Every parliamentary written question tabled by Patricia Ferguson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 78 · this parliament
If he will take steps to end the use by NHS England of generic drugs manufactured by companies with links to Israel.
The Department has no plans to end such purchases as the UK Government currently has a trade and partnership agreement in effect with Israel.
Whether Palestinian academics with offers of (a) positions and (b) study placements at universities in the UK can be issued with visas to allow them to travel to the UK.
I refer my Hon Friend to the statement to the House made by the Home Secretary on 1 September.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to establish a scheme to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinian academics to the UK.
We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully-funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. We are doing everything we can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK, but the situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging. All individuals who enter the UK are subject to robust security checks and have to submit their biometrics ahead of travel.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there is a safe evacuation route that allows Palestinian academics to be evacuated from the Occupied Palestinian Territories to allow them to take up positions at universities in the UK.
We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully-funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. We are doing everything we can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK, but the situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging. All individuals who enter the UK are subject to robust security checks and have to submit their biometrics ahead of travel.
What guidance her Department has issued on whether applicants for (a) leave to remain and (b) fee waiver who have (i) had their claims rejected, (ii) lost their right to work, (iii) lost their access to funds and (iv) have consequently had a break in their continuity of residence can have their claims reconsidered if their solicitor is found to be at fault.
Immigration applicants can complain to the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) about either:bad service they received from an adviser registered with the IAA; orimmigration advice they received from an unregulated person.If a legal adviser is registered with a professional body such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), an applicant can follow their complaints procedure or contact the Legal Ombudsman.
Whether the Infected Blood Compensation Authority plans to prioritise older claimants when making payments.
The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) as an independent body. In February, IBCA set out their plans to open the compensation service in stages to make sure it is effective and secure for all those claiming. This was a decision taken independently of the Government by the IBCA Board. Based on community feedback, IBCA are prioritising claims for registered infected people who have been told by a medical professional that they may have 12 months or less to live.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Ministers from his Department will attend the Second World Summit for Social Development between 4 and 6 November 2025 in Doha.
The Government is currently considering attendance at the Second World Summit for Social Development.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he will continue to provide funding to (a) the Women's Integrated Sexual Health program, (b) other Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights programs and (c) access to those programs for (i) people with disabilities and (ii) other marginalised groups.
Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through following the recent Spending Review and through resource allocation processes. We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Annual Report and Accounts this summer. The FCDO is focused on ensuring that every pound is spent in the most impactful way including by considering the impact for people with disabilities and other marginalised groups in line with the public sector equality duty.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to continue to fund the (a) treatment and (b) elimination of neglected tropical diseases.
Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through following the recent Spending Review and through resource allocation processes. We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Annual Report and Accounts this summer. The FCDO is focused on ensuring that every pound is spent in the most impactful way.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if a Minister from his Department will represent the UK at the Eighteenth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from 10 to 12 June 2025.
The UK will be represented at this year's Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by Minister Seema Malhotra in her role as Minister for Equalities. Minister Malhotra will be joined by senior officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Cabinet Office, and the Work and Health Unit, a cross-government unit, jointly sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to continue to fund disability-inclusive education programmes.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to mainstreaming a disability inclusion and rights approach across our work. At the recent Global Disability Summit, the UK announced a range of new commitments including ensuring that all FCDO education programming is disability inclusive and includes disability inclusion criteria and targets by 2030. We also joined partners including the United Nations Children's Fund and the International Disability Alliance in committing to champion disability-inclusive education across the education sector to drive progress and accountability. The UK has also taken on the co-Chair of the Global Action on Disability network of governments, multilaterals, civil society, foundations, and private sector actors to drive collaboration on global disability inclusion.Equality impact assessments, which consider impacts on disability inclusion, are an essential part of how we make decisions, including on Official Development Assistance allocations.
What steps he is taking to ensure that the number of medical training places is proportionate to the increase in medical student numbers.
We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.
What steps he is taking to ensure that adequate training places are available for junior doctors.
We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.
What steps he has taken to ensure there are adequate clinical fellowships available for junior doctors.
Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff, including clinical fellows, in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
What steps her Department is taking to help support trainee physicians affected by the withdrawal of speciality training places by the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians.
The Department asked NHS England to work with the other statutory education bodies in the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Physicians and the General Medical Council to ensure that issues this year with the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians exam is rectified as a matter of urgency, including putting support in place for those affected.The statutory education bodies and directors of medical education in employing organisations have contacted individuals affected to ensure they understand their options and what support is available. In addition, the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians published detailed information on its website, which is available at the following link:https://www.thefederation.uk/news/supporting-doctors-affected-2023-mrcpuk-part-2-examination-issue
What progress his Department has made on switching consumers from Radio Teleswitch Service to smart meters.
The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), and the activity to replace it, is industry owned and led. Government and Ofgem have been working closely with the RTS Taskforce in recent months to urgently increase the rate of replacements.I am meeting with Energy UK and Ofgem on a fortnightly basis to ensure the phase out process is planned effectively and consumers are appropriately protected.
What steps his Department plans to take to protect consumers if their Radio Teleswitch Service meters are not switched to smart meters by 30 June 2025.
The Government has made clear to industry that suppliers must fulfil their obligations to customers and must drive up the rate of Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meter replacements. As part of the RTS Taskforce we are doing all that we can to protect consumers from any negative impacts, and make sure that the carefully managed phase out process of RTS, which starts from 30 June, is as smooth as possible for consumers.
What steps his Department is taking to help protect consumers whose radio teleswitch service meters are not switched to smart meters by 30 June 2025.
The Government has made clear to industry that suppliers must fulfil their obligations to customers and must drive up the rate of Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meter replacements. As part of the RTS Taskforce we are doing all that we can to protect consumers from any negative impacts, and make sure that the carefully managed phase out process of RTS, which starts from 30 June, is as smooth as possible for consumers.
What information his Department holds on the number of households that needed to switch from Radio Teleswitch Service meters to smart meters in Glasgow West constituency on 30 May 2025.
The latest data on the number of remaining RTS meters is held by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). However, Ofgem does not collect constituency level data on RTS meters from suppliers.
What discussions she has had with the Pensions Ombudsman on the adequacy of the time taken for a complaint to be allocated to an adjudicator.
I met with the Pensions Ombudsman and Chief Operating Officer to discuss the significant increase over a period of several years in complaints received; a trend that is continuing. This increase has impacted on waiting times for cases to be allocated to an adjudication specialist. In response, The Pension Ombudsman has implemented an Operating Model Review (OMR) programme. DWP are working closely with TPO to rigorously monitor the impact the OMR is having on waiting times and case allocation to adjudication specialists.