Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Nov 2025
Fresh and Nutritious Food: Inequality of Access
"That is a very important point. The availability of fast food right outside schools needs to be looked at and curtailed. The food is cheap, but it is incredibly low quality, and it is not doing our children any good. And school food standards are not properly enforced. There is …..."Ben Coleman - View Speech
View all Ben Coleman (Lab - Chelsea and Fulham) contributions to the debate on: Fresh and Nutritious Food: Inequality of Access
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Nov 2025
Fresh and Nutritious Food: Inequality of Access
"I am grateful, Mr Mundell—I will conclude. The hon. Member makes a very helpful point, particularly for constituencies that are more rural than mine of Chelsea and Fulham—what he says certainly has validity in many parts of the country. My final point is very simple: families do not need lectures. …..."Ben Coleman - View Speech
View all Ben Coleman (Lab - Chelsea and Fulham) contributions to the debate on: Fresh and Nutritious Food: Inequality of Access
Division Vote (Commons)
5 Nov 2025 - Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill -
View Vote Context
Ben Coleman (Lab) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
264 Labour Aye votes vs
1 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 268 Noes - 80
Written Question
Wednesday 5th November 2025
Asked by:
Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Access to Work application process for people with (a) learning disabilities, (b) mental health conditions and (c) neurodivergent needs; and what steps his Department is taking to simplify the process.
Answered by Stephen Timms
- Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the application process for Access to Work, we encourage individuals to provide as much information about their circumstances as possible, to help us understand how best to offer support which is tailored to their needs.
There is a variety of accessible contact methods which customers can utilise when making applications. These include telephone, textphone, Video Relay Service and email as a reasonable adjustment. Where a customer would like to use email to contact the department as a reasonable adjustment, they should let the Access to Work team know so the Case Manager can follow the appropriate procedure to ensure we can try to accommodate the request. Details can be found at Access to Work: factsheet for customers - GOV.UK
We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed.
Written Question
Wednesday 5th November 2025
Asked by:
Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, hat steps his Department is taking to ensure timely payments to Access to Work support providers.
Answered by Stephen Timms
- Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are continuing to streamline delivery practices and have increased the number of staff processing claims. Since May 2024, 118 additional staff have been redeployed to support Access to Work. We also prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks. We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.
Written Question
Wednesday 5th November 2025
Asked by:
Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) consistency and (b) transparency in Access to Work funding decisions in different types of (i) disability and (ii) employment sectors.
Answered by Stephen Timms
- Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the last year, we have worked to improve decision-making throughout the Scheme by ensuring that guidance is applied with greater consistency, helping to provide a fairer process.
Division Vote (Commons)
4 Nov 2025 - Supporting High Streets -
View Vote Context
Ben Coleman (Lab) voted No
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
310 Labour No votes vs
0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 106 Noes - 321
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 28 Oct 2025
Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
"I suggest to the hon. Member that one of the principal reasons that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has shot up so radically in recent years is the increasing prevalence of food that is simply bad for people and is causing them damage—in particular, food that is high in fat, sugar …..."Ben Coleman - View Speech
View all Ben Coleman (Lab - Chelsea and Fulham) contributions to the debate on: Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 28 Oct 2025
Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
"Will the hon. Member accept that there is now a general body of opinion that it is time to stop blaming people for not having the willpower not to eat bad food when they are constantly bombarded with advertising and marketing? Some £6.4 billion a year will be spent by …..."Ben Coleman - View Speech
View all Ben Coleman (Lab - Chelsea and Fulham) contributions to the debate on: Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 28 Oct 2025
Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
"If I may bring the hon. Member back to childhood obesity, does she agree that there is a serious problem with sugar being pumped into so much baby food? Does she therefore welcome what the Government have finally done after many years of the issue’s sitting unaddressed? They are giving …..."Ben Coleman - View Speech
View all Ben Coleman (Lab - Chelsea and Fulham) contributions to the debate on: Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease