Rachael Maskell MP: written questions
450 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Prisoners: SafetyMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4000More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to provide safe conditions for prisoners.
Answer: Making prisons safe remains a key priority. We are working hard to reduce violence and self-harm and have a range of measures in place to address these safety issues.We have completed our landmark £100 million Security Investment Programme to clamp down o...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to ensure that people on early prison release have (a) housing, (b) employment and (c) sufficient probation provision to support them.
Answer: Individuals released through the Standard Determinate Sentence changes, known as SDS40, and at risk of homelessness can be referred to HMPPS’s Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3), which can provide up to 12-weeks temporary accommodation. We are ...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Young PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3998More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of developing a youth homeless strategy.
Answer: The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high and this can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people. We will look at these issues carefully and will consider youth homelessness as we develop our long-term, ...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3997More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the (a) health and wellbeing and (b) housing needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Answer: The DPM is responsible for cross-governmental coordination of policy to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping and will update in due course.
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to reduce levels of homelessness in winter 2024-25.
Answer: The Government will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all.Whilst we develop our new strategy, the Rough Sleeping Init...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Fees and ChargesTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3995More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees on the financial viability of Steiner schools.
Answer: The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential publ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Fees and ChargesTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3994More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a lower rate of VAT on independent schools with lower fees.
Answer: On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boardin...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Fees and ChargesTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3993More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees on children who (a) attend independent schools and (b) do not have an EHCP and (i) are in care, (ii) exper
Answer: The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential publ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordFuel PovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3992More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the potential merits of establishing a fuel poverty prescription that can be given by GPs.
Answer: This Government takes fuel poverty extremely seriously. The Government will invest an extra £6.6 billion over this Parliament in clean heat and energy efficiency through the Warm Homes Plan, upgrading five million homes through solutions like low carbon h...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordLong Term Unemployed PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3991More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she is taking steps to support community businesses that (a) employ, (b) train and (c) support people who have been unemployed for long periods.
Answer: DWP will give local places the responsibility and resources to design a joined-up work, health and skills offer that’s right for local people – as a key part of their Local Growth Plans. There will be a fundamental shift in the balance of power and resour...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPensioners: PovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3990More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will establish a taskforce to help tackle pensioner poverty.
Answer: This government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Our continued commitment to the triple lock means the full new state pension is forecast to i...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordMaternity Services: AsylumDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3989More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of maternity services to asylum seekers; and if he will take steps to help ensure that asylum seekers understand how to access emergen
Answer: The Home Office manages all asylum processes, which includes supporting people to access the services they need. Women seeking asylum are asked at several stages of their asylum application whether they may be pregnant by Home Office case workers, who wil...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNHS: Capital InvestmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3988More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what process his Department is using to (a) assess the resilience of and (b) schedule future capital projects on the NHS estate.
Answer: The Government is committed to building a National Health Service that is fit for the future. This means we need to see world class NHS infrastructure across the entire acute estate, and beyond hospitals into local systems and communities. We know that st...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the time it will take to ensure all eligible individuals receive Pension Credit.
Answer: The responsibility to make a claim to Pension Credit is with individuals, and we can only encourage them to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit Calculator to check eligibility and to use our ...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that all people eligible for pension credit are able to claim it.
Answer: The government wants everyone eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. DWP launched the Pension Credit Week of Action on 2 September, joining forces with national charities, broadcasters and l...
Answered 17 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPensioners: PovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to develop a strategy to end pensioner poverty.
Answer: This Government takes pensioner poverty extremely seriously – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. The department continues to maximise opportunities to promote Pension Credit...
Answered 17 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordFuel PovertyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3728More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to establish a Fuel Poverty Strategy to end fuel poverty.
Answer: The fuel poverty strategy, Sustainable Warmth, was published in 2021 and lays out a plan for how to meet the fuel poverty target. Given that in 2023 an estimated3.17m households remained in fuel poverty in England, we are conducting a review of the 2021 f...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordFuel PovertyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that people (a) who use a prepayment meter and (b) in fuel poverty are able to heat their homes in Winter 2024-2025.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting households with the cost of energy this winter, and we are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. The setting of prices for c...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: MetersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3726More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to ensure that people on a prepayment meter pay no more for energy than those on a contract.
Answer: The setting of prices for customers on a prepayment meter or on a fixed contract is a commercial matter for energy suppliers. The Ofgem price cap for the period 1 October 2024 to 31 December was published in August, and the price cap level for prepayment ...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: BillingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3725More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to enable people on a prepayment meter to move onto an energy contract.
Answer: It is a commercial matter for energy suppliers and their customers to determine which payment method customers should use. Any consumer who wishes to change their payment method or amend their contract should speak to their supplier. It is worth noting th...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Disability and Older PeopleDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3724More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to prioritise his Department's housing retrofit programme to target (a) older and (b) disabled people.
Answer: The Government's current energy efficiency schemes are targeted at consumers with low incomes and those in the least efficient households in the UK.Through the Warm Homes Plan, we will invest an extra £6.6 billion over the next five years in clean heat an...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Older PeopleDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to ensure that energy companies have a legal responsibility to ensure that homes belonging to people in receipt of the State Pension are (a) warm and (b) damp-fr
Answer: Government is supporting households through our Warm Homes Plan, including energy efficiency schemes such as ECO4 and GBIS, which are legal obligations placed on energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to eligible households, making homes w...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDeath: WeatherDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of estimates of the number of deaths in cold housing.
Answer: The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing p...
Answered 16 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: PricesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3721More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure (a) people just above the Pension Credit threshold and (b) other older people can meet their energy costs,.
Answer: Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners are likely to see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioner...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordWinter Fuel PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing a Winter Fuel Payment for older people (a) based on Council Tax Band and (b) as a payment liable to tax.
Answer: It would not be possible to pay winter fuel payments to pensioners according to their council tax band as my department does not hold data on people’s council tax banding. Additionally, council tax band is not always an accurate reflection of someone’s in...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
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