Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to question 95016, whether the hon. Member for (a) Wolverhampton North East, (b) Leeds South West, (c) Bournemouth East, (d) Luton North, (e) Bassetlaw, (f) Blyth and Ashington, (g) Mansfield, (h) Llanelli, (i) Banbury, (j) Edinburgh South West, (k) Eltham and Chislehurst, (l) Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, (m) Leigh and Atherton, (n) Kensington and Bayswater, (o) Na-h Eileanan an Iar, (p) Whitehaven and Workington, (q) Camborne and Redruth and (r) Milton Keynes Central submitted their representations through the stakeholder representation portal.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury did not receive written submissions via the stakeholder representation portal from those Members of Parliament. Ministers politically engage with their parliamentary colleagues on an ongoing basis without the need of an online portal.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the application for a mandatory reversal of the decision of the NHS Business Services Authority with reference VAD20662 will be actioned; and for what reason it has not yet been actioned.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). It would not be appropriate to comment on the status of an individual claim to the VDPS, which is a matter for NHSBSA
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied on (a) 1 April and (b) 1 October 2025 by patients with no criteria to reside.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information about how many beds are occupied by patients with no criteria to reside by trust is published by NHS England, and this information is available at the following link:
The following table shows how many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied by patients with no criteria to reside for 1 April 2025 and 1 October 2025:
Date | Number of patients remaining in hospital who no longer meet the criteria to reside |
1 April 2025 | 186 |
1 October 2025 | 194 |
Source: NHS England
To support trusts to reduce the number of beds occupied by patients with no criteria to reside, the Government published a new policy framework in January 2025 for the £9 billion Better Care Fund. This holds the National Health Service and local authorities accountable for setting and achieving joint goals for reducing discharge delays and preventing avoidable emergency admissions. Some challenged systems are also receiving a programme of improvement support.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will place in the Library a copy of each of the representations made by the Rt hon. and hon. Members to which she refers in the Budget statement.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Stakeholder Representation Portal was open from 3 September 2025 until 15 October 2025 to allow members of the public, MPs and organisations to submit their views ahead of the fiscal event. HM Treasury does not publish individual representations on behalf of respondents.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 20th November to question 86600, if she will use her powers under Section 41A of The Police Act 1996 to require Dorset Police to investigate remedial measures by reason of its failure to conclude to discharge its functions relating to the investigation and prosecution of fraud.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Operational policing is not a Home Office matter. Chief Constables are operationally independent, with decisions often made based on threat, risk and harm.
The Home Secretary has powers under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to ensure an efficient and effective policing system, which includes the power under S.40 and 40A of the Police Act 1996.
Under the Policing Protocol these powers can only be used in exceptional circumstances in order to prevent or mitigate risk to the public or national security. Where necessary, this Government has been clear it will provide active leadership for policing to make it more efficient and effective.
Fraud is now incorporated into His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Police Efficiency Effectiveness and Legitimacy (PEEL) framework. The upcoming inspection cycle will formally assess each police force in England and Wales on their performance in tackling fraud. This will provide valuable insight on investigative practices whilst also improving standards and consistency across police forces.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 20th November to question 86600, to whom Dorset Police is accountable for discontinuing investigations into serious fraud.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Operational policing is not a Home Office matter. Chief Constables are operationally independent, with decisions often made based on threat, risk and harm.
The Home Secretary has powers under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to ensure an efficient and effective policing system, which includes the power under S.40 and 40A of the Police Act 1996.
Under the Policing Protocol these powers can only be used in exceptional circumstances in order to prevent or mitigate risk to the public or national security. Where necessary, this Government has been clear it will provide active leadership for policing to make it more efficient and effective.
Fraud is now incorporated into His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Police Efficiency Effectiveness and Legitimacy (PEEL) framework. The upcoming inspection cycle will formally assess each police force in England and Wales on their performance in tackling fraud. This will provide valuable insight on investigative practices whilst also improving standards and consistency across police forces.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer to WPQ 88184, how many staff in a) each of the Private Offices and b) Parliamentary Unit were engaged on 12th November with a) answering Ministerial invitations and b) answering PQs.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This information is not held.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will conduct an inquiry into the reasons why Dorset Police discontinued their investigation into the fraudulent activities identified in Operation Ringwood.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is aware of the Operation Ringwood investigation and strongly sympathises with the distressing experience that victims have faced.
The Home Secretary is unable to intervene in any operational decisions made by law enforcement regarding reports and the investigation of potential crimes. This is to maintain the independence of the organisations involved, including the police and courts, which remains a fundamental part of the British justice system.
We are committed to strengthening law enforcement capabilities to tackle fraud and protect the public. Further detail will be set out in the upcoming Fraud Strategy.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 88185 on Hadush Kebatu, what operational guidance her Department has issued to prevent small discretionary payments from being used as (a) inducements and (b) bribes.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
All discretionary payments must go through a clearance process. Operational managers take into consideration the cost of returning someone to their final place of stay and supporting welfare and safety.
As always with expenditure on returns, these one-off costs must be set against the much higher long-term costs that would result from the same individuals remaining in the UK, including, where necessary, ongoing expenditure on accommodation or detention and the legal processes required to authorise their removal.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the initial asylum decisions resulting in refusal have been the subject of an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal between October 2024 and March 2025; and how many of those (a) were successful, (b) were unsuccessful and (c) are outstanding.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum appeals lodged, and determined by outcome, are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07, respectively, of the asylum detailed datasets. The latest data relates to the year ending March 2023. Appeals data for April 2023 onwards is not available due to ongoing work on a new case working system. Updated data will be included in a future edition of the Immigration system statistics release.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on asylum appeals in the ‘Tribunal Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the open caseload for appeals relating to asylum, protection and revocation of protection is published in table FIA_4. The latest data relates to as at March 2025.