Every parliamentary written question tabled by Jim Shannon this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 761–780 of 1,864 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve (a) sewage lines and (b) other housing infrastructure.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to questions UIN 65505 on 14 July 2025 and UIN 77897 on 17 October 2025.
What steps his Department is taking to help find rare blood type donors.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is the organisation responsible for blood services in England. NHSBT works to find and encourage people with rare blood types to give blood to ensure blood of all types is available for patients when needed.In addition to routine extended antigen typing, which enables many rare donors to be identified, NHSBT’s Rare Donor Screening Programme tests approximately 25,000 donors annually, for additional blood group antigens, to identify donors with rare blood types. This testing helps to maintain a national rare donor panel containing extremely rare types.Furthermore, NHSBT’s Rare Donor Clinical Team contacts donors and actively manages their donation schedule via a special call up process. This team also works closely with hospitals to identify patients and their siblings as potential new donors. To ensure the timely availability of blood, blood from rare donors may also be frozen and stored in the National Frozen Blood Bank and thawed when required for patients.Finally, NHSBT also contributes to the International Rare Donor Panel which contains details of donors of rare blood types from 27 contributing countries and frozen unit inventories from frozen blood banks around the world. Further information on the International Rare Donor Panel is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ibgrl/services/international-rare-donor-panel/
Whether he plans to increase funding for primary eye care services as part of his Department's plan to shift care from hospitals to the community.
Over the course of the 10-Year Health Plan, the share of expenditure on hospital care will fall and there will be proportionally greater investment in out of-hospital care as local areas build and expand their neighbourhood health services.The detail of Spending Review budget allocations within departments is still being determined and we are working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans.
Whether his Department plans to take steps with the primary eye care sector to help prevent avoidable sight loss.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them.ICBs already commission National Health Service sight testing services through high street optical practices. Regular sight tests play a crucial role in the early detection of a range of eye conditions and can help prevent avoidable sight loss.ICBs can also commission enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services. These services further support the identification and management of eye conditions to prevent avoidable sight loss.
What steps her Department is taking to help support skilled fishermen in Northern Ireland through the visa system.
We are aware of concerns around labour shortages in the fishing industry and seafood processing sectors. The generally more remote location of the jobs, as well as pay and the challenging working conditions, all present challenges for UK and devolved governments, and the industry, to address. It is important that the industry looks to the domestic workforce to fill vacancies.Following publication of our Immigration White Paper, the threshold for Skilled Worker visas was raised to graduate professions, but fishing occupations remain on the Immigration Salary List, as a transitional measure until the end of 2026. The industry will need to adapt away from relying on the visa system in that time.
What estimate his Department has made of the number of people who are out of work due to chronic arthritic pain.
We recognise the effect that poor health can have on economic inactivity and that the economy relies on a healthy population.The 10-Year Health Plan will support people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions like arthritis to better manage their condition and access services and support through the three shifts: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. For example, the shift from hospital to community will enable people with MSK conditions to access a range of additional services to support the management of their condition and treatment closer to home.In line with this shift, the Government has funded NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time programme to deploy their proven Further Faster model for MSK community services. The programme has been designed to reduce waiting times for community MSK appointments and to enhance access to quality treatment, working with integrated care board leaders to improve data and metrics and referral pathways to wider support services.We are working together to further develop the approach to better enable integrated care systems to commission the delivery of high quality MSK services in the community, which will benefit patients now and into the future.Additionally, the Further Faster 20 scheme, which is an extension of the existing Further Faster Programme, is designed to help reduce waiting lists across multiple specialities at 20 targeted hospital trusts located in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity.
Whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the distilling industry on the potential impact of the increase in (a) duties on spirits (b) employer's National Insurance contributions on businesses in the sector.
I have not had any such direct conversations but the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) maintains regular engagement with stakeholders from across the distilling industry and remains committed to supporting economic growth in the sector. Although duties and National Insurance contributions are set by Treasury, DBT regularly shares industry feedback across government to help inform policy decisions to help foster growth, resilience and awareness. We also support the sector by providing access to significant export opportunities overseas, delivered via our free trade agreements in addition to maintaining and opening new market access.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring football clubs to contribute towards the cost of matchday policing.
