Every parliamentary written question tabled by Gregory Stafford this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 621–639 of 639 · this parliament
How many paediatric audiology departments there are in England; and how many of those meet the UK Accreditation Services Improving Quality in Physiological Services Accreditation standards.
There are 140 providers of audiology services for children in England. Currently, 30 providers meet the UK Accreditation Services Improving Quality in Physiological Services Accreditation standards. Two providers are pending re-instatement of accreditatio...
If he will bring forward legislative proposals to require drivers to report cat killings under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats. Although there is no obligation to report all collisions with animals on roads, Rule 286 of The Highway Code advises...
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Renter's Rights Bill on tackling unaffordable requests for rent in advance.
The Government recognise that requests for large amounts of rent in advance can put financial strain on tenants and can exclude certain groups from renting all together. We want to ensure that the Renters’ Rights Bill protects renters against such demands...
Whether his Department holds data on the number of days of strike action by council waste and recycling workers in each of the last three financial years.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th October 2024 is attached.
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take legislative steps to ensure that pensioners are not impacted by annual retirement property price increases.
Leaseholders living in retirement housing who pay variable service charges will benefit from measures contained in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 that will ensure all leaseholders receive minimum key financial and non-financial information on ...
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the adequacy of EU export regulations for preventing the importation of diseased plants into the UK.
The Trade Specialised Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, set up under the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, provides a platform for information sharing and discussion on each of the Parties’ import and export requirements. It is ...
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to financially protect leaseholding pensioners in independent retirement living facilities from (a) maintenance and (b) ground rents.
The Government will act quickly to provide leasehold homeowners, including where relevant those living in retirement housing, with greater rights, powers and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. We will also take action to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rent charges.
Whether her Department is taking steps to provide support to people who were subject to forced adoption between 1940 and 1970.
I have the deepest sympathy with everyone affected by historic forced adoption. The practice was abhorrent and should never have taken place. Moreover, the treatment that women experienced during this time was very wrong.Following the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), ‘The Violation of Family Life: Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women 1949-1976 (2022)’, regulations were amended in 2023 to make it easier for adults to access adoption support. These amendments were widely welcomed.The department is also currently funding the Adoption England project Improving Adoption Services for Adults (IASA) which is designed to maintain relationships and access to better support for adopted adults, including those adopted between 1940-1970.
If she will take steps to ensure that local authorities have (a) fair and (b) timely procedures for processing EHCPs.
The department wants to deliver better life chances for all, through a system which works for all. The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through a long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan process. The department will work across the sector to provide support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision (AP) and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and AP settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. The department wants to ensure that EHC plan applications are processed promptly and plans are issued as quickly as possible where required, so that children and young people can access the support they need. The department has listened to parents, schools and local authorities and is reflecting on what practice could be made consistent nationally.
Whether he plans to increase business rates.
The government is committed to a business rates system which raises the same revenue but in a fairer way. The government has pledged to level the playing field between the high street and online giants, incentivise investment, tackle empty properties and support entrepreneurship. The government will work closely with all stakeholders, including those businesses that shoulder the greatest burden from business rates, as it develops the detail of its reforms. The Government will set out further details in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent the sale of illegal dog breeds on (a) Freeads, (b) Gumtree and (c) other advertisement websites.
It is a criminal offence to sell, gift, exchange, advertise or offer for sale any prohibited dog breeds. The maximum penalty for doing so is up to six months in prison and or an unlimited fine. The Government has strongly encouraged all online selling sites to run automated checks for words and terms relating to these prohibited breed types, reporting this to enforcement authorities where relevant.
What steps she plans to take to support pensioners suffering from long-term illnesses who are not eligible for pension credit in the winter.
This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. We will do this through protecting the triple lock, keeping energy bills low through our Warm Homes Plan, and bringing real stability to people’s lives. However, given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. For those with long-term illnesses, the “extra costs” disability benefits, namely Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA), provide a tax free, non-income-related contribution towards the extra costs people with a long-term health condition can face, such as additional heating costs. They are paid monthly throughout the year, can be worth up to £9,583.60 a year and recipients are free to use their benefit according to their own priorities. Receipt of AA can provide a passport to additional amounts in means-tested benefits (notably Pension Credit and Housing Benefit) for those on low incomes providing they meet the other eligibility criteria. Further, over the course of this Parliament over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their new State Pension increase by around £1700 as a result of our commitment to protect the Triple Lock. We also know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.
