Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Defence Investment Plan will be published by the end of 2025.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We are working flat out between now and the end of the year to finalise the Defence Investment Plan. I am sure the Hon. Gentleman will appreciate the scale of the decisions that we need to make, including with AJAX. He will also appreciate the scale of the problems that we face, including those to do with a programme of the last Government’s that over-committed, and was underfunded and unsuited to meeting the threats that we will face in the future.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the number of carriages on (a) Great Western Railway and (b) South Western Railway during the Christmas period on the delivery of those services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Great Western Railway and South Western Railway are responsible for ensuring the train service they operate, including the number of carriages they deploy, is optimised to meet the needs of the passengers they serve. This is while also taking account of planned maintenance work. Officials have been working closely with all operators to review plans and ensure readiness ahead of the Christmas period.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of disruption on the (a) South Western Railway and (b) Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period by people living Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to benefit from this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters from Yeovil to Exeter or Bristol could save around £200 across the year, while commuters to Weymouth could save around £100.

Planned engineering works may impact Yeovil constituents using South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period. South Western Railway customers using services towards London Waterloo will be affected by major engineering works between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction and there will be some alterations to services on the Great Western Railway network. Passengers are advised to use journey planners to check before they travel.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to make rail travel more affordable for people living in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to benefit from this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters from Yeovil to Exeter or Bristol could save around £200 across the year, while commuters to Weymouth could save around £100.

Planned engineering works may impact Yeovil constituents using South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period. South Western Railway customers using services towards London Waterloo will be affected by major engineering works between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction and there will be some alterations to services on the Great Western Railway network. Passengers are advised to use journey planners to check before they travel.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to make rail travel more affordable for over 30s in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to benefit from this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters from Yeovil to Exeter or Bristol could save around £200 across the year, while commuters to Weymouth could save around £100.

Planned engineering works may impact Yeovil constituents using South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period. South Western Railway customers using services towards London Waterloo will be affected by major engineering works between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction and there will be some alterations to services on the Great Western Railway network. Passengers are advised to use journey planners to check before they travel.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Great British Railway will take to make railway stations in Yeovil constituency more accessible.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the significant social and economic benefits this brings to passengers and communities.

In May 2024, the previous government agreed the publication of a list of 50 additional stations selected for initial feasibility work under the Access for All programme, which included Yeovil Junction in the Yeovil constituency. Network Rail has now completed this feasibility work, and the Government will shortly announce which of these stations will progress to the next stage.

The Railways Bill will ensure that the interests of all passengers, particularly those with accessibility needs, are at the heart of decision-making across the railways. Great British Railways (GBR) will have a clear passenger and accessibility duty, requiring it to consider the needs of disabled passengers and to embed improved accessibility at the core of the railway. However, we are not waiting for GBR to be established to deliver improvements. Alongside the Railways Bill, the Department for Transport has published the Roadmap to an Accessible Railway, which sets out the actions being taken now to improve accessibility and the day-to-day travel experience for passengers who need assistance, ahead of GBR’s creation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve local job opportunities for people in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Through our Get Britain Working Strategy, we are reforming employment, health, and skills support to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work, and create an inclusive, thriving labour market. This means recognising that no local labour market looks the same and our approach should be based on the unique needs of local communities and employers.

Regional DWP representatives worked with local government, NHS and wider stakeholders to develop and publish the Get Somerset Working plan, ensuring organisations maximise employment opportunities for citizens locally. They will continue to work with stakeholders as they implement the plan to support more people into good work across Somerset

Additionally, Somerset Council is working with DWP to finalise their delivery plan for the Connect to Work programme across Somerset. Connect to Work is a voluntary, locally commissioned, Supported Employment programme for disabled people and people with health conditions, to find and sustain employment. The service is expected to open to participants in Somerset at the start of April 2026.

In Yeovil, our Jobcentre Employer and Partnership Teams also work with a range of employers and partners to enhance the skills and employment support available locally. For example, working with the NHS and Care South to promote care work at jobs fairs and collaborating with Angard, Royal Mail’s recruitment partner, to supply staff throughout the year, including seasonal employment. Furthermore, through partnerships with the Salvation Army and Somerset County Council, we are delivering tailored employment support to local jobseekers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of cases in which retired civil servants have been ordered to repay pension benefits due to administrative errors made by civil service pension providers; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of those cases on those retired civil servants.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office. However, the government has a duty to recover overpaid public money to ensure the scheme remains fair and sustainable for all taxpayers.

The Civil Service Pension Scheme pays out 732,000 pensions per month, and processes in excess of 1,000,000 member transactions each month. There have been, on average, 40 cases a year where human or administrative error led to a member being overpaid since 2014. While many overpayments in the scheme occur due to the late notification of a member's death, these specific cases do not relate to processing mistakes. Under current contracts, if the scheme cannot recover these funds from the member, it seeks recovery from the pension administrator.

We recognise that being asked to repay funds can be stressful. To manage the impact on retired civil servants, the scheme administrator works individually with those affected to create manageable recovery plans. These plans focus on the member's specific ability to pay, often spreading repayments over a long period to ensure that no undue financial hardship is caused.

Gambling executives' profits

Nettlebed Community School

Elaine Davis and charities in Devon

Thanking postal workers

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

Support for early years and the National Literacy Trust

Libraries in state primary schools

Changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in the Autumn Budget 2025

Lando Norris wins Formula One World Driver's Championship

McLaren title win for British motorsport

Found: Sarah Edwards and John Cooper: Regulatory powers over billing of energy supply to businesses • Adam Dance