Sojan Joseph MP: written questions
119 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Property Development: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on the implications of developers failing to meet their commitments in planning agreements under Section 106 of the
Answer: The government is clear that developers must deliver on their planning obligations. Section 106 planning obligations are legal agreements, and a local planning authority may take enforcement action in respect of any breach of the obligations contained wit...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: ConcreteDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 21357 on Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing its findings.
Answer: The Department will publish its findings shortly.
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCadetsMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cadet forces on the (i) mental health and (ii) wellbeing of young people.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence has commissioned studies on the impact and value of the Cadet Forces to society and to schools. This independent research provides clear evidence that the cadet experience is not only engaging and fun but can, for some, be literall...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCadetsMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26238More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) support and (b) resources available to the (i) Sea Cadets, (ii) Volunteer Cadet Corps, (iii) Army Cadet Force, (iv) Air Training Corps and (v) Combined Cadet
Answer: We are committed to sustaining the Ministry of Defence Cadet Forces in Kent, in England, and across the UK. And Kent, as with other counties, is very well served with numerous Sea Cadet units, Army Cadet detachments and Air Cadet squadrons in the communit...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxis: TrainingDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24587More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of statutory safeguard training for (a) private hire and (b) taxi drivers under the Police and Crime Act 2017.
Answer: The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enables the Secretary of State for Transport to issue statutory guidance to licensing authorities on exercising their taxi and private hire vehicle licensing functions to protect children and vulnerable adults. Statutory gu...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: KentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24029More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce accident and emergency waiting times in hospitals in East Kent.
Answer: The Government recognises the pressures on the National Health Service during the winter period and the impact this is having on accident and emergency waiting times, including in hospitals in East Kent.We are committed to supporting the NHS to improve pe...
Answered 17 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEqual Pay: Ethnic GroupsWomen and EqualitiesTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24028More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if her Department will publish a timeline for the introduction of mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting.
Answer: As set out in the King’s Speech in July, the government is committed to introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers. These measures will be part of the upcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, which will be pu...
Answered 17 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDisability and Ethnic Groups: EqualityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 8 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22821More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to have discussions with EU counterparts on the introduction of the EU Pay Transparency Directive as part of the Government's plans to consult on the draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill
Answer: This Government is committed to building on the historic achievements of the Equal Pay Act 1970 and Equality Act 2010 and tackle pay discrimination. The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reportin...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectrical Goods: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage local authorities to include the recycling of small electrical items as part of household waste collections.
Answer: The Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) regulations make producers responsible for the electrical products they place on the market when they become waste. As part of this producers can pay into the WEEE Compliance Fee fund that provides pro...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDangerous DogsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of adding XL Bullies to the list of prohibited dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 on the number of attacks by XL Bul
Answer: Defra is continuing to engage closely with the Police, local authorities, and rescue and rehoming organisations to monitor the impacts of the XL Bully dog ban. These measures are vital to protect the public and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordVaccine Damage Payment Scheme: CoronavirusDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19956More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 18797 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, how many of the claims relating to Covid-19 vaccination that have gone to tribunal have resulted in the Va
Answer: As of 1 December 2024, 49 appeals linked to COVID-19 vaccinations have been escalated to tribunal. Eight of these appeals have now concluded, with zero resulting in a payment being awarded.
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Re-employment and Workplace PensionsTreasuryTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19558More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing pension abatement rules on (a) public sector pensions and (b) re-employment earnings for public sector employees.
Answer: Pension abatement rules formed part of the overall design of most legacy Public Service Pension Schemes. These rules worked as part of an overall package to safeguard against undesirable practices and ensure propriety and value for money. Reformed schemes...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordVaccine Damage Payment Scheme: CoronavirusDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent defending Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme appeals linked to Covid-19 vaccinations since 2021; and how many Vaccine Damage Payment Schemes appeals linked to Covid-19
Answer: Between 1 November 2021 and 1 December 2024, the total spent by the NHS Business Services Authority on behalf of the Department to defend against appeals within the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme was £104,005.05. As of December 2024, 49 appeals linked to C...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBereavement Counselling and Death: CurriculumDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including lessons on death and bereavement in the National Curriculum.
Answer: The department wants to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe, and to equip them for adult life so they achieve and thrive. The statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance makes clear that teachers should b...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13956More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all integrated care boards meet the mental health investment standard.
Answer: The NHS Operational and Planning Guidance for 2024/25 makes clear that integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increa...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHeat NetworksDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13955More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) tenants and (b) leaseholders are not adversely financially impacted by communal heating schemes.
Answer: The Department is introducing heat network regulation in January 2026 which aims to provide consumers with comparable protections to existing gas and electricity regulations. Ofgem is being appointed as heat network regulator and will have powers to inves...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordKent Police: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13717More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding levels for Kent Police.
Answer: This Government is committed to ensuring that the police have the resources they need to tackle crime effectively.Kent Police’s funding will be up to £431.5m in 2024-25. This is in addition to £4m provided for the 2024-25 pay award which has been allocate...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordInland Waterways: AshfordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to clear up water ways in Ashford constituency.
Answer: The Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill will the first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector, reducing pollution and cleaning up our waterways. The Government has also launched an Independent Commission int...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren: DyslexiaDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11534More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support children diagnosed with dyslexia in Ashford constituency.
Answer: The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.Early identification of need and support is critical...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBalochistan: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11144More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the human rights situation in Balochistan.
Answer: The UK is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations in Pakistan, including in Balochistan province. The British High Commission regularly raises these issues with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. The UK will continu...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDental Services: AshfordDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10898More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to dental services in Ashford constituency.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild den...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: AshfordDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10897More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Ashford constituency.
Answer: Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In perf...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: AshfordDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to enable GP surgeries to provide additional services in Ashford constituency.
Answer: Practices are able to provide additional services by opting in and will receive payment for these services separately to global sum payments. As commissioners of primary care, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning additional serv...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: AshfordDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10895More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce GP waiting times in Ashford constituency.
Answer: We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the the crisis in GPs to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service. Ashford sits within the Kent and Medway ...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordKent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust: Labour Turnover and RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of mental health specialists in the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust.
Answer: To fix the chronic workforce shortages in the mental health workforce we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers, across both child and adult mental health services, to reduce waiting times and provide faster treatment across all areas o...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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