Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of broaden the (a) national curriculum and (b) qualification pathway at Key Stage 4 to place greater emphasis on (i) vocational and (ii) technical skills.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is considering the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review in line with the government’s ambition to transform technical education from age 14 to 16. We will widen opportunity for all young people and create clear pathways into further study, training and high-quality careers where they live, while ensuring the curriculum delivers high standards, maintaining the importance of both knowledge and skills. There will be a public consultation on proposals for the national curriculum in due course.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is taking to support (a) semi-rural and (b) rural small businesses in Yeovil constituency with increases in annual energy standing charges.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government recognises that high energy prices are a concern for SMEs across the country, including rural businesses in Yeovil.

We are cutting energy bills by up to 25% for manufacturers from April 2027 through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. We have increased the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant to help SMEs transition to more stable, lower-cost heating. Through the UK Business Climate Hub, we are helping SMEs cut bills, improve resilience, and invest in long-term sustainability.

Government is also working with Ofgem to reform the non‑domestic energy market, improving transparency and complaint handling.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential wellbeing benefits of ensuring access to a trusted adult for every young person in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

We recognise the benefits of having a trusted adult. The National Youth Strategy Youth Matters committed to increase the opportunities available for young people to connect with a trusted adult in their community.

Wider research shows that having a trusted adult is associated with stronger social and emotional capabilities: resilience, self-esteem, communication, sense of agency. Some studies also show that trusted adult support is associated with improved mental health/wellbeing.

The Department has not undertaken analysis to estimate wellbeing benefits of ensuring access to a trusted adult for every young person in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) England had access to a trusted adult.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to introduce pathways to fast track to intervention for students who have dyslexia identified (a) later in school and (b) in post 16 educational settings.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and intervention is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia.

The department recognises that special educational needs, including dyslexia, do not always become apparent in the early years of education. Needs can emerge, change or become more visible later in school or in post-16 settings as academic and social demands increase.

The department’s reforms are designed to support identification whenever needs arise and to provide a clear route from identification to support. This includes access to targeted interventions, specialist advice through Experts at Hand and an Individual Support Plan, where appropriate. This will help ensure that children and young people can access the support they need, regardless of when their needs are identified.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to introduce (a) early screening for dyslexia and (b) a national pathway for diagnosis of dyslexia.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and intervention is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia.

The SEND Code of Practice makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEND does not require a diagnostic label. Instead, practitioners should identify and address pupils' needs at the earliest opportunity through a graduated approach, in which progress is regularly assessed, and support is provided based on an individual's identified needs.

The department's SEND reforms will support earlier and more consistent identification of need through the National Inclusion Standards. The reforms will set out the ordinarily available provision that should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system, as well as the evidence-based tools and approaches for educators to identify and support children and young people with SEND.

The department does not currently plan to introduce universal screening for dyslexia or a national dyslexia-specific diagnostic pathway. We expect practitioners to monitor the progress of all pupils, identify emerging difficulties and put appropriate support in place promptly, regardless of whether a child has received a formal diagnosis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an estimate of the temperature on South Western train carriages on the West of England line travelling through Yeovil constituency.

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

The Department has not made an estimate of temperatures on specific South Western Railway services operating through Yeovil constituency. However, the Department expects operators to provide a safe and comfortable environment for passengers. SWR is currently carrying out a heavy maintenance and refurbishment programme on its trains servicing the Yeovil area which includes air-conditioning and heating fan overhauls.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure trains on the West of England line are air-conditioned.

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

Steps are already being taken to improve trains on the West of England line. SWR's Class 158 and Class 159 trains are currently undergoing a heavy maintenance and refurbishment programme which commenced in December 2025. The programme includes air-conditioning and heating fan overhauls, door and toilet overhauls, refreshed interiors, updated seat finishes, improved passenger information systems and the introduction of at-seat power.

SWR is responsible for maintaining its fleet and ensuring that trains are fit for service. The Department expects train operators to provide a safe and comfortable environment for passengers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of mandating the installation of thermometers in classrooms in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 already require that, during working hours, the temperature in indoor workplaces, including schools, is reasonable. The Regulations also require that a sufficient number of thermometers are provided to enable people to determine the temperature. As thermometers are already required under existing workplace health and safety legislation, the government has no current plans to introduce additional requirements relating to their installation in classrooms.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including data on (a) dyslexic and (b) other neurodiverse (i) jobseekers and (ii) employees in the Workplace Health Intelligence Unit.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working Review, published on 5 November 2025, highlighted the scale of the problem of people falling out of work for reasons of ill-health and disability, and the vital role employers can play in addressing this. The Review identified structural challenges for disabled people and people with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, creating barriers to starting and staying in work, and proposed reforms to create healthier, more inclusive workplaces.

