Campaign reply: please protect every childhood and up-rate benefits

Thank you for contacting me regarding this important issue.

The Government understands that parental employment is the best way to tackle child poverty and improve long-term outcomes for families and children. In 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works. 

To help parents into work, the Plan for Jobs continues to provide broad-ranging support for all jobseekers through the Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support, and the Restart scheme. Through a staged roll-out, which began in April 2022, around 2.1 million low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for extended support through Jobcentres to progress into higher-paid work.

I welcome the Chancellor's announcement in the Autumn Statement 2022 that 600,000 more people in receipt of Universal Credit will receive help from a work coach to help increase their earnings or hours.

The Chancellor also announced that the Government accepts the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission to increase the National Living Wage by 9.7 per cent in 2023, meaning it will rise from £9.50 per hour to £10.42 per hour. This represents an annual pay rise worth over £1,600 to a full-time worker - the largest cash increase in the UK's National Living Wage ever. 

These changes are in addition to reforms to the Universal Credit Taper Rate and Work Allowances, saving working families an additional £1,000 per year on average. 

I also welcome the Government's action on energy bills. Under the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), the typical household will pay no more than £2,500 on their energy bill until April 2023. Thereafter, the price cap will rise so that the typical household will pay no more than £3,000 until April 2024. The EPG will save the average household a further £500 and mean they will not have to face energy bills of £6,000 this winter.

In addition to the EPG, I strongly welcome the Chancellor’s announcement during the Autumn Statement 2022 that the Government will increase its cost-of-living support package by an additional £12 billion, taking the total from £37 to £49 billion.

This increase means that, in addition to the cost-of-living payments already being made this year, the Government will provide extra one-off payments of £900 for the eight million households on means-tested benefits, a second £300 Pensioner Cost-of-Living Payment, and another £150 for disability benefit recipients. The Chancellor also announced that the Government will provide £1 billion of extra funding by extending the Household Support Fund for another year, bringing the total of the Fund to £2.5 billion.Benefits will also be increased by 10.1 per cent for 2023/24, in line with inflation. 

To support low-income families further, the Government has increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers to £4.25, helping eligible low-income households buy basic foods like milk, fruit and vitamins. There is also investment of over £200m a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which is already providing enriching activities and healthy meals to children in all English Local Authorities. The Holiday Activity and Food programme benefitted over 600,000 children last summer.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

Campaign reply - Priti Patel must now choose whether or not to extradite assange

Thank you for contacting me about Julian Assange.

I recognise that this is an issue about which many of my constituents care deeply. It is important to stress that extradition is a vital tool in the UK’s fight against transnational crime. There are also stringent legal protections in place to ensure a case does not raise any human rights issues and it is not incompatible with the five statutory bars to extradition.

Under the Extradition Act 2003, the Home Secretary must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds to prohibit the order being made. Extradition requests are only sent to the Home Secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case.

When presiding over a case, a judge must decide whether the case raises any human rights issues and whether the case passes the five statutory bars to extradition. These include rules against double jeopardy, extraneous considerations (where it is considered that the person is being prosecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or political opinions) and historic offences.

In this instance, UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr Assange. Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the US he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health. The Home Secretary has therefore signed the extradition order.

As I understand it, Mr Assange has submitted a High Court appeal against the decision to extradite him to the United States. Please be assured I will be following developments on this matter closely.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

 

Campaign reply - Give girls a seat at the table

Thank you for contacting me about Plan International UK's Equal Power Now campaign.

Providing women and girls with the freedom they need to succeed is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) priority, as outlined in the Government's Strategy for International Development, published in May 2022. This is in keeping with FCDO human rights objectives, which currently include a particular emphasis on promoting gender equality and women and girls’ rights.

