptable surge in shoplifting and retail crime, and following years of campaigning, our Crime and Policing Bill introduces a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores, sending a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. As introduced, the definition of a ‘retail worker’ does not include delivery drivers. Keeping a tight definition provides legal clarity and ensures there is less ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Workers whose roles are not included are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH). That said, the whole purpose of the parliamentary process is to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and we will, of course, consider carefully any amendments and supporting evidence. Public-facing workers are also covered by the aggravating factor introduced by the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act, which ensures the courts consider the public-facing nature of a victim’s role when issuing a sentence for an offence and sends a clear message that violence and abuse towards any worker will not be tolerated. We expect those who perpetrate these damaging crimes to always face the full force of the law. Through the passage of this Bill, we will continue to engage with a number of stakeholders across relevant sectors to ensure the law is fit for purpose to protect all public-facing workers from violence and abuse.
What steps she plans to take to reduce deaths in custody.
Every death in custody is a tragedy and we continue to do all we can to improve the safety of prisoners.The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigates the deaths of prisoners in custody. The investigations are a vital tool to ensure lessons are learned following deaths in prison and to improve safety outcomes in the future.We provide individualised support through our case management process for people assessed as at risk of suicide and self-harm. This approach places a strong emphasis on identifying individual risks, triggers and protective factors and having effective care plans in place to record, address and mitigate risks.All new members of staff with prisoner contact receive training on suicide and self-harm prevention.We continue to work with Samaritans to provide support in the period following a self-inflicted death in order to reduce the risk of further deaths and for the delivery of the Listener scheme, through which selected prisoners are trained to provide emotional support to their fellow prisoners.
What plans she has to reduce the number of attacks on prison staff.
Staff must be able to expect a safe and decent work environment. We will not tolerate any violence against prison officers and prisoners who are violent towards staff will face the full consequences of their actions.The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 doubled the maximum penalty to up to two years’ imprisonment for those who assault emergency workers, including prison officers.To protect staff from serious assaults, PAVA – a synthetic pepper spray – is available for use by prison officers in the adult male estate.Over 13,000 next generation Body Worn Video Cameras are available across public sector prisons, meaning every Band 3-5 officer can wear a camera whilst on shift. This will provide high-quality evidence to support prosecutions against those who commit assaults against staff. All cameras have pre-record capability which will help capture the lead up to events.
What discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on the timetable for bringing forward statutory instruments to make amendments to The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
I have not discussed this with the Leader of the House. As announced in the policy paper ‘The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture’, published on January 22, the Government will bring forward amendments to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, in advance of longer-term reforms.The SI will be laid when parliamentary time allows.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that retailers (a) provide (i) clear, (ii) accurate and (iii) impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of infant formula products in (A) retail outlets and (B) online shopping channels and (b) display brands of infant formula together on retail shelves.
Infant feeding is critical to a baby’s healthy growth and development. The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and that includes helping families to access support to feed their baby.Whilst breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that for those families that cannot or choose not to breastfeed, it is vital that they have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality. Infant formula regulations ensure that all infant formula is suitable for meeting the nutritional needs of babies, regardless of the price or brand.The Government welcomes the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study report on infant formula and follow-on formula. The report included recommendations related to clear, accurate and impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of all infant formula products on product labelling and in retail settings as well as a recommendation related to displaying all brands of infant formula together and separate from other formula milks. We will carefully consider its findings and recommendations and respond in due course.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that healthcare settings provide (i) timely, (ii) clear, (iii) accurate and (iv) impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of infant formula products and (b) implement standardised infant formula labelling on products.
Infant feeding is critical to a baby’s healthy growth and development. The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and that includes helping families to access support to feed their baby.Whilst breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that for those families that cannot or choose not to breastfeed, it is vital that they have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality. Infant formula regulations ensure that all infant formula is suitable for meeting the nutritional needs of babies, regardless of the price or brand.The Government welcomes the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study report on infant formula and follow-on formula. The report included recommendations related to clear, accurate and impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of all infant formula products on product labelling and in retail settings as well as a recommendation related to displaying all brands of infant formula together and separate from other formula milks. We will carefully consider its findings and recommendations and respond in due course.
If he will publish funding by the Better Care Fund to support unpaid carers for (a) 2023 and (b) 2024, by region.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 March 2025 to Question 33291.