Every parliamentary written question tabled by Cat Smith this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 141–160 of 176 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in his Department have met since July 2024.
Details of ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
How many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in his Department have met since July 2024.
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
Whether Ministers in her Department have met with representatives of the alcohol industry since July 2024.
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
Innovation and Technology, how many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in his Department have met since July 2024.
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course
How many public health representatives he has met to discuss (a) tobacco, (b) obesity and (c) alcohol harm; and whether he plans to meet more public health organisations in the New Year to discuss those issues.
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK website. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.I can confirm that Department ministers expect to continue to engage with prevention and public health stakeholders across a number of important issues next year.
How many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in her Department have met since July 2024.
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
How many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in her Department have met since July 2024.
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many alcohol industry representatives have Ministers in his Department met with since July 2024.
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
What estimate she has made of total cost to the Treasury of changes to alcohol duty rates in each year since 2013; and if she will make an estimate of the total cost of such changes in each year to 2030.
Since 2013, cuts and freezes to alcohol duty have cost the Exchequer £15 billion in total, in comparison to if the rates had increased annually in line with RPI as forecasted by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR). All changes to alcohol duty rates are announced at fiscal events and accompanied by Tax Information and Impact Notes containing policy costings, alongside other published documents. The Autumn Budget 2024 policy costing for alcohol duty includes data until 2029. This can be found here: Alcohol Duty - GOV.UK Further information regarding policy costings and alcohol duty receipt forecasts can be found using the OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook: Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024 - Office for Budget Responsibility
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a right to buy for tenant farmers.
This Government recognises the importance of tenant farmers in contributing to a resilient and thriving farming sector. The Government has not made an assessment on the potential merits of introducing a right to buy for tenant farmers but is committed to ensuring agricultural tenancies are fair and collaborative.
When he plans to announce (a) allocations of public health grants to local authorities and (b) the length of the funding cycle; and if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities have adequate notice of public health grants.
We will publish local authority public health grant allocations for 2025/26 in due course, with the aim of giving local authorities as much notice as possible to plan.We will aim to confirm future multi-year allocations later in 2025, following the next phase of the Spending Review in spring.
Whether he plans to announce the future funding for drug and alcohol treatment provision as part of the Drugs Strategy in time for services to avoid commencing redundancy consultations; and if he will change future treatment funding announcement cycles to give local authorities more time to (a) plan and (b) commission such services.
The Government supports investment in drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services, to ensure that those people with a substance use need get appropriate help and support. In addition to the Public Health Grant, the Department has allocated local authorities a further £267 million in 2024/25 to improve the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. This is alongside £105 million made available by the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to improve employment and housing support.My Rt. Hon. friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced updates to the fiscal framework, and earlier this year launched the Spending Review which has now settled the 2025/26 departmental budgets. She has also made it clear that the Government will conclude a multi-year Spending Review in spring 2025. In future, we anticipate that Spending Reviews will be set every two years to cover a three-year period, including a one-year overlap with the previous Spending Review, helping build in greater certainty and stability over public finances.Now that the Autumn Budget has been completed, the Department is working to be able to announce future funding allocations for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery systems. We will communicate with the sector about this as soon as we are able to, as we recognise the importance of this information in maintaining delivery and planning for 2025/26.
When he plans to announce (a) whether Drug Strategy funding for drug and alcohol treatment providers will be renewed and at what levels and (b) the length of the funding cycle; and if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities have adequate notice of alcohol and drug treatment funding.
The Government supports investment in drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services, to ensure that those people with a substance use need get appropriate help and support. In addition to the Public Health Grant, the Department has allocated local authorities a further £267 million in 2024/25 to improve the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. This is alongside £105 million made available by the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to improve employment and housing support.My Rt. Hon. friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced updates to the fiscal framework, and earlier this year launched the Spending Review which has now settled the 2025/26 departmental budgets. She has also made it clear that the Government will conclude a multi-year Spending Review in spring 2025. In future, we anticipate that Spending Reviews will be set every two years to cover a three-year period, including a one-year overlap with the previous Spending Review, helping build in greater certainty and stability over public finances.Now that the Autumn Budget has been completed, the Department is working to be able to announce future funding allocations for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery systems. We will communicate with the sector about this as soon as we are able to, as we recognise the importance of this information in maintaining delivery and planning for 2025/26.
