Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
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 ensure that (a) scans, (b) medical records and (c) treatment plans are transferred effectively between medical centres in (i) Hampshire and (ii) Surrey.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ensuring that information on diagnoses and treatment can be shared between services is vital to the provision of safe and effective health care. Improving this will enable enhanced quality of care and safety for patients, and better informed clinical and care decision-making empowered by access to precise and comprehensive information.
The Connecting Care Records programme joins up information based on the individual, rather than through a single organisation. Through targeted investment, local Connecting Care Record systems have been established in all integrated commissioning board areas. 97% of trusts and 92% of primary care networks are now connected. Across the Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System there is extensive sharing to support care between acute providers and general practitioners through the patient record systems. Local transformation activities are underway that will support local ambulance providers in being able to access shared records in the coming weeks, and which will support more comprehensive sharing of care plans over the coming months.
As you may also be aware, NHS England has been supporting National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in acquiring and developing the effectiveness of their electronic patient records, and support is available to bring trusts to an optimum level of digital maturity, which will further reduce barriers to the sharing of information needed to treat patients. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/data-and-clinical-record-sharing/
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced the development of a single patient record to provide a comprehensive patient record and to end the need for patients repeating their medical history when interacting with the NHS.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make his policy to direct bilateral Official Development Assistance spending in Pakistan towards marginalised groups.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In Financial Year 24/25, the UK delivered over £100 million of bilateral ODA in Pakistan in different sectors including Health, Education, Climate, Human Rights and Economic growth. All our development programmes are well aligned with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which expressly seeks to address the needs of marginalised groups, emphasising inclusivity and aiming to leave no one behind.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) support small and medium abattoirs and (b) prevent closures.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the vital role small and medium sized abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient, competitive food supply chain.
Defra works closely with the industry including through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and the Small Abattoirs Task and Finish Group. These groups provide a forum for identifying the challenges and opportunities that the sector faces, and for collaborating on practical solutions to support the sustainability of small and medium sized abattoirs.
It is recognised that there are many different and varied reasons why abattoirs close. While the Government does not intervene in individual business decisions, it is committed to working with the sector to help, where possible, mitigate pressures that abattoirs face.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications for war pensions which were denied were subsequently overturned on appeal in each of the last three years.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The number of overturned War Pension entitlement appeals from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2024:
Financial Year | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
Allowed | 130 | 125 | 110 |
Sources: War Pensions Computer System (WPCS)
Figures include both first claims to pension and further condition claims.
By financial year the tribunal decision was made.
Numbers rounded to the nearest 5 in line with the WPS Accredited Official Statistic.
Data for financial year 2024/25 is scheduled for release on 3 July 2025.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent progress he has made on reducing the time taken to provide full compensation to people affected by the infected blood scandal; and what steps he is taking to ensure compensation is provided to victims before they die.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). Whilst the roll out of the scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, I fully support their commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible and as the Minister, I stand ready to help and assist in any way I can to speed up the payments.
IBCA has paid over £96 million in compensation. In April, IBCA wrote to all those who are living with infection and registered with a support scheme and asked those who have less than 12 months to live to come forward. IBCA is now prioritising claims for those who are living with infection and registered with a support scheme and nearing the end of their lives. Going forward, IBCA has outlined that it is aiming to contact an average of 100 people to begin their claim every week. At that rate, they expect to have brought in to claim all those who are infected and registered with a support scheme this calendar year. The Government expects IBCA to begin payments to people who are affected by the end of this year.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to improve the Child Maintenance Service's complaints procedure.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP introduced a single tier complaint model in 2020-2021 to ensure the process of making a complaint in DWP was simple and consistent for our customers. The single tier model put complaints handling back into specialist complaints teams, enabling the Department to build capability and improve its complaints handling.
We have also launched a new Complaints Quality Standards Framework, implementing quality assurance measures that align with the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO’s) complaints standards to embed consistency into our complaints handling.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of time taken for driving tests in (a) Farnborough, (b) Basingstoke and (c) Guildford; and what steps she is taking to help reduce the backlog of those tests.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
DVSA does not employ driving instructors. Whilst DVSA does not have the power to either increase or limit the number of approved driving instructors (ADIs), the number of instructors on DVSA’s ADI register has increased in the last few years.
DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible. The agency continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient. It currently has no plans for any additional driving test centres.
