Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to align apprenticeship policy with youth employment patterns.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is investing in young people’s futures and reversing the sharp decline in apprenticeship starts amongst young people – which have fallen by 40% over the last decade. Over half of all apprenticeship starts are now for learners aged 25 and over.
We are investing an additional £2.5 billion into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to support nearly one million 16–24-year-olds into work, education or training. Over the next three years, this investment will deliver up to 300,000 opportunities for workplace experience and training ,and unlock up to 200,000 jobs, including through the £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and guaranteeing jobs for long-term unemployed young people on Universal Credit.
We have introduced foundation apprenticeships for 16-21-year-olds and recently expanded these into the hospitality and retail sectors which traditionally recruit significant numbers of young people. These are entry-level, paid jobs with structured training designed for young people aged 16-21 and come with a £2,000 payment for employers.
We will launch a new level 2 administrative assistant apprenticeship from August and at the same time, will make apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s at non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) completely free of charge. In addition, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees.
We have also announced £140 million to test, with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, the best ways of brokering more apprenticeship opportunities for young people at the local level.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help tackle barriers faced by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in taking on apprentices in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, backed by £1 billion of additional investment, which will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and give employers, including in Yeovil, greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need to grow and succeed.
To support non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people as apprentices, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees.
Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible young people aged under 25 from the start of the next academic year, to boost small business starts. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.
We also provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care.
The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises over 3,000 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England, including in Somerset, through nine regional networks. These networks provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the quality of the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills' (Ofsted) training materials that suggest children with autism are at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Ofsted are now delivering the renewed education inspection framework, with new training for inspectors, including updates on the Prevent duty, which no longer includes reference to children with autism.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
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 answer of 19 March 2026 (Dangerous Dogs: Registration), if she will finalise the scheme for Withdrawal of Certificates of Exemption for Dogs Wrongly Registered as XL Bullies before Dogs Trust withdraw their Companion Club third-party public liability insurance for these dogs on 1 July 2026.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to develop a withdrawal process so that owners who no longer believe that their dog meets the legal definition of an XL Bully type can apply to have their certificate of exemption withdrawn. Further details will be shared once the process has been finalised.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of (a) Army and (b) Airforce cadet units in Yeovil Constituency on staffing levels within the army.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As the Army and Air cadet force is an MOD sponsored youth organisation and is not a recruitment arm of the Regular Army, the closure does not have an impact on Army staffing levels.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the risk of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals to people in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The risks to human health and the environment from individual chemicals are assessed and regulated at a national level by the relevant authorities, including the Health and Safety Executive, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Food Standards Agency, and the Environment Agency. These controls apply across England, including in the Yeovil constituency and Somerset. Therefore, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not undertaken specific risk assessments of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) at a constituency or county level.
UKHSA keeps the evidence on the potential health impacts of environmental pollution, including EDCs, under review. The Government also works with international partners, including the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, to ensure approaches reflect current scientific understanding.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs states that the concern for EDCs, which have been linked to numerous human health and wildlife impacts, is a complex scientific issue. The national policy approach to risk assessment and management makes use of the best available evidence to maintain high standards of protection. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissions research and engages with the scientific community, experts within our regulatory bodies, and non-government organisations to build an understanding of EDCs.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the number of cases of Lyme disease in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) the United Kingdom.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Lyme disease is monitored in England and Wales through routine surveillance. The UK Health Security Agency’s Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory provides Lyme disease laboratory testing services for England and Wales and data is published in the quarterly Health Protection Reports, available at the following link:
Data is not collected at constituency level.
The incidence of Lyme disease in Somerset sits higher than the average in England, as in Somerset per 100,000 of the population it is approximately two to four times higher than the average incidence in England.
There has not been an increase in laboratory confirmed cases in Somerset or England over the past seven years, with overall cases remaining stable. There is a fluctuation every year as expected, with more cases some years and less other years, but there has not been a sustained increase.
Yearly fluctuations are expected and driven by several factors including the weather which impacts how people interact with the outdoors. Trends do not show a significant change in laboratory confirmed cases in England since 2018 and cases have remained stable.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the (a) safe and (b) timely reopening of (i) Airforce and (ii) Army Cadet units in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The 1032 Air Cadet Squadron building in Yeovil has been closed since 5 February 2026 due to an unsatisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report. To maintain cadet activities, 1032 Squadron is currently parading with neighbouring 874 (Sherborne) Squadron. The Army Cadet Force detachment in Yeovil has not been closed and continues to parade at the refurbished Army Reserve Centre.
Electrical safety inspections are progressing as quickly as possible, supported by an electrical contractor commissioned by the Wessex Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association to accelerate work at the Yeovil Air Cadet site. The Ministry of Defence is closely monitoring progress, and it is hoped the facilities are available again soon.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of time-bound, measurable targets to reduce the time taken for diagnosis of (a) endometriosis and (b) adenomyosis.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is unacceptable that women can wait so long for an endometriosis and adenomyosis diagnosis and we are committed to improving waiting times for diagnosis and treatment so patients can get the care they need sooner. We are committed to returning by March 2029 to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, including for gynaecology.
In England, the waiting list for gynaecology care stood at just over 560,000 as of March 2026 and gynaecology waits are down by over 35,000 since the 2024 General Election.
Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out reforms we are making to improve gynaecology waiting times across England. This includes innovative models of care that offer care closer to home and in the community, piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding, and increasing the relative funding available to incentivise providers to take on more gynaecology procedures.
We are also introducing an “online hospital”, NHS Online. From 2027, people on certain pathways, including menstrual problems that may be a sign of endometriosis or adenomyosis, will have the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years.
The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy also commits to speeding up diagnosis and access to treatment for conditions including endometriosis. The strategy announces a new programme to improve education for girls about their menstrual health, investing an additional £1 million from this year to support targeted work in schools and community settings to support girls’ knowledge about menstrual health and when to seek healthcare. This is an important factor to delays in diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Clinical pathways for heavy periods and pelvic pain, including endometriosis, will be redesigned to reduce repeat appointments, unnecessary referrals and long waits. Women with endometriosis will benefit from single points of access for gynaecology referrals and a shift away from hospital only care towards neighbourhood and community settings.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 June 2026 to Question 3393 on PE and Sport Premium, what assessment she has made of replacing the Physical Education and sport premium with the new Partnerships Network on schools in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 21 May 2026, the government announced a new approach to PE and school sport funding.
We will procure a National Delivery Partner (NDP) to establish the new PE and School Sport Partnership Network. The NDP will conduct an assessment of need in each area and work with local partners and experts to ensure support is tailored to the needs of schools and communities, including in Yeovil.
The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will provide more targeted and consistent support to schools, focused on improving the quality of PE and increasing participation for all pupils, especially those who are least active.