If she will make it her policy that contracts for the provision of prison education should include requirements to implement the new fair deal policy for pensions for affected staff.
The guidance on the New Fair Deal is currently being reviewed by HM Treasury. The impact of this review is explained in the Invitations to Tender for the current procurement for prisoner education services. Further information can be found using the following links: Prisoner Education Services Panel (Inc. Core Education) - Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk) and Procurement for the Provision of Prisoner Education Services (Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG)) - Find a Tender.Relevant Treasury guidance will be followed in the delivery of prison education, including any updates on the application of New Fair Deal pensions policy. If New Fair Deal is extended to apply to further education colleges, this will apply to further education college staff working in prisons.
If she will take steps to provide additional funding to Social Work England for the provision of additional fitness to practice final hearings.
The department has provided additional funding of £7.1 million to Social Work England to clear the backlog of legacy cases inherited from the previous regulator. The department continues to look at ways to provide additional support to reduce cases currently at final hearing stage.
Whether she plans to implement the new fair deal policy for pensions for prison education staff employed by further education colleges.
The guidance on the New Fair Deal is currently being reviewed by HM Treasury. The impact of this review is explained in the Invitations to Tender for the current procurement for prisoner education services. Further information can be found using the following links: Prisoner Education Services Panel (Inc. Core Education) - Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk) and Procurement for the Provision of Prisoner Education Services (Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG)) - Find a Tender.Relevant Treasury guidance will be followed in the delivery of prison education, including any updates on the application of New Fair Deal pensions policy. If New Fair Deal is extended to apply to further education colleges, this will apply to further education college staff working in prisons.
What steps her Department is taking to mitigate the impact of delays to fitness to practice final hearings on (a) the public and (b) social workers.
To mitigate the impact of delays to fitness to practice final hearings on the public and social workers, the department and Social Work England have made changes to legislation for operational efficiencies. In addition, the department has provided additional funds of £7.1 million to Social Work England to clear the backlog of legacy cases inherited from the previous regulator.The department and Social Work England continue to work together to reduce delays to fitness to hearings through increasing the number of hearings held wherever possible.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) quantity, (b) quality and (c) location of public playgrounds.
Playgrounds are an important part of healthy, happy and connected communities. Playgrounds can be found in schools, private housing, public parks and many other places.Local authorities maintain many public playgrounds. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that decisions should aim to promote inclusive design by creating buildings and spaces that are safe, social and inclusive, with an integrated mix of uses that are accessible for all.We are proud that this year’s Budget has delivered a real term increase in local government spending. Local authorities can decide how to use funding to best serve their communities, including investing in improving and developing public playgrounds.
What the (a) business case status and (b) RIBA stage is of the Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme scheme.
The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.There are two New Hospital Programme schemes in Lancashire and South Cumbria, the scheme for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Preston Hospital, and the scheme for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Lancaster Infirmary. Up to the end of the 2023/24, both trusts received £6.7 million each for their new hospital schemes.The breakdown of how much the trusts received for their new hospital schemes is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023Both schemes are at Pre-Consultation Business Case stage, and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.
What estimate his Department has made of the cost of Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme scheme.
The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.There are two New Hospital Programme schemes in Lancashire and South Cumbria, the scheme for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Preston Hospital, and the scheme for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Lancaster Infirmary. Up to the end of the 2023/24, both trusts received £6.7 million each for their new hospital schemes.The breakdown of how much the trusts received for their new hospital schemes is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023Both schemes are at Pre-Consultation Business Case stage, and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.