Every parliamentary written question tabled by Pippa Heylings this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 608 · this parliament
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of using HMRC’s coding-out powers for the collection of debts owed to the Child Maintenance Service.
The Department keeps under review a range of options to improve the collection of child maintenance and arrears, including the potential use of existing government debt collection mechanisms. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) already has a range of stro...
Whether he plans to introduce statutory duties on Integrated Care Boards to deliver NICE fertility guidelines on IVF cycles.
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population.On 31 March, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its updated fertility guideline, which recommends that women under 40 years old who meet the clinical eligibility criteria should be offered up to three full cycles of in vitro fertilisation (IVF).There are no plans to introduce statutory duties on ICBs to deliver NICE fertility guidelines on IVF cycles. We expect ICBs to consider and reflect the updated NICE fertility guideline in their commissioning decisions, and we are working with NHS England to support greater consistency in provision.The Government published the Women's Health Strategy on 15 April which commits to ensuring that every woman can easily access fertility services, and we are currently working to assess the current provision of National Health Service commissioned fertility services as a baseline to inform supporting material for every ICB to implement the new NICE guidelines in full.
What steps his Department is taking to reduce regional variation in IVF provision following publication of the updated NICE fertility guidelines.
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population.On 31 March, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its updated fertility guideline, which recommends that women under 40 years old who meet the clinical eligibility criteria should be offered up to three full cycles of in vitro fertilisation (IVF).There are no plans to introduce statutory duties on ICBs to deliver NICE fertility guidelines on IVF cycles. We expect ICBs to consider and reflect the updated NICE fertility guideline in their commissioning decisions, and we are working with NHS England to support greater consistency in provision.The Government published the Women's Health Strategy on 15 April which commits to ensuring that every woman can easily access fertility services, and we are currently working to assess the current provision of National Health Service commissioned fertility services as a baseline to inform supporting material for every ICB to implement the new NICE guidelines in full.
Whether he has made an estimate of potential tax revenues arising from the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Renewable Obligations contracts ending on job losses.
Accreditation under the Renewables Obligation (RO) was always intended to be time limited and generators have known, from the date they were accredited, how long their support would last. The Government will continue to monitor the potential impacts of the closure of the scheme on different technologies.
Communities and Local Government, how many reported cases of fraudulent visa sponsorship offers linked to the Homes for Ukraine scheme have been recorded since its launch.
Ukrainian guests arriving under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are supported by a robust programme of safeguards. All sponsors and adults living in a sponsors’ household are subject to stringent security checks before an applicant is allowed to travel to the UK. Local authorities conduct further checks as a second layer of safeguarding. Local authorities are responsible for the detection and prevention of sponsor payment related fraud on the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The Home Office does not hold data on refusal reasons and, as such, numbers of applications that were refused on the basis of being fraudulent cannot be provided.
What assessment her Department has made of the differential treatment of electric and internal combustion engine motorcycles under the proposed electric Vehicle Excise Duty framework; and whether she has considered extending any VED exemptions to all motorcycles on the basis of their road surface impact.
The government will implement electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) as an additional mileage based add-on to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, which is designed to replace the fuel duty revenues which will be lost as petrol and diesel vehicles are phased out over time. Other vehicle types, such as vans, buses, HGVs and motorcycles will not be in scope of eVED upon its introduction in April 2028. At this stage, the transition to electric for these other vehicle types is less advanced than for cars. Under VED, different rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions. There are no plans to extend VED exemptions to motorcycles based on their road surface impact.
Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the levels of risks to Ukrainian refugees, including risks of sexual exploitation, from informal online matching processes under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Ukrainian guests arriving under Homes for Ukraine are supported by a robust programme of safeguards, and they are working. The approach to safeguarding under Homes for Ukraine is based on a balance of risk between the need to get Ukrainians into the country quickly and protecting their safety once they have arrived. All sponsors and all adults living in a sponsor’s household are subject to stringent checks before the applicant is allowed to travel to the UK. The issuance of a visa is contingent on the outcome of these checks. Councils conduct safeguarding checks as a second layer of safeguarding. The Department is alert to the risk that malign individuals may use the scheme to exploit beneficiaries. It keeps safeguarding risk understand constant review. Many successful matches have been made through social media, which has provided a fast and effective way for prospective guests to find a suitable sponsor under Homes for Ukraine. The Homes for Ukraine Scheme recommends taking precautions when matching online and these are published at gov.uk here.
What discussions she has had with TfL on progress implementing the interventions identified as urgent in the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Annual Report 2022, including improvements to ventilation and filtration systems on the London Underground; and what assessment has been made of their effectiveness to date.
Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). The Department has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, the management of air quality on the London Underground is a matter solely for them. I would suggest that you contact the Mayor and TfL directly regarding this issue.
With reference to the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants’ recommendation in 2019 for a comprehensive toxicological study of particulate matter on the London Underground, what the current status of that study is.
Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). The Department has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, the management of air quality on the London Underground is a matter solely for them. I would suggest that you contact the Mayor and TfL directly regarding this issue.
Whether the Government plans to introduce additional regulatory or statutory oversight to control air pollution on major public transport hubs, including the London Underground; and whether it intends to place specific statutory duties on bodies such as Transport for London to comply with the Air Quality Standards Regulations and the Environment Act 2021 in enclosed transport environments.
The Mayor of London and Transport for London are responsible for the management of air quality on the London Underground. However, the Government remains committed to improving air quality to deliver benefits for public health, the environment, and the economy. We are committed to cleaning up our air and protecting the public from the harms of pollution by tackling air pollution across the transport network. There are currently no plans to introduce additional regulatory or statutory requirements on major public transport hubs.