Section 25 of the Police Act 1996 allows the police to recover costs for Special Police Services. This includes the policing of events, including football matches.However, the proportion of costs recoverable is currently constrained by case law. As a result, each year police forces in England and Wales incur costs in the tens of millions of pounds from policing commercial events like football.The Home Office is concerned that the cost of policing football matches that is currently falling to the public purse is too high and is exploring ways to address this. This is an important issue that requires careful consideration in order to ensure a balance between the costs to the public purse and the wider cultural and economic value of these events.
What assessment his Department has made of trends in the availability of pancreatic cancer drugs.
The Department is aware of ongoing intermittent supply issues with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We have been continuously assessing the availability of all PERT presentations for the duration of the supply disruption and implementing mitigation measures where there are any supply gaps. The Department is continuing to work with all suppliers of PERT to help resolve the supply issues in the short and longer term. Through these discussions we have managed to secure additional volumes for 2025 for the United Kingdom, and we are in regular communication with suppliers on expected volumes for 2026.The Department has also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market. We have widely disseminated comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals, including National Health Service trusts, general practices, and pharmacies, about these supply issues, which provide advice on how to manage patients whilst there is disruption to supply. The Department will continue to work closely with the manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible, to ensure patients have continuous access to medicines.The Department is also aware of a supply issue with mitomycin 10 milligram and 40 milligram powder for solution injection vials, a type of chemotherapy which may be used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, which are out of stock until mid-January 2026. Alternative treatments have been sourced, and guidance has been issued to health care professionals with management advice until this issue is resolved.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of (a) attacks on places of worship in Sudan and (b) the attack on a mosque near the Abu Souk camp on 19 September 2025; and what recent steps she has taken with international partners to ensure the protection of (i) places of worship and (ii) religious communities in that country.
As the Minister of State for International Development and Africa stated on 12 October, we are extremely alarmed by recent developments at El Fasher and have called for "an immediate end to the Rapid Support Forces' siege and a nationwide ceasefire to protect civilians and ensure full unimpeded humanitarian access."The UK remains committed to promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials have met with both authorities in Port Sudan and RSF representatives, urging them to uphold the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We have also condemned attacks on places of worship in a UK-led resolution that was passed by majority vote on 6 October this year at the UN Human Rights Council. This resolution renewed the mandate of UN Fact-Finding Mission - the only independent accountability mechanism documenting human rights violations, including FoRB, in Sudan.
What assessment she has made of the risk of (a) harm and (b) disruption from unauthorised drone activity to (i) UK commercial airports and (ii) commercial air traffic operating in UK airspace.
UK aviation operates in the private sector. It is therefore the responsibility of industry to ensure there are appropriate contingency plans in place to minimise potential disruption. The Department for Transport, Home Office and Ministry of Defence engage regularly with the aviation sector to gain assurances of their security plans, including in response to drone incursions at UK airports. The Department for Transport is going further by mandating the use of Remote Identification (RID) for drones allowing them to be tracked and identified. RID will protect the airspace, its users and the public from unlawful and unsafe drones operating without adequate permissions, including around UK airports.
What steps his Department is taking to help support unemployed young people into work.
The Department is committed to ensuring young people have access to the support they need to move into sustainable employment. DWP currently provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities, working alongside partners such as the Kings Trust, Local Authorities, National Careers Service/Career Wales, local colleges and Youth Trusts. As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are developing a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access high-quality training, apprenticeships, or personalised support to find work. As a first step, we are working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England which are testing innovative, locally led approaches to improve support for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes strengthening local coordination, through local leadership, and outreach to better connect young people with opportunities. We will use learning from these trailblazers to inform future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of Great Britain. We have also announced that we will offer a guaranteed job to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months. This forms a key part of the government’s Youth Guarantee, and further details will be announced at the Budget 2025. In Northern Ireland, all DWP policy areas are transferred, including employment support. This is the responsibility of the Department for Communities.
Whether her Department has had discussions on disruption by drones at airports with (a) pilots, (b) other aviation professionals (c) the Ministry of Defence and (d) governments of other European countries that have experienced such disruption; and what steps her Department plans to take to counter such risks to commercial aviation.
