Topical Questions 2024-10-09
2024-10-09
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent, Valerie Forde, was murdered by her partner. The questioner seeks the Minister to reconsider supporting women based on their ethnic, racial or cultural background.
Will the Minister reconsider and examine the support needed for women because of their ethnic, and racial or cultural background?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all the campaigning work that she has done in this crucial area in the face of the tragic loss of Valerie Forde. We must do everything we can to ensure that all victims of violence against women and girls receive the support that they need. I will make arrangements for her to discuss further with a Home Office Minister what more we need to do, particularly around police training and standards.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific law is not addressed directly; instead, general commitment to work on it without specifics.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The questioner highlights the success of an HIV and hepatitis testing programme that has diagnosed over 1,300 people with HIV in its first two years.
Will the Minister assure the House that the funding and commitment will remain?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising such an important issue, on which all Members across the House want to make progress. Officials are working on further plans, which we will set out very shortly, but we will be keen to work with her and colleagues across the House to make sure that we eradicate new HIV and AIDS infections.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific commitment or timeline for continued funding mentioned; more general statement about further plans being worked on.
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
The questioner inquires if the Minister agrees with a statement from a Tory leadership candidate that maternity pay has 'gone too far'.
Is the Minister of the view that maternity pay, in the words of one Tory leadership candidate, has “gone too far”?
Absolutely not, and my hon. Friend is right to mention the fact that that kind of assessment flies in the face of not only common sense, but all the economic evidence. When we support women to return to work and to progress at work, while being able to spend time with their families, we grow our economy—something that this Government are determined to do.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The questioner asks about the continuity of funding to support women's and girls' football which was committed by the previous Government.
Can the Minister confirm that that funding will continue?
I assure the right hon. Lady that we are absolutely determined to encourage our women and girls to take part in sport and physical activity—something that falls off all too often as girls reach their teenage years. In my work in the Department for Education, through the curriculum and assessment review, we are looking at what more schools can do, and going beyond that, we are working with sporting bodies to deliver more.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific funding details provided; instead, general commitment to encourage participation in sport.
Response accuracy
Q5
Direct Answer
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Context
The questioner raises concerns about accessing rail stations in Hexham, especially for disabled individuals.
Will the Minister work with the Department for Transport to ensure that Great British Railways puts disabled access at the heart of its plans?
Yes, we will. Accessibility is at the heart of the Government's passenger-focused approach, and with a unified rail network, we will be able to meet accessibility needs more reliably and consistently and plan how best to improve accessibility across the entire network.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The questioner refers to commitments made on the implementation of the Cass review and seeks further assurances regarding access to healthcare and reducing waiting lists.
Will they commit themselves to ensuring that trans people do have access to the healthcare that they need, and to ensuring that waiting lists are brought down as soon as possible?
The hon. Member is right to draw attention to the very long waiting lists currently experienced by many people. I know that the Health Secretary is focusing on the issue, as well as on LGBT health more broadly—indeed, on health for everyone—as part of our mission to get the NHS off the floor and off its knees and working for everyone in the country.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific commitment given regarding access or reducing waiting times; instead, a general statement about addressing long waiting lists.
Response accuracy