theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Richard Tice:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will increase NHS dental funding to improve (a) accessibility, (b) workforce retention and (c) patient outcomes; and what steps he has taken to ensure there is equitable access to dental services. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The NHS in England invests approximately £3 billion in dentistry every year. NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England will publish planning guidance for 2025/26 in due course.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the ICBs across England. For the Boston and Skegness constituency, this is the NHS Lincolnshire ICB.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings the Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care) has had with the National health and social care discharge taskforce. \p Stephen Kinnock: Ministers meet regularly with NHS England to discuss discharge and winter performance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a long term funding settlement for NHS dentistry. \p Stephen Kinnock: A budget of £3.8 billion for primary, community, and secondary dentistry has been allocated to the integrated care boards across England for 2024/25, to deliver new initiatives and address the challenges facing National Health Service dentistry. Allocations for 2025/26 will be confirmed shortly, and long-term funding will be considered during phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will set budgets for 2026/27 to 2028/29.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to update the Carr-Hill formula. \p Stephen Kinnock: Plans to review the funding formula may be revisited in future, however any changes would need careful planning to ensure they do not threaten stability or cause financial uncertainty for practices.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timescale is for launching an independent commission into adult social care. \p Stephen Kinnock: On 3 January 2025, we announced an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission will begin in April 2025 and will be split over two phases. The first phase, reporting in 2026, will focus on how we can make the most of the existing resources to improve people’s lives over the medium term.

Phase two, reporting in 2028, will then consider the long-term transformation of adult social care, setting us on the road to the fundamental reform that will build a social care system fit for the future, recognising the power adult social care has to nurture local communities and help people live independent and fulfilling lives.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of training given to palliative care specialists. \p Stephen Kinnock: We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, including at end of life. In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade to treat patients on time again.

As we expand the medical workforce, we will ensure there is growth in foundation placement capacity and specialty training places that meets the demands of the NHS in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure this growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

The training of health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies such as the General Medical Council (GMC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health and Care Professions Council. These have the general function of promoting high standards of education and coordinating all stages of education to ensure that health and care students and newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for professional practice.

The training curricula for postgraduate specialty training, including for palliative and end of life care, is set by the relevant Royal College and must meet the standards set by the GMC.

To ensure the health and social care workforce, including volunteers, are equipped and well- supported to deliver personalised care to people at the end of life, Health Education England, now part of NHS England, hosts the End of Life Care for All e-learning training programme, which includes nine modules on improving care for people at the end of life.

Additionally, we have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future, and a central part of the Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending free NHS dental repairs to teeth damaged by seizures from epilepsy. \p Stephen Kinnock: Free National Health Service dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria: under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education; pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months; being treated in an NHS hospital and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, considering that patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges; receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 years old and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits.

Support is also available through the NHS Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for exemption or full remission of dental patient charges. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-is-entitled-to-free-nhs-dental-treatment-in-england/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Liam Conlon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) recruit and (b) train specialist palliative care staff. \p Stephen Kinnock: We will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, including at the end of life. This summer, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

The training of health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies such as the General Medical Council (GMC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the Health and Care Professions Council. These have the general function of promoting high standards of education and coordinating all stages of education to ensure that health and care students and newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for professional practice.

The training curricula for postgraduate specialty training, including for palliative and end of life care, is set by the relevant royal college and has to meet the standards set by the GMC.

As we expand the medical workforce, we will ensure there is growth in foundation placement capacity and specialty training places that meets the demands of the NHS in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure this growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

To ensure the health and social care workforce, including volunteers, are equipped and well- supported to deliver personalised care to people at the end of life, Health Education England, now part of NHS England, hosts the End of Life Care for All e-learning training programme, which includes nine modules on improving care for people at the end of life.

Additionally, we have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future, and a central part of the plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure adequate support in schools for young people with bipolar disorder. \p Stephen Kinnock: There are nearly 500 mental health support teams operational in schools and colleges across England that are able to provide early support for children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties, including where the young person may be exhibiting the early signs of bipolar disorder, by referring them to specialist children and young people’s mental health services as appropriate.

