Rachael Maskell MP: written questions 2024
289 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Taxis: RegulationDepartment for TransportTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to end cross-border hiring practices by licensed taxis.
Answer: The Government keeps all policies under review and is aware of stakeholder concerns about the current legislative and regulatory framework for taxis and private hire vehicles. To increase consistency in standards, the Department for Transport issues guida...
Answered 10 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLeasehold: Fees and ChargesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that annual increases in fees paid by leaseholders to management are capped in line with inflation.
Answer: The level of service charge that leaseholders pay depends on many factors, including the terms of a lease, and the age and condition of a building. As a result, the cost of repairs, maintenance of common areas, and management fees vary considerably. Placi...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordYoung Futures HubsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made in establishing a network of youth hubs; and what steps she is taking to support existing youth provision to work with youth hubs.
Answer: This Government is committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential and we recognise the importance of early intervention to ensure young people can live safe and healthy lives.Fundamental to this is the delivery of the Young ...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ContractsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7463More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has on the negotiations for a new NHS dentistry contract.
Answer: To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to National Health Service dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful co...
Answered 10 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAir PollutionDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5596More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment on reducing particulate matter in the air.
Answer: The Department works closely with departments across the Government to improve public health. The Department of Health and Social Care has regular engagement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at both a ministerial and an official...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDiabetesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5595More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement a strategy to reduce levels of (a) diabetes and (b) complications as a result of diabetes.
Answer: The Department has no current plans to publish a written strategy on the prevalence of, and complications arising from, diabetes. However, we are taking important steps to prevent type 2 diabetes and to improve care for people living with diabetes. The NH...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5594More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that health checks are available at all stages of life.
Answer: Health checks throughout all stages of life are important, from ensuring the best start in life, through five health and development reviews before a child reaches two and a half years old, to 12 screening programmes from birth through to adulthood that h...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5593More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place more mental health services in primary care.
Answer: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we will make sure mental health care is delivered in the community wherever possible, so that more people are prevented from needing to go into hospital, through new models of c...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5592More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to expand the scope of the Pharmacy First scheme to include the (a) management of long-term conditions and (b) provision of public health advice.
Answer: We are committed to expanding the role of community pharmacies. We want to develop and better utilise the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to improve access to care in local communities and address inequalities.That includes making prescribi...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ContractsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5591More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to review the dental contract.
Answer: To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to National Health Service dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful co...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5590More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of local Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments.
Answer: We are committed to expanding the role of community pharmacies. We want to develop and better utilise the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to improve access to care in local communities and address inequalities.That includes making prescribi...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: YorkDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5589More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to expand community pharmacy provision in York.
Answer: We are committed to expanding the role of community pharmacies. We want to develop and better utilise the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to improve access to care in local communities and address inequalities.That includes making prescribi...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: ExportsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4533More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what capacity his Department has for monitoring the end-user destination of arms exported under the Open General license regime; and what assessment he has made of the compatibility of those licenses w
Answer: The scope and terms of Open General Licences (OGLs) are chosen so they are consistent with the SELC. OGLs are typically offered for low risk destinations and low risk items. If our assessment of the risks relating to an OGL changes, then the OGL is amende...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: ExportsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4532More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether it is possible to introduce restrictions under the Open General export licensing regime to prevent export of arms to countries deemed at risk of using them for purposes that would violate inter
Answer: Open General Licences (OGLs) are pre-published licences that permit the export of specified items to specified destinations, following an online registration. These licences do not have any approved named recipients, however what they permit and to which ...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support people eligible for Pension Credit to claim it.
Answer: The Department has introduced the ability to make an online claim. This is in addition to telephone and paper claims. DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process. The Department is implementing ...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordOlder People: AdvocacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a Commissioner for Older People.
Answer: The duties of such a role are covered by work elsewhere in the system. The Chief Nurse champions and raises the profile of nursing in social care and works alongside the Chief Social Worker for Adults, to increase the recognition and appreciation of all s...
Answered 4 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: HealthDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with Directors of Public Health on the risks posed to elderly people of not being able to heat their home to minimum temperature thresholds for health in winter 2024-
Answer: Ministers meet with local authorities on a range of issues. Living in a home that is cold or damp can directly impact occupants’ physical and mental health, creating or exacerbating health issues across their life course. The Government is committed to a ...
Answered 30 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordInfluenza: Fuel PovertyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to target people living in fuel poverty for the flu vaccine.
Answer: The Department currently have no such plans. The current eligibility criteria are based on the advice of the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Adults aged 65 years old and older are eligible for the influenza vaccination....
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordFuel Poverty: Older PeopleDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he (a) is having and (b) plans to have discussions with local authorities on steps that can be taken to ensure older people are able to (i) heat their homes and (ii) access other warm
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting those who are struggling to pay their energy bills, including the most vulnerable households. We are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-inco...
Answered 13 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Social TariffsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with energy producers on the potential merits of using profits to create an energy social tariff.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting those who are struggling to pay their energy bills, including the most vulnerable households. We are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-inco...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordInsulation: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he determines schedules for insulating homes of pensioners.
Answer: Current Government energy efficiency schemes are targeted at low-income consumers and those in the least energy efficient households. Eligibility requirements can be found on gov.uk, www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-t...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension Credit and Winter Fuel PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4378More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to take steps to enable people who are unable to claim Pension Credit to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
Answer: Only pensioner households entitled to Pension Credit, or the other qualifying benefits, Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit will get...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his deadline is for writing to Housing Benefit claimants on taking up Pension Credit; and what further steps he plans to take in respect of increasing uptake.
Answer: Building on last year’s ‘Invitation to Claim’ trial, we will be directly contacting approximately 120,000 pensioner households who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We will be i...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of asking local authorities to contact every pensioner on Housing Benefit to encourage them to take up Pension Credit; and if she will make an asse
Answer: The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions wrote to all local authorities on 20th August. The letter acknowledged the vital role local authorities play in supporting their communities. The Government recognises that many lo...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the time taken for all eligible pensioners to apply for 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 record
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