Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) develop and (b) implement in-classroom screening tools for dyslexia; and if she will include those tools in the (i) training and (ii) resources provided to teachers.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The statutory guidance ‘SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years’ is clear that meeting the needs of a child with special educational needs (SEN) does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. The full guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25.
The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with specific learning difficulties. As part of this, the department is considering both international evidence and best practice in its policymaking on SEN, with a focus on strengthening the evidence base on what works to identify and support needs in mainstream settings, including for specific learning difficulties.
The department has also commissioned evidence reviews from University College London, which will highlight what the best available evidence suggests are the most effective tools, strategies and approaches for teachers and other relevant staff in mainstream settings to identify and support children and young people (age 0 to 25) with different types of needs.
In November 2024, the department established the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from Birmingham University, to provide an expert view and make recommendations on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within mainstream education settings. The group brings together experts including clinicians, scientists and academics, education professionals, and charities representing specific types of neurodivergence. We have been clear that in developing their advice, we expect the group to draw on a wide range of inputs, including other sector experts and stakeholders, to ensure appropriate coverage of other types of neurodivergence. The group will also listen to the voices of neurodivergent children and young people, their parents, and others who care for them.
The initial teacher training and early career framework, which replaces the core content framework and early career framework from September 2025 and underpins what all new teachers should learn, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND. The adaptive teaching content includes, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Portsmouth City Council on their voluntary position on the Devolution Priority Programme.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Portsmouth City Council joined the Devolution Priority Programme alongside Southampton Council, Hampshire County Council and the Isle of Wight Council earlier this year. I met with local leaders across the region, including Portsmouth City Council, on 4 February to discuss their application to the programme and on 1 April as part of a visit to the area. Baroness Taylor of Stevenage also met with local leaders on 17 December. Throughout these past months, I have also been in regular communication with local leaders through correspondence and my officials meet with officers across the region regularly to support them in delivering devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to set material-specific collection targets for local authorities under the Simpler Recycling reforms.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. To support the Government in achieving this goal, a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts has been established from across government, industry, academia, and civil society to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England.
The taskforce will consider the evidence for sector-specific interventions from right across the economy and will be exploring a wide range of levers to drive circularity, including targets.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
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 utilise private sector capacity to (a) reduce backlogs and (b) improve services in the NHS; and if he will ensure that the NHS remains free at the point of use.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Independent sector providers have a role to play in supporting the National Health Service as trusted partners to recover elective services by using additional capacity to tackle the backlog, whilst delivering value for money. The independent sector plays a vital role in supporting hospitals to get on top of the backlog, so we can deliver more than 100,000 elective appointments and procedures every week for NHS patients.
In January 2025, the NHS and the independent sector established a partnership agreement, the first of its kind for 25 years, setting out how we will work together to reduce the elective care waiting list. This will see more NHS patients able to choose to be treated in a private hospital where there is capacity, at no cost to patients. As a balanced agreement, the independent sector will support broader work to grow the overall elective workforce, provide training opportunities, and continue to meet the same high standards expected of all providers. It will also see the independent sector play a greater role in supporting the most challenged specialities, such as ear, nose, and throat and gynaecology, while helping to give patients in more deprived areas a greater choice of where and when they receive treatment.
The Government is steadfast in its commitment to the guiding principles of the NHS. The NHS will always be free at the point of use and will never be for sale to the private sector.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth 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 help improve (a) patient access to, (b) staff retention in and (c) recruitment to NHS dentistry in Portsmouth North constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Portsmouth North constituency, this is the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB.
ICBs have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 10 April 2025, in England, there are 53 dentists in post, with a further 44 dentists who have been recruited but are yet to start in post. Another 256 posts are currently advertised.
To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
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 help tackle the sale of illegal vapes in Portsmouth.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is investing £10 million of new funding into Trading Standards for 2025/26, to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, and the implementation of the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
The Trading Standards South East region, which includes Portsmouth, has been allocated funding for new apprentices to boost workforce capacity, alongside further funding for the storage and recycling of seized illicit vapes. The new funding will also support other activity, including additional work to identify and seize illicit vapes consignments at ports, and training for Trading Standards officers on the new single use vapes ban.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the evidential basis is that (a) growing and (b) reorganising Portsmouth City Council will increase it's financial stability.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government was elected on a manifesto that pledged to fix the foundations of local government alongside a transfer of power and funding out of Westminster through devolution. Local government reorganisation is central to this pledge, and we have set out the rationale for reorganisation in the English Devolution White Paper.
The local government reorganisation programme invites all councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitary authorities to put forward reorganisations proposals. Accordingly, Portsmouth City Council, together with the twelve two tier councils in Hampshire, Isle of Wight Council and Southampton City Council, were invited to submit proposals for unitary local government. Existing district areas should be considered the building blocks for proposals, but where there is a strong justification more complex boundary changes will be considered. Ultimately it is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) devolution and (b) local government reorganisation.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The overall case for devolution and local government reorganisation is set out the English Devolution White Paper.
The White Paper sets an ambitious new framework for English devolution, moving power out of Westminster and back to those who know their areas best. The government is committed to expanding devolution across England, devolving further powers to local leaders, those with local knowledge to drive economic growth and empower communities.
Devolution must be built upon strong foundations. That means creating clearer, more sustainable local government structures to unlock crucial efficiency savings, with more resources directed to the frontline. This reform will mean more accountable structures, making it much clearer for residents who they should look to on local issues, with fewer, but more empowered local political leaders, who can focus on delivering for residents. This government will not waste this opportunity to achieve stability for local government across England and increase value for money for council taxpayers, so they are no longer paying an inefficient two-tier premium.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Skills England on the decision to exclude level 7 apprenticeships from the Apprenticeship Levy; and whether she is exploring alternative support for firms to provide these qualifications.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.
This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers, and the department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.
The department has received a wide range of representations on level 7 apprenticeships which it is currently considering. These have been received directly and via Skills England, which has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on this matter and has shared its findings with the department.
The department recognises the importance of providing clarity as soon as possible on future funding for level 7 apprenticeships and will communicate next steps in due course.
Asked by: Amanda Martin (Labour - Portsmouth North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Portsmouth City Council applied to participate in the High Street Rental Auctions scheme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) can be used by any local authority in England to auction the lease of persistently vacant commercial properties. 11 local authorities are Early Adopters of High Street Rental Auctions. These will be amongst the first to deliver and champion these powers, working closely with the department and helping to shape future guidance. Portsmouth City Council did not apply to become an Early Adopter but is still able to use these powers. A fund of over £1 million is available to all English local authorities to support the delivery of HSRAs.