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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

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

1361171

registered interest
date	19/10/2021
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Paternity Leave
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending paid paternity leave to new employees whose period in work is less than 26 weeks.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	59080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2021 answer text <p>As set out in our Manifesto, we are committed to making it easier for fathers to take Paternity Leave. In 2019 the Government consulted on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay, this consultation included Paternity Leave and Pay. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 22/10/2021 13:58:54 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1352220

registered interest
date	03/09/2021
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	Travel Restrictions: Turkey
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 the adequacy of the evidence that supports the placement of Turkey on the covid-19 red list for international travel.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	42176
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2021 answer text <p>Decisions to place countries on the ‘red list’ are taken by the Government, informed by evidence including the Joint Biosecurity Centre risk assessments alongside other factors. We are unable to provide the information requested as the advice, evidence and methodology that informs these decisions relates to on-going development of Government policy. However, further information on the data informing international travel risk assessments is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-informing-international-travel-risk-assessments." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-informing-international-travel-risk-assessments.</a></p><p>You will find further information on the methodology for international travel risk assessments here at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-risk-assessment-methodology-to-inform-international-travel-traffic-light-system" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-risk-assessment-methodology-to-inform-international-travel-traffic-light-system.</a></p> answering member constituency Erewash answering member printed Maggie Throup question first answered 11/10/2021 14:29:35 answering member 4447 label Biography information for Maggie Throup
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1351059

registered interest
date	18/08/2021
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	Israel: Bedouin
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the demolition of 27 structures in Humsa - Al Bqai’a, the northern Jordan Valley, including residential units and animal shelters.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	41319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2021 answer text <p>The UK regularly raises the demolition of Palestinian property with the Government of Israel, most recently on 13 July, over the repeated confiscation and demolition of donor-funded assistance and structures at Humsa al Bqai'a. We continue to monitor the situation in Humsa al Bqai'a closely. Officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem visited on 19 July, releasing a joint statement with our likeminded partners urging Israel to halt settlement construction, demolitions and confiscation of Palestinian property.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 06/09/2021 15:07:08 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1351062

registered interest
date	18/08/2021
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	Personal Income: Disability and Older people
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 his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the Minimum Income Guarantee to support (a) disabled people and (b) elderly people.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	41321
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/01/2022 answer text <p>On 7 September, the Government announced the Minimum Income Guarantee will rise in line with inflation for all age groups from April 2022.</p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 04/01/2022 16:06:54 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana