Every parliamentary written question tabled by Lisa Smart this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 241–260 of 544 · this parliament
What steps he is taking to ensure that there is no gap between the end of the term of office of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and their successor.
Paula Sussex has been appointed Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Arrangements are now in place, meaning all casework can progress as normal.
Whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the processes for businesses to advertise vacancies through Jobcentre Plus.
The Department for Work and Pensions has recently reviewed and continues to enhance the processes through which businesses advertise vacancies via Jobcentre Plus. Employers currently benefit from a range of flexible engagement routes: Direct Contact: Employers can reach out through the Employer Services Line or an online enquiry form to be connected with a local Employer Adviser, who provides tailored recruitment support. Find a Job Platform: This is DWP’s official online job posting service, free to use and accessible 24/7. It includes features such as bulk vacancy uploads, hybrid/remote job filters, and the ability to display Disability Confident status. When any employer uses Find a Job to post vacancies, they are also given the option to request contact from a local Employer Adviser for tailored recruitment support. Strategic Relationship Team: For large-scale or complex recruitment needs, the Strategic Relationship Team offers bespoke national-level support, including vacancy promotion, recruitment events, and candidate matching. Feedback from employer summits and innovation workshops has directly informed ongoing improvements. Employers have highlighted the importance of making Jobcentre Plus environments more welcoming and accessible. In response, best practice sharing is underway to improve the employer experience. Additionally, policy teams are reviewing the use of Jobcentre Plus premises for interviewing candidates who are not DWP customers. A new system has also been introduced to monitor employer engagement and campaign outcomes more effectively.As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. As part of this, we will transform DWP’s employer offer and the way in which we engage with employers, using a test and learn approach to ensure the new service works hand in hand with them to help recruit the staff they need. The new service will support a broader range of employers, including those requiring skilled and specialist talent, to find the candidates they need. We will also work with employers to understand how to overcome the impact of recruitment practices which can act as a barrier for applicants, ensuring that a wide range of candidates can access employers’ vacancies regardless of these barriers.DWP has not only assessed but is actively evolving its vacancy advertising processes through Jobcentre Plus. The combination of employer feedback, strategic planning, and digital innovation ensures that the service is becoming more responsive, inclusive, and effective for businesses of all sizes.
Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of Class E to the Use Classes Order on the variety of businesses on high streets.
Class E of the Use Classes Order enables flexibility to change between uses commonly found on the High Street. No recent assessment has been made of the impact of the introduction of Class E on the variety of businesses on the high street.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing businesses to contact their local Jobcentre Plus directly to advertise vacancies.
The Department can confirm that such an assessment has been made and that direct engagement is not only permitted but actively encouraged. Employers are already able to contact their local Jobcentre Plus directly through several well-established routes. The Employer Services Line (0800 169 0178) and an online enquiry form connect businesses with local Employer Advisers who provide tailored recruitment support. This includes help with writing job descriptions, promoting vacancies through local jobcentres and social media, arranging use of Jobcentre Plus premises for interviews, and facilitating participation in recruitment events such as job fairs. For businesses with more complex or large-scale recruitment needs, the Strategic Relationship Team offers bespoke support at a national level. This includes tailored recruitment solutions, vacancy tracking, and coordination with local JobCentre Plus's to ensure effective delivery. The Department continues to explore ways to improve employer engagement, including making JobCentre Plus premises more welcoming and accessible, and reviewing policies around the use of JobCentre Plus offices for interviews with non-DWP customers.
When the temporary policy of extending the move on period for newly recognized refugees to 56 days will end.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 13 June to Question 57756.
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57756 on Asylum: Housing, what her planned timetable is for evaluating the impact of interim measures.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 13 June to Question 57756.
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57756 on Asylum: Housing, whether she has a target date for making a decision on the extension of the move on period beyond June 2025.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 13 June to Question 57756.
Whether her department has made an assessment of the potential merits of mandatory minimum expiry dates on refund vouchers issued by airlines.
Regulation 261/2004 sets out passengers' rights in the event of certain flight disruptions, including rights to refunds and compensation. The Regulation states that refunds or compensation must be offered as payment in cash, by bank transfer, or by cheque. Airlines may only provide vouchers with the explicit and signed agreement of the passenger. No assessment has been made regarding the potential merits of mandatory expiry dates on refund vouchers issued by airlines.
