Every parliamentary written question tabled by Joe Robertson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 781–800 of 913 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the European Union on the compatibility of the UK sandeel fishing ban with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. The dispute proceedings are ongoing.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organisation on the UK’s financial contribution to that organisation.
We have been consistently clear that US executive orders are matters for the US government and US people. In November 2024, the UK announced new funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in support of its delivery and transformation agenda. The UK will continue to work with the WHO, Member States and other partners to support WHO's ongoing transformation and to strengthen its efficiency, transparency and responsiveness.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 24031 on Waste: Codes of Practice, if he will publish the 35 responses.
At this stage, the Government has not yet finalised its assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any new announcements will be announced in the usual way.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 23655 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, whether his Department has had discussions with the Local Government Ombudsman on the issuing of fixed penalty notices for householders who leave items (a) inside and (b) immediately outside the curtilage of their property.
Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to help tackle fly-tipping including fixed penalty notices and seizing vehicles. They can also prosecute which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. It is for local authorities to determine what enforcement action, if any, is appropriate in the circumstances. We are considering whether further guidance for local authorities is necessary with regards to fly-tipping enforcement. Any announcements on this will be made in the usual way.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 23653 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, how much funding her Department has provided for the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in the 2024-25 financial year; and what the (a) terms of reference and (b) estimated delivery dates are for the commission to WRAP to provide guidance on best practice.
As a charity organisation WRAP’s annual report and accounts detailing Defra grant funding is available from the Charity Commission on Gov.UK. WRAP is working with and engaging Local Authorities to help bring together good practice by Spring.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has issued guidance to local waste authorities on whether fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping can be issued in relation to domestic waste receptacles located within the curtilage of a dwelling.
Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to help tackle fly-tipping including fixed penalty notices and seizing vehicles. They can also prosecute which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. It is for local authorities to determine what enforcement action, if any, is appropriate in the circumstances. We are considering whether further guidance for local authorities is necessary with regards to fly-tipping enforcement. Any announcements on this will be made in the usual way.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24130, on Domestic Waste: Recycling, if he will publish the (a) equality impact assessment and (b) environmental principles assessment.
These documents are used to support internal decision making and therefore are not routinely published. A full impact assessment of the Simpler Recycling project is published online here: The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2025 - Impact Assessment.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has issued guidance on the quantity of residual bin bags used for household waste collections.
No. We recently issued guidance on ensuring good waste collection services from households on gov.uk, which includes guidance on residual waste collection services.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of insect-based novel foods on the farming industry.
The Food Standards’ Authority’s (FSA) role, as set out in law, is to safeguard public health and protect the interests of consumers in relation to food. In Great Britain, edible insects are considered novel foods and so food businesses that wish to sell them need to submit an application for a safety assessment by the FSA and Food Standards Scotland, before they can be placed on the market. The FSA is in regular contact with companies submitting applications for the use of edible insects in or as food.
Food and Rural Affairs, what additional non-statutory guidance his Department is working on with the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
The Government is expected to produce Statutory and Non-Statutory Guidance to support the primary legislation in place under the Environment Act. WRAP was requested to help pull together good practice information to support Defra deliver its set of Non-Statutory Guidance to support primary legislation in place including engagement with Local Authorities.
What progress her Department has made on improving financial support for kinship carers.
The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children. Kinship carers often take on this role at a time when they were least expecting to raise a family and we recognise the challenges they face, including financial.At the Autumn Budget 2024, we announced £40 million of funding to trial a kinship allowance in some local authorities in England. We will test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of caring for a child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. We will share further details and the process for selecting local authorities in due course.This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home by allowing children to grow up within their families and communities, reducing disruption to their early years, so they can focus on schooling and building friendships.
What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of legal aid provision for parents of children who are or may be deprived of their liberty.
Legal aid is fundamental to a fair justice system, underpins the rule of law, and facilitates access to other public services across government. We are committed to a well-functioning legal aid system, and one which aids in the smooth running of the justice system. For this reason, we keep the adequacy of all legal aid provision, including for deprivation of liberty and kinship carers, under regular review.Individuals may be eligible for legal aid where a child is, or may be, subject to deprivation of liberty proceedings under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 (Secure Accommodation Order) or under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court (Deprivation of Liberty Order). This is subject to meeting the relevant means and merits tests. Kinship carers may be eligible for legal aid in family proceedings such as Care Proceedings subject to meeting the relevant means and merits tests.We continue to work closely with the Department for Education on these areas, including following the introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of support for kinship carers raising disabled children.
The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children.In October 2024, we published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which sets out the support and services local authorities should provide to kinship families, including reaffirming the requirement to publish their local offer of support in a clear, accessible way. The guidance can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670d3ed5e84ae1fd8592f2fa/Kinship_Care_-_statutory_guidance_for_local_authorities__October_2024.pdf.The guidance makes it clear that children and young people should receive the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare. There is no limit on the level of support, including financial support, that local authorities can provide. All local authorities should have in place clear eligibility criteria in relation to the provision of support services.The department’s ‘Working together to safeguard children’ guidance, which is aimed at all agencies working to safeguard children, sets out how the social care needs of disabled children, and their carers, should be assessed. The guidance is clear that, “if a local authority considers that a parent carer of a disabled child may have support needs, it must carry out an assessment under section 17ZD of the Children Act 1989”. The local authority must also carry out such an assessment if a parent or carer requests one. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65797f1e0467eb000d55f689/Working_together_to_safeguard_children_2023_-_statutory_framework.pdf.Moreover, under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, it is the general duty of every local authority to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need, and to promote the upbringing of such children by their families by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children’s needs, such as the provision of short breaks.
What steps her Department is taking to extend (a) family finding, (b) befriending and (c) mentoring support for children in the care system to build relationships.
