Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 2,241–2,260 of 2,388 · this parliament
How many NHS IVF treatments were provided to asylum seekers in each of the last five years.
Neither the Department nor NHS England holds data on who accesses IVF treatment. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority publishes information on the numbers and IVF cycles carried out, including whether they were privately or NHS funded, but this does not cover the immigration status of the patient.
How many social care staff (a) were dismissed and (b) resigned due to mandatory Covid-19 vaccination regulations.
The Government does not hold this data.
How many complaints there were about to the standard of English of (a) GPs, (b) consultants and (c) other health care professionals in the NHS in each of the last 10 years.
No such data is collected. Many of the statutory health regulatory bodies have adopted the use of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to assess workers for the health care setting. The overall IELTS English language test score of 7.0 has been set, which is the equivalent of C1 of the Common European Framework for Reference of Languages.A public authority must also operate a complaints procedure so that if a member of the public feels that a public-facing public authority worker has insufficient proficiency in spoken English for the performance of their role, they can make a formal complaint to the public authority which is then investigated, and a response provided.
What information his Department holds on complaints about GPs, broken down by GP nationality, in each of the last five years.
Data is not collected or held on the nationality status of general practitioners (GPs) when undergoing a complaints procedure. Under the GP contract, practices must establish and operate a complaints procedure to deal with complaints made in relation to the provision of services. This includes practices making available to their patients a leaflet with details on how they may make a complaint or comment on the provision of services. Patients may either choose to complain to their healthcare provider, for instance a GP, or their local National Health Service commissioner.
What information his Department holds on (a) the number of GP appointments available and (b) excess demand for those appointments in each of the last five years.
The 12-month rolling sum of appointments in each of the last five years, excluding COVID-19 vaccination appointments, is as follows:284,800,000 as of September 2020;302,910,000 as of September 2021;325,100,000 as of September 2022;351,758,870 as of September 2023; and376,460,990 as of September 2024.We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform, and we have already invested £82 million to recruit 1,000 newly qualified GPs in 2024/25, which will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs and take pressure off those currently working in the system.
How many (a) attendances at accident and emergency departments and (b) emergency admissions there were for dentistry-related issues in each of the last 10 years.
The following table shows how many attendances to accident and emergency departments there were for dentistry-related issues, specifically those with a first diagnosis code of dental abscess or dental caries, for each of the last four years:Year2020/212021/222022/232023/24Attendances60,33069,85967,31073,088Source: the data is published on NHS Digital, and is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-accident--emergency-activity/2023-24Note: due to changes in recording methods, data from the last ten years is not available. In addition, the following table shows the number of emergency admissions for dentistry-related issues, specifically the number if Finished Admission Episodes for dental-related issues, for each of the last ten years:YearAdmissions2014/1516,2792015/1616,7492016/1717,2852017/1818,7442018/1920,5432019/2022,1292020/2117,5402021/2219,3402022/2319,9792023/2423,109Source: the data is published on NHS Digital, and is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity/2023-24
How many irregular migrants entered the UK in each of the last five years, broken down by vehicle type.
The Home Office publishes statistics on irregular arrivals to the UK in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK statistics’ release on gov.uk. Data on arrivals by arrival method, sex, and age are published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets’, with the latest data up to the end of June 2024.The Home Office does not publish arrival method breakdowns by vehicle type.
What the Government's policy is on checking the immigration status of individuals during the process of arrest to prosecution.
Where relevant, the Police will check the immigration status of individuals they arrest with Immigration Enforcement. The purpose of sharing this information is to assist in establishing identity.Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.
Whether irregular migrants housed in hotels have access to (a) pool, (b) gym and (c) other hotel facilities.
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.They do not have access to hotel leisure facilities.The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly, clearing the backlog and increasing removals, ending demand on accommodation. The Home Office accommodation estate is under constant review, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money.
What her department's policy is on (a) engines, (b) boats and (c) life jackets recovered from irregular migrant arrivals; and what the cost to the public purse was of the (i) storage of, (ii) destruction of and (iii) other process applied to such equipment in each year since 2018.
All vessels that have been subject to seizure are held by Border Force until completion of any criminal investigation activities. The majority of boats are not fit for re-sale or to ever go to sea again, as they arrive in very poor condition and may be damaged during the recovery process.The boats are disposed of by Border Force’s approved contractors and, where appropriate, any suitable materials are recycled. Regarding the costs of storage, destruction and other process applied to the equipment listed, this information is not available in an accessible format and can therefore not be provided.
Pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2024 to Question 11117 on Crime: Undocumented Migrants, what information her Department holds on the number of crimes committed by undocumented migrants.