The Review was not condition specific but takes a needs-based approach, focussed on the wider structural and health related barriers that prevent disabled people and those with physical and mental health conditions from entering or staying in work. This includes development of good practice and outcomes for creating thriving, healthy workplaces, to be developed into a robust, recognised standard; creating effective, employer-facing Workplace Health Provision; and driving adoption through evidence and incentives.

The Workplace Health Intelligence Unit is in its design phase. We are working with Vanguard employers to better define the data we think will underpin the new system, and how it can be collected. This will then be built into the design of the WHIU, so that it can provide an effective baseline for employers looking to improve their return-to-work process and results, reduce their sickness absence and achieve greater inclusion of disabled people and people with learning disabilities.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to integrate the needs of dyslexic employees into the Healthy Working Lifestyle Framework in his Department's Vanguards initiative.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working Review, published on 5 November 2025, highlighted the scale of the problem of people falling out of work for reasons of ill-health and disability, and the vital role employers can play in addressing this. The Review identified structural challenges for disabled people and people with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, creating barriers to starting and staying in work, and proposed reforms to create healthier, more inclusive workplaces.

The Review was not condition specific but takes a needs-based approach, focussed on the wider structural and health related barriers that prevent disabled people and those with physical and mental health conditions from entering or staying in work. This includes development of good practice and outcomes for creating thriving, healthy workplaces, to be developed into a robust, recognised standard; creating effective, employer-facing Workplace Health Provision; and driving adoption through evidence and incentives.

The Workplace Health Intelligence Unit is in its design phase. We are working with Vanguard employers to better define the data we think will underpin the new system, and how it can be collected. This will then be built into the design of the WHIU, so that it can provide an effective baseline for employers looking to improve their return-to-work process and results, reduce their sickness absence and achieve greater inclusion of disabled people and people with learning disabilities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the resilience of the rail network on the West of England Line to heatwaves.

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

South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex are working to improve the resilience of the West of England Line to the impacts of climate change, including periods of extreme heat.

Following the soil moisture deficit experienced in recent years (most recently 2025), we have carried out extensive work to improve the condition of the route, including correcting track levels, installing 5,000 tonnes of new ballast and removing more than 200 dead and diseased trees that can further destabilise embankments. South Western Railway / Network Rail Wessex are also working with the University of Southampton’s National Infrastructure Laboratory to develop longer-term measures that will improve the line’s resilience to the effects of climate change and extreme weather.

In addition, we are undertaking a major overhaul of its Class 158 and 159 fleet, including work to air conditioning systems and painting train roofs in lighter colours to reduce the effects of high temperatures from direct sunlight.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a National Wellbeing Measurement.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the importance of monitoring and understanding the wellbeing of children and young people and the factors that influence it. The department gathers, analyses and publishes data on pupil wellbeing, experiences and outcomes through existing surveys and administrative datasets. This includes our first annual publication on pupil experiences in schools, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-experiences-in-school-academic-year-2024-to-2025.

The department will continue to monitor the evidence on children and young people's wellbeing and consider how best to improve understanding of the factors that support positive outcomes. We will also publish a Pupil Engagement Framework, which will support schools to understand and measure factors such as belonging, inclusion, relationships, safety and agency, which are closely linked to attendance, attainment and wellbeing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of introducing a system whereby a proportion of practical driving test appointments are reserved for candidates requiring a retest following a previous unsuccessful practical driving test.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is unable to prioritise learners who have already taken a practical driving test and been unsuccessful over learners seeking to take their test for the first time. All learner drivers have valid reasons for wanting to access a test appointment as soon as possible, and providing preferential access to one group over another would not be fair.

DVSA is focused on increasing overall test availability and is exploring a range of measures to provide additional test capacity at different stages throughout the booking window. This approach is intended to offer greater choice and opportunity for all learner drivers, rather than prioritising specific groups of learners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve protection for frontline NHS staff from (a) racism and (b) discrimination on the basis of any other protected characteristic.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 September in response to Question 28051 and on 19 June in response to Question 3468.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve protections for frontline NHS staff against (a) violence and (b) aggression from (i) patients and (ii) members of the public.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 September in response to Question 28051 and on 19 June in response to Question 3468.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the School Workforce Census to record neurodivergence.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the importance of understanding the diversity of the school workforce, including the experiences of neurodivergent staff. The School Workforce Census (SWC) already collects information on disability, which may include some neurodivergent conditions where individuals choose to declare them. However, the disability data collected does not enable the department to identify or extract information specifically on neurodivergent staff.

