Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tom Gordon this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 167 · this parliament
How many applications for the use of Armed Forces chapels for same-sex marriages under the Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Use of Armed Forces’ Chapels) Regulations 2014 have been refused following objections by th
The Single Services have identified that the main barrier to same-sex couples marrying in Armed Forces chapels is the length of the process required to register such chapels for same-sex marriage. We have streamlined the process as much as possible, but i...
What assessment his Department has made of barriers to same-sex couples marrying in Armed Forces chapels; and whether his Department has investigated whether service personnel wishing to enter into same-sex marri
The Single Services have identified that the main barrier to same-sex couples marrying in Armed Forces chapels is the length of the process required to register such chapels for same-sex marriage. We have streamlined the process as much as possible, but i...
How many Armed Forces chapels are (a) registered and (b) eligible to be registered for same-sex marriages under the Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Use of Armed Forces’ Chapels) Regulations 2014 by (i) Royal Navy,
The Single Services have identified that the main barrier to same-sex couples marrying in Armed Forces chapels is the length of the process required to register such chapels for same-sex marriage. We have streamlined the process as much as possible, but i...
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of VAT on the affordability of respite day care services; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the reasons for the difference in VAT treatment betw
Supplies of welfare services, including the provision of respite and residential care for people with permanent disabilities and dementia, are exempt from VAT if they are supplied by eligible bodies, such as public bodies or charities.Some respite care ma...
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that respite day care services for adults with (a) dementia and (b) disabilities are affordable.
The Government recognises the important role that respite day care can play in supporting adults with dementia, disabled adults, and unpaid carers.Where local authorities decide to charge for the provision of care and support, including respite day care s...
What guidance is provided to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority on the proportionality of evidence requests made to applicants; and what steps he is taking to ensure that requests for historic financial
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. Its decisions are made independently from the Secretary of State for Justice. The amount of compensation CICA can award and the rules which apply are se...
What recent assessment he has made of the average time taken by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to (a) reach initial decisions and (b) review decisions; and what steps he is taking to (i) reduce dela
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the 2012 Scheme) does not set a time limit for applications to be decided.Most applications are decided within 12 months. Each case must be considered on its own facts. In most cases, CICA requires informati...
Media and Sport, what assessment she had made of the potential impact of time taken to complete works required to protect the setting of heritage assets on tourism growth and local economies, with particular refe
The Government recognises the vital role that heritage assets play in driving tourism growth and supporting local economies. Across the country, and throughout historic towns like Knaresborough, our cultural and historical landmarks are powerful catalysts...
What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken by his Department to prevent company directors from voluntarily striking off non-trading companies due to unresolved Bounce Back Loan cases; and what co
The Department for Business and Trade, Companies House, and the Cabinet Office have a clear and joined up approach to raising and withdrawing objections to voluntary dissolution. To ensure businesses are able to close without incurring additional administ...
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of considering improvements in quality of care for people with long term chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease as part of the national quality strategy.
Improving the quality of care for people living with long-term chronic conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, is a key priority for the National Health Service. Rather than being incorporated into the National Quality Strategy, which will set out overarching principles and priorities for improving quality, the NHS is working to improve outcomes and experience for people with long-term conditions through clinically-led improvement activity, data-driven benchmarking, and partnership with professional and patient groups. This work complements the National Quality Strategy’s goal of supporting sustainable quality improvement across the health and care system and reducing health inequalities.
What consideration his Department has given to the integration of recommendations from the Getting It Right First Time programme for gastroenterology into the national quality strategy.
We recognise the value of clinically‑led improvement programmes such as Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) in identifying and addressing unwarranted variation in care, including in gastroenterology. Rather than being incorporated into the National Quality Strategy, which will set out overarching principles and priorities for improving quality, GIRFT recommendations are developed through detailed clinical engagement, analysis of national data, and close working with professional bodies, providers, and systems. Specialty‑specific recommendations from programmes such as GIRFT are used to inform delivery at national, regional, and local levels, rather than being incorporated as prescriptive elements of the strategy itself.
Whether his Department plans to introduce regulations to ensure that non-loyalty scheme prices for essential groceries are transparent.