The information requested is not available from published statistics.Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. A foreign national who has been convicted of an offence that has caused serious harm, who is a persistent offender or who represents a threat to national security may also be considered for deportation under the Immigration Act 1971, where it is conducive to the public good.We are committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and, where appropriate, we will pursue their deportation, and they will be swiftly removed from the country.
How many irregular migrants have crossed the Channel by (a) age and (b) sex in each year since 2018.
The Home Office publishes statistics on irregular arrivals to the UK in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK statistics’ release on gov.uk. Data on arrivals by arrival method, sex, and age are published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets’, with the latest data up to the end of June 2024.The Home Office does not publish arrival method breakdowns by vehicle type.
What information her Department holds on the number and proportion of businesses that do not accept cash; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to require all businesses to accept cash.
The Government recognises the vital role cash plays as means of payment for essential goods and services and to the wider economy, and welcomes the recent announcement of the Treasury Select Committee’s inquiry into cash acceptance.There is no legal requirement for businesses to accept specific forms of payment. It is for each business to decide on the forms of payment it chooses to accept, based on a variety of factors, including cost and customer preferences. Research published by the Financial Conduct Authority in 2020 found that 98 per cent of small businesses surveyed would never turn customers away if they needed to pay in cash.The Financial Conduct Authority also recently assumed regulatory responsibility for protecting access to cash. These rules will support business’ ability to continue to accept cash by ensuring they have reasonable access to cash deposit facilities.
The locations of how many irregular migrants processed by the authorities and believed to be in the UK are unknown to her Department.
The Home Office does not hold or detain asylum seekers in asylum accommodation, and individuals are free to leave their accommodation if they no longer require support. The Home Office does maintain records of where supported asylum seekers are accommodated, and updates these records in the event the Department is informed a person moves address.
What steps his Department plans to take to improve mental health provision for farmers.
We plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations.The Suicide prevention strategy for England: 2023 to 2028, published September 2023, sets out an ambition to conduct and commission research and data linkage projects, including supporting the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to look at agricultural workers to understand the unique challenges in that occupational group and respond appropriately.Through its Farming and Countryside Programme, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is working with a range of farming charities, including the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and the Yellow Wellies charity, which have highlighted mental health challenges for farming communities.In addition, people of all ages who are in crisis or who are concerned about a family or loved one can now call 111, select the mental health option, and speak to a trained mental health professional. National Health Service staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternative services, like crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or hospital admission.
What the (a) value and (b) volume of coal imported into the UK was in each of the last five years.
Data showing the value and volume of coal imported into the UK is presented in the following table: 20192020202120222023UK coal imports (million tonnes)5.43.74.56.62.9Value of UK coal imports (£m)5743184701,573519Source: HMRC trade data
How many civil service staff earned above £100,000 a year in (a) January 2024 and (b) the latest period for which data is available.
Civil Service Statistics (Table 35) provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 and in other bandings. The latest information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2024 The previous administration did not publish a 2023 list. The Cabinet Office will publish this in due course following the usual process.
What the total number of staff employed to review Personal Independence Payment claims is; and how many fraudulent claims were made in each of the last five years.
DWP currently has 2,700 FTE employed to review Personal Independence Payment Claims. Staff RoleFTEDS PIP New Claims and Award Reviews2700 Notes:Data is correct as of 04th November 2024.Data for PIP New Claims and Award Reviews staff has been derived from the Department’s Activity Based Model (ABM).ABM FTE (Full Time Equivalent) have been rounded to the nearest 100.The number of staff that are employed on PIP New Claims and Award Reviews activity is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal department use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics standard. As the Department holds the information, we have released it. Please refer to table 12 in the following published document which shows levels of fraud and error in the benefits system, including PIP. fraud-and-error-statistics-release-2023-2024-estimates-data-tables.xlsx The published fraud statistics only provide an estimate of the percentage of PIP cases that are fraudulent. The total number can be calculated by applying that percentage to the total PIP caseload – information can be found at: Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to July 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What the cost to the public purse was of storing personal protective equipment in China since the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic.
As of the end of September 2024, approximately 1,049,700 pallets, or 23%, of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been recycled through energy from waste and recycling. The original cost to purchase was £8.644 billion, and all stock categorised as excess has no residual market value.Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the total cost of storing PPE in China was £60.6 million. PPE has not been stored outside of the United Kingdom since June 2023.
Whether he has made an assessment of introducing performance related pay reviews on all senior leadership positions in the Civil Service.
The performance management process for Senior Civil Servants already provides the opportunity for performance related pay to recognise high performance.