Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tom Hayes this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 421–440 of 496 · this parliament
Pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 5458 on Film: Tax Allowances, whether she has a planned timetable for bringing forward legislative proposals on the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit.
The additional tax relief for visual effects costs has not been legislated. Tax policy announcements are normally made at fiscal events and the Chancellor will set out her Budget on 30 October.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations of 7 October 2024, Official Report, column 45, when his Department plans to publish further details of the (a) trust fund and (b) additional government support for Chagossians in the UK.
We recognise the importance of the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago to Chagossians and we have put their interests at the heart of this Agreement. Under this agreement, Mauritius will be free to implement a programme of resettlement to the islands of Chagos other than Diego Garcia, and the UK will finance a new trust fund for Mauritius in support of Chagossians. I will endeavour to provide Parliament with further appropriate details, including additional government support for Chagossians in the UK, at the point that the Treaty is signed.
Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the competitiveness of the UK visual effects sector.
The UK is a global hub of talent and is home to many of the world’s biggest VFX studios. The UK’s visual effects (VFX) sector is highly competitive, competing successfully with production centres in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South East Asia, and Europe, to secure substantial inward investment.The government is committed to supporting the UK’s visual effects industry, ensuring that they are able to remain competitive and with international reach. We will continue to focus on maintaining a strong and globally competitive sector by attracting new film and high-end TV productions that require our VFX and post-production studios; providing competitive tax incentives; investing in infrastructure; supporting innovation; working with industry on skills development; and promoting independent content. The government will continue to ensure our tax incentives are modern, agile, competitive and attractive.The government will continue to engage both with sector organisations like the UK Screen Alliance and with individual VFX studios to make sure the UK remains an attractive and competitive place to do business.Whilst DCMS Sector Economic Estimates provide high level figures for employment within the Creative Industries, DCMS does not hold this information for each creative sub sector. However, BFI’s most recent report estimates that the UK VFX sector directly employed 10,680 FTE in 2021. The same BFI report also estimates the total number of jobs supported by VFX, including indirect employment through the supply chain, was 27,430 FTE in 2021.
Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the number of people employed in the UK's visual effects sector.
The UK is a global hub of talent and is home to many of the world’s biggest VFX studios. The UK’s visual effects (VFX) sector is highly competitive, competing successfully with production centres in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South East Asia, and Europe, to secure substantial inward investment.The government is committed to supporting the UK’s visual effects industry, ensuring that they are able to remain competitive and with international reach. We will continue to focus on maintaining a strong and globally competitive sector by attracting new film and high-end TV productions that require our VFX and post-production studios; providing competitive tax incentives; investing in infrastructure; supporting innovation; working with industry on skills development; and promoting independent content. The government will continue to ensure our tax incentives are modern, agile, competitive and attractive.The government will continue to engage both with sector organisations like the UK Screen Alliance and with individual VFX studios to make sure the UK remains an attractive and competitive place to do business.Whilst DCMS Sector Economic Estimates provide high level figures for employment within the Creative Industries, DCMS does not hold this information for each creative sub sector. However, BFI’s most recent report estimates that the UK VFX sector directly employed 10,680 FTE in 2021. The same BFI report also estimates the total number of jobs supported by VFX, including indirect employment through the supply chain, was 27,430 FTE in 2021.
Communities & Local Government, with reference to her oral statement on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations of 7 October 2024, Official Report, column 45, whether the Government plans to provide housing support to Chagossians in the UK.
As British citizens living in the UK, Chagossian British Citizens have the same rights and responsibilities as any other British citizens and are able to live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls.The Government has published guidance for Chagossian British Citizens moving to the UK, which confirms Chagossians should make their own accommodation arrangements before they travel.The department is committed to working in partnership with local authorities to ensure they are able to support Chagossian arrivals in their area.
Whether she plans to make it her policy to give Ukrainian visa holders (a) humanitarian protection or (b) other long-term status.
This Government is committed to standing with Ukraine, and providing stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and those who still need our sanctuary.To provide future certainty to those who have been provided with sanctuary in the UK under the existing Ukraine schemes, the government will be introducing a bespoke Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE), due to open in early 2025. This will allow those with sanctuary to apply for further permission to remain in the UK, giving them the same rights and entitlements as they have been given under the existing Ukraine Schemes.To allow ease of transition, this scheme will open in advance of the first Ukraine scheme visas expiring, with further details on eligibility and application processes being available before the scheme opens.The Ukrainian government have been clear about their strong desire for the future return of its citizens to help rebuild Ukraine when it is safe to do so. It is important that our approach respects these wishes.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) reliability of information for consumers on the purchase of green home improvements.
The Government recognises that access to trusted and impartial information is an important enabler to consumers, when making choices about how to retrofit their homes. This is why the government delivers a number of digital services on GOV.UK to support consumers to take action. The government is going further to simplify the user journey for consumers, on GOV.UK, creating a single access point for all homeowners, landlords and tenants at varying points in their retrofit journey. It will bring together information, sources of funding and links to trusted installers, and simplify and expand the current government advice and information offer.