The FCDO’s activity in this area includes: work to strengthen legislation on gender-based violence; initiatives to increase the political participation of women; support for women’s rights organisations in protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls; and the empowerment of women to participate in national dialogue and decision-making processes. In line with this, enabling active female participation in political processes continues to be an important area of UK Aid's work, which I understand includes elections management and observation, electoral system reform and campaigns, women’s movements and leadership, and work with the media.

I hope this reassures you that the UK Government is committed to a foreign policy that consciously and consistently delivers gender equality. Likewise, I am glad that the Government is also taking significant steps to increase the political representation and participation of women and girls here in the UK.

The 2019 General Election, for instance, saw more women than ever elected, with female MPs making up a proportion of 34 per cent. In addition, the number of women on FTSE 350 boards has increased by over 50 per cent in the last five years. It is encouraging to see more women and girls represented in the STEM pipeline also, with a 50.1 per cent increase in women accepted on to full-time STEM undergraduate courses in the UK.

Whilst room for further progress remains, I can assure you that the UK stands steadfast in its commitment to protect and promote women’s and girls’ rights and will continue to work with partners, including women’s rights organisations, to deliver for women and girls everywhere.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

Kind regards,

Cherilyn

Campaign reply - We need plastic reduction targets

Thank you for contacting me about plastic pollution.

The Resources and Waste Strategy for England sets out the Government’s plans to reduce, reuse, and recycle more plastic and Ministers have committed to work towards all plastic packaging on the market being recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Significant progress has already been made to address plastic pollution, including a ban on microbeads and restricting the supply of plastic straws, plastic drink stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds. The use of single-use carrier bags in supermarkets has reduced by over 97 per cent.

The Government is considering proposals to ban single-use plastic plates, cutlery, and balloon sticks, expanded and extruded polystyrene food and beverage containers, as well as other plastic items, including wet wipes and other single-use cups.

The Environment Act requires the Government to set at least one long-term target in the areas of resource efficiency and waste reduction. The Government recently consulted on its target to reduce residual waste. Over 180,000 submissions were received. As these responses need to be analysed and carefully considered, I am aware that it was not possible to publish these targets by 31 October, as required by the Act. I am assured that Defra is working to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable and I look forward to reading the Government’s response in due course.

I understand that setting individual, material-specific legally binding targets, such as a plastics waste reduction target, could risk shifting the environmental impact to other material types and could even lead to increases in residual waste due to switches to heavier materials. Ministers aim to take a holistic approach to all materials and avoid unintended substitution effects. As well as being a global environmental waste issue, plastics are strong, durable, and versatile materials, bringing environmental and economic benefits. Setting targets that encourage reductions in our consumption of materials more broadly, not only plastics, will help ensure the best environmental outcome.

The export of plastic waste is subject to strict controls in legislation. Businesses must ensure that the waste they ship is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its shipment and during its recycling. Individuals and businesses found to be exporting waste in contravention of the legislation can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine.

Finally, the Government wants to deal with more of our waste at home and I understand Ministers committed to banning the export of plastic waste to countries which are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

Kind regards,

Cherilyn 

Campaign reply - Emergency Budget: Protecting people from homelessness

Thank you for writing to me about tackling homelessness. 

I completely agree with you that a single person without a roof over their head is one too many. The Government is committed to ending rough sleeping once and for all by 2024.

 

A new strategy 'Ending Rough Sleeping For Good' has been published which sets out the Government's plan to prevent more people from finding themselves without a safe roof over their heads. This builds on the encouraging progress which has already been made, with the number of rough sleepers falling in every region of England and levels in 2021 reaching an eight-year low overall.

 

The new strategy is backed up by £2 billion worth of investment over the next three years to 2025. This includes funding for emergency accommodation, longer-term housing and tailored wrap-around support. The Government will also improve the support available to help people with experience of rough sleeping into employment.

You are absolutely right about the important role that safe accommodation plays in helping vulnerable people off the street.