The table below shows the average waiting time, in weeks, for a car practical driving test in, Basingstoke, Farnborough and Guildford driving test centres for each of the last six months.
| Basingstoke | Farnborough | Guildford | National |
April 2025 | 15.5 | 24 | 10.5 | 22.3 |
March 2025 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 21.7 |
February 2025 | 24 | 24 | 18.5 | 21.3 |
January 2025 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 20.8 |
December 2024 | 19.2 | 24 | 24 | 20.8 |
November 2024 | 22.4 | 24 | 19.3 | 19.7 |
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across the country.
Further information on these actions, and progress on DVSA’s 7-point plan announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.
DVSA’s 7-point plan included recruiting 450 driving examiners (DE). In its recent recruitment campaign, DVSA advertised for five DEs for Farnborough and Guildford. DVSA’s recent recruitment activity in the area has resulted in:
two DEs successfully completing their training and are now providing car practical driving tests;
two DEs currently in training;
one DE waiting to begin training; and
two DEs completing pre-employment checks.
DVSA also advertised for three DEs in the Basingstoke and Greenham (Newbury) area.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) recruiting new driving instructors and (b) opening new test centres in North East Hampshire constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
DVSA does not employ driving instructors. Whilst DVSA does not have the power to either increase or limit the number of approved driving instructors (ADIs), the number of instructors on DVSA’s ADI register has increased in the last few years.
DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible. The agency continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient. It currently has no plans for any additional driving test centres.
The table below shows the average waiting time, in weeks, for a car practical driving test in, Basingstoke, Farnborough and Guildford driving test centres for each of the last six months.
| Basingstoke | Farnborough | Guildford | National |
April 2025 | 15.5 | 24 | 10.5 | 22.3 |
March 2025 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 21.7 |
February 2025 | 24 | 24 | 18.5 | 21.3 |
January 2025 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 20.8 |
December 2024 | 19.2 | 24 | 24 | 20.8 |
November 2024 | 22.4 | 24 | 19.3 | 19.7 |
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across the country.
Further information on these actions, and progress on DVSA’s 7-point plan announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.
DVSA’s 7-point plan included recruiting 450 driving examiners (DE). In its recent recruitment campaign, DVSA advertised for five DEs for Farnborough and Guildford. DVSA’s recent recruitment activity in the area has resulted in:
two DEs successfully completing their training and are now providing car practical driving tests;
two DEs currently in training;
one DE waiting to begin training; and
two DEs completing pre-employment checks.
DVSA also advertised for three DEs in the Basingstoke and Greenham (Newbury) area.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the accuracy of the Child Maintenance Service system for assessing payments for (a) paying and (b) receiving parents.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax, including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability.
For self-employed paying parents, the gross income used in a maintenance calculation is provided by HMRC in the first instance. HMRC will provide details of the gross taxable profit of the paying parent's business, for the most recent complete tax year.
The scheme relies on HMRC to provide accurate income information that aligns with tax legislation in order to make a child maintenance calculation, according to generally applicable rules.
In the event a receiving parent believes a paying parent’s earnings are not captured in the standard calculation using HMRC gross income data, they can apply for a variation, under which certain other categories of income can be considered.
Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit. This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions (such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies) to check the accuracy of information that the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is given. If any discrepancies are found, then they can implement a correct maintenance liability that is supported by CMS legislation.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Dedicated Schools Grant funding formula.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The dedicated schools grant (DSG) is paid in support of local authorities’ schools budgets. It allocates funding through four separate blocks covering mainstream schools, high needs, early years and central school services. Each block is calculated using its own separate funding formula.
The total funding allocated through the DSG was £68.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, up from £62.5 billion in 2024/25. The table below sets out how this is split across the four blocks.
Dedicated Schools Grant | |||||
Financial Year | Mainstream Schools Block (£ bn) | Central School Services Block (£ bn) | High Needs Block (£ bn) | Early Years Block (£ bn) | Total (£ bn) |
2024/25 | 45.3 | 0.4 | 10.4 | 6.4 | 62.5 |
2025/26 | 48.7 | 0.4 | 11.2 | 8.5 | 68.8 |
Please note that the 2025/26 and 2024/25 financial year figures are not directly comparable since some funding provided through separate grants in 2024/25 was rolled into the DSG in 2025/26.
Detailed information on the 2025/26 DSG funding allocations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2025-to-2026.
Funding levels for 2026/27 and beyond are subject to the ongoing spending review.