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1644996

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Food: Labelling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Bristol East of 12 January 2023, Official Report, column 702, what her Department's policy is on the labelling and marketing of plant-based food and drink products.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	189755
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2023 answer text <p>The labelling of all food and drink products is governed by the law on the provision of food information to consumers as well as various agricultural marketing standards that apply to the production and marketing of particular primary commodities. These require that food information is accurate and that consumers are not misled ensuring that consumers are able to make fully informed decisions about the food that they consume.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/06/2023 10:15:43 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1644997

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Tourism: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Tourism Recovery Plan: Update on Delivery published by her Department in March 2023, what recent progress she has made on her Department's commitment to explore potential mitigations for the removal of the VAT-free shopping scheme.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	189756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2023 answer text <p>As referenced in the Tourism Recovery Plan Update, the Government is engaging closely to identify potential ways to further grow the UK visitor economy - including how best to support and grow the valuable inbound tourism sector.</p><p>We will continue to monitor the impact of government interventions and facilitate joined-up policy interventions, and to discuss this topic with colleagues across Government through the Inter-Ministerial Group for the Visitor Economy.</p><p>As a tax matter, His Majesty’s Treasury set the terms for the UK Government’s policy on VAT-free shopping. HM Treasury continues to monitor the evidence and latest data around VAT-free shopping as they keep all taxes under review.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 22/06/2023 08:49:28 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1645006

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Batteries: Lithium
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to raise public awareness of the potential fire risk of lithium batteries in residential buildings.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	189773
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2023 answer text <p>The Home Office is working with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and London Fire Brigade on the fire safety impacts of the increased use of lithium-ion batteries in the home.</p><p>In November each year, the Fire Kills campaign works with Electrical Safety First to run Electrical Fire Safety Week to promote messages on safe use of electrical goods and appliances. Working in partnership with the NFCC, the Home Office also provides resources and information to support delivery of fire prevention by local fire and rescue services.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 23/06/2023 09:18:21 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury

1645019

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Regional Planning and Development: Aarhus Convention
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the provisions of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill on the UK's obligations under Article (a) 6 and (b) 7 of the Aarhus Convention.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	189743
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2023 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to the Aarhus Convention and its requirements for public participation in decision making relating to the environment. The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill will improve opportunities for public involvement in planning by making procedures more accessible and digital, while maintaining opportunities to comment on plans and planning applications. National Development Management Policies will also be subject to appropriate and any necessary consultation before they are introduced.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean question first answered 22/06/2023 13:42:07 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

1645020

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Development Plans: Aarhus Convention
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the provisions on National Development Management Policies of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill on the UK's obligations under Article (a) 6 and (b) 7 of the Aarhus Convention.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	189744
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2023 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to the Aarhus Convention and its requirements for public participation in decision making relating to the environment. The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill will improve opportunities for public involvement in planning by making procedures more accessible and digital, while maintaining opportunities to comment on plans and planning applications. National Development Management Policies will also be subject to appropriate and any necessary consultation before they are introduced.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean question first answered 23/06/2023 14:54:44 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