 

The Government is making the largest ever investment in move-on accommodation which is helping to provide vulnerable people with support and a place to live. The £433 million Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme will deliver 6,000 move-on homes to those who are rough sleeping or who have a history of sleeping rough. Once in their new home, rough sleepers will be supported by specialist staff to access the help they need.

 

A key focus of Government work is helping people find longer-term accommodation and ensuring that they receive personalised support to move forwards. Local councils have an important role to play here. I know that, already, the number of people in emergency accommodation has nearly halved, with more people securing long-term homes.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Stop the industrial fishing frenzy

Thank you for contacting me about the health of the ocean, which is among my top priorities representing our coastal area.

The UK is a global leader in protecting our seas, the ocean and marine life, and works with counterparts both in the UK and overseas to help achieve these aims. I am pleased to sit on the Environmental Audit Committee in Parliament to scrutinise this work.

Since 2019, the United Kingdom has been leading the Global Ocean Alliance of countries championing ambitious ocean action under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the target to protect at least 30 per cent of the global ocean by 2030. The United Kingdom also serves as ocean co-chair of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People, which champions 30by30 for both the land and the ocean. Between these alliances, over 120 countries have pledged to support the global 30by30 ocean target at the upcoming 15th Conference of Parties to the CBD in December 2022.

I am aware that nearly 8.3 per cent of the global ocean is now protected. Achieving a 30by30 target will require an international effort. The UK is leading the way, with 374 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) now protect 38 per cent of UK waters, which are all subject to planning and licensing regimes to ensure they are protected from harmful activities. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has built a comprehensive network of MPAs and are focusing on making sure they are protected properly.

The UK is a global leader in protecting its ocean and marine life. Since 2010, 100 additional Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been introduced, which now protect 38 per cent of UK waters. These MPAs are subject to planning and licensing regimes to protect them from damaging activities and further plans to manage fishing activity are being developed. The Government’s £500 million Blue Planet Fund will help some of the world’s poorest communities to protect the ocean from plastic pollution, overfishing and habitat loss. In August 2021, Ministers announced the first five programmes under the Blue Planet Fund totalling £16.2 million of funding. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Green New Deal - will you back the bill?

Thank you for contacting me about a Green New Deal.

The UK has already set ambitious interim targets, including a 68 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and a 78 per cent reduction in emissions by 2035, also compared to 1990 levels. These targets commit build on the Ten Point Plan and put the UK firmly on the path to net zero by 2050, leading the way in tackling climate change globally. Furthermore, the Government also amended the Environment Act 2021 to include a new, historic, legally binding target on species abundance for 2030 to halt the decline of nature, and to address the unacceptable amount of sewage discharged by water companies into our rivers.

The Government's Ten Point Plan will mobilise £12 billion of government investment and potentially three times as much from the private sector, to create and support up to 250,000 green jobs. This investment will drive innovation and lead to significant improvements in green technology which may benefit housing, transport, education, care and manufacturing.

The North Sea Transition Deal will be a key component in ensuring the oil and gas sector work with the Government over the long-term to deliver the skills, innovation and new infrastructure required to decarbonise North Sea production, as well as other carbon intensive industries.

The Green Jobs Taskforce was established to help the Government better understand how the UK could grasp opportunities of the Green Industrial Revolution. The findings and recommendations from the taskforce have helped develop and inform the Net Zero Strategy. In the strategy, the Government announced its ambition to support up to 440,000 jobs across net zero industries in 2030, contributing towards a broader pivot to a greener economy which could support 2 million jobs in green sectors or by greening existing sectors. The Government will work with business to grow green industries, supply chains and skills in the UK, and ensure resilience to international changes in supply chains. 

The Government’s Energy Security Strategy sets out plans to accelerate the deployment of wind, new nuclear, solar and hydrogen, while supporting the production of domestic oil and gas in the nearer term – which could see 95 per cent of electricity being low carbon by 2030. To this end, the Energy Security Bill was announced as part of the Queen's Speech 2022, which includes concrete measures to deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner, and more secure energy. 

