Every parliamentary written question tabled by Paula Barker this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 101–120 of 238 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) small and medium-sized enterprises, (b) large food manufacturers and (c) public health organisations on the composition of the Industry Expert Panel for the National Food Strategy in the last six months.
Members of the Food Strategy Advisory Board were selected through identifying senior leaders who represent important elements within the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to conduct a public consultation before finalising appointments to the Industry Expert Panel for the National Food Strategy.
The role of the Food Strategy Advisory Board is purely to advise on the development of the food strategy. There will be multiple routes for stakeholders to share ideas as part of the co-design process in 2025.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of facial recognition misidentifications on the public.
The Home Office is not responsible for facial recognition systems procured and operated by independent retailers.In terms of police use of facial recognition systems, the Home Office supports forces in developing systems, guidance and training to minimise the possibility of misidentification and the consequences of it. Additionally, there are measures in place to mitigate against facial recognition misidentifications by the police. Facial recognition algorithms provided by or procured with Home Office funding for police use are required to be independently tested for equitability frt-equitability-study_mar2023.pdf.The government is taking the time to make sure that police use of facial recognition operates on a firm footing, including keeping the legal framework under review. To that end, I am listening carefully to stakeholders and partners and have been holding a series of roundtables with policing, civil society groups, regulators and others.It is important to note that any matches made through facial recognition technologies will always be assessed by a police officer and investigated before an arrest is made; no arrest would ever be made based solely on a facial match made by a computer.
Whether she has had recent discussions with (a) retailers and (b) trade unions on the risk of misidentifications by private facial recognition systems.
The Home Office is not responsible for facial recognition systems procured and operated by independent retailers.In terms of police use of facial recognition systems, the Home Office supports forces in developing systems, guidance and training to minimise the possibility of misidentification and the consequences of it. Additionally, there are measures in place to mitigate against facial recognition misidentifications by the police. Facial recognition algorithms provided by or procured with Home Office funding for police use are required to be independently tested for equitability frt-equitability-study_mar2023.pdf.The government is taking the time to make sure that police use of facial recognition operates on a firm footing, including keeping the legal framework under review. To that end, I am listening carefully to stakeholders and partners and have been holding a series of roundtables with policing, civil society groups, regulators and others.It is important to note that any matches made through facial recognition technologies will always be assessed by a police officer and investigated before an arrest is made; no arrest would ever be made based solely on a facial match made by a computer.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legal safeguards for people wrongly flagged as criminals by private facial recognition systems.
The Home Office is not responsible for facial recognition systems procured and operated by independent retailers.In terms of police use of facial recognition systems, the Home Office supports forces in developing systems, guidance and training to minimise the possibility of misidentification and the consequences of it. Additionally, there are measures in place to mitigate against facial recognition misidentifications by the police. Facial recognition algorithms provided by or procured with Home Office funding for police use are required to be independently tested for equitability frt-equitability-study_mar2023.pdf.The government is taking the time to make sure that police use of facial recognition operates on a firm footing, including keeping the legal framework under review. To that end, I am listening carefully to stakeholders and partners and have been holding a series of roundtables with policing, civil society groups, regulators and others.It is important to note that any matches made through facial recognition technologies will always be assessed by a police officer and investigated before an arrest is made; no arrest would ever be made based solely on a facial match made by a computer.
What safeguards her Department has put in place to help protect people misidentified by facial recognition technology in shops.
The Home Office is not responsible for facial recognition systems procured and operated by independent retailers.In terms of police use of facial recognition systems, the Home Office supports forces in developing systems, guidance and training to minimise the possibility of misidentification and the consequences of it. Additionally, there are measures in place to mitigate against facial recognition misidentifications by the police. Facial recognition algorithms provided by or procured with Home Office funding for police use are required to be independently tested for equitability frt-equitability-study_mar2023.pdf.The government is taking the time to make sure that police use of facial recognition operates on a firm footing, including keeping the legal framework under review. To that end, I am listening carefully to stakeholders and partners and have been holding a series of roundtables with policing, civil society groups, regulators and others.It is important to note that any matches made through facial recognition technologies will always be assessed by a police officer and investigated before an arrest is made; no arrest would ever be made based solely on a facial match made by a computer.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department made of the potential merits of nationalising the water industry.
The Secretary of State has been clear the Government has no intention to nationalise water companies. Nationalising a water company would cost billions of pounds, and it would take years to unpick the current ownership model, during which time underinvestment in infrastructure and sewage pollution would only get worse. The Government wants to improve the situation in the water industry as quickly as possible, by focusing on improving the privatised regulated model.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of recent trends in the level of water chargers on consumers.
For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average, before inflation. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas. This Government has been clear with Ofwat that increases to customer bills must not flow through to company profits, or to executive bonuses where performance is poor.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of OFWAT in delivering value for money for consumers.
We are confident that Ofwat are delivering their core functions effectively. Ofwat holds water companies to account for the delivery of affordable, secure and resilient water services. Ofwat must protect the interests of consumers whilst ensuring the companies properly carry out and finance their statutory functions. It is Ofwat's responsibility to independently scrutinise water company business plans and ensure that the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat’s final determination saved customers £11 billion compared to what companies initially proposed in the next price review period. Furthermore, the Independent Water Commission, launched in October 2024 by the UK and Welsh Governments, will consider the roles and responsibilities of the water industry regulators and how we can ensure our regulators operate as effectively as possible.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of water infrastructure costs on consumers.
For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December. This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through a £104bn upgrade for the water sector. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas. Funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. Ofwat will also ensure that when money for investment is not spent companies refund customers. All water companies offer affordability support for customers struggling to pay their bills and companies have more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help through social tariffs, from 4% to 9%, between 2025-30. The Government is working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.
What assessment his Department has made of trends in the number of (a) pub and (b) restaurant closures in England in the latest period for which data is available.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 25th February is attached.
Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the (a) Premier League and (b) English Football League on the cost of football tickets; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent trends in the cost of football tickets on supporters.
Football is nothing without its fans and the Government is keen to see as many people as possible benefit from and enjoy the spectacle of live sport.The matter of ticket prices is a commercial decision for individual clubs and leagues to take. However, the Government remains in conversation with stakeholders to ensure that fans are engaged properly.This is also why the Government has introduced legislation to establish an Independent Football Regulator to protect and promote the sustainability of English football in the interests of fans and the local communities football clubs serve.As a result of changes made by this Government, the Football Governance Bill will now explicitly require clubs to consult their supporters on ticket prices making sure their voice is heard on this key issue.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Affordable Homes programme increases the availability of (a) social and (b) council housing in the next five years.
The 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, and new investment to succeed it, will increase the availability of social rented homes provided by private registered providers and local authorities over the next five years by allocating grant funding to support the capital costs of development.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to oppose the potential (a) forcible transfer and (b) ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza.
We oppose moving Palestinians in Gaza to neighbouring Arab states against their will. There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza strip. Palestinian civilians should be able to return to and rebuild their homes and their lives. Our position is clear - we want to see a negotiated two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people, with a sovereign Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza, alongside a safe and secure Israel.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of reports of the looting of aid trucks in areas of Gaza that are under Israeli military control; and if he will hold discussions with his Israeli counterpart on this matter.
We welcome reports that looting of aid deliveries in Gaza has reduced. This remains a concern, and we continue to work with partners to monitor this. Israel must now continue to work with partners to ensure law and order is maintained in Gaza so that safe distribution of aid across the Gaza strip is sustained. The Foreign Secretary raised this with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar in a call on 22 January.
What steps his Department is taking to support the independent hospitality sector with rising costs.
Independent hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.The Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year. Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.
If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of educational attainment of children living in temporary accommodation.
The department’s Opportunity Mission will break the link between young people’s backgrounds and their future success, ensuring family security, providing the best start in life, with all children achieving and thriving and building skills for opportunity and growth.High and rising standards in every school are at the heart of this mission, driving better outcomes for every child, and delivered through excellent teaching and leadership, a high quality curriculum, and a system which removes the barriers to learning that hold too many children back.The department knows that disadvantaged young people in particular face barriers to engagement with education, including insecure housing. If children are unable to engage with education, it doesn’t matter how good teaching and learning is, they will not benefit.From April 2025 the department will be rolling out family help services that will prioritise supporting the whole family and intervening at the earliest opportunity to prevent challenges escalating. Lead practitioners will undertake assessments of all needs of the family, including those who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness, and work to support families where this may be part of a more complex set of needs.As announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year, 2024/25. This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26.The Child Poverty Taskforce has also started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy. The Strategy will tackle overall child poverty, including a focus on children in deepest poverty lacking essentials. This is set out in more detail in the 23 October publication ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-child-poverty-developing-our-strategy.In addition, homeless children are included in the Fair Access Protocol, which is a mandatory mechanism developed by local authorities in partnership with all schools in their area. Its aim is to ensure that vulnerable children, and those who are having difficulty in securing a school place in-year, are allocated a school place as quickly as possible.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing wine duty on the independent hospitality sector.
A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the changes to alcohol duty announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-rates-of-alcohol-duty/alcohol-duty-uprating The wine industry makes a vital contribution to our economy and society, which is recognised in the tax system. Ahead of the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government heard representations to increase alcohol duty by more than inflation to tackle increasing alcohol-related deaths, as well as economic inactivity. The Government is also mindful of the cost-of-living pressures on people who drink responsibly and on hospitality businesses and alcohol producers. Balancing these pressures, the Chancellor announced that she would uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI inflation. The wine easement also ended on 1 February 2025. This was a transitional measure, which gave the wine industry over two years to adapt to the new system. HMRC have worked closely with industry to support this transition.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the resilience of the independent hospitality sector to absorb the rising costs of (a) national Insurance, (b) alcohol duty, (c) energy prices and (d) food prices.
The government will protect the smallest businesses and charities by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that in 2025/26, 865,000 employers (43%) will pay no National Insurance Contributions at all.The alcohol duty cut on qualifying draught products impacts approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall cut in duty bills of over £85million a year.Since 19 December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises with fewer than 50 employees have been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. Consumer food prices depend on a range of factors including agri-food import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and other manufacturing costs, and Sterling exchange rates.We continue to work closely with HM Treasury on the challenges facing high street and other businesses.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help councils (a) re-establish Housing Revenue Accounts and (b) become the direct provider of new council homes.
If a local authority has over 199 social and affordable homes, it must open a Housing Revenue Account (HRA), and we invite any council that is considering this to engage with the Department. We know from our engagement with non-HRA holding councils, that many would like to increase their current levels of housing delivery, but that the cost of opening a HRA can make this difficult. That is why I have asked my officials to explore whether the current threshold is set at the right level, or if a different threshold would enable councils to reach a level of housing provision that would better enable them to meet the costs of opening and managing an HRA. In 2023-24, councils delivered just over 8,950 affordable homes. We want to support all councils – both HRA holding and non-HRA holding – to boost their levels of direct delivery so that we can achieve the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We have begun this process through a series of measures designed to enhance councils’ capacity, capability, and confidence to build again at scale, as detailed in my answer to Question UIN 31737 on 27 February 2025.