Every parliamentary written question tabled by Daisy Cooper this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 241–260 of 452 · this parliament
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May to Question 50557 on Prescriptions: ICT, whether he plans to ensure all Electronic Prescription Service Pharmacies use the Real Time Exemption Checking Service.
There are no current plans to mandate use of the Real Time Exemption Checking service in all pharmacies using the Electronic Prescription Service.
With reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's blog entitled Warm Homes Plan and heat pumps, published on 21 November 2024, when permitted development rights for air source heat pump installations will be extended.
A Statutory Instrument to update the permitted development right for air source heat pump installations in England was laid in parliament on 8 May and will come into force on 29 May 2025. These changes will enable more households to install an air source heat pump without needing to submit a planning application. The Statutory Instrument can be found at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/560/made.
Whether he plans to encourage pharmacies to register for the Real Time Exemption Checking Service.
The Real Time Exemption Checking Service in England (RTEC) helps pharmacy teams confirm whether a patient holds a valid exemption from National Health Service prescription charges quickly. The Department supports the use of the RTEC and recognises the benefits this assurance provides in assuring patients and pharmacy teams that exemptions are being claimed correctly.As of 8 May 2025, the total number of active Electronic Prescription Service Pharmacies using the RTEC is 10,254, which equates to 90.94% of all such pharmacies.The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), who manages the RTEC system, promotes its use through their website, webinars, and communications to contractors, including via their Hints and Tips bulletin, which is available to pharmacy contractors, dispensing doctors, prescribing-only general practitioners, and appliance contractors. The NHSBSA also promotes uptake by engaging with integrated care boards, pharmacy groups, and individual pharmacies.
How many and what proportion of community pharmacies are registered to use the Real Time Exemption Checking Service in England.
The Real Time Exemption Checking Service in England (RTEC) helps pharmacy teams confirm whether a patient holds a valid exemption from National Health Service prescription charges quickly. The Department supports the use of the RTEC and recognises the benefits this assurance provides in assuring patients and pharmacy teams that exemptions are being claimed correctly.As of 8 May 2025, the total number of active Electronic Prescription Service Pharmacies using the RTEC is 10,254, which equates to 90.94% of all such pharmacies.The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), who manages the RTEC system, promotes its use through their website, webinars, and communications to contractors, including via their Hints and Tips bulletin, which is available to pharmacy contractors, dispensing doctors, prescribing-only general practitioners, and appliance contractors. The NHSBSA also promotes uptake by engaging with integrated care boards, pharmacy groups, and individual pharmacies.
What the total value of (a) funds, (b) near cash assets and (c) other financial instruments held by (i) the Bank of England and (ii) other UK licensed financial institutions is on behalf of Euroclear Group entities as a result of European Union sanctions on Russia.
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) does not comment on individual entities. Please note OFSI has no role in the implementation of any other country’s sanctions. Therefore, it is unable to comment on EU financial sanctions. Every year, OFSI undertakes a frozen asset review, which requires all persons holding or controlling assets (including funds and economic resources) frozen as a result of UK financial sanctions to report the nature and values of these assets to OFSI. The 2023 Frozen Asset Review saw approximately £10.2 billion of funds reported to OFSI as frozen under the Russia regime. This figure does not include the value of all assets reported to OFSI as a part of the annual frozen asset review due to difficulties defining their values with accuracy. This may include the contents of safety deposit boxes or tangible assets. OFSI’s 2023-2024 Annual Review can be found here:OFSI Annual Review 2023-24: Engage, Enhance, Enforce - GOV.UK
What the total value is of (a) funds, (b) near cash assets and (c) other financial instruments held by (i) the Bank of England and (ii) other UK licensed financial institutions for (A) the Central Bank of Russia, (B) the Russian Ministry of Finance, (C) the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation and (D) any other Russian state entities, by (1) asset type, (2) Russian state entity and (3) financial institution.
The Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury, published in its annual review that £25.03 billion in assets relating to the Russia sanctions regime have been reported as frozen between February 2022 and December 2024. This is an aggregated total of all entities and individuals listed on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets, known as Designated Persons. However, assets belonging to the Central Bank of Russia, the National Wealth Fund of Russia, or the Ministry of Finance of Russia have been immobilised in the UK and across the G7 by sectoral sanctions – rather than with an asset freeze, and therefore their value is not included within the above figure. In the UK, sanctions prohibit UK persons from providing financial services in respect of these assets. There are sensitivities around publishing the figure for immobilised asset holdings in the UK covered by these sectoral sanctions. It is important a decision to release any detail about these assets it taken on a collective G7 basis.
How many fines have been (a) issued and (b) withdrawn on appeal by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in each of the last three years for which data is available.
According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), 69 fines were issued during the period 2020/21, followed by 49 between 2021/22 and 73 between 2022/23. The SRA has confirmed that the data for the 2023/24 period is not currently available. Further information is set out by the SRA in its Upholding Professionals Standards (UPS) reports, the three most recent versions of which are available here:2022/23: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/upholding-professional-standards-2022-23/.2021/22: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/upholding-professional-standards-2021-22/#.2020/21: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/upholding-professional-standards-202021/. The SRA does not publish information regarding appeals.
Media and Sport, if she will require operators of generative AI models to seek approval from authors for using any published materials available online prior to using such materials for their own purposes.
The UK Copyright regime is clear about the rights holders’ intellectual property rights. Works can only be used where permission is granted or where there is an existing exception in copyright law. It is possible for rights holders to license the use of their copyright protected works for AI training at the moment, or to protect their works from being used, but we are aware that this can be difficult in practice for individual firms and creators. Responses to our consultation on the impact of AI on the copyright regime, which was published on Tuesday 17 December and closed on 25 February, will inform our approach to the design and delivery of a solution to this issue.We will now consider the full range of responses we have received through our consultation. Addressing this is an urgent priority for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, but no decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers each of our objectives.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the planned national pandemic exercise in Autumn 2025.
In Autumn 2025, the Department and the UK Health Security Agency will conduct a national exercise to test our ability to respond to a pandemic, involving all regions and nations of the United Kingdom, and thousands of participants. Planning for the exercise is underway and consideration is being given to its design and the participation of NHS England officials.
Innovation and Technology, what routes of recourse exists for writers whose work has been uploaded as pirated material to a database without their consent or knowledge of the authors (a) against the database owners and (b) against any corporations or third parties that have used that database.
The Government is committed to ensuring a fair and balanced IP system and the protection of IP rights. The UK has a robust framework in place to protect IP rights, which includes both civil and criminal enforcement measures.Right owners can report IP crime by contacting Trading Standards. They may also consider alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, like mediation, or taking legal action before courts.With respect to online databases, the Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002 requires platforms to disable or remove IP infringing content that they become aware of or risk legal action.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of levels of fines for fly-tipping.
We have committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess they have created. This will build on the sanctions already available which include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. We do not intend to carry out any further assessment of the adequacy of levels of fines for fly tipping. The Defra chaired National Fly-tipping Prevention Group has produced a guide on how local authorities, and others, can present robust cases to court. This is available at https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers, and we are currently seeking powers to provide statutory guidance on fly-tipping enforcement. We have also announced a review of their powers to seize and crush the vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS on the capacity of ICBs to cut their running costs.
NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services, and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structures, to achieve a 50% cost reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025. In this guidance, ICBs are tasked with developing plans by the end of May setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities. NHS England will be working closely with ICBs to support the development of these plans, ensuring that their implementation reduces duplication and supports patient care. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/In his letter to ICBs, Sir Jim Mackey committed to greater transparency and moving back to a fair shares allocation policy over time.As we progress with returning functions to the Department, a comprehensive assessment of any impacts and risks associated with the change will be conducted. We will ensure our decisions are guided by evidence and focused on improving patient care.
