Lisa Smart MP: written questions 2024
45 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Digital Technology: Public SectorDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12306More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make it his policy to require (a) unused and (b) decommissioned (i) laptops, (ii) mobile phones and (iii) other public sector devices to be donated to device banks.
Answer: Digital inclusion is a priority for the Government and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is committed to extending the life of its equipment and devices, to reduce our environmental impact and provide more people with access to devices...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: Digital TechnologyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12305More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the Jobcentre Plus to signpost people to digital inclusion services.
Answer: Jobcentre work coaches will consider the range of barriers faced by claimants to best support them into work and to progress in their careers. Digital inclusion is amongst the challenges that some claimants may experience and work coaches are encouraged t...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPolice: Labour Turnover and RecruitmentHome OfficeTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of (a) recruitment and (b) retention in police forces.
Answer: The latest Home Office statistics for the overall Police Workforce show a 1.2% increase when compared to the previous year. The total paid police workforce in the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales was 236,588 full-time equivalents (FTE) as...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPolice: DeploymentHome OfficeTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of police officers are currently classified as deployable; and what the primary reasons are for officers being deemed non-deployable.
Answer: The Home Office does not have an official measure of ‘deployable’.The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number and proportion of police officers available for duty as at 31 March each year in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10542More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that people diagnosed with autism at the age of 30 or later receive comparable (a) support and (b) resources to people diagnosed in childhood; and what plans
Answer: The Department is currently considering next steps to improve support for autistic people of all ages. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local popul...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployment: AutismDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to improve support for employers who hire people with autism.
Answer: Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting autistic people to thrive as part of the workforce. Our current support to employers includes the Disability Confident scheme and a digital information service for employers w...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to reduce waiting times for autism diagnosis; and what steps he is taking to improve access to diagnostic services for (a) children and (b) adults.
Answer: The Department is currently considering next steps to improve diagnostic assessment and support for autistic people. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of the...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10539More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that people diagnosed with autism are actively consulted on the support they require by (a) addressing healthcare barriers, (b) improving health outcom
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines for autism highlight the importance of working in partnership with autistic people and, where appropriate, with their families, partners, and carers. The national framework and operational...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordADHD: Greater ManchesterDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10538More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure ADHD testing is accessible to children in Greater Manchester.
Answer: The Department is currently considering next steps to improve access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs ...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousehold Support Fund: Government AssistanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to deliver a long-term (a) funding settlement and (b) strategy for local crisis support when the Household Support Fund ends in March 2025.
Answer: The Government announced funding to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. As set out by the Chancellor in July, the Government has inherited a number of significant pressures within public...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBeer and Cider: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7927More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing draught duty relief for (a) beer and (b) cider served in pubs in Hazel Grove constituency.
Answer: Pubs make an enormous contribution to our economy and society, and this is recognised in the tax system. The current alcohol duty system supports pubs through Draught Relief, which ensures eligible products served on draught pay less duty. The Government...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordComplementary MedicineDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7607More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing Government oversight of self-regulating acupuncture bodies.
Answer: The Government has no plans to introduce statutory regulation for acupuncture practitioners in the United Kingdom, and we have no plans to make such assessments. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates an accredited ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordComplementary Medicine: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7606More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating that acupuncture providers disclose potential (a) risks, (b) side effects and (c) outcomes before treatments.
Answer: The Government has no plans to introduce statutory regulation for acupuncture practitioners in the United Kingdom, and we have no plans to make such assessments. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates an accredited ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordComplementary MedicineDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7605More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to (a) integrate acupuncture practitioners into the broader healthcare system and (b) ensuring their treatments are in alignmen
Answer: The Government has no plans to introduce statutory regulation for acupuncture practitioners in the United Kingdom, and we have no plans to make such assessments. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates an accredited ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordComplementary Medicine: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7604More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating statutory regulation for acupuncture practitioners.
Answer: The Government has no plans to introduce statutory regulation for acupuncture practitioners in the United Kingdom, and we have no plans to make such assessments. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates an accredited ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to tackle delays arising from block booking of driving tests; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that such tests can only be booked (a) by and (b) on
Answer: It is not possible to block book car practical driving tests. A driving licence number can only be assigned to one car practical driving test at a time. A survey by The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) suggests that only 10% of learner drivers u...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDogs: SmugglingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3358More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of puppies illegally smuggled into the UK for sale in the last five years.
Answer: By its very nature, we cannot know the true extent of puppy smuggling operations. However, the Animal and Plant Health Agency does hold data on the numbers of interceptions and detentions. In 2023, there were over 500 landings of cats and dogs intercepted...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPets: ImportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3357More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of resources allocated to enforcement agencies responsible for checking pets entering the UK.
Answer: We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. All dogs, cats and ferrets entering Great Britain non-commercially on approved routes undergo 100% documentary and identity check. We keep resource allocation for these ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDogs: SmugglingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the illegal smuggling of dogs into the UK.
Answer: As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. We will clamp down on unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver this and will be setting out next ste...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRoads: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she next plans to update the guidance entitled Strategic road network and the delivery of sustainable development, published on 23 December 2022; and if she will take steps to include new guidance on the p
Answer: I can confirm to the honourable member that my department continuously monitors the impact of the circular ‘Strategic road network and the delivery of sustainable development’ (Circular 01/2022), published by my department, to consider whether updates are...
Answered 22 Jul 2024
Original Parliament record
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