Every parliamentary written question tabled by Charlotte Nichols this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 221–238 of 238 · this parliament
If she will make an assessment of the potential (a) return on investment, (b) improved outcomes and (c) opportunities from tackling the speech, language and communication needs of (i) babies, (ii) children and
This government’s vision for children and young people with special educational needs, including those with speech, language and communication needs, is the same as it is for all children and young people. We want them to achieve well in their early years...
Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the specialist workforce needed for (a) babies, (b) children and (c) young people with speech, language, and communication needs.
This government’s vision for children and young people with special educational needs, including those with speech, language and communication needs, is the same as it is for all children and young people. We want them to achieve well in their early years...
What steps she is taking to ensure that speech, language and communication (a) needs and (b) development are supported as early as possible including for children whose needs are identified pre-school age.
Early language skills are vital in enabling children to thrive in the early years and later life, as well as for all aspects of later attainment in school.The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that...
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on Ofcom’s advice entitled Categorisation - research and advice, in the context of the Online Safety Act
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology is carefully considering Ofcom’s research and advice and will make Regulations as soon as reasonably practicable.The Secretary of State for the Home Department meets regularly with the Secretar...
Innovation and Technology, what his planned timetable is to decide whether to accept Ofcom’s advice on extending category 1 regulation of schedule 11 of the Online Safety Act 2023 to small online forums containin
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology is carefully considering Ofcom’s categorisation research and advice and will make Regulations as soon as reasonably practicable.
What her policy is on the citizenship status of individuals with British National (Overseas) visas.
British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders may apply for a BN(O) visa which entitles them and their dependent family members to reside in the UK. After completing 5 years’ qualifying residence in the UK, and being free from immigration time restri...
What steps she plans to take to encourage take up of Pension Credit.
The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim. From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply. Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment. We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to remove the requirement for photo ID at elections.
The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be reporting on the administration of the May elections and the recent General Election. This will include the proportion of individuals turned away for lack of accepted identification. We anticipate publication of their initial findings on voter ID later this month and their full election report later in the year. In line with our manifesto commitments, we will carefully review the voter ID rules and evaluate how they impacted citizens during the General Election before bringing forward firm proposals for reform in due course. This will of course include full consideration of the Electoral Commission’s findings. With regard to postal voting at the 2024 General Election, I refer my Hon Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 199 on 26 July 2024.
Communities and Local Government, how many people were turned away from polling stations due to lack of voter identification on 4 July 2024.
The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be reporting on the administration of the May elections and the recent General Election. This will include the proportion of individuals turned away for lack of accepted identification. We anticipate publication of their initial findings on voter ID later this month and their full election report later in the year. In line with our manifesto commitments, we will carefully review the voter ID rules and evaluate how they impacted citizens during the General Election before bringing forward firm proposals for reform in due course. This will of course include full consideration of the Electoral Commission’s findings. With regard to postal voting at the 2024 General Election, I refer my Hon Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 199 on 26 July 2024.
Whether civil service pay remit guidance applies to National Highways workers.
National Highways was established in 2015 with a requirement to have regard to the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance when setting pay awards for its staff. National Highways must also ensure its pay deals are affordable and in line with its budget and pay control envelope agreed with the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the requirement for identification at polling stations.
The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be reporting on the administration of the May elections and the recent General Election. This will include the proportion of individuals turned away for lack of accepted identification. We anticipate publication of their initial findings on voter ID later this month and their full election report later in the year. In line with our manifesto commitments, we will carefully review the voter ID rules and evaluate how they impacted citizens during the General Election before bringing forward firm proposals for reform in due course. This will of course include full consideration of the Electoral Commission’s findings. With regard to postal voting at the 2024 General Election, I refer my Hon Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 199 on 26 July 2024.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to reintroduce red squirrels in parts of England.
The leading causes of red squirrel decline in England include competition from non-native grey squirrels, squirrel pox virus, and habitat availability. Conservation of red squirrels is therefore targeted to red squirrel stronghold areas in the north of England. All reintroductions in England are expected to follow the Code for Reintroductions and other Conservation Translocations. The UK Squirrel Accord, to which Defra, Natural England, and the Forestry Commission are signatories, is working to better understand the appropriate strategies for conserving the red squirrel. This work includes identifying, protecting, and strengthening existing red squirrel populations, expanding their current range, and promoting better understanding and support for their conservation. Future conservation actions will be informed by this work. Once the work of the strategy has concluded and its recommendations set out, we will consider whether red squirrels should be reintroduced. In the meantime, the red squirrel action plan contains actions that could improve their habitats.