The department keeps the content of the SWC under regular review to ensure it meets user needs while minimising administrative burdens on schools. The department has not made a specific assessment of the merits of introducing a separate data field for neurodivergence. Any proposal to do so would require careful consideration of data quality, staff disclosure rates and the impact on schools and employers.

The department will continue to consider opportunities to improve its understanding of workforce diversity.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Cabinet Office’s 2026 National Capabilities Assessment, what steps her Department is taking to establish greater oversight of food supply chain resilience preparedness.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As set out in the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, the Cabinet Office provides scrutiny of response capabilities across the UK Government through National Capabilities Assessments which take place every two to three years. Defra considers these assessments and works work the Cabinet Office, other Government departments and industry to ensure the food supply chain is fully incorporated in emergency preparedness planning.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve engagement with local resilience forums on food resilience in the (a) South West and (b) UK.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra engages with Local Resilience Forums across England, including those in the South West, through established resilience and planning arrangements. This engagement supports information sharing, preparedness and response planning for a range of risks that could affect food supply and access.

This Government continues to work with resilience partners at national and local level to maintain the UK’s food resilience.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to improve cross-departmental governance to support food supply chain resilience.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the 2022 UK Government Resilience Framework and the Cabinet Office’s 2026 National Capabilities Assessment, what steps the Department is taking to support the (a) capability and (b) capacity of local resilience forums to respond to food supply chain shocks.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra works across Government including the Cabinet Office, other Government Departments and Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) to ensure food supply is fully incorporated as part of emergency preparedness.

LRFs play a vital role in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies, including incidents that may affect food supply chains. The Government supports LRF capability through national guidance, exercising, assurance and preparedness programmes, including the Local Capabilities Assessment process, which helps identify strengths and areas for improvement across England.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what employment support is available to people receiving Personal Independence Payment who do not qualify for Universal Credit in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We know that work is good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. This Government is committed to giving disabled people and people with health conditions, including people living in Somerset, the confidence that working will not trigger a reassessment and a potential loss of benefits.

We have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work. These include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres, Access to Work grants and Connect to Work, as well as initiatives joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, and WorkWell.

Through the Health Transformation Programme, we are creating a more joined-up health and employment journey for customers. This includes exploring how people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be supported to access a range of services that improve wellbeing, independence and, where appropriate, support them to move closer to or remain in work.

As part of this, we are testing a voluntary support offer for some PIP-only customers. PIP Case Managers can refer eligible customers to a virtual hub (telephone only at present), where support is tailored to their circumstances and focused on addressing barriers to wellbeing and independence. This may include signposting to services such as the National Careers Service, and Citizens Advice, and relevant national and local support services, depending on their circumstances. The support offer is currently being tested in a limited number of areas while we learn what works best for customers.

In Jobcentres around 1,000 (full time equivalent) Pathways to Work Advisers, provide personalised one-to-one support to disabled customers and people with health conditions to help them identify and overcome obstacles which may stop them from moving towards or into work or to access employment and wider skills support, and our employment programmes.

The Timms Review, the first ever full review of PIP, seeks to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment.

The Review, which is considering how the assessment could ensure people access the right support at the right level, will publish its final recommendations in the autumn.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of appointing a Minister for neurodiversity.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As the Minister of State for Social Care, I also have responsibility for neurodiversity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to support children with neurodevelopmental conditions to access mental health services.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions should be able to access timely and quality mental health support. We expect services to make reasonable adjustments and provide care tailored to neurodivergent children, including through accessible communication and environments. We are also working to improve coordination between mental health, neurodevelopmental, education, and wider children’s services, so that children receive timely support and are not passed between services.

We are also developing a new cross-Government Mental Health Strategy for England, which will reflect the mental health needs of autistic people and people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including where mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions overlap, with a focus on more integrated, equitable, and tailored support. The strategy will be informed by the findings and recommendations of the independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism. The review is considering how support can be provided earlier and more effectively, including whether diagnosis has too often become the main gateway to help and how people can receive practical support based on need before and alongside diagnosis.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the (a) speed and (b) consistency of diagnostic assessments of (i) Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and (ii) Corticobasal Degeneration in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) can be difficult to diagnose in their early stages because their symptoms may resemble those of other neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. Diagnosis is based on specialist clinical assessment and investigations to rule out other conditions.