The progress and agreements achieved at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021 was encouraging. The Glasgow Climate Pact calls on countries to accelerate efforts towards the phase down of unabated coal power and phase out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, while providing targeted support to the poorest and most vulnerable in line with national circumstances and recognising the need for support towards a just transition. 

I am also ensuring that Cornwall plays a central role in developing green technologies, including by producing the critical minerals and off-shore wind needed for our energy transition.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Maternity pay is not enough to survive the cost of living crisis

Thank you for contacting me about maternity leave and maternity pay. 

As Chair of the All-Party-Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Baby Loss and a member of the APPG on Women’s health, this is an issue I care about deeply. 

 

I have been pressing Ministers on this issue, and I am pleased that the UK’s Maternity Leave offer is now amongst the most generous in the world – up to 52 weeks of leave are available, 39 weeks of which are paid.

As you may know, under Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay, eligible parents receive 90 per cent of normal earnings for the first 6 weeks, followed by up to 33 weeks at the statutory flat rate (£151.20 per week).

In 2019, the Government consulted on reforming parental leave and pay. It also conducted a formal evaluation of the Shared Parental Leave and Pay scheme, including large-scale, representative surveys of employers and parents. I understand the feedback from this consultation is helping inform government thinking as proposals are brought forward. 

As part of the evaluation of Shared Parental Leave and Pay, the Government commissioned large, representative, surveys of parents and employees which asked about a broad range of parental leave and pay entitlements` including high-level options for reform. The information collected is providing a fuller picture of how well the current system of parental leave and pay is working for parents and employers.

I will continue to press the Government closely on this issue and share your views. 

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Demand the UK government stops arming Israel

Thank you for contacting me about military exports to Israel.

The government takes its export control responsibilities extremely seriously and operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available, including advice received from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Ministry of Defence, and other government departments and agencies as appropriate.

 

Licence decisions take account of prevailing circumstances at the time of application and include human rights and international humanitarian law considerations. I am assured that the Government will not issue export licences where to do so would be inconsistent with the criteria, including where there is a clear risk that the arms might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

I know that Ministers continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories closely, and will take action to suspend, refuse or revoke licences – in line with the criteria – if circumstances require.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Please support a Minister for Animal Free Science

Thank you for contacting me about animal research.

Animal research plays a vital role in providing safety information for potential new medicines. As a result of findings from animal studies, a large number of potential new drugs never get as far as being tested in humans. Some aspects of the toxicological assessment of new medicines cannot be adequately assessed in humans, and animal data will be the only kind available. 

I would like to reassure you that the UK's rigorous regulatory system ensures that no animal testing or research takes place if a non-animal alternative exists that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought. The National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) is the UK’s leading scientific based organisation dedicated to replacing, refining, and reducing the use of animals in scientific research and testing. The NC3Rs supports the research community to use the latest science and technology to replace animal studies, providing new approaches for biomedical research, and avoiding the time and cost associated with animal models.

Since the NC3Rs was launched in 2004, the Government has invested £77 million in research towards developing new approaches to replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in scientific procedures, and an additional £32 million through its CRACK IT programme for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and universities to work with the pharmaceutical and chemical industries on collaborative 3Rs projects that aim to generate commercial opportunities in this area.

Without animal testing it is highly likely that a large number of potentially dangerous new medicines would be tested in healthy volunteers and patients in clinical trials. This would be completely unacceptable. That said, I welcome the Government's commitment to the development of non-animal technologies. Such technologies have the potential to reduce the reliance on the use of animals, improve the efficiency of drug research and development, and deliver safer, cheaper, and more effective medicines to patients. Ministers have also stressed that they continue to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Solidarity for CWU members in BT/Openreach industrial dispute

Thank you for contacting me about the industrial dispute involving members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and BT/Openreach.

