Rachael Maskell MP: written questions 2024
289 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Children: Corporal PunishmentDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20220More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to legislate for (a) a ban on the physical chastisement of children and (b) penalties for people who do so.
Answer: This government does not condone violence or abuse of children. There are laws in place to protect children against this.Crown Prosecution Service guidance is clear that only the mildest form of physical punishment can be used to justify discipline. Where...
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSaudi Arabia: Capital PunishmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the (a) policy and (b) scale of capital punishment in that country.
Answer: The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as our joint statement with the EU on World Day Against the Death Penalty made clear. The Saudi authorities are well aware of our opposition. As the Minister for the Middle East, I raised Saudi human r...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordFood Insecurity: Climate ChangeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations' report on Hunger Hotspots June to October 2024, published in June 2024
Answer: The UK is closely monitoring the potential development of La Niña conditions and in particular the risk of food security impacts in the Horn of Africa and Southern Africa.The UK is a committed humanitarian donor, channelling over £277 million in humanitar...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDeveloping Countries: Food InsecurityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations' report on Hunger Hotspots June to October 2024, published in June 2024
Answer: The UK is deeply concerned by the findings of the June-October 2024 Hunger Hotspots report. We are the second largest government donor to the World Food Programme (WFP) and to date in 2024 have contributed over $360 million to WFP programmes, including in...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDeveloping Countries: Food InsecurityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations' report on Hunger Hotspots June to October 2024, published in June 2024
Answer: The UK is deeply concerned by the findings of the June-October 2024 Hunger Hotspots report. We are the second largest government donor to the World Food Programme (WFP) and to date in 2024 have contributed over $360 million to WFP programmes, including in...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCancer: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a 10-year national cancer plan.
Answer: The Health Mission sets the objective of building a National Health Service fit for the future. As part of that work, and in response to Lord Darzi’s report, we have launched an extensive programme of engagement to develop a 10-Year Health Plan to reform ...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSmoking: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12436More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will help ensure that smoking cessation is offered as an opt-out, co-located service for lung screening appointments.
Answer: The NHS Lung Cancer Screening programme’s standard protocol includes a mandatory referral to smoking cessation services for all current smokers invited to the programme.The Government is providing £70 million of additional funding this year to support loc...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSmoking: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) maintain and (b) increase funding for local authority smoking cessation services; and if he will take steps to raise public awareness of those services.
Answer: The Government has invested an additional £70 million in 2024/25 to support local authority-led stop smoking services to help smokers quit smoking, and this funding is being used to build capacity and demand. We encourage local authorities to invest in ma...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: ChinaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10450More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the release of Jimmy Lai is a prerequisite to any trade agreement with China.
Answer: This Government has no plans to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with China. This Government will stand firm on issues relating to human rights. My Right Honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised the case of Jimmy Lai during his recent visit to China...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: MenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to inquiry by the Health and Social Care Select Committee into Men's Health in the last Parliament, what steps he is taking to help ensure that (a) services and (b) the use of digita
Answer: The Government's mission is getting the National Health Service back on its feet, so it is there for everyone. We are developing a 10-Year Health Plan so that we are better able to meet the needs of the population, including men. We recognise there are ar...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPatients: Wearable TechnologyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10100More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that the use of digital wearables in the NHS is accompanied by professional interventions.
Answer: Digital health technologies, including digital wearables, empower patients to manage their own health and get rapid access to peer support and clinical advice. Leveraging digital tools can improve the timeliness of interventions by helping frontline staff...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10099More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that (a) psychotherapists and (b) counsellors are subject to (i) professional supervision and (ii) continuous professional development.
Answer: The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registers programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by ...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10098More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that clinicians who have been found to have posed a risk to patients cannot set up as independent (a) psychotherapists and (b) counsellors.
Answer: The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registers programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by ...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10097More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the risks of (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists working without (i) statutory regulation and (ii) protection of title.
Answer: The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registers programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by ...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegistrationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10096More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to prevent (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists from working if they are not on a voluntary register.
Answer: The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registers programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by ...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10095More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to regulate the (a) psychotherapy and (b) counselling professions.
Answer: The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registers programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by ...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordNHS: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the training provided to NHS medical staff.
Answer: The standard of undergraduate medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), who set the outcomes and standards expected. Medical schools are responsible for their curricula, and for ensuring that they deliver high quality pl...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of access to (i) counselling and (ii) psychological support for patients who receive a diagnosis of terminal illness and (b) take steps to ensure t
Answer: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life, including counselling and psychological support if they need it.NHS Talking Therapies Long Term Conditions services provide evidence-...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of providing a universal palliative care service.
Answer: No estimate has been made of the cost to the public purse of providing a universal palliative care service. It is difficult to quantify the total provision of, or spend on, palliative and end of life care at either a national or local integrated care boar...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: StaffDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9728More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the workforce requirements for (a) palliative and (b) end of life care; and if he will develop a workforce plan for such care.
Answer: We will want to assure ourselves that the National Health Service has access to the workforce it needs in the years ahead to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will need to do this in light of the 10-Y...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: DisadvantagedDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle inequalities in access to end of life care services.
Answer: The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure that patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a b...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ContractsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9726More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timescale is for reforming the NHS dental contract.
Answer: We are working at pace with the British Dental Association and the dental sector to improve and reform the dental contract.
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9725More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps is she taking to reduce the number of people in (a) relative poverty, (b) absolute poverty and (c) destitution.
Answer: This government is committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so alongside social security this will be the foundation of our approach. The Get Britain Working White Paper, to ...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEconomic Situation: EqualityTreasuryTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9724More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to reduce economic inequality.
Answer: The Government is committed to building a fairer society, spreading opportunity, and improving living standards for all. The Chancellor will set out her Budget on 30 October.
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSick Leave: Mental IllnessDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to help reduce the level of work absence as a result of mental ill health.
Answer: My department and I work closely with our counterparts in DHSC on work and health measures, and we have a joint directorate reporting to us that is charged with improving recruitment, retention and the success at work of disabled people and people with lo...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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