The department is committed to helping children thrive, and we want the best for every child and family. We know that a stable support network and loving relationships are crucial to supporting children in care and care leavers to thrive.To support this, we are currently funding 50 family finding, befriending and mentoring programmes being delivered by 45 local authorities. These programmes will help children in care and care leavers to identify and connect with the important people in their lives, improve their sense of identity and community and create and sustain consistent, stable and loving relationships.We have commissioned an independent evaluation of the family finding, befriending and mentoring programmes, and this will inform decisions about their future.
What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of legal aid provision for prospective kinship carers.
Legal aid is fundamental to a fair justice system, underpins the rule of law, and facilitates access to other public services across government. We are committed to a well-functioning legal aid system, and one which aids in the smooth running of the justice system. For this reason, we keep the adequacy of all legal aid provision, including for deprivation of liberty and kinship carers, under regular review.Individuals may be eligible for legal aid where a child is, or may be, subject to deprivation of liberty proceedings under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 (Secure Accommodation Order) or under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court (Deprivation of Liberty Order). This is subject to meeting the relevant means and merits tests. Kinship carers may be eligible for legal aid in family proceedings such as Care Proceedings subject to meeting the relevant means and merits tests.We continue to work closely with the Department for Education on these areas, including following the introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
What recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of therapeutic support for children in kinship care.
This government recognises the importance of health and therapeutic support services for all children, including those in kinship care. Ensuring every child receives the support they need is a key priority.The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) helps adoptive and special guardianship order children, and their families, access therapeutic interventions related to trauma and attachment.In December 2023, we began to require the use of outcomes measurement tools with ASGSF-funded therapies to help assess the impact and effectiveness of different types of therapy. We hope that this will improve local and national understanding of the effectiveness of therapies for different children and families.
What recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of support for young people in kinship care to pursue work based training and apprenticeships.
The government is determined to give every child and young person the opportunities they deserve, and kinship carers play a crucial role in delivering this. Young people who receive care from relatives and friends need extra support, including in further education (FE), and the department is working to ensure their needs are met.The department recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new Kinship Financial Allowance in up to ten local authorities, to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends.This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home, by allowing children to grow up within their families and communities, reducing disruption to their early years and allowing them to focus on schooling, building friendships and later employment and training.We are developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills, to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth.The department has committed to improve careers advice and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, including those in kinship care. This will underpin our Opportunity Mission, ensuring that every young person has multiple opportunities, tailored to their needs, to learn from different employers about work and the skills that are valued in the workplace.The department expects schools to develop and improve their careers provision to be inclusive for all young people, in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, including benchmark 3, which focuses on addressing the individual needs of each pupil.The department is bringing together Jobcentre Plus with the National Careers Service to create a new jobs and careers service. This will lead to greater awareness and focus on skills and careers, as well as better join-up between employability and careers provision.The department continues to provide employers and providers with additional funding to support more apprenticeship opportunities for young people, including those who have been in kinship care. We provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18-years-old, and up to age 24 for apprentices with an education, health and care (EHC) plan or who have been in local authority care. These payments can be used to support costs such as work equipment, uniforms or travel.The department funds students aged 16 to 19-years-old or up to the age of 25 when they have an EHC plan. This funding enables students to take part in study programmes which include qualifications with other activities including tutorials or work experience, or to take part in T Levels which includes a technical qualification, other activities such as employment, and an industrial placement.Both are designed to enable students to progress to employment, an apprenticeship, or further study including higher education.Every local authority in England must appoint a virtual school head, who has a statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of all children in their care, wherever they live or are educated, up to age 18. All looked after children must have a personal education plan, which should set out the support needed to help realise their short and long term academic outcomes. This should include careers advice and guidance and financial information about further and higher education, training and employment.The department is providing £24 million of pupil premium plus funding to virtual school heads between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, to enable them to provide extra support to children in care and care leavers in post-16 education, with £10 million allocated to local authorities in 2023/24 and a further £14 million in 2024/25.16-19 bursaries are available to help young people who would not otherwise be able to afford to participate in FE and training, such as Study Programmes or T Levels, to help them pay for essential costs like books, food, travel, equipment or other education-related costs. These awards are made by institutions to individual students. It is up to institutions to decide which students will receive a discretionary bursary and how much they will receive. They are targeted at those students who need most financial help to overcome barriers to participation. Most institutions include information about the Bursary Fund on their websites and young people can also contact their school’s, or college’s, student support services for more information on how to apply.
What steps he is taking to support people with osteoporosis.
On 6 January 2025, NHS England published the new Elective Reform Plan, which sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by the end of this Parliament. Part of the plan sets out funding to boost bone density scanning capacity, to support improvements in early diagnosis and bone health conditions such as osteoporosis. This will provide an estimated 29,000 extra scans per year.As announced in the ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper, we are delivering the joint Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England Getting It Right First-Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. With a £3.5 million funding boost, GIRFT teams will deploy their proven ‘Further Faster’ model to work with integrated care board leaders to further reduce musculoskeletal community waiting times, including for those with osteoporosis, and improve data, metrics and referral pathways to wider support services.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has conducted surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside.
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. No surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside have been conducted. However, levels of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside was assessed as part of the 2021 consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. 3095 respondents answered the question “do you agree or disagree with the proposed approach to beaver reintroductions?”. 69% selected agree, while 31% selected disagree.
What steps he is taking to develop fracture liaison services nationwide.
The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. According to the Fracture Liaison Service Database 2022, at least 60 trusts in England had access to a Fracture Liaison Service. The Government is committed to ending the postcode lottery for access to these important preventative services, and the Department is working closely with NHS England to explore a range options to provide better quality and access, including ways to best support local systems.