What steps his Department is taking to tackle misinformation relating to (a) migrant access to NHS services and (b) accommodation of asylum seekers.
As my Rt. Hon. friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said on 9 September 2024, the Online Safety Act will be the Government’s key tool in combatting online mis- and disinformation.The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for migrants, and encourages these groups to access the National Health Services’ they are entitled to. The Government has published the Migrant Health Guide, which sets out guidance on the services which migrants are entitled to receive. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migrant-health-guideThe Department of Health and Social Care works with the Home Office to ensure asylum seekers have access to health care. The Home Office will ensure that the asylum system operates fairly, and processes claims quickly.The Department of Health and Social Care, along with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, the Home Office, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, are in the final stages of agreeing the principles, objectives, and priorities of a National Partnership Agreement which will set out the common aspirations to support the health and wellbeing needs of people seeking asylum. They will also support local systems, like integrated care boards, local authorities, voluntary, community, and social enterprises, and others, in delivering these locally. NHS England has been working with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence to support access to healthcare services for people on protection and resettlement routes, as well as people seeking asylum. NHS England has also worked with the Home Office to improve support during the Move On period, when people are granted leave to remain, and any change of accommodation.
What steps her Department is taking to prevent crime.
This Government has put crime prevention front and centre of our safer streets mission, which aims to halve violence against women and girls, halve knife crime, and restore confidence in the policing and justice system over the next decade.In addition, the 2024-25 police funding settlement will provide up to £18.5 billion of funding for the policing system, supporting the police to undertake crime prevention.
What steps her Department is taking to improve (a) charge rates of people accused of crime and (b) support for victims of crime.
The Home Office recognises that charge volumes and rates have been persistently low for too long. That’s why we have set out our Safer Streets mission to rebuild confidence in policing and the criminal justice system.The Home Office is working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to improve criminal justice outcomes and to support collaboration between the two agencies in order to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point.The Government is committed to ensuring victims of crime have the information and support they need. That is why we will implement the reforms in the Victims and Prisoner Act 2024; making sure that victims know about their rights in the Code and that agencies deliver them and placing greater responsibility on local commissioners to collaborate on funding for support services.The Ministry of Justice provides funding for vital victim and witness support services, to help victims cope and recover from the impact of crime, through a mix of local and nationally commissioned services.
What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of levels of neighbourhood policing.
The Home Secretary has made a clear commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the introduction of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which includes the addition of thousands more neighbourhood police personnel, as part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission. Funding for 2025/26 will be subject to the Spending Review.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure the (a) effective management and (b) monitoring of serial preparators of domestic abuse.
This government has committed to using every tool available to target prolific perpetrators of domestic abuse from early intervention to the counter-terror style targeting of the most serious offenders by the police. The government has committed to using the approaches normally reserved for counter terrorism and serious organised crime to target perpetrators and keep victims safe. Working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing, the Home Secretary will oversee the development of a new national approach to the use of data-driven tools to identify and manage the most harmful and prolific perpetrators of violence against women and girls. The Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund currently provides up to £39 million over two years until April 2025 to 27 Police and Crime Commissioners to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator behaviour change intervention programmes in their local areas. The fund aims to support sustainable behaviour change and robust disruption to reduce reoffending and stop perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking moving from one victim to the next.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure police officers are effectively trained to handle cases of (a) domestic abuse and (b) sexual violence.
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we will treat it as a national emergency. Our mission is to halve levels of these crimes within a decade, using every lever available to us in government and right across society. This means reforming the police response to these crimes, strengthening the criminal justice system, and empowering victims by providing access to specialist support when they need it.We are committed to ensuring policing have the right skills and training to respond appropriately to victims of VAWG and have committed to mandating stronger training on VAWG for policing.We have also supported the College of Policing to design and launch new, academic-informed training programmes on investigating rape and sexual offending. This includes new training for those likely to make initial contact with victims.To improve the criminal justice response, the Home Office continues to support collaboration between the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in order to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point. This involves supporting policing and CPS colleagues to improve case progression by reducing blockages, cutting bureaucracy, streamlining processes, and improving timeliness. This Government has also committed to making it easier for high-performing police forces to charge domestic abuse suspects to speed up the charging process and improve outcomes.
What steps her Department is taking to improve the charge rates for perpetrators of violence against women and girls.
