Alison Bennett MP: written questions 2025
155 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Veterans: Hearing ImpairmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57903More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to extend military hearing loss compensation to veterans who were discharged before 1987.
Answer: It is already the case that Veterans discharged before 6 April 2005 (including before 1987), who consider that damage to their hearing was caused or made worse by their Service, may be eligible to claim compensation under the terms of the War Pension Sche...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMethamphetamine: TestingMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57140More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to commission an independent inquiry into the (a) scientific validity, (b) cost and (c) potential misuse of hair strand testing for methamphetamine in family court proceedings.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice has no plans to commission an independent inquiry into the (a) scientific validity, (b) cost and (c) potential misuse of hair strand testing for methamphetamine in family court proceedings.The President of the Family Division has s...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ReformDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57089More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's green paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March 2025, which measures will require primary legislation.
Answer: The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out our plans and proposals for reform to health and disability benefits and employment support. Some urgent reforms outlined in the Green Paper, such as changes to PIP eligibility and UC rates, will be introduced shor...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordStreptococcus: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 56093More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle disparities in the incidence of group B Streptococcal infections among different (a) ethnic and (b) socioeconomic groups.
Answer: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has co-ordinated periods of enhanced surveillance of invasive group B Streptococcal (GBS) in infants younger than 90 days, allowing for a greater understanding of the risk factors and outcomes of infection, which is v...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordStreptococcus: TestingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 56092More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on regional variations in access to group B Streptococcus testing; and what steps are being taken to reduce those variations.
Answer: The UK National External Quality Assessment Service’s (NEQAS) microbiology service, hosted by The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has introduced a group B Streptococcus Screening External Quality Assessment scheme as of April 2025. The UKHSA does not c...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordStreptococcus: TestingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 56091More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether UK Health Security Agency microbiology laboratories have the capability to carry out group B Streptococcus-specific enriched culture medium testing in accordance with the Public Health Engl
Answer: The provision of group B streptococcal microbiological laboratory testing is under review with clinical stakeholders. At present, this service, with respect to enriched culture medium testing, in accordance with Public Health England’s guidance on Standar...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordStem Cells: Clinical PsychologistsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 56061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS Workforce Plan will include measures to encourage the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of clinical psychologists with a specialism in stem cell transplant and cell therapies.
Answer: Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment, including recruitment of clinical psychologists, at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place and with t...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordStem Cells: Mental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 56060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that patients receiving (a) stem cell transplants and (b) other cell therapies have access to specialist psychological support (i) before, (ii)
Answer: As stipulated by NHS England in the blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) service specification, BMT services, which include stem cell transplants, should ensure that a full range of support staff is available, including social workers, and psychological...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDiabetes: NutritionDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that future changes to the (a) soft drinks industry levy and (b) other measures relating to sugar are responsive to the needs of people with Type 1 Diabetes who re
Answer: The prevention of ill health is a priority for the Government. We are committed to tackling obesity as a core part of our health mission, to support people to live longer, healthier lives and raise the healthiest generation of children.Most of the populat...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is considering (a) restricting the number of children who can obtain Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and (b) replacing the EHCP system.
Answer: The evidence is clear that this government inherited a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system left in a state of disarray, with too many children not having their needs met and parents forced to fight for support.This government is activ...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOphthalmic Services: GlaucomaDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many qualified ophthalmic (a) consultants and (b) doctors there are who are able to treat glaucoma; how many people have glaucoma; and what estimate he has made of trends in these numbers over
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend screening for glaucoma because it is not clear if the tests which are available are accurate enough to be used in a screening programme. Regular sight tests are important in detecting glaucoma, which ...
Answered 27 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGlaucomaDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53393More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who will have glaucoma in England in each of the next 10 years.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend screening for glaucoma because it is not clear if the tests which are available are accurate enough to be used in a screening programme. Regular sight tests are important in detecting glaucoma, which ...
Answered 27 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGlaucoma: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered introducing a national screening programme for glaucoma.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend screening for glaucoma because it is not clear if the tests which are available are accurate enough to be used in a screening programme. Regular sight tests are important in detecting glaucoma, which ...
Answered 27 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Care WorkersHome OfficeTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52135More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has undertaken an impact assessment on the decision to end overseas recruitment of care workers.
Answer: We recognise the huge contribution of overseas care, but it is important that long-term plans are drawn up to train homegrown talent into the care sector.As outlined in the ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System - Technical Annex’, it is estimated...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: Small BusinessesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52134More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support small abbatoirs.
Answer: Defra recognises the vital role smaller abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient and competitive food supply chain. Defra works closely with the industry including through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and the...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMedical Records: FirearmsHome OfficeTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51709More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to regulate the fees charged by GPs to applicants for a medical review for a firearms licensing application.
Answer: Medical checks are an important part of the firearms licensing process and help to ensure that those in possession of firearms licences do not present a threat to themselves or others.Since November 2021, applicants have been required to provide medical i...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: Animal BreedingHome OfficeTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51708More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to start (a) recording and (b) reporting on the number of animals who are bred for, but not actually used in, scientific procedures within animal testing figures.
Answer: The Home Office is presently reviewing the collection and publication of additional statistics on animals that were bred but not used in scientific procedures.
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's Allowance and Personal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unpaid carers concurrently on Personal Independence Payments and Carers Allowance are awarded less than four points in all daily living activities.
Answer: In August 2024 for England and Wales, there were 95,000 working aged claimants receiving both the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - to help with extra living costs as a result of having a long-term physical or mental health c...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the release of Adult Social Care Funding Data, following the Information Tribunal order to disclose it in October 2024.
Answer: My Rt. Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular conversations with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about a variety of topics.To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government h...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordParkinson's Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the average time taken for patients with Parkinson’s disease who are experiencing new symptoms to see a neurologist.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance on Parkinson’s disease in adults sets out the best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people with Parkinson’s. It aims to improve the recogni...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordParkinson's Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48284More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the how regularly an average patient with Parkinson’s disease saw a neurologist in the latest period for which data was available.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance on Parkinson’s disease in adults sets out the best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people with Parkinson’s. It aims to improve the recogni...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordParkinson's DiseaseDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all relevant medical health professionals are aware of the different manifestations of Parkinson’s disease in (a) women and (b) men.
Answer: Guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on Parkinson’s disease in adults does not make any reference to differences in Parkinson’s symptoms between women and men.We do know that the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease is h...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordParkinson's Disease: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for patients experiencing Parkinson's symptoms to receive a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance on Parkinson’s disease in adults sets out the best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people with Parkinson’s. It aims to improve the recogni...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposals outlined in the (a) Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work and (b) Spring Budget on (i) unpaid carers and (ii) people with caring resp
Answer: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCarers: EmploymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of her Department’s estimate that the lost output due to working age carers caring for working age sick is £37 billion.
Answer: This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers every day in providing significant care and continuity of support to sick and disabled family and friends. Without the support they provide there would be more pressure on formal ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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