It is my understanding that CWU members, including call centre workers and engineers took part in strike action due to a dispute over pay.

BT and Openreach, as its wholly-owned subsidiary, are private sector employers and therefore this dispute was a matter for them and CWU to resolve and not something the Government can involve itself in.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Where is the Deposit return Scheme?

Thank you for contacting me about deposit return systems.

The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to reduce, reuse, and recycle more than we do now. I know the Government’s target is to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste throughout the life of the 25 Year Environment Plan. 

 

The Environment Act 2021 includes new powers to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers. This will recycle billions more plastic bottles and stop them being landfilled or littered. I believe that this will help to change consumer behaviours with potential knock-on effects to other environmental activities.

 

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has now consulted twice on introducing a DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the most recent consultation held in 2021. This second consultation has closed and Government is analysing the responses to that consultation. In March, details of the scope of the scheme were announced, and Defra continues to work on finalising the remainder of the policy with a view to publishing a full Government response soon. An impact assessment for the introduction of the scheme will also be published.

 

I understand that Ministers anticipate that the introduction of a DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland would be in late 2024 at the earliest, subject to the outcome of the second consultation. This presents a realistic yet ambitious timetable to ensure that Defra is implementing a DRS that will be as effective as possible in achieving the UK’s objectives of boosting recycling levels, offering greater opportunities to collect higher quality, uncontaminated materials in greater quantities, thus promoting a circular economy and reducing littering.

 

More widely, the Government introduced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products in 2018 and brought in measures to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds in 2020. The use of single-use carrier bags has reduced by 97 per cent since the introduction of the 5p charge and ministers increased the charge to 10p and extended it to all retailers in May 2021.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Please help pubs and brewers to keep the lights on this winter and beyond

Thank you for contacting me about support for pubs.

Pubs up and down the country play a vital role not only in the economy but in our local areas, supporting a sense of community and pride. After nearly two years of difficulties as a result of the pandemic, pubs have returned to business as usual.

You will be reassured to know that through the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the Government will provide a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices. This will include all UK businesses and will be equivalent to the Energy Price Guarantee put in place for households.

This will see the Government set a Supported Wholesale Price which is a discounted price per unit of gas and electricity. This price is expected to be £211 per MWh for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas, less than half the wholesale prices anticipated this winter.

It will apply to fixed contracts agreed on or after 1 April 2022, as well as to deemed, variable and flexible tariffs and contracts. It will be applied until 31 March 2023, running for an initial six-month period for all non-domestic energy users. The savings will be first seen in October bills, which are typically received in November.

By January 2023, the Government will bring forward proposals to support energy bills beyond April 2023. Full details will be made available then, but I know that the Government will focus this support where it is needed most for energy intensive industries, small businesses, and the hospitality sector.

The Government is committed to supporting our pubs. Its long-term strategy for the hospitality sector includes an extension to pavement licences, making it easier and cheaper for pubs, restaurants and cafes to make outdoor dining a reality with seating, tables and street stalls to serve food and drinks. This will be implemented through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

Additional funding also aims to support community groups to protect and take over local assets, like pubs, which are at risk without community intervention. The £150 million Community Ownership Fund allows community groups to buy assets so that they can continue to serve their local area. I am aware that rural pubs were among the local assets allocated funding in the scheme's first round, giving them a new lease of life for generations to come.

Moreover, small businesses will be shielded from most tax rises and will be protected from increases through the Small Profits Rate and Employment Allowance. This means only the largest ten per cent of companies will pay the top rate of Corporation Tax and 40 per cent of all businesses will be unaffected by the freeze in National Insurance thresholds.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Please support the call for a ban on UK sales and imports of fur

Thank you for contacting me about the fur trade.

My ministerial colleagues and I are committed to upholding our high standards in animal welfare. The Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare sets out the Government’s vision to introduce a range of world-leading reforms to improve the welfare and conservation of animals at home and abroad.

