Every parliamentary written question tabled by Shivani Raja this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 461–480 of 485 · this parliament
Whether his Department is taking steps to support University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in the context of that Trust declaring a critical incident on 9 October 2024 and standing down that cri
The Government recognises the pressures that the National Health Service is facing, as made clear in the recent independent report undertaken by Lord Darzi. The report, published on 12 September 2024, will inform the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan to re...
What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of prohibiting outdoor smoking and vaping on the hospitality sector.
The Government will soon introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which stands to be the most significant public health intervention in a generation. The bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce 80,000 preventable deaths, re...
Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of levels of funding for (a) women's cricket and (b) grassroots cricket infrastructure.
The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, have access to high quality sport.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport Engl...
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the current level of funding for sports programmes in schools is protected.
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity to enable every child to achieve and thrive, including through expanding access to sport and physical activity. This will support our cross-government missions and help to raise the hea...
Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made on the potential impact of reductions in funding for sports on (a) access to physical activity for children and young people and (b) public health.
The Government’s new mission-led objectives puts health and children and young people at the heart of our priorities. The Government aims to provide opportunities for all children to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who ar...
Whether she has had recent discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) Police and Crime Commissioners on updating the funding formula for police forces.
The Government continues to have ongoing discussions representatives from the policing sector, including Police and Crime Commissioners on a range of topics.This engagement will continue through the current and future Spending Review processes, including ...
Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 5439 on Arts: Tax Allowances, what grants are available to businesses in the creative industries; and what steps she is taking to help support
The creative industries have access to a range of cross-economy business support mechanisms, as well as a number of industry-specific grants. Creative industry funding opportunities include the £30 million+ Creative Catalyst programme, designed to support...
Whether financial support is available for firms looking to invest in the creative industries within the UK.
The Creative Industries Tax Reliefs and Expenditure Credits have been highly effective in attracting investment into the UK creative industries, especially for feature film, high end television (HETV), video games and animation. The British Film Institute...
Whether there are fiscal incentives for businesses looking to invest in creative industries in the UK; and whether she plans to take steps to encourage such investments.
The creative industries play a key role in driving economic growth. The Government is committed to supporting them and will implement a creative industries sector plan as part of the Industrial Strategy, creating good jobs and accelerating growth in film,...
What steps the Government is taking to attract foreign direct investment into the UK’s creative industries.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has dedicated resource within its Creative Industries team in the UK and in key markets across the world, focused on developing and delivering foreign direct investment and promoting the UK creative sector and t...
Media and Sport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with industry stakeholders on increasing investment in the creative industries; and what steps her Department is taking to support new investors.
Yes, ministers and officials have had many such discussions and we are committed to increasing investment in the creative industries from a variety of sources.One of the ways that the Government incentivises investment in the sector is through the creativ...
How many people in Leicester East constituency will be impacted by the decision to abolish universal winter fuel payments.
To be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payment statistics, the Pension Credit data that has been used is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024.It is estimated that around 11,000 pensioners in Leicester East constituency (2010...
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what reports he has received from HM High Commission Dhaka on recent alleged attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh.
The British High Commission in Dhaka is engaged with the Interim Government in Bangladesh to reinforce the message on an end to the violence and a de-escalation of the situation. We were clear that a full and independent UN-led investigation into recent events was important. The UK Government welcomed the appointment of the Interim Government in Bangladesh, and it has the UK's support as it works to restore peace and order as well as ensure accountability and promote national reconciliation. The UK is committed to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, as guaranteed under international human rights law.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian aid his Department is providing to Bangladesh.
As a leading donor to the Rohingya refugee response, the UK has provided humanitarian aid of over £391 million since 2017 including food provision, clean water, healthcare and protection services. We are deeply saddened by the devastating flooding in Eastern Bangladesh and are providing £450,000 to fund relief efforts. The UK's humanitarian assistance to respond to disasters across Bangladesh this year had previously totalled £530,000 and supported more than 48,000 people affected by Cyclone Remal in May and flooding in Sylhet in July.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assistance his Department is providing for people with family members in Bangladesh.
In our public statements, we urged for an end to the violence and a de-escalation of the situation. We continue to monitor the situation in Bangladesh closely. The safety of British nationals is always our main concern in determining our travel advice, and we keep it under constant review. Any British nationals in Bangladesh who are seeking consular assistance can contact us 24/7 at the British High Commission Dhaka on +880 255 668700 or contact the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office on +44 (0) 207 008 5000.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact on the (a) financial and (b) physical well-being of pensioners who will be ineligible for Winter Fuel Payments under eligibility criteria to be introduced from winter 2024-25; and what steps she plans to take to mitigate any potential negative impact on those affected.
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. 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. The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS. Over the next five years, we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners. We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. The Government is also ensuring pensioners are supported through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their State Pension increase by around a thousand pounds over the next five years. Finally, the Household Support Fund is being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £500 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF, including funding for the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.
What steps she is taking to ensure that changes to Winter Fuel Payments do not disproportionately affect pensioners in colder regions of the UK; and how regional variations in winter heating costs were considered in the decision to make those changes.
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. 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.Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80. In England and Wales, Cold Weather Payments continue to be paid to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit (and certain working age qualifying benefits). This is a weekly payment of £25 for every seven-day period when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 degrees C or below over seven consecutive days. Our continued commitment to the triple lock means the full new state pension is forecast to increase by a further £1,700 over the course of the parliament. We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. In making a decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the government had regard to the equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements.
What steps she plans to take to communicate the changes to Winter Fuel Payments to people affected; and what support she plans to provide to help pensioners (a) understand their eligibility and (b) access alternative support.
From mid-October, all pensioners will receive a letter explaining the changes to Winter Fuel Payments this year and encouraging anyone who may eligible to claim Pension Credit by 21st December. The Winter Fuel Payment page on Gov.uk has been updated with the new eligibility rules. The Department will proceed at pace with its communication campaign to raise awareness of the changes and to promote Pension Credit. This will be followed by a Paid Partnership and national media campaign. There will then be continued marketing activity promoting the take-up of Pension Credit.The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support is available to British citizens concerned about the safety of family members in Bangladesh.
In our public statements, we urged for an end to the violence and a de-escalation of the situation. We continue to monitor the situation in Bangladesh closely. The safety of British nationals is always our main concern in determining our travel advice, and we keep it under constant review. Any British nationals in Bangladesh who are seeking consular assistance can contact us 24/7 at the British High Commission Dhaka on +880 255 668700 or contact the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office on +44 (0) 207 008 5000.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to British citizens in Bangladesh.
In our public statements, we urged for an end to the violence and a de-escalation of the situation. We continue to monitor the situation in Bangladesh closely. The safety of British nationals is always our main concern in determining our travel advice, and we keep it under constant review. Any British nationals in Bangladesh who are seeking consular assistance can contact us 24/7 at the British High Commission Dhaka on +880 255 668700 or contact the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office on +44 (0) 207 008 5000.