Paula Barker MP: written questions
350 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Von Hippel-Lindau Disease: BelzutifanDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide Belzutifan to patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NICE has published f...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRevenue Support GrantMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will incorporate other streams of funding into the Revenue Support Grant.
Answer: I refer my Hon Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 524 on 26 July 2024.
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of trends of the level of demand on statutory services provided by local authorities since June 2010.
Answer: Local authorities play a crucial role in the delivery of this Government’s missions, from driving growth, to delivering opportunities for all. The Government is under no illusions about the scale of the pressures that local authorities are facing which is...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the local authority funding gap in the next two years.
Answer: I refer the hon member to the answer to Question UIN 524 answered on 26 July 2024.
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to give local authorities greater flexibility in respect to grant funding.
Answer: The Government was elected on a manifesto that stressed a partnership approach with local authorities and an intention to stabilise the funding system, moving away from wasteful competition and towards multi-year funding settlements.We want to have better...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to end local authority competitive bidding.
Answer: The Government was elected on a manifesto that stressed a partnership approach with local authorities and an intention to stabilise the funding system, moving away from wasteful competition and towards multi-year funding settlements.We want to have better...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' Release: Domestic AbuseMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6629More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to help protect victims of domestic abuse and violence who are affected by the early release of some prisoners.
Answer: Due to acute prison capacity pressure, the Government has had no option but to introduce a change that will allow prisoners serving an eligible standard determinate sentence (SDS) to be released after serving 40% rather than 50% of that sentence in custod...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' Release: Restraining OrdersMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6628More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reason each prisoner who was released under the revised terms of the early release scheme and had previously breached a restraining order was released.
Answer: Certain offences are excluded from the SDS40 change. Exclusions included the Breach of Restraining Order (BoRO) offence under Section 363 of the Sentencing Act 2020.This offence replaced an older offence in Section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDieteticsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6627More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department taking to use NHS dietitians to help reduce health inequalities.
Answer: Dietitians have an important contribution to reducing health inequalities. The Department published Addressing health inequalities across allied health professional (AHP) services: a guide for AHP system leaders in May 2024. The guide focuses on what AHP ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAllied Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the integration of (a) dietitians and (b) allied health professionals in the delivery of (i) public health and (ii) primary care.
Answer: The Department is leading a collaboration between the nations of the United Kingdom, as well as 14 Allied Health Professional (AHP) bodies, including the British Dietetic Association, to refresh the UK Allied Health Professions Public Health Strategic Fra...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAllied Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6625More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to utilise the expertise of (a) dietitians and (b) other allied health professionals to tackle long-term healthcare challenges.
Answer: Dietitians are essential to a range of pathways detailed within the NHS Long Term Plan, including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke as part of the multi-disciplinary team which includes the other allied health professions (AHPs).AHPs are cr...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNHS: FoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure the continuity of (a) patient care and (b) NHS resilience in respect to specialist food products used by the NHS in the contex
Answer: Defra officials are working with colleagues across the Government to ensure continuity of supply into Northern Ireland of specialist food products used by the NHS and to facilitate patient care, recognising the importance of these products to enable patie...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: UkraineMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6623More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to publish the next round of submissions on homelessness duties owed to Ukrainians by each lower-tier local authority.
Answer: The Homelessness Pressures Management Information was last published on 3 October 2024. The publication included data submitted from local authorities in England on homelessness duties accepted for Ukrainian households, covering the period from 24 Februar...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordVisas: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Ukrainians living in the UK are not separated from their families, in the context of changes to the Ukraine visa schemes in February 2024.
Answer: Ukrainian family members, including children, are not prevented from entering the UK. The Homes for Ukraine Scheme remains open to new applicants, their applications must be sponsored by someone who is British, Irish or who has settled status. Ukrainians ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: Educational VisitsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6621More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing rail discounts for schools purchasing tickets for excursions.
Answer: All Department for Transport contracted operators offer some form of group discount, with some offering substantial savings for groups of 10 or more people. In addition, many train operators participate in the GroupSave offer which offers 1/3 off Off-Peak...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit and Pension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps with HMRC to data match housing benefit claimants with those eligible for pension credit.
Answer: DWP do not need HMRC data to match Housing Benefit customers with Pension Credit. The government is actively working with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pension...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Older PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6619More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support elderly, disabled people who are ineligible for pension credit with higher energy costs.
Answer: This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the governmen...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6618More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the processing times for pension credit applications.
Answer: The Department has secured funding for additional staffing to assist with the processing of the additional Pension Credit claims being made.
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6617More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the pension credit application process.
Answer: The Department continues to assess the Pension Credit service. This led to the introduction of the online claim process, providing customers with a convenient alternative claim route, alongside the existing telephony and paper application methods. As the ...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBangladesh: Community RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote civic reconciliation in Bangladesh.
Answer: The UK Government is supporting the Interim Government in Bangladesh as it works to restore peace and order, ensure accountability and create a peaceful pathway to an inclusive democratic future. We support the work of the United Nations as it works to co...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth: HomelessnessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include health outcomes of those who experience homelessness in the NHS ten year plan.
Answer: The NHS 10-Year Plan will consider the change needed to meet the three health mission goals: a fairer system where everyone lives well for longer; a National Health Service that is there when people need it; and fewer lives lost to the biggest killers. Of...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth: HomelessnessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Integrated Care Systems across England have policies targeted to better health outcomes for those that experience homelessness.
Answer: Integrated care systems and integrated care boards (ICBs) are expected to have a dedicated focus on tackling health inequalities. The Health and Care Act 2022 mandates that ICBs reduce inequalities in access to and outcomes from healthcare for the populat...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: HomelessnessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve (a) access to and (b) engagement with health and social care services for those who experience homelessness.
Answer: The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development and implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE)...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: HomelessnessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6612More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve intermediate care for the homeless.
Answer: People experiencing homelessness are one of the most complex cohorts for hospital discharge and intermediate care services. The Government is working closely with NHS England and local authorities to drive improvements in intermediate care across the coun...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSleeping RoughDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6611More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent street discharge from hospital settings for people rough sleeping.
Answer: The Department is committed to promoting safe and timely discharge for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness to appropriate accommodation. Every acute hospital has access to a care transfer hub to manage discharge for people with more complex n...
Answered 10 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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