I appreciate that there is considerable support for banning all imports of fur products. Fur farming has been banned in the UK for 20 years but while we were members of the EU, we were obliged to allow it to be imported. 

I am aware that the Government sought views on animal welfare through a recent call for evidence and 30,000 responses were received from businesses, representative bodies and individuals, demonstrating the strong public interest in this area. Ministers continue to build an evidence base, which will be used to inform any future action on the fur trade.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Your community says no to fracking: tell the PM

Thank you for contacting me about fracking.

First, I would like to make clear that our new Prime Minister supports the core ambitions of the 2019 manifesto on which this Government was elected. The Government will therefore revert to a precautionary approach regarding shale gas exploration in England.

 

In the November 2019 manifesto, the Government confirmed a moratorium on shale gas exploration in England with immediate effect. Having listened to local communities and assessed the state of the science, Ministers ruled out changes to the planning system. As set out in the manifesto, the Government will not support shale gas extraction unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely.

 

In line with the British Geological Survey report on the scientific advances in hydraulic fracturing since 2019, forecasting the occurrence of large earthquakes and their expected magnitude owing to shale gas extraction remains a challenge with significant uncertainty.

 

Fracking will only be supported if it can be carried out in a way that is sustainable and protects local communities. This will be led by the evidence on whether this form of exploration can be done in a way which acceptably manages the risk to local communities.

 

Further, Ministers are taking a presumption against issuing any further hydraulic fracturing consents. This position will be maintained until compelling new evidence is provided which addresses the concerns around the prediction and management of induced seismicity.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

Campaign reply - Pledge to #ReviveTheNHS this winter

Thank you for writing to me about the EveryDoctor #ReviveTheNHS campaign.

First, I would like to thank all NHS workers, including those at Tresliske for their service in immensely challenging circumstances over the last two years.

I completely recognise the urgency behind Every Doctor’s campaign and the challenges facing NHS staff on the frontline. 

Whilst I cannot commit to signing the #ReviveTheNHS pledge as a PPS in Government, I know that the Government is taking steps to address the issues highlighted by the campaign to improve the experience of staff and patients in the NHS.

Given the pressures that NHS staff face daily, it is vital that everyone has access to comprehensive mental health support in their workplace.  Over the last few years, 40 dedicated support hubs have been established across the country to offer staff access to mental health services.

Services can be accessed over the phone with onward referral to online and one-to-one expert help from qualified mental health clinicians, therapists, recovery workers and psychologists.  Through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, hospitals across England will be able to receive support with energy bills this winter. 

 

I also accept that we need to reduce barriers to senior NHS staff remaining in the workforce, which includes addressing issues around pay and pensions. While the Government does not support removing the locum cap and providing ringfenced funding for locums in secondary care, I understand that Trusts can override rules on agency staffing on exceptional patient safety grounds. Caps on locum pay rates do not apply in primary care and Integrated Care Systems are able to access up to £120,000 to support their recruitment in general practice.

The service of retired and partially returned staff was crucial to the NHS during the pandemic, and the Government has consistently extended the suspension of NHS Pension Scheme restrictions and the temporary amendments to NHS Pension Scheme regulations.

Following a recent consultation, these arrangements will now continue until 31 March 2023.

The contribution of healthcare professionals from overseas will be crucial to expanding the NHS workforce and improving access to primary and secondary care.  Since the Health and Care Visa was introduced in 2020, the Government has expanded the number of occupations to help make it quicker and cheaper for healthcare professionals to work in the NHS.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

Campaign reply - Please back the Climate and Ecology Bill to protect the UK

Thank you for contacting me about the Climate and Ecology Bill. 

I would like to assure you that tackling climate change is a top priority for the Government and Ministers are committed to leaving the environment in a better state than that in which they found it.

 

I am aware that a lot has been achieved on the road to achieving net zero emissions. Between 1990 and 2019, the UK economy grew by more than three-quarters and cut its emissions by 44 per cent, decarbonising faster than any other G7 country. 