We will build on this by providing access to specialist mental health support to every school in England and setting up open access Youth Futures hubs in every community.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the Casey Commission on social care will consult local government. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission will begin in April 2025.

The commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families should expect from adult social care. Chaired by Baroness Louise Casey and reporting to the Prime Minister, we expect the commission will work with people who draw on care, their families, staff, politicians, and the public, private, and third sector to make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population. This will include local government. The details of this will be developed by the commission in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Tim Roca:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on (a) the timetable for the next review of the Additional Roles Reimbursement scheme and (b) the findings of previous ARRS reviews on GP control of money allocated as part of the scheme . \p Stephen Kinnock: The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) is subject to an annual review as part of the consultation on the GP Contract with the General Practitioners Committee in England, of the British Medical Association. NHS England works closely with the Department to implement any changes identified as part of this process.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has confirmed that recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26. The Department and NHS England started the consultation with the General Practitioners Committee in England on the proposed changes to the 2025/26 GP Contract on 19 December 2024. An announcement confirming the changes will be made before April 2025, and will include details of adjustments to the ARRS.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for access to specialist speech and language therapy services in Knowsley constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving timely access to Knowsley Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy. There are currently 115 children and young people awaiting their first appointment in Knowsley. 94% of these are within the 18-week waiting time standard, with the average wait time approximately eight weeks.

The trust continues to work with partners to reduce waiting times with children and young people being prioritised for follow up appointments based on clinical need, the level of clinical risk and we ensure they are waiting safely. The trust will also continue to work in partnership with partners and families to meet the speech, language and communication needs of children and young people in the most appropriate setting to their therapy needs and speech therapy goals.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that (a) people and (b) university students with ADHD do not experience gaps in their medical treatment when moving to different NHS trust areas. \p Stephen Kinnock: Prescribers should follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management, when prescribing medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These guidelines are available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87

Additional information on shared care can be found in the General Medical Council’s best practice guidance, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/good-practice-in-prescribing-and-managing-medicines-and-devices/shared-care.

We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.

The NHS England ADHD programme is also working to capture examples from integrated care boards, which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what charities his Department has supported to assist refugees into the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not currently provide financial support to any charities to assist refugees.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have used AI in the last 12 months. \p Karin Smyth: The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold a record of all uses of artificial intelligence by officials and ministers.

The Department of Health and Social Care has focused on establishing the enablers for adopting artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly; more specifically, implementing governance and delivery structures that pool internal experts from across the department and drawing on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform our AI and data usage. For example: the Generative AI Framework; the Data Maturity Assessment; the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework; the Data Ethics Framework; and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard. The Department also has access to the Central Digital & Data Office, based in the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, for expert advice.

The Department of Health and Social Care does not currently have any plans to implement automated decision-making systems, people remain in full control of decision-making with AI augmenting their work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of referring the NHS Business Services Authority to the Pensions Regulator, in the context of concerns with the annual allowance. \p Karin Smyth: The NHS Business Services Authority has proactively informed the regulator of an error in the pension growth calculations which affects 2023/24 Pension Savings Statements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to winter fuel payments on hospital admissions of older people in (a) Epping Forest constituency and (b) nationally. \p Karin Smyth: An impact assessment of the cut in winter fuel payments on hospital admissions of older people in Epping Forest and nationally this winter has not been produced. The Government has taken action to ensure low-income households are protected this winter.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet (a) NHS England, (b) MHRA and (c) bodies supporting people affected by (i) Post-Finasteride Syndrome and (ii) Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction following the use of anti-depressant medication to discuss that issue. \p Karin Smyth: Ministers meet regularly with external stakeholders on a variety of issues, including with organisations such as NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and bodies representing patients affected by medicines and medical devices.