What assessment he has made of the implications of abolishing NHS England on the delivery of public health programmes described in the NHS Public Health Functions Agreements.
Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre. As we work to bring the two organisations together, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds, including the delivery of public health functions currently delegated to NHS England. The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job. We will empower staff to focus on delivering for the public and patients.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the scope of the Loan Charge review.
The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge. Ray McCann, a highly respected figure in the tax world, is leading the review. His name was suggested by one of the Loan Charge campaigners.To ensure transparency, the terms of reference make it clear that Mr McCann will be supported by a team of officials who have not previously worked on this policy area and will be based outside of HM Treasury and HMRC. Information provided by HMT and HMRC to the review team and factual comments provided on draft reports will be published after the review has concluded.The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years to bring this matter to a close and has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.Alongside the review, the Government is consulting in 2025 on measures to tackle promoters of marketed tax avoidance and has already announced measures to tackle the significant tax avoidance and fraud in the umbrella company market.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34653 on Royal Mail: Workplace Pensions, what the total value of the 906 tax free lump sum overpayments in 2024 was.
The total value of the overpayments in relation to the 906 lump sums miscalculated in 2024 is £1,325,340.78.The Cabinet Office has worked closely with the scheme administrator, Capita, to review all other processes in relation to the administration of the scheme, to ensure that they are documented and accurately reflect the contractual requirements and scheme rules, to deliver the best possible service to members and minimise errors.
Communities and Local Government, how leaseholders can challenge costs incurred for a Deed of Variation to leasehold agreements.
Leaseholders who are dissatisfied with costs incurred as part of a deed of variation should seek legal advice. Free initial legal advice is available through the Leasehold Advisory Service.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34653 on Royal Mail: Workplace Pensions, how many of the 906 overpayments of tax free lump sums in 2024 have been resolved by (a) payment in full, (b) part payment as full settlement or (c) written off.
Out of the 906 miscalculated overpayments in 2024, in respect of the second bite overpayment (742 members) we can confirm that 248 overpayments have been recovered in full; 494 are in recovery by way of monthly deductions to their pension, and 4 members have yet to have their recovery method agreed, and there is ongoing correspondence to finalise this.In addition, all 160 duplicate pension increase members are in recovery. Where members were unable to return the overpayment in full, monthly deductions from their pension were put in place. There were no part payments or payments written off.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34653 on Royal Mail: Workplace Pensions, how many of the 906 retirees effected by tax free lump sum overpayments in 2024 have been offered (a) compensation or (b) a reduction in repayment.
The scheme administrator, Capita, has not compensated or agreed a reduction of payment figures for any of the 906 cases affected by overpayments.However, the scheme administrator has taken steps to support these members. This includes arranging monthly deductions to be taken from the member’s pension in payment where they were unable to repay their overpayment in full. Affected members are also able to contact Capita to discuss alternative repayment arrangements using the helpline number or dedicated email address.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29802 on Parking: Software, what recent discussions her Department has had with the parking industry on the future rollout of the National Parking Platform.
The Department for Transport continues to engage with the parking sector regarding alternative options for taking forward delivery of a national parking platform.
Whether she has had discussions with EngineeringUK on supporting engineering companies in providing T Level placements for engineering students in further education.
The department works closely with a range of colleges, schools, employers and their representative bodies to ensure the availability and quality of T Level industry placements across the country. For the engineering and manufacturing sector this includes the Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Engineering and Manufacturing working group, made up of organisations including EngineeringUK, Enginuity (and the National Manufacturing Skills Task Force), Make UK and the Royal Academy of Engineering. The group share resources, case studies and undertake employer awareness-raising campaigns to support the delivery of industry placements.The department also actively engages stakeholders via our T Level Ambassador Network which advocates for T Levels and plays a key role in bringing industry and education together across a range of sectors. The network has expanded to over 900 members, including large businesses, small and medium enterprises, colleges and schools, universities and students. Over 120 representatives from the engineering and manufacturing sector are part of this network.