Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 481–500 of 1,302 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances are classified as Substances of Very High Concern.
The UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations provide for a list of Substances of Very High Concern to be established. This list currently contains six entries relating to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), each covering a group of PFAS.
What steps he is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of staff in women’s health services.
Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.To support this ambition, the Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture that embeds retention.
What assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of penalties for non-compliance with the UK's Register of Overseas Entities.
The Government recognises the challenges of enforcing financial penalties on overseas entities but remains committed to ensuring compliance with the Register of Overseas Entities (ROE) requirements. Companies House has strengthened its enforcement strategy, introducing robust procedures to address non-compliance with penalties, and will continue to monitor the effectiveness of enforcement. Non-compliant entities are also prohibited from selling, leasing, or raising finance on their property until they meet the ROE requirements. The Government will also carry out a Post-Implementation Review in 2027 to assess the effectiveness of the ROE.
What recent steps she has taken to reduce the time taken for decisions to be made on applications for the (a) Protective Security for Mosques Scheme and (b) Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme.
This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer.Global and domestic events have heightened security concerns within faith communities, which has led to a significant increase in demand for protective security schemes offered by the Home Office. Additionally, following the violent disorder last year, the Home Office set up rapid security services to safeguard mosques and other places of worship. Delivering this support to a large number of places of worship has unfortunately also contributed to delays in processing applications for longer-term security measures.I can assure you the Home Office is working as quickly as it can to process applications.
How many additional cases are expected to be heard each year under the new swift courts compared with existing Crown Court processes.
Of the 3% of criminal trial cases that proceed to a jury trial in the Crown Court, over half would still proceed to the Crown Court and get a jury trial post-reform. The remainder would be expected to stay in the magistrates’ courts or would be allocated to the new ‘swift courts’.The new ‘swift courts’ will operate within the existing Crown Court, and this means they will be dealing with the same cases that come into the Crown Court. As mode of trial allocations and trial listing remain a matter for the independent judiciary and are dependent on case mix, the Ministry of Justice is unable to comment on how cases arriving at the Crown Court will be distributed between ‘swift courts’ and jury trials.
What consideration her Department has given to including milk in government-funded breakfast clubs without reducing funding for existing milk provision schemes.
The department funds schools taking part in the free breakfast clubs programme to buy breakfast foods and drinks, as well as to cover staffing and delivery costs. Schools are required to provide a breakfast adhering to the school food standards, which could include a glass of lower fat milk. However, it is up to schools to decide what they serve in line with the standards. Where schools provide milk, they can also choose whether to participate in the national school milk subsidy scheme which can be used to reduce the cost of the milk Additionally, the Nursery Milk Scheme is operated and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and provides free milk to children under five at participating schools and childcare settings.
What steps he is taking to tackle racial disparities in maternity care.
The Department recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach to determining what targets are set, and that any targets set are women and baby-centred. It is crucial that we also ensure the system is supported to achieve any target set.Baroness Amos is chairing a national independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The investigation aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from black and Asian backgrounds, those from deprived groups, and those from other marginalised groups when receiving maternity and neonatal care. The Government is currently establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, to be chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, that will then develop a national action plan based on the recommendations of the investigation.A number of interventions specifically aimed at addressing maternal and neonatal inequalities are now underway. These include an anti-discrimination programme, which aims to ensure that all service users and their families receive care free from discrimination and racism, and that all staff will experience a work environment free from discrimination and racism. We are also developing an inequalities dashboard and projects on removing racial bias from clinical education and embedding genetic risk equity.Additionally, all local areas have published equity and equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.We are also putting in place wider actions to improve safety across maternity and neonatal care, which will also contribute to reducing inequalities. This includes the implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, a package of evidence-based interventions to support staff to reduce stillbirth, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and pre-term births. It includes guidance on managing multiple pregnancies to ensure optimal care for the woman and baby. NHS England is also introducing a Maternal Mortality Care Bundle to set clear standards across all services, and to address the leading causes of maternal mortality. Women from black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle will target these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.
What the maximum sentence will be that a judge could impose on a convicted person when tried under the proposed new swift courts within the Crown Court.
The new ‘swift courts’ will operate within the existing Crown Court which means the same procedures in the Crown Court will apply, apart from mode of trial. Judges will assign triable-either-ways cases to the new Crown Court Bench Division where the likely sentence is three years or less, but they will retain the full sentencing powers of the Crown Court.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the introduction of new swift courts within the Crown Court on the number of wrongful convictions.
The new ‘swift courts’ will operate within the existing Crown Court framework, following the same process and procedures. Safeguards will be in place including the existing appeals procedure, and judges in the ‘swift courts’ will be required to provide reasoned judgments when delivering decisions to convict or acquit.
If he will make an estimate of the number of people who will be sentenced to more than three years in prison by new swift courts within the Crown Court in each of the next five years.
The new ‘swift courts’ will operate within the existing Crown Court which means the same procedures in the Crown Court will apply, apart from mode of trial. Judges will assign triable-either-ways cases to the new Crown Court Bench Division where the likely sentence is three years or less, but they will retain the full sentencing powers of the Crown Court. Sentencing decisions remain a matter for the independent judiciary and the Ministry of Justice is unable to provide estimates.
What steps he is taking to expand access to women's health hubs.
The Government is encouraging integrated care boards (ICBs) to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to support ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls.The 10-Year Health Plan set out the ambition for high autonomy to be the norm across every part of the country. ICBs are responsible for commissioning services that meet the healthcare needs of their local population and have the freedom to do so, and this includes women's health hubs and delivering the direction of the Women's Health Strategy. The Government is backing ICBs to do this through record funding. The 2025 Spending Review prioritised health, with record investment in the health and social care system.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending free milk eligibility to the end of the academic year in which a child turns five.