The MHRA, as the regulator for medicines and medical devices, ensures that appropriate information is provided for each medicine on the United Kingdom’s market. The MHRA is currently reviewing the existing warnings in relation to sexual dysfunction which may continue after stopping anti-depressant medication, and recently completed an extensive safety review of finasteride and persistent sexual dysfunction, including after stopping treatment with finasteride.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to require the NHS to give the same priority to UK citizens as undocumented migrants when accessing A&E services. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is clear that patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service and care from the National Health Service, and that people should be treated with compassion, dignity, and respect. Patients attending emergency departments will always be prioritised based on clinical need.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that pregnant women are informed of their rights to an elective C-section. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England’s three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services recognises the importance of listening to women and families. It aims to ensure that women have clear choices, supported by unbiased information and evidence-based guidelines, and that all women are offered personalised care and support plans.

Personalised care and support plans take account of their physical health, mental health, social complexities, and choices. Personalised care includes an open and honest ongoing dialogue between a woman, her midwife, and other clinicians, to understand the care that is wanted.

NHS England’s website includes information about asking for a caesarean.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of access to (a) ultrasound and (b) other scans during pregnancy in Henley and Thame constituency. \p Karin Smyth: Antenatal care can start as soon as a woman knows she is pregnant. This can be done by contacting a midwife or general practitioner, or by referring herself direct to a maternity service. There will be two ultrasound scans at 11 to 14 weeks and at 18 to 21 weeks, followed by any further scans recommended by the relevant healthcare professionals.

Further details can be found on the NHS.UK website, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-care/your-antenatal-appointments/

The Government is continuing to work with NHS England as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to ensure that women receive timely care.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of fertility testing in (a) Slough constituency and (b) Berkshire. \p Karin Smyth: No assessment has been made of fertility testing in the Slough and Berkshire constituencies. Data is not collected centrally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Josh MacAlister:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) his Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support. \p Karin Smyth: The Department is keen to encourage employees to become foster carers, and to support those already providing foster care or care for their family and friends by providing time off where necessary. Fostering related leave, which forms part of our special leave provision, can be planned or unplanned, and may be paid or unpaid, and our current provision is as follows:

In addition, foster carers are also entitled to the same statutory and departmental dependents and carers related leave provisions as for all other employees with caring responsibilities. These being:

All employees, regardless of caring responsibilities, are entitled to the same flexible working provisions. While flexible working is discretionary and isn't an automatic right, such arrangements provide employees with some degree of flexibility over how, where, and when they work. Some frequently used arrangements are outlined below, although this list is not exhaustive:

Foster carers working at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Food Standards Agency have access to flexible working arrangements, paid time off, and additional support for training and settling a new child into their home.

All employees at NHS England, the NHS Business Services Authority, the Health Research Authority, the Care Quality Commission, the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, NHS Resolution, the Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, and the UK Health and Security Agency have access to flexible working. These arm’s length bodies have no specific provisions for foster carers, but rather access to general carers and special leave policies.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellent, the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, NHS Resolutions, the Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, and the UK Health and Security Agency work with foster carers on a case-by-case basis to accommodate reasonable requests. The Human Tissue Authority does not have any specific provisions for foster carers.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to NHS dentistry in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Fylde constituency, this is the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role Price Waterhouse Coopers have been assigned in assisting with the financial management of the Mid & South Essex NHS Hospitals Trust; how long this task has been assigned for; what the cost to the public purse is; and what outputs they are required to deliver. \p Karin Smyth: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to hormone replacement therapy prescriptions through GPs for trans patients; and what steps he is taking to support trans patients' access to hormone replacement therapy prescriptions through GPs. \p Karin Smyth: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help put in place an effective workforce strategy for the neurology profession prior to the publication of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan in summer 2025. \p Karin Smyth: This summer, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, including in neurology.

As of July 2024, there were over 1,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology in NHS trusts and other organisations in England. This includes over 900 FTE consultant neurologists. In 2023, the fill rate for recruitment into the specialty of neurology in England was 94%.

There are currently no plans for a specific workforce strategy for the neurology profession prior to the publication of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

The NHS workforce has been overworked for years, leading to staff becoming burnt out and demoralised. The NHS is broken but not beaten, and together we will turn it around. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.

