Topical Questions 2021-11-24
2021-11-24
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Tameside Hospital faces a need for capital funding in a new maternity unit and antenatal clinic. The current facilities are outdated, causing equipment issues.
I welcome the Government's commitment to tackling disparity in our healthcare, particularly important for maternity care. I ask the Minister to speak to her colleagues at the Department of Health and Social Care about Tameside Hospital's need for capital funding in a new maternity unit and antenatal clinic. The current unit is located in the Charlesworth Building built in 1971 and poorly insulated causing equipment issues. The capital funding bid needs support. Will she work with me to deliver better healthcare for women of High Peak?
Maternity care is a top priority. Since 2010, stillbirths and neonatal mortality have reduced by 25% and 29%, respectively. The Acorn birth centre at Tameside opened last year and has been well received locally but I am happy to discuss further improvements with the MP.
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Assessment & feedback
Specifically asked about capital funding, only mentioned willingness to discuss further without committing additional funds.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Domestic abuse-related crimes doubled in the last five years, but prosecutions have fallen annually. The Minister was previously concerned about violence against women and girls globally.
This morning we learned that domestic abuse-related crimes have doubled in the last five years while prosecutions fell every year. A few minutes ago, the Foreign Secretary rightly lamented violence against women and girls across the world. When will she get a grip on the catastrophic situation facing many women and girls in our own country?
This Government passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Bill to set out protections on statute book for victims of domestic abuse. We are working at pace to drive actions across the criminal justice system and investing significantly in courts to address backlogs.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about decline in prosecutions, only mentioned legislative progress without addressing specific trend or remedy.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Domestic abuse-related crimes doubled in the last five years, but prosecutions have fallen annually. The Minister did not mention these figures.
I regret that the Minister does not appear to have seen the figures from this morning. If she had, she would know that her Government's measures are not working. I thought she would mention additional measures required: increasing sentences for stalking and domestic murder; introducing new defences for victims; stopping social security, family courts and migration systems failing victims; making serial abusers subject to special supervision. Labour has called for all these measures. When will the Conservatives enact them?
The Government enacted a large portion of those long-listed measures with the Domestic Abuse Bill. I invite her to attend Home Office questions and address the Home Secretary directly.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about specific measures, only mentioned general legislative progress without addressing specifics proposed by Labour.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Trust in law enforcement, immigration and health officials is essential to build back fairer.
Does the Minister agree that improving trust in key public officials and institutions in areas such as law enforcement, immigration and health, particularly in communities where historically they have been low, is absolutely essential? What steps does she intend to take to level up in this vital area?
Building trust between different communities and institutions was a central theme of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. We will respond shortly with plans for building back fairer.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about specific steps, only mentioned intention to respond without details.
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Self-harm for women in prison increased by 47% between March and June. Incarceration is not the best health outcome.
Between March and June this year, self-harm for women in prison grew by a staggering 47%. Is the Minister aware that the best health outcome for women with children is not incarceration but a sentence in the community? Can she say how she is pursuing this with the Secretary of State for Justice?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising that point but do not have MoJ figures at hand. I can get a colleague in the Department to write with a more specific answer.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about pursuing alternatives, only mentioned getting further information without concrete action.
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The Online Safety Bill is proposed to better protect women from abuse.
Does the Minister agree that it is time to better protect women from abuse and harassment, and the vehicle to do this is the Online Safety Bill?
I fully agree. No one should feel afraid to participate in democracy. Intimidation can stop talented people from standing for public office.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about supporting the bill, only mentioned agreement without specifics.
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
Young carers often lose out on inequalities.
When it comes to inequalities, young carers very often lose out. Can I invite Ministers to come and look at a wonderful organisation in Wick called KLICS, which really is delivering a service that means a huge amount to young people?
I am sure we would be very keen to do that.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about visiting an organisation, only gave vague agreement without commitment.
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
Macho behaviour and posturing disproportionately affect women in public life, causing intimidation and abuse.
Dame Laura Cox recently argued that macho behaviour and posturing so frequently displayed in our political debates have adversely affected women. Women journalists, academics, campaigners and political activists have reported instances of intimidation, abuse and even physical violence. What does the Minister believe we can do collectively to change this culture?
The hon. Lady is right, we need to deal with the culture in our politics and have rational, reasonable debates.
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Assessment & feedback
Asked about collective actions, only gave agreement without specifics.
Response accuracy