If he will allow contacts of people with immunosuppression to be eligible for the covid-19 vaccination programme in autumn 2024.
The primary aim of the autumn 2024 COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of severe illness, hospitalisations, and deaths, arising from COVID-19. On 2 August 2024 the Government accepted the advice of the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to offer a COVID-19 vaccination to those aged 65 years old or over, those living in care homes for older adults, and those aged between six months and 64 years old who are in a clinical risk group in England this autumn. Additionally, vaccination will be offered to all frontline health and social care workers, as well as staff in care homes for older adults.There are no plans to offer a COVID-19 vaccination to unpaid carers, including young carers, or the families and household contacts of people with immunosuppression, during the autumn 2024 campaign in England. Unpaid carers and household contacts of those with immunosuppression have previously been offered vaccination on the basis that it indirectly protected those more vulnerable with whom they are in contact. The JCVI advice for autumn 2024 is that in the era of highly transmissible Omicron sub-variants, any protection offered by the vaccines against transmission of infection from one person to another is expected to be extremely limited. The indirect benefits of vaccination in these groups, vaccinating an individual to reduce the risk of severe disease in other people, are therefore less evident than in previous years.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of medicines for ADHD.
The Department has been working with industry to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. As a result of intensive work, some issues have been resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available. We are working to resolve medicine supply issues, where they remain, for some strengths of methylphenidate. These are anticipated to be resolved by October 2024.We are asking suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term.The Department has worked with specialist clinicians to develop management advice for National Health Service clinicians to consider prescribing available alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged release tablets. We would expect ADHD service providers and specialists to follow our guidance to offer rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice or opinion for the management of patients, including those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.To aid ADHD service providers and prescribers further, we have widely disseminated our communications and continually update a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website, helping ensure that those involved in the prescribing and dispensing of ADHD medications can make informed decisions with patients, which is available at the following link:https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd/
What steps her Department is taking to help protect workers travelling home late at night who are at risk of sexual violence.
This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.
What assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the financial impact of outsourcing within prisons.
In June 2019, the Ministry of Justice put in place the Prison Operator Services Framework to manage a pipeline of operator competitions for new build prisons, and existing private prisons as they expire. To date, nine operator competitions have been launched via the Framework, with seven contracts awarded. One further contract is due to be awarded in 2024 before the final contract is awarded in 2025. The aim of all operator competitions is to secure an operator to provide high quality, sustainable, and value for money custodial and maintenance services that are safe, decent, secure, and rehabilitative. In each competition, bidders are required to set out detailed, high quality, value for money prison specific proposals that must meet minimum quality and financial thresholds. Bids are evaluated against clearly defined quality and financial criteria and a public sector comparator. All operator competitions to date have delivered savings and provided additional added value when compared against the public sector comparator.
What steps he plans to take to help registrars find work in the North of England.
As we continue to expand the medical workforce, we will ensure there is growth in registrar and specialty training places, to meet the demands of the National Health Service. NHS England will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure this growth is focused in areas of the country and in specialities where the need is greatest.
Communities and Local Government, what information her Departments holds on the leasehold-related costs for the average leaseholder in an apartment block.
The English Housing Survey contains data on service charge costs and ground rents. The latest data available for 2022-2023, published on 18 July 2024, found that owner occupier leaseholders paid on average £419 in ground rent per year and £1650 per year in service charges. This covers leaseholders in both flats and houses. Details can be found at: English Housing Survey data on leaseholders - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Some leaseholders will also pay specific charges like administration, permission and event fees. Leaseholders may also face one-off bills to meet the costs of major works. Obligations to meet these costs will be set out in the lease. In relation to building safety, under the Building Safety Act 2022 ‘qualifying leaseholders’ in relevant buildings over 11m are protected from costs associated with the remediation of unsafe cladding and non-cladding building safety defects. For qualifying leaseholders, their maximum cap for non-cladding remediation and interim measures is £15,000 in Greater London and £10,000 elsewhere in England.The Impact Assessment provides further details and can be found at: The Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) Regulations 2022 - Impact Assessment (legislation.gov.uk)