A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of treatment for people who are alcohol dependent in (a) Slough constituency and (b) Berkshire. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the salary bands are for the Managing Director of (a) Southend Hospital, (b) Basildon Hospital and (c) Broomfield hospital; and when the people in these roles were appointed. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold the information requested. Information on the renumeration and biographies of senior staff are published by hospital trusts as part of their annual report and accounts. This information for the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Trust, including biographies of senior staff, is available at the following link:

https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports?smbfolder=150
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the salary bands are for the (a) Chief Executive, (b) Chief Operating Officer, (c) Finance Director and (d) Medical Director at Mid & South Essex Hospitals NHS Trust. \p Karin Smyth: Information on the renumeration of senior staff is published by hospital trusts as part of their annual report and accounts. This information for the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Trust is available at the following link:

https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports?smbfolder=150
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of deaths that are directly attributable to alcohol. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Tom Gordon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the the potential merits of implementing routine screening for Type 1 Diabetes to reduce the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis. \p Andrew Gwynne: In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening and supports implementation.

A proposal for screening for neonatal diabetes mellitus was submitted to the UK NSC via its 2021 annual call process. An evidence-mapping exercise was conducted at that time which concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to recommend screening for this condition.

We are aware that the UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 annual call process to consider screening for autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes through blood testing. The UK NSC is currently reviewing all annual call proposals. More information on the annual call process is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposal
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_44
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_44

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 99 of the Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024, whether her Department plans to issue statutory guidance on the appropriate use of (a) byelaws and (b) fixed penalty notices; whether there will be a maximum threshold for fixed penalty notices; and whether there will be a right of appeal. \p Jim McMahon: The government will work with councils to determine how byelaws should be made and enforced, and what guidance is required, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_45
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_45

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17826 on Local Government: Disadvantaged, what plans she has to update the 2019 Index of Deprivation. \p Jim McMahon: The Department is producing an update to the English Indices of Deprivation 2019. Publication is provisionally planned for later this year and will be pre-announced on the GOV.UK website in due course.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_46
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_46

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025 to Question 20129 on Unitary councils, whether her Department has evidential basis for unitary restructuring what has not been funded by organisations supporting unitary restructuring. \p Jim McMahon: The English Devolution White Paper sets out the case for local government reorganisation, which is that there are significant opportunities available to areas from the creation of suitably sized unitary councils. For North Yorkshire Council, established in April 2023, unitarisation has enabled the council to manage financial pressures through structural changes and service transformation which are expected to achieve more than £40 million in savings by March 2026.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_47
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_47

Jack Rankin:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to announce her decision on requests from local authorities for approval of council tax increases above the referendum cap. \p Jim McMahon: The Government is currently analysing results of the consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement for 2025-26 including the council tax referendum principles that will be set. The ability for councils in exceptional financial circumstances to request council tax increases is not new. As with previous years the government will consider requests for bespoke referendum principles from councils seeking exceptional financial support, but this government will put taxpayers at the forefront of their consideration.

The government will consider requests on a case-by-case basis and expects that any additional increases would only be agreed in exceptional circumstances. The government has been clear it will look carefully at councils’ specific circumstances, for example their existing levels of council tax relative to the average and the strength of plans to protect vulnerable people. As with previous years, referendum principles for all councils will be set out at the final Local Government Finance Settlement in February.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_48
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_48

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.2.3 of the Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024, at what administrative level social care will be administered in areas where counties and districts are replaced with new unitaries. \p Jim McMahon: Where there is a single tier of local government unitary councils are responsible for delivery of adult social care.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_49
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_49

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Local Audit Office will have the authority to (a) undertake inspections of individual local authorities, (b) commission external research and (c) exercise best value powers. \p Jim McMahon: As outlined in the Local Audit Strategy, the government has committed to establish the Local Audit Office (LAO) to streamline and simplify the system. The LAO will have responsibility for co-ordinating the local audit system, contract managing and appointments, the code of audit practice, quality and oversight, and reporting and insights (which could include undertaking or commissioning research related to local audit).