1645026

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Cabinet Office: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of his Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	189783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2023 answer text <p>In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.</p><p>The Cabinet Office had 19 commitments set out in Part 3 of the NDS. These commitments, along with their implementation status, are set out in the table below.</p><p>We remain fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, the Cabinet Office will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer.</p><p>Ahead of this, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.</p><p><strong><p><p></strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Cabinet Office commitments as set out in the National Disability Strategy Part 3 (2021)</p></td><td><p>Status of commitment</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Better recognise the exceptional contribution of disabled people to the UK through the honours system.</p></td><td><p>Partially implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Launch a new website and application system to transform how disabled people can access public appointments, alongside increased outreach with disability networks.</p></td><td><p>Partially implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Develop a new principle that arm’s length bodies offer disabled non-executive directors on their boards the ability to do their duties remotely, if they so wish.</p></td><td><p>Fully implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ensure the exemplar accessibility of government buildings, through the work of the Government Property Agency.</p></td><td><p>Partially implemented</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Introduce legislation to require returning officers to consider the needs of people with a wide range of disabilities.</p></td><td><p>Please see the reply of Dehenna Davison MP, on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on 20 June 2023:<a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-06-15/189778" target="_blank"> https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-06-15/189778</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Progress work to require landlords to make reasonable adjustments to the common parts of leasehold and commonhold homes.</p></td><td><p>Not implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Run a campaign to help the public sector make mobile applications accessible, and raise awareness of how people can raise complaints about inaccessible websites.</p></td><td><p>Fully implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Consult on workforce reporting on disability for large employers, exploring voluntary and mandated workplace transparency, and publish a set of next steps.</p></td><td><p>Paused.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lead by example, taking further measures to make the Civil Service a brilliant place to work for disabled people, including timely workplace adjustments, support for staff disability networks and continuing to grow our multi-award winning work experience and development programmes.</p></td><td><p>Fully implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lead a multi-year programme to improve the availability, quality, relevance and comparability of government disability data.</p></td><td><p>Not implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leverage government’s procurement spend to drive better outcomes for disabled people.</p></td><td><p>Fully implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Review our approach to ensure we are engaging in the best ways and with a sufficiently diverse group of disabled people.</p></td><td><p>Paused.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Explore the establishment of a world-leading Centre for Assistive and Accessible Technology.</p></td><td><p>Paused.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Expand the Disability and Access Ambassadors programme.</p></td><td><p>Fully Implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Assess the assistive and accessible technology needs of disabled people in England.</p></td><td><p>Fully implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Through the Central Digital and Data Office, deliver a single government account for users’ personal and business needs, benefitting many disabled people.</p></td><td><p>Partially implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Improve the accessibility of government communications.</p></td><td><p>Partially implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Work across government to drive further action on crime, accessible products and services and social participation.</p></td><td><p>Not implemented.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Through Places for Growth, help create a fully inclusive and diverse workforce for the long term, not the short term, and developing talent opportunities across the Regions and Nations of the UK.</p></td><td><p>Partially implemented.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 23/06/2023 14:00:10 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1645027

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of her Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	189784
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2023 answer text <p>As part of the National Disability Strategy (NDS), DCMS had four specific actions, three of which are progressing as planned and one of which, following the recent machinery of government changes, is now the responsibility of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.</p><p>Firstly, we are continuing to develop the Arts Access Card Scheme, which will make it easier for disabled people to enjoy arts and cultural venues across the UK. The pilot of the scheme is scheduled to launch in spring 2024.</p><p>Secondly, we are progressing our ambition for the UK to be the most accessible tourism destination in Europe by engaging with stakeholders, including VisitEngland, VisitBritain and the Tourism Industry Council Working Group, and we are also aiming to host a series of ministerial roundtables to discuss the barriers disabled people face as tourists.</p><p>Thirdly, we are continuing to address the inequalities faced by disabled people in sport and physical activity. As such, Sport England has provided £1 million of specialist disability investment as part of its ongoing ‘recover and reinvent’ work, 47 grants through the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund to projects benefiting autistic people and £40 million in the 2 financial years to March 2023 through the Tackling Inequalities Fund and Together Fund (reaching 1,900 projects directly supporting disabled people).</p><p>The action in the NDS for DCMS to explore how to improve the accessibility of private sector websites now falls under the auspices of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 22/06/2023 08:56:00 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1645028