 

I understand that while Ministers acknowledge the intentions of the Bill, the UK already has a world-leading emissions reduction framework in place. The Climate Change Act 2008 made the UK the first country to introduce a legally binding, long-term emissions reduction target. In October 2021, the Government published the Net Zero Strategy, building on the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. It is a cross-economy strategy which keeps us on our path to net zero by 2050. 

 

To oversee progress, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) provides expert advice to the Government on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The UK’s 2050 net-zero target was considered, in line with advice from the CCC, to be the earliest feasible date for achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

 

Further, the Environment Act 2021 will drive the long-term action nature needs to recover through legally binding targets, new policy measures, a new environmental enforcement body, the Office for Environmental Protection, and placing environmental principles in domestic law in a consistent and transparent way. The Act includes a target to halt the decline of species by 2030.

Thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Please help protect innocence online

Thank you for contacting me about the Online Safety Bill. 

The Online Safety Bill will make sure that the UK is the safest place to be online. As part of this, measures included in the Bill will tackle the growing and evolving threat of child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), including the transmission of sexually explicit material of children online.

 

I welcome the fact that the Government has tabled an amendment to the Bill which will give Ofcom extra tools to ensure technology companies take action to prevent, identify and remove harmful CSAE content. As a result, Ofcom will be able to demand that technology companies, such as social media platforms, roll out or develop new technologies to better detect and tackle harmful content on their platforms. If they fail to do so, Ofcom will be able to impose fines of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of the company’s global annual turnover, depending on which is higher.

 

The amendment will support innovation and the development of safety technologies across the technology industry and will incentivise companies in building solutions to tackle CSEA which are effective and proportionate.

 

In conjunction with the legislation, I welcome efforts to improve technology to tackle online child sexual abuse. For example, GCHQ is collaborating with the tech industry to identify and develop solutions to crack down on large scale online child sexual abuse and the government-funded Safety Tech Challenge Fund is demonstrating that is it is possible to detect child sexual abuse material in end-to-end encrypted environments, while respecting user privacy.

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Windfall tax vote

 Thank you for contacting me about a windfall tax.

The Prime Minister, as Chancellor, introduced the current windfall tax on energy producers which is raising £5 billion and is designed to encourage them to invest in the UK.

 

Regarding this tax going forward, and how revenue from this source could be expanded, these are clearly tough decisions and I know the Chancellor and the Prime Minister will be looking at everything.

 

I would not pre-empt any decisions but the Chancellor is due  to present a full Autumn Statement, on tax and spend plans, on November 17. 

The governments is committed to providing support to all people during this economic crisis, and this will form the basis of all decisions ahead of the statement. 

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Crucial debate for a suicide-safer internet

Thank you for contacting me about the Online Safety Bill.  

I am delighted that the Bill has been introduced to help make the UK the safest place in the world to go online. 

 

It is only right that the largest and most popular social media sites (Category 1 services) play their part in protecting adults and the most vulnerable in society, including children, online. 

At present, the Bill requires Category 1 services to act on content that is lawful but still harmful, such as abuse that falls below the threshold of a criminal offence, encouragement of self-harm and mis/disinformation. 

The new Digital Secretary has confirmed that she will review the existing measures to ensure rights to freedom of expression and free speech are protected. However, she has made it extremely clear that the Government will ensure that social media platforms put the welfare of children first. As such, the Government will also be strengthening the protections in place for children. 

I will follow developments closely as the Bill progresses.  Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

 

Campaign reply - Small bakery owners being ignored

 Thank you for contacting me about bread and flour regulations.

I am aware that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), alongside the Department of Health and Social Care, the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland and Wales, Food Standards Scotland and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, have been conducting jointly a review of The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and The Bread and Flour (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1998 to ensure the regulations are fit for purpose and support UK industry while protecting consumers.