UK aviation operates in the private sector. It is therefore the responsibility of industry to ensure there are appropriate contingency plans in place to minimise potential disruption. The Department for Transport, Home Office and Ministry of Defence engage regularly with the aviation sector to gain assurances of their security plans, including in response to drone incursions at UK airports. The Department for Transport is going further by mandating the use of Remote Identification (RID) for drones allowing them to be tracked and identified. RID will protect the airspace, its users and the public from unlawful and unsafe drones operating without adequate permissions, including around UK airports.
If she will make it her policy to share the findings from the national inquiry into grooming gangs with her counterparts in the devolved administrations.
Whilst child protection is fully devolved in the UK and policing devolved except for Wales, all parts of the UK must work together to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice and we are engaging with devolved administrations as part of our response to Baroness Casey’s recommendations.We expect any relevant findings to be shared with devolved administrations to support a comprehensive approach across the UK. All parts of the UK must work together to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice. We will set out further details on the establishment of the national inquiry in due course and how this may interact with the responsibilities of devolved administrations.
What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the cost of the new energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector are not passed on to tenants through higher rents.
Increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector will ensure that tenants have homes that are warmer and less susceptible to damp and mould, while also lowering their energy bills and lifting homes out of fuel poverty. These changes do not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help cut energy bills for tenants by delivering more energy efficient homes. The new Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce protections for tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases and stop landlords using large rent increases to force tenants out. Landlords will be able to increase rents to market rates once per year, with tenants able to challenge this at the Tribunal if it is unreasonable.
When Baxdrostat will be available on the NHS.
In the United Kingdom, medicines need to have a licence before they can be marketed. These are granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Licences confirm the health condition the medicine should be used for and the recommended dosage. To get a licence, the manufacturer of the medicine has to provide evidence which shows that the medicine is safe and effective enough to be used for a specific condition and for a specific group of patients, and that they can manufacture the medicine to the required quality.Newly licensed medicines are appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE aims wherever possible to issue draft guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund drugs recommended by NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.Baxdrostat has not yet been licensed by the MHRA. If the manufacturer submits a request for a marketing authorisation, NICE will appraise baxdrostat to determine whether it can be recommended for routine use on the NHS and will aim to issue guidance as close as possible to licensing.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of stress on Alzheimer's disease.
As highlighted in the Dementia Care Pathway: Full implementation guidance, poorly managed behavioural and psychological symptoms, which accompany dementia, may lead to increased distress, accelerated cognitive decline, inappropriate antipsychotic prescribing, unnecessary use of restraint, and earlier admission to residential care. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/nccmh/dementia/nccmh-dementia-care-pathway-full-implementation-guidance.pdf?sfvrsn=cdef189d_8National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines recommend, as initial and ongoing management, offering psychosocial and environmental interventions to reduce distress in people living with dementia.Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services. We will deliver the first ever Modern Service framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve social housing completion rates.
On 2 July, the government set out its five-point plan for kickstarting a decade of social and affordable housing renewal. Taken together, the grant funding support and regulatory certainty and stability that this government is providing will enable Registered Providers to quickly ramp up investment in existing and new stock. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on that day (HCWS771). Section 106 agreements are, and will remain, an essential mechanism for delivering social and affordable housing. The government continues to progress work on a holistic policy package that will deal with the legacy problem of existing uncontracted S106 units and also prevent the problem recurring by laying the foundations for a simpler, more transparent, and more resilient S106 system. On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) which included proposals to implement a new power for authorities to decline to determine planning applications made by developers who fail to build out at a reasonable rate. The consultation closed on 7 July and we are currently considering all feedback received.
How he plans to integrate the 10-Year Plan with the National Cancer Plan.
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will fight cancer on all fronts, from prevention to diagnosis to treatment, to improve survival and reduce the lives lost to one of the biggest killers. The National Cancer Plan for England will take forward this work and build on the shifts set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to improve the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer.
How much her Department spends annually on taxi travel for children to and from schools.
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Local authorities are responsible for arranging home to school travel for eligible children. They deliver their duty through a mix of in-house services, passes for free travel on public transport and contracts with private transport operators. Such contracts are a matter for the council and the operator, but the department encourages councils to have robust arrangements in place.The department has not routinely collected data on how much local authorities spend on different modes of transport. It is working to improve this picture and launched a voluntary data collection on home to school travel arrangements in February 2025.