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1540372

registered interest
date	07/11/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gynaecology: Waiting Lists
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of (a) the average waiting time, (b) the number of women waiting and (c) the number of women waiting over one year for a gynaecological appointment or procedure; what steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times for these appointments; and whether she has made an estimate of when waiting times will return to pre covid-19 levels.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	80918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2022 answer text <p>As of September 2022, the median average waiting time for gynaecology treatment was 15.7 weeks. The information requested on the number of women waiting for an appointment or procedure is not held centrally.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ sets out how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including gynaecological services. We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million additional checks and procedures and 30% further elective activity by 2024/25 than pre-pandemic levels.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/11/2022 15:11:13 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 34142 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1519008

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Carers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make it her policy to provide support for unpaid carers in the context of the cost of living crisis, including ensuring (a) access to breaks, (b) respite and care services and (c) support to balance paid work with care.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	59108
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2022 answer text <p>The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a range of sustainable high-quality care and support services, including for unpaid carers. Local authorities are required to undertake a Carer’s Assessment for any unpaid carer who appears to have a need for support and to meet their eligible needs on request from the carer.</p><p>Funding for respite and short breaks for carers is included in the National Health Service contribution to the Better Care Fund (BCF). In 2022/23, £291.7 million from the BCF is earmarked to provide short breaks and respite services and advice and support for carers under the Care Act. Legislation to introduce one week of leave for unpaid carers will be brought forward when Parliamentary time allows.</p><p>Many carers will be amongst the eight million low-income households in receipt of a means-tested benefit who will receive the £650 Cost of Living payment. Six million people in receipt of an eligible disability benefit will also receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, which includes carers in receipt of a qualifying benefit. The Pensioner Cost of Living Payment of £300 per household will be paid with the winter fuel payment this winter.</p> answering member constituency Harborough answering member printed Neil O'Brien question first answered 13/10/2022 12:09:21 answering member 4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1507354

registered interest
date	21/09/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Aviation: Fares
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to help ensure that consumers have received refunds for cancelled flight bookings in summer 2022.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	53526
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2022 answer text <p>We have a framework of laws that set out the protections available for air passengers, including the rules on when they are entitled to refunds and compensation.</p><p>The CAA, as the UK’s aviation regulator, is responsible for enforcing consumer protections in aviation, and will take enforcement action where it sees systemic breaches of those laws.</p><p>The Department took action, as part of our 22-point plan to tackle summer disruption, to remind the aviation sector over the summer of their responsibility to support passengers, to ensure passengers are promptly informed of their rights if things go wrong and are compensated in good time.</p><p>Additionally, we published the Aviation Passenger Charter in July to provide consumers with the information they need on their rights and responsibilities for each stage of their journey, from booking to if things go wrong. This included information on when they may be entitled to refunds and compensation, how to claim, and where they can get further assistance.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Katherine Fletcher question first answered 11/10/2022 14:20:12 answering member 4834 label Biography information for Katherine Fletcher
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1507156

registered interest
date	20/09/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	BTEC Qualifications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of phasing out BTEC qualifications on the number of (a) young people and (b) young people from (i) working class and (ii) marginalised backgrounds choosing to begin further education; and whether it is taking steps to address concerns on phasing out those qualifications raised by the Protect Student Choice campaign.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	52017
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/09/2022 answer text <p>Qualifications such as BTECs continue to play an important role for 16 to 19-year-olds and adults. The qualifications review will ensure that these qualifications are approved for funding, where there is a clear need for skills and knowledge that A levels and T Levels cannot provide, and where they meet new quality standards.</p><p>An assessment of the potential equalities impacts of the removal of funding for level 3 qualifications, which includes some BTECs, was carried out as part of the impact assessment published alongside the July 2021 policy statement on level 3 qualifications. This is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforms-to-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-in-england" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforms-to-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-in-england</a>. Overall, the department expects the impact of our reforms to be positive. Students will have clearer choices and access to higher quality qualifications in future, including new T Levels. This will put students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, in a stronger position to progress into further study or skilled employment.</p><p>The department is committed to supporting students to progress onto level 3 qualifications in future. This is why we have launched the T Level Transition Programme for those who are not yet ready to progress to a T Level, but have the potential to succeed on it after some further preparation. Additionally, in our recent consultation on qualifications at level 2 and below, the department confirmed our intention to pilot an Academic Progression Programme to support students who may have the potential to take an academic programme at level 3, but who are not ready to do so when entering post-16 education.</p><p>We expect to publish the government response to the consultation in due course.</p> answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns question first answered 27/09/2022 10:40:50 answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1507157

registered interest
date	20/09/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Scooters: Visual Impairment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Guide Dogs report entitled Guide Dogs Scoot Aware, published in May 2022, what assessment she has made of the implications of the findings of that report for her policy on e-scooters; and if she will make a further assessment of the potential impact of e-scooters on people with visual impairments.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	52018
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2022 answer text <p>The Department welcomes this report and officials met with Guide Dogs on 18 August 2022 to discuss its recommendations. The Department will continue to consider how best to address the impact of e-scooters on other road users, including those with visual impairments, and will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including through a public consultation, before any new arrangements come into force.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 23/09/2022 12:03:57 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1491095