The Nursery Milk Scheme is a statutory scheme which allows early years childcare settings to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk per day to children under the age of five years old who attend a setting for two or more hours per day. Schools can claim reimbursement from the scheme in respect of their pupils aged under five years old.There are no plans to extend eligibility for the Nursery Milk Scheme to cover children until the end of the academic year, during which they reach their fifth birthday. Separate legislation allows pupils from lower-income families, and who are eligible for free school meals, to continue to receive free milk at school after the age of five years old.
Representing the House of Commons Commission, by which date all lifts in Tothill Street will be fully operational.
There are three lifts in the Tothill Street building and the lifts are part of a wider six-year refurbishment programme. Lift HoP 328 has been refurbished and is now in service. Work on lift HoP 329 is underway and expected to be complete by February 2026.Refurbishment of the final lift, HoP 330, is planned but does not yet have a confirmed date as the schedule is being reviewed. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor performance of HoP 330 and address any issues as they arise. Should a specific component need replacing we will do so.
Representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the adequacy of drinking water provision in Tothill Street.
Drinking water is supplied to every floor in Tothill Street in a tea station which has a sink and a zip tap. Each zip tap provides instant boiling as well as chilled drinking water.Faults have been reported on some zip taps in Tothill Street and repairs have been sought as quickly as possible. There is currently an outstanding fault on the First Floor which requires the zip tap to be replaced. Drinking water remains available through the sink taps which meets the requirements in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and related guidance.
What progress he has made to renew the Women’s Health Strategy.
Significant progress has been made towards delivering the ambitions in the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, for example, improving women and girls’ awareness and access to services and driving research to benefit women’s health.Renewing the strategy will ensure that we continue this momentum and that it is fully aligned with the 10-Year Health Plan. We will identify and remove enduring barriers to high-quality care, such as decreasing wait times for diagnosis, and ensuring that professionals listen to women and respond to their needs.We are currently engaging with external partners to inform the renewal of the strategy, bringing together voices from across the Government, NHS England, public health, mental health, women’s health advocacy, and employment policy alongside women with lived experience of women’s health conditions. We are also drawing on the evidence provided by almost 100,000 people in response to the original call for evidence for the 2022 strategy.
What steps he is taking to reduce gynaecology waiting lists.
Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are committed to cutting waiting times across all specialities, including gynaecology. We have committed to return to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.We are making good progress, as waiting lists have been cut by over 230,000 since the Government came into office, which includes nearly 14,000 fewer patients waiting for gynaecology treatment over the same period.We have also delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025, having exceeded our pledge of two million. However, we know there is more to do, and we have confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment to expand capacity across diagnostics, electives, and urgent care. This includes expanding the number of surgical hubs, which provide valuable and protected capacity across elective specialities, including gynaecology. As of November 2025, over half of the 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England provide gynaecology services.
Whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of annual funding cycles for the Nursery Milk Scheme on suppliers and delivery partners.
The Nursery Milk Scheme is a statutory scheme which allows registered early years childcare settings to claim one-third of a pint of milk for all children under the age of five years old who attend the setting for at least two hours per day. The statutory nature of the scheme means that it is not impacted by annual funding discussions, and these discussions therefore have no impact on the childcare settings who use the scheme, or on the suppliers who supply them.
What recent steps she has taken to support local councils to ensure timely road repairs in (a) Slough constituency and (b) Berkshire.
The Government is committed to tackling the poor state of our roads and has pledged to support local authorities. Recognising the need for additional funding, the Government increased local highway maintenance funding by £500 million this financial year compared to 2024/25, bringing the total to nearly £1.6 billion. 25% of this additional funding is contingent on local authorities adhering to reporting requirements and demonstrating that they are following best practice in highways maintenance. In 2025/26, Slough will be eligible to receive up to £1.8 million of highway maintenance funding, and West Berkshire will be eligible to receive up to £8.9 million, subject to complying with reporting requirements. In addition, at the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that by 2029-30, the Government will commit over £2 billion annually for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes – doubling funding since coming into office. Allocations for local highway authorities will be announced in due course. The Department is also increasing penalties for street works offences and extending overrun charges to weekends and bank holidays to help councils keep works on schedule. We are also continuing to use the Street Manager digital service to provide real-time information that supports better coordination and timely repairs.
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps have been taken to ensure the adequate welfare of racing greyhounds.
The welfare of greyhounds in England is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Act allows action to be taken where there is evidence of cruelty to an animal or a failure to provide for that animal’s welfare needs. Specific welfare standards at all greyhound racing tracks in England are also required by the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010. In addition to these statutory protections, the sport’s main regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), has also undertaken several welfare reforms, including publishing a long term, national welfare strategy – ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’. The strategy focuses not only on reducing risks of injury but also developing new management practices to improve the welfare of greyhounds throughout their lives. The Government is monitoring GBGB’s progress in delivering the strategy. Should further measures be required the Government will consider options which are targeted, effective, and proportionate.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps have been taken alongside the Home Office to prevent UK companies from facilitating evasion of sanctions on behalf of sanctioned individuals.
Following publication of the cross-government review of sanctions in May 2025, we are committing to making compliance easier for UK industry, deterring non-compliance, and making sure we have the right powers and capabilities to enforce breaches. For example, we published guidance in January 2025 for UK businesses on Countering Russian sanctions evasion which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countering-russian-sanctions-evasion-and-circumvention/countering-russian-sanctions-evasion-guidance-for-exporters.Furthermore, we have launched a sanctions hub signposting essential UK sanctions content, an enforcement page highlighting outcomes and key compliance lessons, a starter guide for UK sanctions and a navigation tool to report suspected breaches.