 

To assist with the review, I understand that Defra convened a technical working group made up of a wide range of relevant stakeholders including the Real Bread Campaign, to help identify and explore the issues around the regulations which cover the compositional requirements of bread and flour.

 

The Government has launched a consultation on proposals to update and amend the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998. The consultation is subject to a cross-government agreement process in England and ministerial agreement in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I would strongly encourage you to take part in the consultation and express your views on the proposals. 

 

The consultation can be found here: 

 

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/food-compositional-standards/bread-and-flour-consultation-2022/

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Campaign reply - Whitehaven coal Mine

Thank you for contacting me about the Whitehaven Coal Mine.

While the Government places a strong emphasis on localism and decentralisation when it comes to planning applications, I am aware that Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary at the time, made the decision to ‘call in’ the planning application for the Whitehaven Coal Mine.

 

This decision was taken because of the further developments since his original decision. This included the publication of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendations for the Sixth Carbon Budget. It is also the case that local authorities are expected to make planning decisions promptly. The planning application for this development was first submitted to Cumbria County Council in May 2017 and was considered by their planning committee on three occasions, without a final outcome being reached.

 

I agree that this application raises planning issues of more than just local importance. A public inquiry was held and the outcome will be considered before any decision is made. I understand that the Planning Inspectorate’s report has been submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. A final decision is expected later this year. 

 

It is worth mentioning that the extracted coal would be used exclusively for steel production rather than energy production. The Government has confirmed its commitment to end unabated coal-power generation from October 2024, having brought this deadline forward from 2025.

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

 

Campaign reply - Cop15

Thank you for contacting me about this important issue. 

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this important debate due to other parliamentary duties. However, I am committed to promoting biodiversity and the Government takes this matter seriously. 

 

The Environment Act 2021 responds to a clear and urgent scientific case, and growing public demand, for action to address environmental challenges. This landmark legislation sets a new and ambitious domestic framework for environmental governance. The Act requires a new, historic legally binding target to be set to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030, as a core part of the UK’s commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. 

 

Further, the Act introduces a powerful package of new policies and tools. Biodiversity net gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities will work together to drive action, to create or restore rich habitats that enable wildlife to recover and thrive, while conservation covenants will help secure habitat for the long term. In doing so, the Act lays the foundation for the Nature Recovery Network. I understand that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is conducting a thorough review of the Government’s suite of biodiversity indicators, to ensure that the best possible data is available, which will help inform the best possible decisions on biodiversity policy into the future.

 

Finally, I know that the UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. As part of this framework, I am aware that the UK is championing the target to protect at least 30 per cent of the land and of the ocean globally by 2030.

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

 

Campaign reply - A New Deal for Workers

 Thank you for contacting me about one-sided flexibility.

While not suitable for everyone, I believe that one-sided flexibility have a part to play in a modern, flexible labour market because, for a small proportion of the workforce, that may be the kind of contract that is right for them. Two-thirds of workers on these contracts do not want more hours. 

 

However, it is important to make sure that those benefitting from the flexibility of these contracts are not exploited by unscrupulous employers and therefore the Government legislated to ban exploitative zero hours arrangements meaning it is illegal for employers to include exclusivity clauses in these contracts. This means that people have the freedom to look for and take other work opportunities and have more control over their work hours and income. Individuals on these contracts can also make a complaint to an employment tribunal if their employer mistreats them for working, or seeking to work, elsewhere. 

 

Most recently, the Government has announced its intention to widen the ban on exclusivity clauses which restrict staff from working with multiple employers to those whose income is below or equivalent to the Lower Earnings Limit at £123 a week. You may be interested to know that approximately 1.5 million workers earn £123 or below a week and therefore these new reforms will ensure that these people who have exclusivity clauses also have the freedom to top up their income with extra work if they choose.

As I understand it, legislation will be introduced in due course, and I will follow this issue closely. Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.