What discussions she has had with Transport for London on interim measures it is currently implementing on the London Underground to reduce passenger exposure, including that of children and clinically vulnerable groups, to particulate matter concentrations that substantially exceed ambient outdoor air levels.
Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). The Department has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, the management of air quality on the London Underground is a matter solely for them. I would suggest that you contact the Mayor and TfL directly regarding this issue.
With reference to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Annual Report 2022, what specific actions the Government is taking to help address the public health risks arising from exposure to air pollution on the London Underground.
Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). The Department has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, the management of air quality on the London Underground is a matter solely for them. I would suggest that you contact the Mayor and TfL directly regarding this issue.
What measures he plans to introduce to help residents of housing estates with central, metered LPG tanks.
The Government has taken action and announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil, or other alternative fuels like LPG, to help tackle surging prices through the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF).It is at the local authority’s discretion to determine appropriate support by taking a person-centred, needs-based approach. Guidance to LAs is clear that crisis payments can be provided to support energy for any form of fuel that is used for the purpose of domestic heating, cooking or lighting, including oil or portable gas cylinders. The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the CRF in England and more information on the fund can be found here: Crisis and Resilience Fund (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) - GOV.UK. In addition, the Government intends to introduce new consumer protections for LPG customers and is rapidly exploring new ways to step in and ensure households are better protected.
What (i) steps his department is taking to address regional differences in funding for Mirena coil fitting and (ii) if he plans to ensure this service is available at GP surgeries.
The funding and provision of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as the Mirena coil, is primarily a matter for local determination.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning contraception for both contraceptive and gynaecological purposes, including essential services under the GP Contract and LARC as a local arrangement.Contraception for contraceptive purposes, including LARC, is also a prescribed aspect of local authority sexual health commissioning. The Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive open access to most sexual and reproductive health services through the Public Health Grant.It is for individual local authorities and ICBs to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the blend of service access that best suits their population.The renewed Women’s Health Strategy, which was published on 15 April, sets out how we will ensure that women have straightforward access to the full range of contraception, including LARC, that meets their individual needs and preferences.We will include contraception in the upcoming sexual and reproductive health framework to clarify current commissioning arrangements and to share opportunities and best practice for closer working and improved pathways.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent and sustained increases in energy prices on energy-intensive manufacturers in the ceramics sector, including companies such as Denby Pottery; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that viable, export-focused ceramics manufacturers are able to remain competitive and avoid closure as a result of energy cost pressures.
The Government is aware of the pressure on ceramics businesses created by high energy prices, and that the gas-intensive nature of the majority of ceramics businesses means they do not currently qualify for the Government’s electricity price support schemes, the British Industry Supercharger and Energy Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme. I encourage the ceramics sector to engage with the reviews of these schemes when the opportunities arise. Officials are aware of the challenges faced by individual ceramics manufacturers, including Denby Pottery, and continue to monitor developments closely through regular engagement with the sector’s main trade association, Ceramics UK.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase the number of chalk streams designated as (a) Sites of Special Scientific Interest or (b) Special Areas of Conservation.
Chalk streams are an incredible source of national pride. As one of Britain’s most nature- rich habitats, they support some of our rarest wildlife. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are notified by Natural England (NE) under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, where land is judged to be of special interest for its wildlife or geology. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is notified as part of that process Decisions on whether to notify additional stretches of chalk stream as SSSIs are made by NE, based on its expert judgement of the best available scientific evidence, and in line with published SSSI selection guidelines. Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are designated under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. The Secretary of State must designate sites on the basis of relevant scientific information and by applying the prescribed selection criteria, as published by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. At present, eight chalk streams have additional protection through SSSI and/or SAC designation; any further designations would proceed only where the scientific evidence shows the selection criteria are met.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a dedicated chalk stream action in the Sustainable Farm Incentive.
The Sustainable Farming Incentive already contains a wide range of actions to protect and enhance the watercourses of England. These include a range of buffer and habitat strips that can be used adjacent to water bodies and further actions for low intensity farming for use within the wider catchments. Where more specialised management is required, additional actions are available in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier that can be tailored by Natural England advisers to meet the needs of specific sites, including chalk streams. The Government is developing the strongest programme on record for tackling water pollution from agriculture. This includes spending £2 billion a year by April 2028 on Environmental Land Management schemes to provide particular benefits for water, nature and the wider environment. These nationwide actions will benefit chalk streams as well as other water bodies.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing ring-fenced funding for chalk stream restoration in the Water Restoration Fund.
The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund (WRF) and Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF) for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects. On 20 January this year the Government announced that it is reinvesting £29 million from water company fines into local projects to clean up our environment. This includes investment in WEIF to support over 100 projects which will improve 450km of rivers, restore 650 acres of natural habitats and plant 100,000 new trees – and will include projects which support chalk streams. Chalk streams are incredible source of national pride. As one of Britain’s most nature rich habitats, they support some of our rarest wildlife and the Government is committed to taking measures to protect them.
Food and Rural Affairs, when the Water Restoration Fund will open for new applications.
The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund (WRF) and Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF) for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects. On 20 January this year the Government announced that it is reinvesting £29 million from water company fines into local projects to clean up our environment. This includes investment in WEIF to support over 100 projects which will improve 450km of rivers, restore 650 acres of natural habitats and plant 100,000 new trees – and will include projects which support chalk streams. Chalk streams are incredible source of national pride. As one of Britain’s most nature rich habitats, they support some of our rarest wildlife and the Government is committed to taking measures to protect them.