Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve transport services in rural areas.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government knows that integrated public transport is vital to keeping communities connected. We also know that in rural and semi-rural areas, bus services can be a lifeline for many and can be the only means of accessing services, including other modes of transportation such as rail links.
The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, we are investing £1 billion this year to support and improve bus services and keep fares affordable.
The Government confirmed a £2.3 billion investment in local transport through the Local Transport Grant (LTG) at the Spending Review. This funding is for smaller cities, towns and rural areas, and will enable local authorities to deliver more ambitious transport projects.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with Ofwat on the standardisation of social tariff schemes for water bills.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All water companies have a range of measures in place for people who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including social tariffs, WaterSure, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.
The Government is working with industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
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 care home fee rates set by local authorities include (a) the economic situation, (b) workforce and (c) inflation.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the importance of local authority fee rates to adult social care providers, which meet the costs of delivering care and enable providers to recruit and retain staff. We have therefore provided the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund to local authorities since 2023/24, with one of the three target areas that local authorities can spend their allocations on being to improve fee rates to providers.
A letter sent out to council leaders in January set out the expectation that in 2025/26, when commissioning services, local authorities should ensure fee levels for care and support services take account of the actual costs of care in their area, including inflationary and all other pressures, such as the rise in National Living Wage and the changes to employers National Insurance contributions.
As part of our monitoring of the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund grant conditions, and to understand fee rates more generally, local authorities are required to provide an annual return to the Department, including data on the fee rates they pay care providers. The Government publishes this data annually, with the latest data being available to view at the following link:
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure school behaviour policies are (a) inclusive and (b) supportive of children with speech and language challenges.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. Any policy must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance is clear that a school’s culture should consistently promote high standards of behaviour and provide the necessary support to ensure all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), can achieve and thrive. The appropriate response to misbehaviour will often need to be considered in relation to a pupil’s SEND, although not every incident of misbehaviour will be connected to their SEND. When a pupil is identified as having SEND, the graduated approach outlined in the ‘SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years’ should be used to assess, plan, deliver and then review the impact of the support being provided. The guidance also includes practical examples of how schools can meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and Children and Families Act 2014.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support small family businesses that are affected by recent Inheritance Tax changes.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.
These reforms were announced on 30 October 2024 and will take effect from 6 April 2026.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the merits of putting transitional arrangements in place for changes to inheritance tax rules for family businesses.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.
These reforms were announced on 30 October 2024 and will take effect from 6 April 2026.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support adults with dyslexia to access further education.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All education and training providers, including further education colleges and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with dyslexia, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students. This duty is set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010.
There is a range of support on offer for dyslexic students. Students should discuss their needs with the college or education provider before the course begins. The college must explain what support they will provide to meet the person’s individual learning needs, and this support will be reviewed on a regular basis. Support can include assistive technology, coloured overlays or question papers printed on coloured paper note-takers, specialist tuition or additional time in exams.
Disability Rights UK have information available which describes how reasonable adjustments can be provided for students with disabilities.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the impact of increased water bills on pensioners.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Whilst it is never wanted, bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways. This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector.
This Government expects water companies to put robust support in place for customers that are struggling to pay their bills – including for pensioners. These include bill discount schemes such as WaterSure and Social Tariffs as well as financial support measures to assist households to better manage their budgets and provide flexible payments including payment holidays, payment matching, benefit entitlement checks and money/debt advice referral arrangements.
This Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported, including having regard to the interests of individuals of pensionable age. Bills must remain affordable, and customers cannot be expected to pay the price for years of underperformance in the past.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which companies were granted additional quota through the quota application mechanism in 2025; and what (a) environmental, (b) social and (c) economic outcomes are expected from each.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2025, a total of 8,658.8 tonnes of additional quota was awarded to fish producer organisations as part of the quota application mechanism trial (QAM). Applications were based on an environmental, social, and economic scoring criteria. Eastern England Fish Producers Organisation was awarded 3144.3 tonnes, and Humberside Fish Producers’ Organisation was awarded 5225 tonnes. The remaining tonnage was allocated to non-sectoral fishers, across 16 non-sectoral vessels.
Some of the environmental, social and economic benefits being rewarded include:
Across all the successful applicants, 217 commitments were made. Defra will publish an update on the Quota Application Mechanism trial later this year.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend PE and Sport Premium Funding beyond 2024-25.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for South Devon to the answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 36699.