registered interest
date	20/07/2022
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	National Insurance Contributions: State Retirement Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in the National Insurance contribution threshold on eligibility for the State Pension; and what steps his Department is taking to mitigate any consequent loss of entitlement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	40960
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Although the Primary Threshold [PT] at which an employee starts paying National Insurance has increased to £242 per week, the Lower Earnings Limit [LEL] has remained at £123 per week for 2022/23. People will build a qualifying year for their State Pension if their earnings from a single job are at or above £6396 per year [52 times the LEL]. This in effect provides for a zero-rate band between the LEL and the PT where individuals are treated as having paid NI contributions for benefit entitlement purposes.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/09/2022 11:25:03 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1462942

registered interest
date	16/05/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Charging Points: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) potential impact of the higher rate of VAT charged on public electric vehicle charging compared with home charging on the uptake of electric vehicles and (b) potential distributional impact of that differential on households by income bracket.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	2301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2022 answer text <p>In order to keep costs down for families, the supply of electricity for domestic use, including charging an electric vehicle (EV) at home, attracts the 5 per cent reduced rate of VAT. However, electricity supplied at EV charging points in public places is subject to the 20 per cent standard rate of VAT.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has not specifically introduced a reduced rate for charging EVs at home. However, the practical challenges of differentiating between the electricity used at home for general domestic purposes and electricity used to charge EVs currently mean that the reduced rate is effectively being applied to EV charging at home.</p><p> </p><p>Harmonising the rate of VAT on electricity for public and domestic charging points for electric vehicles would require the Government to expand the existing VAT relief on electricity for domestic use (that is also used to charge EVs at home) to electricity for use at public EV charge points, and this would come at a cost.</p><p> </p><p>VAT makes a significant contribution towards the public finances, raising around £130 billion in 2019-20, and helps fund the Government's priorities including the NHS, schools, and defence. Any loss in tax revenue would have to be balanced by a reduction in public spending, increased borrowing, or increased taxation elsewhere.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to supporting the transition to zero emission vehicles to help the UK meet its net-zero obligations. The Government has committed £2.5 billion since 2020 to support the transition to zero emission vehicles, which funds targeted vehicle grants and the rollout of charging infrastructure.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently no plans to change the VAT treatment of electricity supplied at public EV charge points. However, the Government keeps all taxes under review, and carefully considers behavioural effects and distributional impacts when making decisions on tax policy.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 19/05/2022 14:31:51 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1462017

registered interest
date	11/05/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Care Homes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of his policy to end free access to lateral flow tests for visiting people in care homes on (a) the distributional impact of the costs of such tests for those visiting loved ones and (b) the rates of covid-19 (i) infection, (ii) illness and (iii) death among care home residents; and whether the Government will consider revising this policy.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2022 answer text <p>We keep the testing policies under review. Current data shows that rates of infection, illness and death among care home residents continue to decline. However, symptomatic testing continues to be available for those in social care settings. While the guidance no longer requires most visitors to test before entering care settings in England, for those who wish to do so a range of tests are available from providers such as high street pharmacies at various price points. For those residents who require support with personal care, these visitors should test in line with the Government’s guidance for care staff using free lateral flow device tests provided by the care setting.</p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 26/05/2022 08:29:06 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan previous answer version 818 answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1441295

registered interest
date	15/03/2022
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Personal Independence Payment: Older People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason (a) people over the state pension age who wish to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP) rather than Attendance Allowance (AA) are not entitled to do so and (b) AA does not include a mobility component as PIP does; and if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing people over the state pension age to claim PIP.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	140567
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2022 answer text <p>The aim of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to focus additional help with the extra costs of disability on people who become severely disabled earlier in life and who, as a consequence, face limited opportunities to work, earn and save compared with other people. Once PIP has been awarded, and subject to the conditions of entitlement continuing to be met, it can continue in payment after reaching State Pension age (SPa), including the mobility component where that was awarded prior to SPa.</p><p> </p><p>Attendance Allowance (AA) does not include a mobility component. It is normal for social security schemes to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives, which reflect varying priorities and circumstances. The rules for AA recognise that developing mobility needs is a common and foreseeable feature of the ageing process.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to review these rules.</p><p /> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 21/03/2022 15:52:37 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith previous answer version 58595 answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1440206

registered interest
date	11/03/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Dentistry: EU Countries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the date from which EU-qualified dentists will be required to take additional examinations in order to gain admittance to General Dental Council (GDC) so that students who began studying dentistry prior to the referendum on the UK leaving the EU are able to gain automatic admittance to the GDC as anticipated.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	138360
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2022 answer text <p>Automatic recognition arrangements are in place for relevant dental qualifications obtained in the European Economic Area and Switzerland for a period of 24 months from the end of the transition period, or 48 months for Swiss qualifications.</p><p>The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is required to carry out a statutory review of these arrangements after the 24-month period. This review will be conducted at the start of 2023. Automatic recognition of qualifications will continue until further legislation is introduced to amend or end these arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 16/03/2022 09:17:52 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana