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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.


Written Question
Mental Health Services: Norfolk
Thursday 3rd July 2025

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

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 adult mental health services in Norfolk.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Long waits for mental health services are being driven by increasing demand in a system in desperate need of change, including in Norfolk

The Government is piloting innovative models of care in the community, including six neighbourhood adult mental health centres that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and which bring together community, crisis, and inpatient care.

We are also improving data quality so we can support providers in understanding demand across their areas.

Our 10-Year Health Plan will inform the future vision and delivery plan for mental health services in England. Earlier intervention remains a key focus of the plan with the aim of reducing pressure on mental health services.


Written Question
Opioids: Death
Wednesday 2nd July 2025

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

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of deaths linked to synthetic opioids in the last three years, by region.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department published the below regional breakdown of deaths linked to nitazenes recorded within national surveillance processes in the first twelve months of monitoring by the Department and the National Crime Agency (NCA) in October 2024. There were no deaths recorded as linked to potent synthetic opioids that did not involve nitazenes in that period. Further information is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/deaths-linked-to-potent-synthetic-opioids

The Department and the NCA began tracking these deaths in June 2023 in response to an increased threat of potent synthetic opioids, and equivalent surveillance data is not available from before that point. More recent data will be published by the Department in due course.

The following table shows the number of deaths confirmed as involving nitazenes by English region, from June 2023 to May 2024:

Region

Deaths

East Midlands

29

East of England

33

London

18

North East

3

North West

12

South East

16

South West

22

West Midlands

21

Yorkshire and the Humber

25

Total

179



Data is also collected and published annually by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on drug-related deaths registered in England and Wales, and the ONS’s latest published analysis of deaths related to drug poisoning by selected substances includes historic trends in the numbers of deaths related to drug poisoning involving nitazenes and fentanyl analogues by country. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoningbyselectedsubstances


Written Question
Health: Women
Tuesday 17th June 2025

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

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 women's health.

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

We are taking tangible action to transform women's health, including tackling gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and providing free emergency hormonal contraception at pharmacies from October. There are a record 25,000 full time equivalent midwives in post – 1,400 more than July 2024


These examples demonstrate we are acting on the commitments in the women’s health strategy and listening to women’s experiences.


Written Question
Housing: Construction
Monday 9th June 2025

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

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department has taken to ensure the provision of sufficient infrastructure for new housing developments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.


Written Question
IVF
Wednesday 21st May 2025

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

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have accessed NHS funded IVF treatment in each year since 2021; and how many people have accessed privately funded IVF treatment in each year since 2021.

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

The following table shows the number of National Health Service funded and privately funded in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients each year since 2021 for which information is published:

Year of treatment

NHS-funded IVF patients

Private funded IVF patients

2022

15,212

38,555

2021

15,543

38,706

Source: provided by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Register.

Notes:

  1. the data is as recorded by the HFEA on 1 May 2025 and reflects the data on this date, and may change over time;
  2. the data is preliminary and quality assurance processes with clinics have not yet completed, and will be available in due course for 2023 and 2024;
  3. this data includes patients undergoing treatment where the cycle was begun with the intention of immediate treatment, instead of storing eggs or embryos for future use; and
  4. data from one clinic is excluded due to data reporting issues.

Written Question
IVF
Tuesday 20th May 2025

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

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cycles of NHS funded IVF treatment as recommended by NICE guidelines are provided in each integrated care board.

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

Information about integrated care board commissioning policy for National Health Service funded fertility services is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-funded-ivf-in-england/nhs-funded-in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf-in-england


Written Question
Women's Rights
Tuesday 6th May 2025

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

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether upholding the rights of women and girls is one of his Department's priorities.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of everything we do. This includes defending their rights and freedoms and tackling the rollback on gender equality globally. The recent appointment of Baroness Harriet Harman as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls highlights our ongoing commitment to protecting women and girls' rights in the UK and around the world.


Written Question
Development Aid: Women
Friday 2nd May 2025

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

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) value for money of supporting (i) women's rights and (ii) women-led organisations through Official Development Assistance.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

There is strong evidence showing that women's rights organisations play a significant role in securing and advancing women's rights as well as providing humanitarian assistance, tackling climate change and promoting and protecting democracy. They provide good value for money as this type of support moves away from short term project funding towards strategic investments which have wider social and economic value which sustains long after funding ends.