In Yeovil, National Health Services are taking steps to improve both the speed and consistency of PSP and CBD diagnosis. These include the recruitment of additional neurology consultants, the appointment of inpatient nurse specialists for Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, the introduction of a neurology advice and guidance service for general practitioners (GPs), and plans to expand clinics at community hospitals. Since late 2025 they have also introduced an advice and guidance portal for GPs where they can offer a written treatment plan or arrange an investigation without the need for an outpatient appointment.

These measures are intended to improve access to specialist expertise and ensure outpatient appointments are used effectively for patients requiring diagnosis and treatment planning.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's planned timetable is for including social sector buildings in the total number of buildings 11 metres and over in height identified with unsafe cladding in its remediation progress reports.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The number of buildings 11 metres over in height identified with unsafe cladding in the Building Safety Remediation data release already includes social sector buildings. Overall remediation progress information on social sector buildings is available in the Overall remediation progress section of the data release, as well as in the ACM remediation, Building Safety Fund, Cladding Safety Scheme and Social housing self-funded remediation sections of the release.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made on the potential impact of reductions in levels of banking services on (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) Somerset.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, will then assess a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions, including banking hubs, where it considers a community requires additional cash services.

The most recent FCA data shows 98.1 per cent of people in rural areas live within 3 miles of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals.

In addition to access to cash, the Government is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services. The Government is aware of the public’s concerns around access to banking services, which are currently not protected in legislation. Whilst there is evidence on a local level of individuals being affected by the closure of bank branches, the Government needs robust evidence from across the UK.

That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. Alongside the Review, the Financial Services and Markets Bill includes a power to allow the Government to take action in future to protect access to banking services, should this be necessary.

The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities, including those in rural and coastal areas and market towns, and continues to work closely with industry to support the roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 280 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 240 are already open across the UK.

Banking hubs host community bankers from the main high street banks who can offer a wider range of services similar to those offered in branches, including fraud support. A list can be found here: https://www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/community-banker-services/

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help ensure community banking hubs have staff trained to (a) identify and (b) support victims of fraud.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, will then assess a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions, including banking hubs, where it considers a community requires additional cash services.

The most recent FCA data shows 98.1 per cent of people in rural areas live within 3 miles of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals.

In addition to access to cash, the Government is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services. The Government is aware of the public’s concerns around access to banking services, which are currently not protected in legislation. Whilst there is evidence on a local level of individuals being affected by the closure of bank branches, the Government needs robust evidence from across the UK.

That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. Alongside the Review, the Financial Services and Markets Bill includes a power to allow the Government to take action in future to protect access to banking services, should this be necessary.

The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities, including those in rural and coastal areas and market towns, and continues to work closely with industry to support the roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 280 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 240 are already open across the UK.

Banking hubs host community bankers from the main high street banks who can offer a wider range of services similar to those offered in branches, including fraud support. A list can be found here: https://www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/community-banker-services/

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to improve access to cash for rural communities in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, will then assess a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions, including banking hubs, where it considers a community requires additional cash services.

The most recent FCA data shows 98.1 per cent of people in rural areas live within 3 miles of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals.

In addition to access to cash, the Government is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services. The Government is aware of the public’s concerns around access to banking services, which are currently not protected in legislation. Whilst there is evidence on a local level of individuals being affected by the closure of bank branches, the Government needs robust evidence from across the UK.

That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. Alongside the Review, the Financial Services and Markets Bill includes a power to allow the Government to take action in future to protect access to banking services, should this be necessary.

The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities, including those in rural and coastal areas and market towns, and continues to work closely with industry to support the roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 280 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 240 are already open across the UK.

Banking hubs host community bankers from the main high street banks who can offer a wider range of services similar to those offered in branches, including fraud support. A list can be found here: https://www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/community-banker-services/

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of expanding Link’s remit to include banking services as a whole.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, will then assess a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions, including banking hubs, where it considers a community requires additional cash services.

The most recent FCA data shows 98.1 per cent of people in rural areas live within 3 miles of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals.

In addition to access to cash, the Government is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services. The Government is aware of the public’s concerns around access to banking services, which are currently not protected in legislation. Whilst there is evidence on a local level of individuals being affected by the closure of bank branches, the Government needs robust evidence from across the UK.

That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. Alongside the Review, the Financial Services and Markets Bill includes a power to allow the Government to take action in future to protect access to banking services, should this be necessary.

The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities, including those in rural and coastal areas and market towns, and continues to work closely with industry to support the roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 280 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 240 are already open across the UK.