While the LAO will oversee the quality of the local audit regime, it will not be responsible for carrying out inspections of local authorities. The government is consulting on the need for public provision to supplement private market capacity and whether this function should be delivered by the LAO which could result in the LAO undertaking some audits of individual local authorities.

Best value powers (under the Local Government Act 1999) will remain with the Secretary of State and the department.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_50
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_50

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which councils which received Rural Services Delivery Grant in 2024-25 will not receive Recovery Grant in 2025-26. \p Jim McMahon: The government recognises that there is a long road to recovery ahead.

The Recovery Grant is intended to be a short-term, interim measure to lay the groundwork for more fundamental reform from 2026-27 which is part of our longer-term plan to fix the foundations of local government.

We have published a full methodology alongside the provisional Settlement. We consulted with local authorities on proposals for the 2025-26 Settlement, including on the Recovery Grant and the repurposing of the Rural Services Delivery Grant. The consultation launched on 18 December 2024 and closed on 15 January 2025. The Government is considering responses and will publish a response in the usual way at the final Settlement.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_51
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_51

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy to introduce increased roles for parish and town councils. \p Alex Norris: Local authorities act independently of central government. Town and parish councils can work with other tiers of local government to determine how they can best serve their communities in their area. The English Devolution White Paper was clear that we know people value the role of governance at the community scale, and that this can be a concern when local government is reorganised. We will therefore want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_52
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_52

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the £515 million of new funding to support councils with the costs associated with the increase in employer National Insurance contributions, announced on 18 December 2024, whether she plans to continue this funding in local government finance settlements beyond 2025-26. \p Jim McMahon: Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why the government is asking employers to contribute more. All of us rely on good public services.

We recognise the challenges that local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services.

Taken together, the additional funding announced by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget at the 2025-26 provisional Local Government Finance Settlement will provide over £5 billion of new funding for local services over and above local council tax. This includes an additional £2 billion of grant through the Settlement in addition to a guarantee that local authorities in England will receive at least £1.1 billion in total in 2025-26 from the new Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme, and a further £233 million of additional funding for homelessness services.

Local authority funding decisions beyond 2025/26 are a matter for the multi-year spending review, which is due to conclude in Spring 2025.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_53
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_53

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an estimate of how many people with acquired brain injury are experiencing (a) homelessness and (b) rough sleeping. \p Rushanara Ali: According to the 2020 Rough Sleeping Questionnaire, 7% of respondents reported an acquired brain injury, with 82% reporting a mental health vulnerability and 83% of respondents reporting at least one physical health condition. More Rough Sleeping questionnaire information on the health and support needs of rough sleepers can be accessed here: Rough Sleeping Questionnaire: initial findings Chapter 3.5.

MHCLG does not collect information about how many households with acquired brain injury are experiencing homelessness. There is information relating to support needs of households presenting as homeless available here: Tables on homelessness - GOV.UK Tab A3.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_54
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_54

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 4 of her Department's College of Experts recruitment pack, published in December 2024, whether strengthening and consolidating employment rights is a formal Ministerial responsibility of her Department. \p Alex Norris: Strengthening employment rights is a key priority across Government. The Deputy Prime Minister is the Chair of the Future of Work Cabinet Committee, which is responsible for considering and taking decisions on matters related to the Make Work Pay package of reforms to the Employment Law framework. The Deputy Prime Minister is working closely with the Department for Business and Trade, and other government departments, to deliver the Employment Rights Bill. There has been no change to formal departmental responsibilities.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_55
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_55

Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 6 January 2025, HCWS353, on Community Ownership Fund Round 4, how much funding has been distributed under each of the individual rounds of the Community Ownership Fund. \p Alex Norris: In Round 1, over £10 million was awarded to 37 projects. In Round 2, around £22.8m was awarded to 95 projects. In Round 3, around £65.7m was awarded to 190 projects. In Round 4, around £36.2m was awarded to 85 projects.

A full breakdown of funding is available on the Community Ownership Fund successful bidders page on GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_56
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-22 conversation_56

Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to update hon. Members on the progress of the implementation of the Section106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government will continue to monitor the implementation of the Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service that was launched in December and will update parliament in the usual manner.