Every parliamentary written question tabled by Oliver Dowden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 281–300 of 313 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support leaseholders at Horizon Place in Borehamwood affected by cladding remediation issues.
Vistry Group has signed a developer remediation contract with government obligating Vistry Group to remediate or pay to remediate all life-critical fire safety defects in buildings listed in its contract, including Horizon Place, as quickly as reasonably ...
Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of retaining the electoral franchise in its current form.
The government was elected on a manifesto commitment to extend the franchise to 16–17-year-olds, and we intend to deliver on that commitment.
Communities and Local Government, how many residential buildings have registered with the Building Safety Fund in (a) Hertsmere constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.
In the county of Hertfordshire, 40 buildings registered for funding from the Building Safety Fund. Fewer than five of these have been deemed eligible, the remaining registrations either withdrew, were deemed to be ineligible or transferred to other scheme...
Communities and Local Government, how many residential buildings have registered with the Cladding Safety Scheme in (a) Hertsmere constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.
In the county of Hertfordshire, 40 buildings registered for funding from the Building Safety Fund. Fewer than five of these have been deemed eligible, the remaining registrations either withdrew, were deemed to be ineligible or transferred to other scheme...
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5416 on Civic Dignitaries and Members: Age, what meetings she has had with (a) stakeholders in the (i) electoral, (ii) devol
Pursuant to the answer to Question UIN 5416 on 11 October 2024, the Government is committed to working with stakeholders in the electoral sector and civil society organisations as it seeks to make improvements to our electoral system. Ministers and offici...
What plans her Department has to improve accessibility at Radlett Station.
We are not yet able to comment on next steps regarding Access for All projects at specific stations including at Radlett station. However, please be assured that we are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and e...
Pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 2362 on Railway Stations: Access, what progress she has made on considering the best approach to the Access for All programme.
Further to my answer of 3 September 2024, we are not yet able to comment on next steps regarding Access for All. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to comm...
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that members of the Responsible Actors Scheme for developers are complying with their contractual obligations.
The department publishes quarterly updates on how each developer is performing, meets developers regularly and acts where performance falls short. Developers face significant consequences if they fail to comply with their contractual obligations.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 July 2024 to Question 815 on High Rise Flats: Insulation, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative prop
I refer the Right Hon Member to the response provided to Question UIN 8200 on 25 October 2024.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of pupils moving schools midway through the academic year as a result of the imposition of VAT on independent schools on (a) staff, (b) parents and (c) pupils.
On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boardin...
Whether she has made a comparative assessment of the potential merits of introducing VAT on private schools (a) during the academic year and (b) at the start of the new academic year.
On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boardin...
Whether she plans to allocate further funding through the Access for All programme.
We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement on 19 July 2024, Official Report, column 300 on Israel and Gaza, what assurances his Department received that the UN Relief and Works Agency has no links to Hamas in Gaza prior to resuming funding for that agency.
UNRWA plays a critical role in Gaza and the wider region, providing essential services, including healthcare and education, to Palestinian refugees.Following the independent review by Catherine Colonna, UNRWA set out an action plan with detailed management reforms including stronger independent oversight, better detection systems, improved screening procedures, mandatory training for staff on humanitarian principles and more proactive donor engagement. We are now confident that UNRWA is taking action to ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality, staff vetting and transparency.
Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the BBC board on impartiality in news coverage of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
My Department meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters.The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government. As the external independent regulator of the BBC, Ofcom is responsible for ensuring BBC coverage is duly impartial and accurate under the Broadcasting Code and BBC Charter.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of GP provision in Hertsmere.
We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the the crisis in the National Health Service, to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve, and to secure the long-term sustainability of the NHS.We will increase the proportion of funding for GPs and shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals, and into the community. We have committed to end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments by introducing a modern booking system. Additionally, the Government will train thousands more GPs across the country to increase capacity, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and take the pressure off those currently working in the system.We will introduce and trial new Neighbourhood Health Centres to bring vital health and care services together under one roof, ensuring healthcare is closer to home and that patients receive the integrated, patient centered services we all want to see.Hertsmere sits within the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, where the percentage of appointments delivered within two weeks of booking is 5.6% lower than the national average.We are pleased to announce that newly qualified GPs will be included in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment with additional funding over 2024/25. This is a step on the journey while the Government works with the profession to identify longer term solutions to GP unemployment and general practice sustainability.
Whether he (a) has reviewed and (b) plans to review the (i) provision and (ii) location of (A) inpatient and (B) outpatient health services in South Hertfordshire.
There are currently no plans to review the provision and location of inpatient and outpatient health services in South Hertfordshire. Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that the provision and location of both inpatient and outpatient health services meets the demand of their local population.
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure the safety of Jewish communities.
The Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant provides protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. The JCPS Grant is managed on behalf of the Home Office by the Community Security Trust.The Community Security Trust will receive funding of £18 million per year through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant from 2024/25 to 2027/28.We continue to work closely with CST on how best to respond to live incidents that affect the Jewish communities in the UK.
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure the safety of Hindu communities.
We are committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and we will not tolerate anti-Hindu hatred in any form. Government and police regularly review potential threats to ensure that measures are taken to protect communities from terrorism and hate crime.Additionally, Hindu communities can apply to the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme. The scheme provides physical protective security measures (such as CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing) to places of worship and associated faith community centres that are particularly vulnerable to religiously or racially motivated hate crime in England and Wales.
What steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-Semitism on university campuses.
As autonomous institutions, universities are responsible for tackling antisemitism on campus and should have processes in place to deal with unlawful abuse and harassment. Universities, as well as Jewish groups and other stakeholders, have told us that the previous government’s Freedom of Speech Act prevented them from taking effective action. The department is stopping further commencement of the Act, in order to consider the options, including its repeal. The department will continue to work closely with Jewish groups, including the Union for Jewish Students and the University Jewish Chaplaincy, to understand their concerns and what further action is needed.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-Semitism.
Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, and tackling antisemitism in all its forms is a top priority for this Government. This Government recently reappointed Lord John Mann as its Independent Adviser on Antisemitism to provide independent advice to the Secretary of State and ensure that the Jewish community’s concerns about antisemitism are heard and acted upon. This Government also continues to fund the Community Security Trust, supporting their vital work in protecting Jewish communities. This includes providing additional security at Jewish schools, synagogues, and other sites.Antisemitism is a deplorable form of hate crime, and this Government is committed to ensuring that everyone is able to worship freely, wear religious clothing and go about their lives in safety and security – irrespective of their background, faith or other characteristic. Tackling hate crime will be a key part of this Government’s work to overcome divisions and create connections between all communities, and we are exploring a more integrated and cohesive approach to achieve this.