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we will treat it as a national emergency. Our mission is to halve levels of these crimes within a decade, using every lever available to us in government and right across society. This means reforming the police response to these crimes, strengthening the criminal justice system, and empowering victims by providing access to specialist support when they need it.We are committed to ensuring policing have the right skills and training to respond appropriately to victims of VAWG and have committed to mandating stronger training on VAWG for policing.We have also supported the College of Policing to design and launch new, academic-informed training programmes on investigating rape and sexual offending. This includes new training for those likely to make initial contact with victims.To improve the criminal justice response, the Home Office continues to support collaboration between the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in order to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point. This involves supporting policing and CPS colleagues to improve case progression by reducing blockages, cutting bureaucracy, streamlining processes, and improving timeliness. This Government has also committed to making it easier for high-performing police forces to charge domestic abuse suspects to speed up the charging process and improve outcomes.
What steps her Department is taking to help tackle antisocial behaviour.
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets.We will put thousands of new neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities, so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.We will crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers via a Crime and Policing Bill, including a new Respect Order to tackle repeat offending.
What steps her Department is taking to support victims of modern slavery.
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery, prosecuting those responsible and supporting victims in their recovery.The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. 17,004 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office in 2023; the highest annual number since the NRM began in 2009 and a 628% increase since 2014.This unprecedented increase in the volume of referrals into the NRM has presented significant challenges in resourcing and workflow, and we recognise that wait times for Conclusive Grounds decisions are too long. Operational teams have invested heavily in seeking to address this and as a result numbers of people awaiting a Conclusive Grounds decision have dropped for the first time and timeliness is improving. We continue to strive for faster decisions for victims.In England and Wales, after referral to the National Referral Mechanism, adult victims can access specialist support from the government funded Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). This support includes safe accommodation where necessary, financial support and a support worker to help them access wider support services, including medical treatment, legal aid, legal representatives, and legal advice. This support is available to all adult victims, including British nationals, based on an ongoing needs-based assessment.Local authorities are the primary service provider for safeguarding child victims regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Additionally, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in two-thirds of Local Authorities in England and Wales. ICTGs provide an additional source of advice and support for potentially trafficked children, irrespective of nationality or immigration status. An ICTG’s advocacy and involvement throughout the decision-making process is intended to ensure the child is protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation, re-trafficking or going missing, and promote the child’s recovery.The Government has robust internal assurance processes in place to manage and assure projects and programmes. We are currently looking at how we ensure the long-term sustainability of these programmes to continue to meet the needs of both adult and child victims of modern slavery.
What progress her Department has made on reducing the use of hotels as contingency asylum accommodation.
The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.
What steps her Department is taking to enhance the ability of the National Referral Mechanism to ensure quicker and more effective assistance for modern slavery victims.
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery, prosecuting those responsible and supporting victims in their recovery.The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. 17,004 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office in 2023; the highest annual number since the NRM began in 2009 and a 628% increase since 2014.This unprecedented increase in the volume of referrals into the NRM has presented significant challenges in resourcing and workflow, and we recognise that wait times for Conclusive Grounds decisions are too long. Operational teams have invested heavily in seeking to address this and as a result numbers of people awaiting a Conclusive Grounds decision have dropped for the first time and timeliness is improving. We continue to strive for faster decisions for victims.In England and Wales, after referral to the National Referral Mechanism, adult victims can access specialist support from the government funded Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). This support includes safe accommodation where necessary, financial support and a support worker to help them access wider support services, including medical treatment, legal aid, legal representatives, and legal advice. This support is available to all adult victims, including British nationals, based on an ongoing needs-based assessment.Local authorities are the primary service provider for safeguarding child victims regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Additionally, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in two-thirds of Local Authorities in England and Wales. ICTGs provide an additional source of advice and support for potentially trafficked children, irrespective of nationality or immigration status. An ICTG’s advocacy and involvement throughout the decision-making process is intended to ensure the child is protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation, re-trafficking or going missing, and promote the child’s recovery.The Government has robust internal assurance processes in place to manage and assure projects and programmes. We are currently looking at how we ensure the long-term sustainability of these programmes to continue to meet the needs of both adult and child victims of modern slavery.
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence to ensure (a) domestic abuse within the armed forces is tackled, (b) victims are protected and (c) perpetrators are held to account.
The Government has set out an unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade; working across government departments, sectors and wider society to tackle the scourge of violence and abuse wherever it is found. We will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to ensure we respond robustly to support victims and pursue perpetrators within the armed forces, and their families. This will include identifying any additional challenges this cohort may face.
What plans she has to reform the court system in the light of the Renters’ Rights Bill.
The Renters Rights Bill will abolish section 21 (Housing Act 1988, no fault evictions) and amend the existing section 8 grounds, which will affect the County Court. Courts currently handle section 8 claims, however, legislative changes to section 8 that impact court processes or procedures will be subject to the necessary changes by the relevant Procedure Rule Committee.The Government has also committed to digitise the court possession service, making it simpler and easier for landlords and tenants to use.The Bill will also have an impact on the work of the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal. My officials are working with those in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to fully understand the implications and to identify the resources required to deal with cases as they arise.