Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many NHS dentists there were in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of dentists that performed National Health Service work each year in England between 2020/21 and 2024/25:
Financial year | Number of dentists performing NHS work |
2020/21 | 23,733 |
2021/22 | 24,265 |
2022/23 | 24,151 |
2023/24 | 24,307 |
2024/25 | 24,655 |
Source: NHS Business Services Authority annual dental statistics
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) private dental practices, and (2) NHS registered dentists, there are in England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Official data is not held on the number of private dental practices in England. As of May 2026, there were 47,425 dentists registered with the General Dental Council, of which 37,735 hold registered addresses in England. In 2024/25, there were 24,655 dentists in England with National Health Service activity, 1.4% more than in 2023/24.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to require set amounts of local news from local commercial radio stations.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Local radio continues to bring communities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information. However, it does so against a backdrop of changing listener behavior, with only around 20% of commercial radio listening now on AM or FM.
In light of this, the Media Act 2024 removed detailed requirements that only applied to stations holding AM and FM commercial radio licences and set out how their local services should be operated. These were replaced with new obligations that prioritise the broadcast of local news and information regularly, including “locally-gathered” news - a key part of radio’s public value.
Further details on the required frequency of local news broadcasts is set out in the guidance which Ofcom published on 25 February this year, titled “Provision of local news and information on analogue commercial radio”. The precise requirements will continue to vary by individual licence and Ofcom will be engaging directly with Licensees on how any changes impact them.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government which department holds lead responsibility for reducing drowning deaths in England.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what data they use to inform drowning prevention.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about the compliance of GB News with maintaining balance in news coverage and current affairs.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Ofcom on a range of issues. However, Ofcom, by law, carries out its regulation of licensed broadcasters independently of the Government. Ofcom is required by legislation, and accountable to Parliament, to draw up and enforce a Broadcasting Code to ensure that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality. Due impartiality must also be preserved on matters of major political or industrial controversy and major matters relating to current public policy.
The Government strongly believes in an independent media and does not intervene in Ofcom's operational decisions.