If she will publish all (a) papers and (b) assessments on the potential impact of charging VAT on independent schools' fees on (i) SEND provision, (ii) local authorities and (iii) state schools.
The government is working to carefully consider the impact of charging VAT on independent schools’ fees. This government will undertake appropriate analysis and assessment to support this process.
If she will make it her policy to not charge VAT on independent schools.
The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system. The Prime Minister has been clear that if a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan that requires them to attend a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, they will not feel an impact from VAT being charged on fees. The Chancellor has also been clear that changes will not come into force until 2025. Further details on this policy will be set out in due course. The Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in Government policy, including VAT, as part of the policy development and implementation process as a matter of course.
If he will will take steps to improve the provision of primary healthcare in Whitehill and Bordon.
The Government knows that patients are finding it harder than ever to access general practices (GP) and is committed to fixing the the crisis in GPs to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service.Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform. We have committed to training thousands more GPs, ending the 8:00am scramble for appointments by introducing a modern booking system, and trialing new neighborhood health centers to bring community health services together under one roof. Furthermore, the Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.Whitehill and Bordon sits within the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB), where the percentage of appointments delivered within two weeks of booking is 8.2% lower than the national average.The Government knows that getting an NHS dentist has become increasingly difficult, and is aware that there are many areas of the country where these difficulties are particularly pronounced. The Government will tackle the immediate dental crisis with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.Our annual statistics show that in 2023 only 36% of the adult population in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB were seen by an NHS dentist in the last two years, compared with 41% nationally.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) GP and (b) dental provision in Whitehill and Bordon; and if he will take steps to improve that provision.
The Government knows that patients are finding it harder than ever to access general practices (GP) and is committed to fixing the the crisis in GPs to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service.Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform. We have committed to training thousands more GPs, ending the 8:00am scramble for appointments by introducing a modern booking system, and trialing new neighborhood health centers to bring community health services together under one roof. Furthermore, the Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.Whitehill and Bordon sits within the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB), where the percentage of appointments delivered within two weeks of booking is 8.2% lower than the national average.The Government knows that getting an NHS dentist has become increasingly difficult, and is aware that there are many areas of the country where these difficulties are particularly pronounced. The Government will tackle the immediate dental crisis with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.Our annual statistics show that in 2023 only 36% of the adult population in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB were seen by an NHS dentist in the last two years, compared with 41% nationally.
What steps she plans to take to reduce waiting times for appeals through special educational needs and disability tribunal hearings.
Although the First-tier Tribunal (SEND) has responded well to the significant increase in appeals it has experienced in recent years, we acknowledge that more needs to be done to reduce the time parents and young people have to wait to have their appeals determined. An additional 70 judges have been recruited for this jurisdiction and will begin sitting from September 2024, with further recruitment scheduled. I look forward to working with my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and her Ministerial team to consider ways to reduce the demands on the tribunal so that the outstanding caseload, and the time within which the tribunal can determine appeals, can be brought down.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in Surrey and Hampshire; and what steps she plans to take to support local authorities in those areas to improve delivery of SEND services.
The department is continuing to support and challenge Surrey and Hampshire to improve the delivery of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services. The last local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Surrey was in September 2023. The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the areas for improvement that were identified by inspectors and to track the progress made by children and young people with SEND. Surrey County Council are committed to working closely with the department to improve services. Surrey County Council entered into a Safety Valve agreement with the department in March 2022. Safety Valve agreements were established under the previous government with the aim of improving the effectiveness of local authority high needs systems and ensure their long-term financial sustainability. Hampshire were last inspected under the previous Ofsted and CQC framework in March 2020. As with all local areas, the department has continued to provide support to Hampshire through a regional case lead, who seeks regular assurances on the adequacy of SEND provision. Hampshire will be assessed under the new Ofsted and CQC Area Inspection Framework, with all local authorities due to be inspected by the end of 2027. Hampshire is taking part in the Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND Programme. The DBV in SEND Programme, which is currently under review, was established under the previous government with the aim of helping local authorities provide more effective SEND services by meeting the needs of children and young people at an early stage and with the right level of support.
What plans she has to support the families of neuro divergent children while an education, health and care plan is being agreed.
The department is aware that the number of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England continues to rise, and that parents have struggled with getting the right support for their children, particularly through a sometimes long and difficult education, health and care plan process. This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and to ensuring that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I will work with families and education and care experts to deliver this in the best interests of our children.