Whether his Department has plans to extend consumer rights to cash refunds following a customer complaint.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 has provisions for consumers to be able to obtain refunds where a product is not as described or fit for the declared purpose. In addition, consumers can seek redress where a trader has breached obligations under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The government has no plans to add cash refunds for general complaints to these rights at present.
Whether his Department plans to review funding available to medical students under the NHS Bursary.
For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the Government will increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants, and all allowances by 3.1%. This is the second consecutive year the Government has increased support for medical students through the NHS Bursary. Prior to this, the maintenance grants had not been uplifted since 2015.The Government has also announced that maximum loans for living costs from Student Finance England, including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students in NHS Bursary years, will increase by 3.1%.The NHS Bursary scheme is reviewed annually at the start of each academic year. At all times the Government must balance the level of support students receive with the need to deliver as much value as possible from taxpayers’ money.
What steps her Department has taken to support medical students with the cost of living.
I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54621.
What steps his Department has taken to support medical students with the cost of living.
For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the Government will increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants, and all allowances by 3.1%. This is the second consecutive year the Government has increased support for medical students through the NHS Bursary. Prior to this, the maintenance grants had not been uplifted since 2015.The Government has also announced that maximum loans for living costs from Student Finance England, including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students in NHS Bursary years, will increase by 3.1%.The NHS Bursary scheme is reviewed annually at the start of each academic year. At all times the Government must balance the level of support students receive with the need to deliver as much value as possible from taxpayers’ money.
Whether her Department plans to extend the move on period for newly recognised refugees to 56 days beyond June 2025.
In December, the Home Office operationalised a pilot to extend the grace period to 56 days to support local authorities during a period of increased asylum decision making and with the transition to eVisas. It is important that we take the necessary time to evaluate the impact of the interim measures, including overall net costs to taxpayers, before making a decision on whether to make the measures permanent.
What steps her Department is taking to consult charities on the implementation of the policies in the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prevent local authorities from moving agency contractors onto fixed term contracts.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces, including the terms and conditions offered to contractors. Ministers have little remit to intervene in employment issues within local authorities, except where specific provision has been made in legislation.
What steps her Department has taken to consult people with prior experience of applying for refugee family reunion in the forthcoming consultation on the implementation of the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025.
The Home Office regularly engages with a wide range of experts and stakeholders when developing policy or consulting on proposals.
When she plans to set out a timeline for the consultation to inform the delivery of the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Whether the forthcoming consultation on the implementation of the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, will include consultation on the potential impact of changes to English language proficiency requirements on people applying for refugee family reunion.
The Home Office regularly engages with a wide range of experts and stakeholders when developing policy or consulting on proposals.
How many local companies who joined the Crown Commercial Services for Solar for Schools Tenders in November have been offered contracts.
Solar for Schools is a Department for Education initiative. Schools have a variety of available routes to market to procure their solar energy solution requirements. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is not aware of any contracts awarded through its frameworks specifically for the Solar for Schools scheme.The CCS Demand Management and Renewables Framework provides central government and the wider public sector with a range of decarbonisation products and services to support their carbon net zero strategy. During 24/25 customers utilised this commercial route to market - which has 41 suppliers, including 6 SMEs, allocated across the UK - to procure over £48m of projects ranging from Solar PV, Heat Pump installations and various other decarbonisation initiatives.
If he will provide a response to Early Day Motion 1076 on Stepping Hill Hospital, tabled on 8 April 2025.
The Government inherited a crumbling National Health Service estate after years of historic underinvestment and neglect. We recognise that hospitals across the country, including Stepping Hill, have challenging and poor-quality infrastructure, and that is why repairing and rebuilding our hospitals is a key part of our ambition to create a health service that is fit for the future.It will take time, but we are beginning to rebuild the health service. The £750 million Estates Safety Fund for 2025/26 is an essential first step towards addressing the poorest quality estates across the NHS and ensuring a safe, sustainable environment for healthcare delivery. The Stockport NHS Foundation Trust will be issued £2.8 million from this fund to deliver vital safety improvements, enhance patient and staff environments, and support NHS productivity at Stepping Hill Hospital.This investment is in addition to the operational capital the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board will receive in 2025/26, to allocate to local priorities, including investment at Stepping Hill Hospital, and capital investment to support constitutional standards recovery.The current Spending Review, concluding in June 2025, will determine capital funding levels for future years and will consider the needs of the NHS estate.