Requirements on price transparency are set out in consumer protection law, including the Price Marking Order and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act which prohibits "drip pricing", requiring traders including supermarkets to provide consumers, upfront, with clear prices including all mandatory charges.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) keeps supermarket pricing practices under review and undertook work on price marking and promotions in the grocery sector in 2024. The Government has no current plans to introduce further regulations but continues to monitor how existing rules operate and supports the CMA in taking action where non‑compliance is identified.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of data privacy regulations governing supermarket loyalty schemes.
All organisations in the UK that process personal data, including supermarkets operating loyalty schemes, must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This legislation requires personal data to be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, and secured by appropriate technical and organisational measures. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and is responsible for monitoring and enforcing this legislation. We recently strengthened their powers in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to help them investigate suspected breaches of the legislation.
Whether he has had discussions with major supermarkets on the increasing price differential between loyalty and non-loyalty prices.
The groceries sector operates in a competitive market, and supermarkets are free to set their prices how they choose. Recent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) reports have shown that competition and profitability in the groceries sector has demonstrated that competition between them is working well.On 27 November 2024, the CMA published their findings from its review of loyalty pricing in the groceries sector. The CMA's review of loyalty pricing schemes concluded that in the majority of cases promotions offered genuine savings but that shoppers should not assume a loyalty price is always the lowest price a product is available for and it is worth shopping around.
What recent discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on supermarket pricing practices.
The Department for Business and Trade engages regularly with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on competition and consumer protection issues.The CMA keeps supermarket pricing practices under review. In 2024, it carried out work on price marking and promotions in the grocery sector. This identified concerns about compliance with consumer protection law. The CMA has since set clear expectations for retailers and will take action where non‑compliance is identified, using its consumer enforcement powers.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cormorant predation on fish stocks and biodiversity.
This is a devolved matter and the information provided relates to England only. While the Government recognises the impact that cormorants can have on native fish stocks, it has not made a recent formal assessment of cormorant predation on them or wider biodiversity. Many factors are responsible for suppressing fish stock recovery, including climate change effects, poor water quality, altered hydrology and physical habitat modification or degradation. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides licensing functions to permit the control of cormorants to protect fisheries where it can be shown that non-lethal measures are failing to manage predation. Licences are issued by Natural England, which has responsibility for setting a prudent upper limit on cormorant control to ensure that licensed removal does not irreversibly affect their conservation status.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing bursaries or financial support for students training in creative therapies.
The student finance system is the primary funding support package for students in further education, and students training in creative therapies can access student loans via the Student Loans Company. There are no current plans to provide any additional financial support to these students.The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare students under close review. At all times the Government must strike a balance between the level of support students receive and the need to make best use of public funds to deliver value for money.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of workforce shortages in creative therapies for children and young people.
While no such specific assessment has been made, more young people are being supported to access National Health Service mental health services. In the first 12 months of the Government, nearly 40,000 more children and young people received support compared to the previous 12 months. This is helped by over 8,000 extra mental health workers being recruited since July 2024.Work is ongoing in NHS England to determine the adequacy of creative therapies, including art, music, dramatherapy, via the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan. The plan is expected to be published later in the spring.
What steps he is taking to increase participation in bowel cancer screening programmes in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
The Harrogate, Leeds, and York Bowel Cancer Screening Programme serves the population of Harrogate and Knaresborough. Data from NHS England shows that uptake for this programme is 75.3% for people aged 60 to 74 years old. While this is higher than the England average of 70.3%, we know that there is more work to be done.Work is ongoing to both maintain and improve uptake, which includes collaborating with the Humber North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance and general practices, as well as local communities working together. Additional work to support raising awareness of the bowel cancer screening programme includes development of a recent promotional video which was shared with all North Yorkshire practices to enable them to play on displays in surgery waiting rooms, and with the local authority for use on their social media platforms. Other promotional initiatives have included:Go Racing, which is offering all racecourses/corresponding screening centres to send a representative on race days to chat to race goers/videos on big screen/feature in race card;five facts toilet campaign posters;recorded jingle/promotion at Harrogate radio; andattendance at cattle markets to raise awareness.
What criteria the NIHR use to make funding decisions in the event of a tiebreaker.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) does not use location as a formal tie-breaker criterion in assessment. In the instances of a tie break scenario, the NIHR will typically use strategic fit to make a decision. The NIHR does, however, use 'Working with people and communities' and 'Inclusive research' as part of its assessment criteria, and as part of determining strategic fit, funding committee’s consider aspects such as location. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-funding/application-support/domestic-funding-programmes-assessment-criteria