Every parliamentary written question tabled by Deirdre Costigan this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 107 · this parliament
What steps he is taking to improve access to optometry services for rough sleepers who are not eligible for full public funding due to their immigration status.
Individuals can apply for help with the cost of sight tests and glasses through the NHS low-income scheme. This includes people seeking asylum, refused asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support and some refugees who will be eligible for cost exempt...
What steps he is taking to improve access to dental care for rough sleepers who are not eligible for full public funding due to their immigration status.
The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development and implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidan...
What steps he is taking to improve adult social care workforce retention.
Skills for Care data shows improvement in workforce retention in adult social care, the staff turnover rate decreased from 29.1% in 2022/23 to 24.8% in 2023/24 in the independent and local authority sectors. This may be partly due to the increase in inter...
If she will make an assessment of the impact of immigration-based restrictions to public funds on homelessness among non-UK nationals.
Those seeking to establish their life in the UK are generally expected to maintain and support themselves and their families without depending on the UK’s welfare system.The Home Office Homelessness Escalations Service (HES) provides immigration status in...
If her Department will widen the list of current Energy Saving Materials in the upcoming Autumn Statement to include heat batteries.
The installation of qualifying energy-saving materials in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a relevant charitable purpose benefits from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of V...
What steps she is taking to prevent people becoming homeless after leaving asylum accommodation.
Individuals granted asylum are able to work and access mainstream services that support their integration. We are working across Government to ensure smooth transition into work and to ensure these services meet the needs of all newly granted refugees. Th...
If his Department will launch a consultation on including heat batteries as part of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Heat batteries are one of the most promising alternative electric heating technologies, however, they are less efficient than heat pumps and will therefore use more energy to meet the same heating demand. We expect most properties will ultimately switch t...
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of strengthening the right to Disability Leave for disabled workers.
The Department for Business has not made an assessment of the merits of creating a new employment right for Disability Leave.The Government has set out its immediate priorities for reforming employment law in the Plan to Make Work Pay. The Plan includes a...
What steps his Department is taking to improve mental health services in Ealing Southall constituency.
People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they deserve, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure that mental health is given the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessi...
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring employers to respond to reasonable adjustment requests from disabled workers within two weeks.
The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) protects disabled people against unlawful direct or indirect discrimination in employment, including by placing a duty on employers to make, on request, reasonable adjustments to any element of a job, job application or int...
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact the Disability Employment Charter proposals on disabled people's ability to (a) gain and (b) retain employment.
The Government has ambitious employment plans, including for disability employment. We will be setting this out through a forthcoming White Paper, the Employment Rights Bill and the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. A fully inclusive labour market that...
What steps her Department is taking to reduce Access to Work claim (a) application and (b) renewal times; if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the cap on Access to Work; an
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to reducing waiting times for new applications for Access to Work, as well as renewals. We are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. We have increased the number of staff processing Acces...
Whether she plans to implement the recommendations of The Disability Employment Charter.
The Government has ambitious employment plans, including for disability employment. We will be setting this out through a forthcoming White Paper, the Employment Rights Bill and the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. A fully inclusive labour market that...
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her plans to strengthen statutory sick pay on the disability employment gap.
No one should be forced to choose between their health and financial hardship, which is why we plan to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), so it provides a safety net for those who need it most. The Plan to Make Work Pay commits to remove the Lower Earni...
If she will publish a timeline for the introduction of the right to equal pay for disabled people through the introduction of mandatory disability pay gap reporting for large employers.
Following the announcement in the King's Speech in July to take forward work on an Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, and this government's manifesto commitments to introduce the full right to equal pay for disabled people and disability pay gap reporti...
What estimate she has made of the funding required to restore aid spending to 0.7% of GDP.
This Government is committed to restoring ODA spending at the level of 0.7 per cent of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow. The Government will set out its approach to the House in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce sewage discharges by water companies into waterways.
The Secretary of State recently met with water company bosses to make it clear that water firms will be held accountable for their performance for customers and the environment. During the meeting, water bosses signed up to the government’s initial package of reforms to reduce sewage pollution and attract investment to upgrade infrastructure. The government also announced a new Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will turn around the performance of water companies, in the King’s Speech. The Bill will strengthen regulation, give the water regulator new powers to ban the payment of bonuses if environmental standards are not met and increase accountability for water executives. These are the first critical steps in enabling a long-term and transformative reset of the entire water sector. I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July, HCWS3.
What steps his Department is taking to reduce gynaecology waiting lists.
Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government, as we get the National Health Service back on its feet. Equality of both access to care and outcomes will be at the heart of building an NHS that is fit for the future. This includes ensuring that women’s health is not neglected.We have committed to achieving the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by the end of this Parliament, which includes those waiting for gynaecology treatment. To achieve this, we will start by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week across the country, and will increase the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests, that are needed to reduce elective and cancer waits. This urgent work will help the nearly 600,000 women stuck on gynaecology waiting lists get the medical care they need.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning zero hours contracts.
As outlined in the Plan to Make Work Pay, we will end exploitative zero hours contracts by giving workers the right to a contract that reflects the number of hours they regularly work. We will also introduce a new right to reasonable notice of shift patterns and a right to reasonable notice of changes to shifts, with compensation for shifts cancelled or curtailed at short notice.These measures will end one-sided flexibility, ensuring all jobs provide workers with a baseline level of security and predictability.
To make an assessment of the impact of his plans for (a) new onshore wind and (b) other renewable energy sources on household bills.
In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers from future energy shocks is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards home‑grown clean energy. Through supporting the transition to clean energy, Great British Energy will save families money by ensuring electricity bills are no longer exposed to the kinds of gas price shocks which helped drive increases in the electricity price cap of over £1,300 for a typical household during winter 22/23.