Banking hubs host community bankers from the main high street banks who can offer a wider range of services similar to those offered in branches, including fraud support. A list can be found here: https://www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/community-banker-services/

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the creation of employment opportunities in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) Somerset.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is supporting employment opportunities in Yeovil and across Somerset through its Industrial Strategy and investment in the region’s growth-driving sectors.

In Yeovil, Leonardo UK has been selected for a £1 billion contract to provide 23 new battlefield helicopters. The agreement supports 3,300 jobs at Leonardo’s Yeovil facility and sets up Yeovil as the company’s future centre of excellence for autonomous helicopters. Yeovil College has also been selected as a Defence Technical Excellence College.

Across Somerset, the Government is providing Agratas with a grant of up to £380 million, securing approximately £5 billion of private investment in its battery gigafactory near Bridgwater. The facility is expected to support around 4,200 jobs once fully operational. It is also supporting University College Somerset’s work with Agratas, to deliver training so people across Somerset have the practical, hands-on skills they need to seize the opportunities created by this investment. Somerset hosts two Technical Excellence Colleges: University Centre Somerset College Group, appointed as a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College, and Weston College (in North Somerset) appointed as an Advanced Manufacturing College. Together with Yeovil College, they are among 29 new Technical Excellence Colleges delivering high-quality training in key sectors, backed by £295 million of government investment over the course of this Parliament. This is in addition to wider skills and employment support, including the government’s £2.5bn youth employment package, which will help over 1 million young people by 2029.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle Authorised Push Payment fraud occurring (a) online or (b) on telecoms networks.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through the Fraud Strategy 2026-29, the Government is working with industry, regulators and law enforcement to prevent criminals exploiting online platforms and telecommunications networks to commit fraud.

The Government designated fraud an illegal harm under the Online Safety Act, and since March 2025 in-scope platforms have been required to maintain robust systems to prevent and remove fraudulent content. In July, Ofcom have also set out their proposed measures for the largest social media and search services to adopt to tackle fraudulent paid adverts.

We have established the new Online Crime Centre, backed by over £30 million of investment, bringing together law enforcement, Government, GCHQ and industry partners to identify and disrupt the technological enablers of fraud.

We are also working with industry to improve transparency, accountability and performance in tackling fraud.

In November 2025, we launched the second Telecoms Fraud Charter, containing over 50 actions to identify, prevent and disrupt telecoms-enabled fraud. This includes preventing criminals reaching users through effective data sharing between telecom providers and the banking sector.

The Government also legislated through the Crime and Policing Act 2026 to ban SIM farms, which are commonly used to send scam texts at scale, and continues to work with Ofcom and industry to tackle number spoofing and scam calls.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that affordable (a) childcare and (b) holiday provision are available in (i) school holidays and (ii) inset days for working parents in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to improving access to holiday provision for school-aged children. Families can receive support with costs through Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit childcare and the Flexible Support Fund.

Through the holiday activities and food programme, we are investing over £600 million across 2026/27 to 2028/29 to provide free holiday club places, healthy meals and enriching activities for eligible children during school holidays in England.

We are also providing local authorities with £12.9 million in 2026/27, to support their statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare. As part of this duty, local authorities ensure they understand supply and demand for school-age childcare, including paid holiday provision. It is clear in published guidance that holiday childcare includes inset days.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to increase the proportion of grants going to (a) recreation, (b) sport and (c) religion in (i) Yeovil constituency and (ii) Somerset.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

We provide the majority of support for culture and grassroots sport through our arm’s length bodies, including Arts Council England, Sport England and Historic England.

We will continue to work closely with local leaders to design funds. Our public bodies have responsibility for decisions on funding allocations and will continue to share eligibility criteria and transparent data on allocations on their websites.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including food supply disruption as a specific planning scenario for local resilience forums

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) are responsible for assessing risks that may impact their local area through Community Risk Registers and for developing plans against a range of nationally and locally identified risks, informed by the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) and associated planning assumptions. Risks within the NSRA are assessed against reasonable worst-case scenarios with input from relevant subject matter experts. The NSRA assigns clear ownership of risks to the relevant Lead Government Department and considers both specific risks and their wider consequences through linked and cascading scenarios.

Food-related risks are considered within the national risk framework, including through risks owned by DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency. Decisions on food supply planning assumptions and food resilience policy therefore sit primarily with DEFRA as the Lead Government Department.

GSCE attainment gap and dyslexia

Political donations and campaign finance regulation

Second Reading of the Mental Capacity (Duty to Assess) Bill

National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers

Support for hospices