Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Surrey Heath Borough Council on support for pubs in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the vital role of pubs and hospitality businesses in our communities and economy, including those in Surrey Heath, and that’s why we’re taking targeted action to support them with the pressures they face.
In April, we launched a Taskforce to consider ways to create a more balanced premises licensing system that not only safeguards communities but also supports responsible businesses. On 7 October the Government issued a Call for Evidence on Reforming the licensing system - GOV.UK (deadline: midday, 6 November 2025). These reforms are part of the Small Business Strategy, which also tackles late payments, improves access to finance, and cuts red tape. We want planning and licensing systems to work fairly for businesses and residents.
Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value and continue to work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council to boost productivity and resilience by working together to address the challenges facing businesses.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the requirement for local authorities to publish statutory public notices in local newspapers on (a) local transparency and (b) democratic accountability in Surrey.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is concerned about the sustainability of local journalism and DCMS is developing a Local Media Strategy in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. We also recognise that local press continues to play a vital role in informing local communities, and that public notices can be important in helping inform the public of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property.
However, we are also aware of concerns from some sectors about the audience reach of these notices and the desire for greater digitalisation. In this context, the sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, taking advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and providing a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We also welcome the Portal's current expansion to include archive and consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively.
DCMS is monitoring the progress of the Portal, and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices. This type of industry innovation and collaboration is integral to securing the sector’s future. It will be taken into account in our planned review of public notices as part of the Local Media Strategy, which will more broadly consider the merits of making changes to existing requirements to place public notices in print local newspapers, including the impact this has on local transparency and democratic accountability across the country, including in Surrey. More will be announced on the Strategy and the review in the coming months.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of houses in multiple occupation on levels of (a) loneliness and (b) mental health issues in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has no plans to make such an assessment. We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) patient and (b) staff safety within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone working or being treated in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe.
The Government is focusing on enhancing patient safety and fostering a learning culture within the NHS. Key reforms under the 10-Year Health Plan and Dr Penny Dash’s report on the patient safety landscape aim to clarify accountability across the system.
Additionally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment for NHS staff which will cover issues relating to staff safety including tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.
The Care Quality Commission is the regulator responsible for ensuring that service providers meet standards for patient and staff safety. It will do this, in future, by operating two broad models of inspections, namely rapid response inspections where serious concerns are identified and routine planned inspections.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the personal allowance for pensioners in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.
Through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners benefitted from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast.
The Personal Allowance - the amount an individual can earn before paying tax - will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax.
The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. The Chancellor will announce any changes to the tax system at fiscal events in the usual way.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve NHS public health messaging to ensure that women understand the difference between (a) cervical and (b) ovarian cancer symptoms in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that many cancer patients are still left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Surrey Heath.
As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.
There is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer. In June 2016, the UK National Screening Committee recommended not to introduce a national screening programme for ovarian cancer. This is because there is not a test that reliably picks up ovarian cancer at an early stage.
However, NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in January 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer.
NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This information outlines the differences between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:
To ensure women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.
The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Surrey Heath. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for ovarian cancer (a) screening and (b) diagnosis within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that many cancer patients are still left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Surrey Heath.
As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.
There is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer. In June 2016, the UK National Screening Committee recommended not to introduce a national screening programme for ovarian cancer. This is because there is not a test that reliably picks up ovarian cancer at an early stage.
However, NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in January 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer.
NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This information outlines the differences between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:
To ensure women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.
The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Surrey Heath. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
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 adequacy of ovarian cancer treatment services in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that many cancer patients are still left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Surrey Heath.
As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.
There is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer. In June 2016, the UK National Screening Committee recommended not to introduce a national screening programme for ovarian cancer. This is because there is not a test that reliably picks up ovarian cancer at an early stage.
However, NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in January 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer.
NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This information outlines the differences between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:
To ensure women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.
The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Surrey Heath. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consultation mechanisms are in place for engagement between his Department and the Leader of Surrey County Council on devolution reform.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.
It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.
Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with the leader of Surrey County Council on the timetable for county council elections in Surrey.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.
It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.
Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.