Asked by: Catherine Atkinson (Labour - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the installation of (a) flood doors, (b) flood barriers and (c) automatic air bricks on new build properties at risk of flooding.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to building the homes the country needs while ensuring they are safe from flooding.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 is clear that development should be directed to areas with the lowest risk of flooding. Where no alternative sites are available, permission should only be granted where it can be demonstrated that it will be safe for its lifetime taking account of the vulnerability of its users, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible, will reduce flood risk overall.
The use of property level flood protections, such as flood doors, flood barriers and automatic air bricks, should only be considered as part of a wider package of measures to ensure that the development would be safe for its lifetime.
Building regulations set minimum standards for all new dwellings. Statutory guidance to the Building Regulations in Approved Document C promotes the use of flood resilient and resistant construction in flood prone areas, without placing undue costs onto any properties that do not require further flood resilience measures.
Asked by: Catherine Atkinson (Labour - Derby North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS dental services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are determined to rebuild dentistry for the long term.
We will deliver an additional 700,000 urgent dental appointments; reform the dental contract; and introduce supervised toothbrushing for three- to five-year-olds in the most deprived communities.
We are working with the dental sector, including the British Dental Association, to deliver these shared ambitions.
Asked by: Catherine Atkinson (Labour - Derby North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle illegal access refusals.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No one deserves to be held back or treated unfairly because of their disability. We are determined to tackle barriers and work with disabled people to ensure they have equal access to every opportunity.
The Equality Act 2010 protects everyone against discrimination and ensures disabled people have the right to be treated equally. Further, The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to refuse entry to a disabled person with an assistance dog (with very few exceptions). Access refusals are nearly always against the law.
Where individuals are concerned they have been a victim of discrimination, the Equality Advisory and Support Service is there to provide information and advice and it is important that both the government and businesses address the issue to ensure that assistance dog users feel welcome in society.
Asked by: Catherine Atkinson (Labour - Derby North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the designation of new national river walks in England.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department is progressing plans to designate nine new National River Walks across England, one in each region, to enhance access to nature. This is a priority for us, and we are currently considering several delivery options, as well as reviewing where existing river walks are in place. Further details will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Catherine Atkinson (Labour - Derby North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with early years stronger practice hubs on funding.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has offered all Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs further funding until 31 March 2025 so they can continue providing early years educators with support to improve practice, supporting our mission to break down barriers to opportunity by giving children the best start in life.
The Stronger Practice Hubs Programme launched in 2022 to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the youngest children, with a focus on the most disadvantaged areas. The Hubs support early years settings and childminders by sharing effective practice, learning from the best available evidence, and building lasting local networks.
The department is committed to ensuring that every child in an early years setting receives high quality education and care. Evidence shows that this has a positive impact on outcomes in both the short and long term, particularly for the most disadvantaged children.