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Department for Business and Trade: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of her Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	189785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2023 answer text <p>In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held as a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.</p><p>The National Disability Strategy (NDS) was published in July 2021 before the creation of the Department of Business and Trade in February 2023. The former Department for International Trade had no policies in the NDS while former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had several commitments. The following three NDS commitments, were delivered by BEIS before the Judicial Review in January 2022:</p><ol><li>An online advice hub providing clear, accessible information on employment rights for disabled people, developed in collaboration with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration service (Acas). This is now live and can be found at the following address: <a href="https://www.acas.org.uk/disability-at-work" target="_blank">https://www.acas.org.uk/disability-at-work</a></li><li>A consultation on “making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to”. The consultation ran from September to December 2021 and the Government published its response in December 2022. The Government is supporting the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members Bill through parliament, which will deliver several of the measures committed to in the response.</li><li>An outline of next steps on introducing unpaid carer’s leave across Great Britain, following the Government’s consultation response in September 2021. The Government supported the Carer’s Leave Private Members Act through parliament, which has now received Royal Assent.</li></ol><p>The remaining former BEIS commitments relevant to the Department for Business and Trade’s remit in the National Disability Strategy were formally paused as a result of the Judicial Review. These were:</p><ol start="4"><li>Scoping policy proposals to ensure that every disabled person who wants to start a business has the opportunity to do so.</li><li>Launching an Extra Costs taskforce, to understand the extra costs faced by disabled people and how this breaks down for different impairments.</li></ol><p>We remain fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, the Department for Business and Trade will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer.</p><p>Ahead of this, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.</p> answering member constituency Thirsk and Malton answering member printed Kevin Hollinrake question first answered 03/07/2023 16:07:58 answering member 4474 label Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1645029

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of her Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	189786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2023 answer text <p>In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs had the following commitments included in the National Disability Strategy:</p><ul><li>make the England Coast Path as easy to use as possible for disabled people – all stretches of the England Coast Path will be open or with establishment works underway by the end of 2021, unless there are ongoing planning or legal issues</li><li>create a new north coast to coast National Trail from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire by 2025</li><li>improve access, signage and information on existing national paths and trails</li><li>deliver a £5.77 million investment in green social prescribing, which will benefit disabled people</li><li>implement the 25 Year Environment Plan, ensuring nature is accessible to everyone</li></ul><p> </p><p>Work on the King Charles III England Coast Path is progressing with over 850 miles now open to the public. At 2,700 miles, when complete it will be the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world. We are making the King Charles III England Coast Path as accessible as possible and have recently approved proposals that have included a brand-new wheelchair-friendly ramp to a popular seawall walkway in Essex, a 600m accessible boardwalk on the Wirral and significant improvements to a well-used stretch of the South West Coast Path which will improve the width, surface quality and gradient of the existing trail.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing work designating Wainwright’s existing coast to coast path across the North of England as a new National Trail by 2025.</p><p> </p><p>Our Access for All programme has committed £14.5m of funding to make targeted access improvements in our protected landscapes, national trails, forests and the wider countryside, to help bring the benefits of spending time in nature to everyone. More than £3.5m has already been spent on making our protected landscapes more accessible, including on: resurfacing paths; replacement of stiles with accessible gates; new benches and resting stops; accessible viewing platforms and the provision of new all-terrain trampers to support disabled people to access the countryside. The Government has extended its Farming in Protected Landscapes programme to improve accessibility in our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, including installing interpretation panels, replacing gates and stiles to improve access for people who use wheelchairs.</p><p> </p><p>The Green Social Prescribing programme which closed in March 2023 achieved over 7,000 referrals to nature-based activities over the course of the programme, and the evidence suggests that the programme has had a very strong service take-up compared with traditional mental health support services. We are committed to supporting the scale-up of green social prescribing across England, as confirmed in our Environmental Improvement Plan.</p><p> </p><p>We remain fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer.</p><p>Ahead of this, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 27/06/2023 13:00:13 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes

1645030

registered interest
date	15/06/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of his Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Romsey and Southampton North
tabling member printed	Caroline Nokes
uin	189787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2023 answer text <p>In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations. The Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office had three policies included in the National Disability Strategy. These included:</p><ul><li>Commitment 1: Launch the enhanced FCDO Disability Inclusion Strategy and embedding disability rights in the new International Development Strategy in 2021</li><li>Commitment 2: Make the UK's Official Development Assistance spend - £10 billion in 2021 to 2022 - disability inclusive</li><li>Commitment 3: Establish a new FCDO External Disability Board, first meeting to take place by December 2021</li></ul><p>We have completed the first and third commitments with the publication of the FCDO Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy in February 2022, and the establishment of an External Disability Board. The second commitment is ongoing. As detailed in the Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy, the FCDO takes a twin-track approach, with targeted support through disability-specific interventions in key sectors alongside mainstreaming disability inclusion across FCDO's work. We remain fully committed to supporting disabled people globally through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, the Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people's lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer. Ahead of this, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/06/2023 12:03:14 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes