Every parliamentary written question tabled by Simon Opher this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 321–333 of 333 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to issue new badger cull licences.
On 30 August, the new Government announced the start of work to refresh the Bovine TB strategy for England, to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament and drive down disease to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods. This will be undertaken in co-...
Whether she plans to review measures within the Public Order Act 2023 on restrictions to the right to protest.
Post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will be conducted two years after royal assent.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1876 on Bus Services: Gloucestershire, if she will take steps to provide additional funding to South Gloucestershire Council for the maintenance of the local bus route from Woton-under-Edge.
Improving bus services is a key part of this Government’s growth mission. We are determined to deliver better services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. We have set out our plan to achieve this, centred around supporting local transport authorities to take back control of local bus services. We will work closely with local authorities to understand what is needed to improve and grow their bus networks by learning from their experiences and building on their successes.
If he will hold discussions with Amazon on the operation of trade unions in that company.
The Government is committed to bringing a new era of partnership that sees representatives of employers and unions working together in co-operation and through negotiation. The Government is always willing to speak to the representatives of employers and trade unions about how to deliver this partnership.
If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of local bus services across local authority borders in Gloucestershire.
The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, and the government is committed to working at pace with local transport authorities, bus operators and passengers to ensure that our vital bus services truly reflect the needs of the local communities.As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in Gloucestershire.
If she will have discussions with representatives of South Gloucestershire Council on the adequacy of local bus services in Gloucestershire.
The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, and the government is committed to working at pace with local transport authorities, bus operators and passengers to ensure that our vital bus services truly reflect the needs of the local communities.As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in Gloucestershire.
Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to (a) define the minimum quality of service provided by estates management companies and (b) control the level of charges they can impose on residents.
The Government is committed to bringing the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ private estates and unfair costs to an end. We will consult on the best way to achieve this and implement new protections for homeowners on private estates in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.
What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recommendation 22 of the Third Report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee of Session 2023-24 on Defined benefit pension schemes, HC 144, published on 26 March 2024.
The Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry report on Defined Benefit pension schemes, published in March 2024 helpfully outlines areas to be considered, including the lack of pre-April 97 indexation in the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme. I recognise the importance of this issue for affected members. I will need to consider this issue in the coming weeks as I receive further briefing on Defined Benefit pensions.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ban the use of neonicotinoids.
This government recognises that nature is at a crisis point across Britain. We will therefore change existing policies to prevent the use of those neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten our vital pollinators. A Defra spokesperson said: “We are at a crisis point – nature is dying across Britain. This government will change existing policies to ban the use of bee-killing pesticides to protect our vital pollinators.”
Whether she supports development of the proposed Stroudwater Railway station in Stroud.
Following the General Election and the State Opening of Parliament, the Government is now formulating its plans. The Department will announce its policy intentions in due course and aims to provide an update on next steps for the proposed Stonehouse (Bristol Road)/Stroudwater station project soon.
If she will make it her policy to reform the rules around the leasing of solar panels on school rooftops.
Rules around schools entering into leases fall within the remit of the department. Schools may enter into leases for solar panels on school rooftops where the arrangements do not constitute borrowing, but as these often require granting an energy company rights over the roof space and school land, schools must involve the department. The process for gaining consent has recently been simplified, and the department receives around 20 to 30 applications per year.Where a solar panel arrangement does constitute borrowing, this would require specific approval by exception. The department is aware of an increasing amount of interest in this area from schools and suppliers and is engaging with the sector to look at how it can further support schools in the move to solar.
How many standalone midwife-led units are operating in England; and what the names of those units are.
The latest data available to NHS England indicates that there are 25 midwifery led units (MLUs) operating in England. The following table lists each unit, as well as their provider:Midwifery led unit nameProvider nameSamuel Johnson Freestanding birth unitUniversity Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation TrustNetherbrookUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustDewsbury HospitalMid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS TrustBerwick Maternity UnitNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustHillcrest Maternity UnitNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustHexham Maternity UnitNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustThe FriarageSouth Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSouth Tyneside Midwifery-led Birthing UnitSouth Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation TrustBlackburn Birth CentreEast Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustRossendale Birth CentreEast Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustHelme Chase Midwifery UnitUniversity Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation TrustMaidstone Birthing CentreMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS TrustCrowborough Birthing CentreMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS TrustWallingford MLUOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustWantage MLUOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustHorton MLUOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustCotswold MLUOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustAveta Birth CentreGloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustStroud Maternity UnitGloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustTiverton Birth CentreRoyal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation TrustPaulton Maternity UnitRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustFrome birthing CentreRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustChippenham Birthing CentreRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustTrowbridge maternity unitRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustAshcombe Birthing UnitUniversity Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
If he will make it his policy to increase the ratio of healthcare assistants to midwives in stand-alone midwife-led units maternity units.
No assessment has been made regarding a policy to increase the ratio of healthcare assistants to midwives in stand-alone midwife-led maternity units.NHS England have committed to ensuring that the right numbers of the right staff are available to provide the best care for women and babies through regular local workforce planning.The Government recognises that there are serious issues within maternity services and we will learn from the findings from recent inquiries and investigations such as that carried out at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and from the emerging lessons from the ongoing inquiry at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The Government’s policy is that the National Health Service as a whole is in crisis, and my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has commissioned an investigation into the NHS, led by Professor Lord Darzi, which will focus on assessing patient access to healthcare, the quality of healthcare being provided and the overall performance of the health system.