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Written Question
Unemployment: Norfolk
Thursday 24th July 2025

Asked by: Alice Macdonald (Labour (Co-op) - Norwich North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of people aged between 16 and 24 years old that are not in education, employment or training in (a) Norwich North constituency and (b) Norfolk.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department publishes statistics on 16-24-year-olds that are not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England in the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The most recent dataset is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

The number of 16–24-year-olds estimated as NEET in England at the end of 2024 is estimated to be 837,000, approximately 13.6% of the population in that demographic group. These estimates are not available at lower-level geographies due to limitations with sample sizes.

However, local authorities are required to encourage, enable or assist young people’s participation in education or training and return management information for young people aged 16 and 17. This data is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-training-and-neet-age-16-to-17-by-local-authority/2024-25.

It shows that of the 19,635 young people aged 16 and 17 who were known to Norfolk local authority at the end of 2024 (average of December 2024, January 2025 and February 2025), 1,141 were NEET or their activity was not known. These statistics are published as transparency data so some caution should be taken if using these figures.

In addition, 16-18 destination measures are published by parliamentary constituency. These official statistics show the percentage of pupils who did not sustain education, apprenticeships or employment for a 6-month period during the year following compulsory activity. This can be used as a proxy for NEET at age 18, for those who were participating in compulsory education at 17. The latest publication includes destinations in 2022/23 by Parliamentary constituency boundaries at that time. Data can be found here for Norwich North Parliamentary constituency: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a5a0cfd5-4d3d-47da-1dee-08ddc13e16b8.


Written Question
Water Supply: Norfolk
Wednesday 23rd July 2025

Asked by: Alice Macdonald (Labour (Co-op) - Norwich North)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the pressures on water resources in Norfolk; and what steps he is taking with local partners to reduce those pressures.

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

The entire eastern England region is classified as seriously water stressed. Norfolk is one of the driest parts of the country with only 600mm rainfall per year which is two thirds of the national average. Norfolk supports some of England’s most precious and sensitive river and wetland habitats. Climate change is bringing more frequent extreme events such as droughts, floods and increasing pressure on the environment and water supplies. Rainfall this spring has been 40% of average, putting pressure on the environment and water supplies.

Natural England (NE) has an ongoing monitoring programme for protected sites identifying their condition and the pressures acting on them. NE is working in partnership with Defra bodies and stakeholders to protect and restore our water-dependent environment and develop sustainable resilient water supplies for the future.

The Environment Agency (EA) is working with Water Resources East, public water companies, agriculture, and other sectors to ensure water abstractions are environmentally sustainable. In Norfolk, abstraction licences were last reviewed and re-issued in 2017/18 and are due for review in 2029/30. The EA closely monitors water resources and advises abstractors on water availability via the Water Abstraction Alerts service. Due to continuing hot and dry conditions Norfolk will move into Prolonged Dry Weather on 21 July.

The EA has, in partnership with NE, Cambridge Water, Essex & Suffolk Water, Affinity Water, and Anglian Water, published a guide on Shared Standards in Water Efficiency for Local Plans. It supports Local Planning Authorities in delivering sustainable growth across East Anglia, highlighting the region’s serious water stress. The guide promotes clean, sustainable water supply as essential for growth and nature recovery.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Jul 2025
Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

"It is an honour to speak in this debate today. I pay tribute to Sir David Amess, who I never met but whose legacy and values live on.

I start by marking Norfolk Day, which is taking place this Sunday. It takes place on 27 July every year to celebrate …..."

Alice Macdonald - View Speech

View all Alice Macdonald (LAB - Norwich North) contributions to the debate on: Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 22 Jul 2025
Humanitarian Situation in Sudan

"I fully agree that this is a war being waged on the bodies of women and girls, but women are also women fighting back. I have met many brave women from women’s rights organisations, including my friend Emi Mahmoud, a UNHCR ambassador. Does my hon. Friend agree that when we …..."
Alice Macdonald - View Speech

View all Alice Macdonald (LAB - Norwich North) contributions to the debate on: Humanitarian Situation in Sudan

Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 22 Jul 2025
Humanitarian Situation in Sudan

"My hon. Friend will know that we said “never again” in Rwanda, in Srebrenica and after the Holocaust, but we are clearly not living up to that promise. Does she agree that we need a comprehensive atrocity prevention and response strategy? That has been lacking in the UK Government for …..."
Alice Macdonald - View Speech

View all Alice Macdonald (LAB - Norwich North) contributions to the debate on: Humanitarian Situation in Sudan

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 21 Jul 2025
Middle East

"Aid should be a lifeline in humanitarian crises, yet it has become a death trap for Gazans. People are starving, yet one of the only ways they can get food is to risk their lives by going to an aid distribution point run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Does the …..."
Alice Macdonald - View Speech

View all Alice Macdonald (LAB - Norwich North) contributions to the debate on: Middle East

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 21 Jul 2025
Independent Water Commission

"Norfolk is home to many beautiful beaches and rivers but, as in many areas, people are concerned about the state of their waters. The Cow Tower Dippers in Norwich are applying for designated swim status, which would mean that Anglian Water is obliged to monitor the water. That is one …..."
Alice Macdonald - View Speech

View all Alice Macdonald (LAB - Norwich North) contributions to the debate on: Independent Water Commission

Division Vote (Commons)
17 Jul 2025 - Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill (Fourth sitting) - View Vote Context
Alice Macdonald (LAB) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 10 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 3 Noes - 10
Division Vote (Commons)
17 Jul 2025 - Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill (Third sitting) - View Vote Context
Alice Macdonald (LAB) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 9 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 3 Noes - 9
Division Vote (Commons)
17 Jul 2025 - Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill (Third sitting) - View Vote Context
Alice Macdonald (LAB) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 9 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 3 Noes - 9