Adam Dance
Adam Dance Portrait

Adam Dance

Liberal Democrat - Yeovil

12,268 (25.1%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


Adam Dance is not a member of any APPGs
Adam Dance has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Adam Dance has voted in 41 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Adam Dance Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Clive Betts (Labour)
(2 debate interactions)
Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op))
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(2 debate interactions)
Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(4 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(2 debate contributions)
Ministry of Defence
(1 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Adam Dance's debates

Yeovil Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petitions with highest Yeovil signature proportion
Petitions with most Yeovil signatures
Adam Dance has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Adam Dance

8th January 2025
Adam Dance signed this EDM as a sponsor on Thursday 9th January 2025

First Bus price fares in Somerset

Tabled by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
That this House welcomes the decision by First Bus to keep fares across Somerset under £3, despite the national fare cap’s increase, demonstrating a strong commitment to affordable and accessible transport for residents of Somerset; recognises that the Government’s decision in the Autumn Budget effectively equates to a 1p income …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 9 Jan 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 6
8th January 2025
Adam Dance signed this EDM as a sponsor on Thursday 9th January 2025

Hayesdown First School's Power Down Day

Tabled by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
That this House recognises the students of Hayesdown First School in Frome for completing a Power Down Day to help reduce the school's carbon footprint; praises the teachers for encouraging students to think about their energy consumption and for promoting eco-friendly practices in the school; encourages other schools to carry …
2 signatures
(Most recent: 9 Jan 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 2
View All Adam Dance's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Adam Dance, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Adam Dance has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Adam Dance has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Adam Dance has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Adam Dance has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 27 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
12th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that people working in the gig economy receive (a) at least the minimum wage, (b) sick leave and (c) holiday entitlement.

All employers must comply with their legal obligations towards those they engage.

The Government is committed to creating of the Fair Work Agency. It will bring existing functions like minimum wage enforcement into one place and it will also enforce rights such as holiday pay and Statutory Sick Pay.

We have committed to consult on moving towards a simpler two-part framework that differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed.

If workers believe they are not being afforded the rights they are entitled to, they can contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) for free and impartial advice on employment matters.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
27th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage upskilling for tradespeople.

The department is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills, to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce and drive economic growth through our Industrial Strategy.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills’ keynote speech on 12 November at the Association of Colleges conference recommitted to this pledge and to working collaboratively with the sector to bring forward this strategy, building on the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the introduction of Skills England, and with a continued focus on lifelong learning.

The newly established Skills England will provide authoritative assessments of national and regional skills needs now and for the future, combining the best available statistical data with insights generated from employers and other key stakeholders.

It will also ensure that there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications available that are aligned with what employers need, including those in the construction industry.

The construction sector is vital in driving economic prosperity and providing career opportunities for people at all ages and stages of their careers. Construction employers can benefit from a wide range of government-funded programmes, including apprenticeships, T Levels, sector-based work academies, Skills Bootcamps, and Free Courses for Jobs.

Employers in the construction sector have developed a number of apprenticeships to help meet their skills needs. T Levels are a high-quality technical option for 16 to 19-year-olds, offering classroom learning with hands-on experience and a built-in 45-day industry placement. This means students spend 20% of their time working with an employer, gaining the skills and confidence they need for the workplace.

The department is working across government and in partnership with industry through the Construction Skills Delivery Group to ensure that our skills offer meets the needs of individuals and employers in the sector.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.62 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the application of the standard VAT rate to independent schools on the teaching of (a) music and (b) the arts in such schools; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing support to such schools for such teaching.

HM Treasury (HMT) is responsible for VAT policy. HMT has published its assessment of the impacts of removing the VAT exemption that applied to private school fees, which can be found on here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/ac8c20ce-4824-462d-b206-26a567724643#who-is-likely-to-be-affected.

As this sets out, the government expects the impacts of these changes on the private and state sectors to be small.

The government's costings have been scrutinised by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.

As set out in HMT’s response to the technical consultation in the VAT changes, performing arts schools that offer full-time education to children of compulsory school age and/or 16 to 19-year-olds for a charge will remain in scope of this policy. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. In addition to providing performing arts education, when educating children of compulsory school age, these institutions will also provide academic education. An exemption from the VAT rules would therefore be unfair to other private schools.

The department provides means-tested bursaries for eligible families as part of the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) if their child has a place at any one of eight performing arts private schools. For the 2024/25 academic year, lower income families will receive additional support to ensure the total cost of their parental contributions do not rise from January 2025 as a result of the VAT change. This will benefit around half of the families with an MDS bursary for their child.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
6th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the capacity of state schools to accommodate a potential increase in students transferring from private schools; and whether students transferring from private schools in rural areas will be guaranteed a place at their nearest state school.

The government predicts that 35,000 pupils will move into UK state schools in the long-term steady state following the removal of the VAT exemption to school fees. The government expects approximately 2,900 pupils will move into state schools in England following the business rates policy taking effect. As such, the impact on the state education system as a whole is expected to be very small.

This increase in the state sector represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over nine million. The number expected to move before the end of the 2024/25 academic year is around 3,000. The government expects the associated revenue costs of pupils entering the state sector to steadily increase to a peak of around £300 million after several years.

Local authorities have statutory duties to ensure that there are sufficient school places for children in their area. They must also, on request, provide information to parents about the availability of places in schools in their area.

Parents that require a state-funded place for their child must apply to the admission authority of the school for which they want to apply. Admission authorities must deal with applications in line with their published admissions policy. Admissions policies can prioritise applicants on a range of factors, including by distance from home. However, no pupil is guaranteed a place at their nearest state-funded school.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
31st Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 4.11 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, whether the £69 million to continue delivery of a network of Family Hubs will be used to include (a) more and (b) all local authorities in the programme.

The Budget announcement includes £69 million to continue delivery of a network of Family Hubs. The announcement is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-budget-2024.

Decisions on the breakdown of this funding are yet to be taken. The department will provide further details in due course.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of levels of water pollution in Yeovil constituency.

For too long, customers have been let down and water companies have discharged record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.

That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will strengthen regulation, including delivering new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bringing criminal charges against persistent law breakers.

On 23 October, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system, to fundamentally transform how our water system works to put people and the environment first and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

To date this financial year the Environment Agency’s Wessex Area (which covers Yeovil) has delivered over 200 water company industry inspections, as well as inspections of non-water company permitted discharges throughout Wessex. This risk-based inspection programme is strengthening oversight of companies.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve disabled access to railway stations in rural areas.

We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway for all users, including those with a range of disabilities and in rural areas. The Department for Transport recently completed an accessibility audit of all 2,577 stations across Great Britain, including those in rural areas. This data is being used to guide how the government and rail industry can most efficiently invest through programmes such as Access for All, which has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations since 2006.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of steps to improve accessibility of train stations for disabled people.

We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway for all users, including those with a range of disabilities. The Department for Transport recently completed an accessibility audit of all 2,577 stations across Great Britain. This data is being used to guide how the government and rail industry can most efficiently invest through programmes such as Access for All, which has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations since 2006.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
6th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20545 on Department of Health and Social Care: Correspondence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that 80% of hon. Members receive a response to correspondence in 20 days.

The Department is committed to meeting the target of responding to at least 80% of correspondence from Hon. Members within 20 working days. Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account. We recognise there is room for improvement and we are committed to doing things differently. The Leader of the House of Commons wrote to all Cabinet members in November 2024 to remind Ministers of their responsibilities to provide helpful and timely responses to Members' written parliamentary questions and correspondence.

The Government has already taken steps to strengthen its approach to correspondence, with a Ministerial champion for correspondence identified in each department. As the lead Minister appointed for this Department, I am receiving information from my officials on performance and highlighting the importance of this work in communicating with Hon. Members across both Houses of Parliament.

Andrew Gwynne
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the criteria are for Ministers to (a) intervene in an Integrated Care Board's reconfiguration proposal and (b) revisit decisions made in those proposals.

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.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for implementing the supervised toothbrushing scheme.

We are committed to introducing a supervised toothbrushing scheme for three to five-year-olds, targeting the areas of highest need. Further information on the implementation timetable will be confirmed in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on the provision of 700,000 additional dental appointments; and what his target date is for that provision.

The Government is committed to tackling 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. We are working to ensure patients can start to access 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments as soon as possible, targeting areas that need them most.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to increase access to dental services in rural areas.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas. 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.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 7 November 2024, 629 Expressions of Interest have been received, 308 of which have been approved for participation in the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme. 64 posts have been advertised, with five dentists commenced in post.

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.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's response times to correspondence from hon. Members.

The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, Peers, and members of the public. The Department receives some of the highest, and most sensitive, volumes of correspondence. This year, we are forecast to receive over 65,000 queries, with over 15,000 of those from Hon. Members.

The Department is committed to responding to 80% of Hon. Members’ correspondence within 20 working days where possible. Ministerial correspondence performance data is published annually by the Cabinet Office.

Andrew Gwynne
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
2nd Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the letter of 1 August 2024 from the hon. Member for Yeovil on the closure of Yeovil District Hospital’s hyper acute stroke unit.

I replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 11 December 2024. I apologise for the delay in responding.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing (a) funding and (b) support for community pharmacies.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists, as we shift care from the hospital to the community.

Now that the Budget for Government has been set, we will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to integrated care boards on ringfencing dental budgets in the 2025-26 financial year.

NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) on dental budgets, including ringfencing. NHS England will publish planning guidance in due course.

Responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to ICBs across England. For Yeovil, this is the NHS Somerset ICB.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that community mental health hubs and schools are well linked with existing family support services.

The aim of the community mental health hub pilot sites is to be able to support the full range of adults’ needs that are important to recovery, without the need for onward referrals, or for people to navigate the complicated networks of support that they need when experiencing significant challenges to their wellbeing. Each pilot site will work in conjunction with voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, as well as other services that provide support to people, such as housing providers and family support services.

We will also roll out Young Futures hubs in every community, providing open access mental health support for children and young people in every community. In addition, there are currently approximately 65 locally funded early support hubs in England open to those aged 25 years old and under. During 2024/25, the Department is running a Shared Outcomes Fund project, backed by £8 million, to boost and evaluate the impact of 24 of these existing early support hubs.

We are currently working with colleagues at the Department for Education and NHS England to consider options to deliver our commitment to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school in England.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, if she will provide additional financial support to pharmacies for (a) employer National Insurance contributions, (b) the national minimum wage and (c) business rates.

The Budget will provide support for government departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer NICs costs only. Pharmacies are independent contractors and therefore will not be exempt from these changes. This is consistent with the approach to previous Employer NICs changes, as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

At the Budget the Chancellor announced a £22.6 billion increase in day to day spending for the Department of Health and Social Care from 2023-24 to 2025-26. This is an average increase of 4% in real terms funding growth for the NHS, the highest since before 2010 excluding COVID-19 years.

The Department of Health and Social Care will set out further details of how detailed allocations will be spent, including pharmacy funding, in due course.

From 1 April 2025, the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 6.7% to £12.21 per hour for eligible workers aged 21 and over. This represents an increase of £1,400 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW and is expected to benefit over 3 million low-paid workers. In accepting the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations, which balance the impacts on business, competitiveness of the labour market and wider economy, as well as the cost of living, the government is providing support to the lowest-paid workers in the economy whilst ensuring that wider economic conditions remain stable and create the conditions for growth.

We are creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. To deliver our manifesto pledge, from 2026-27, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including pharmacies, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.

Darren Jones
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to point 22 of Table 5.1 at page 117 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the application of the standard VAT rate to services provided by private schools on small private schools.

The government has conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of this policy.

A Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) has been published which sets out this analysis. This assessment includes exchequer impacts, economic impacts, impacts on individuals and families, business impacts, equalities impacts, and HMRC operational impacts. This was published online and can be found here: Private school fees — VAT measure - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to provide additional investment for the pharmacy network.

At the Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced a £22.6 billion increase in day to day spending for the Department of Health and Social Care from 2023-24 to 2025-26. This is an average increase of 4% in real terms funding growth for the NHS, the highest since before 2010 excluding COVID-19 years.

The Department of Health and Social Care will set out further details of how detailed allocations will be spent, including pharmacy funding, in due course.

Darren Jones
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will exempt nurseries in England from business rates.

At the Budget in October, the Government committed to increasing spending on early years and family services to over £8 billion in 2025-26. This includes an additional £1.8 billion which will be paid to early years providers to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare and help more parents, particularly women, stay in and return to work.

Business rates are a broad based tax on the value of non-domestic properties including nurseries.

To protect small businesses, the government announced at the Autumn Budget that it would freeze the small business multiplier next year. Taken together with Small Business Rates Relief, this intervention ensures that over a million properties will be protected from inflationary increases.

In addition to this support, standalone nurseries are also eligible for charitable rate relief where they have a ‘charitable purpose’.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
6th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to increase the number of banking hubs in rural communities.

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this parliament. Over 80 banking hubs are already open and Cash Access UK, who oversee banking hub rollout, expect 100 hubs to be open by Christmas.

The specific location of these hubs is determined independently by LINK, the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network. Criteria that LINK considers includes whether another bank branch remains nearby, the local population, the number of cash-accepting businesses and the financial vulnerability of the community.

An alternative option for accessing face-to-face banking services in rural areas is via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, cash cheques, and check their balance at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

Tulip Siddiq
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
6th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the revenue raised by the ten percent tariff imposed on the import of mobility scooters.

Mobility scooters that are imported into the UK are classified under the description of ‘Vehicles specially designed for travelling on snow, golf cars and similar vehicles’. The commodity code for this classification is 8703101800. There is a customs duty tariff rate of 10% on imports for this commodity code.

Analysis of management information shows around £6m of customs duty liabilities was recorded for commodity code 8703101800 in 2023/24. This estimate applies to all types of vehicles imported under this commodity code and is not specific to Mobility Scooters only.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16219 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, what the timetable is for introduction into service of the New Medium Helicopter.

The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, for the New Medium Helicopter programme. The competition remains commercially sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including the timetable for introduction into service, can be confirmed. The proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated.

Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)