Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
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 potential impact of online appointment booking systems on the ability of people without regular access to the internet to book GP appointments.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. To ensure that such patients are not excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice. Practice receptions should be open so that patients without access to a telephone or online services are in no way disadvantaged.
The 2025/26 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours, which will ease pressure on phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the role of the Local Government Ombudsman to encompass academy trusts.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is the principal regulator for academies. All academies are required to have a complaints process which adheres to Part 7 of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. This sets out that it is the academy’s responsibility to handle and resolve any complaints against them. If a complainant has concerns that an academy did not handle a complaint in line with the regulations, they can then escalate to the department, whose role it is to consider whether the academy followed the correct process.
Anyone can object to the Schools Adjudicator if they have concerns about a school’s admission arrangements. The Schools Adjudicator considers objections to the admission arrangements of all mainstream state-funded schools, including mainstream academy and free schools. The Adjudicator’s decision is binding.
The department also considers complaints about maladministration in independent appeal panels in relation to school admissions and complaints about maladministration in independent review panels in relation to permanent exclusions. Decisions taken by panels in both circumstances are legally binding and the department is unable to overturn decisions taken. However, parents can contact the department if they have concerns that the appeal or review panel was not held in compliance with relevant legislation or statutory guidance. If the department upholds a complaint, then a fresh appeal may be requested. If a complainant wishes to take their complaint further following the department’s consideration, they are advised to seek independent legal advice.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) can investigate complaints about maintained schools in certain circumstances. The department is considering the LGSCO’s Triennial Review, including their recommendations around school complaints, and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what independent mechanisms exist to appeal decisions on upholding complaints against academy trusts.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is the principal regulator for academies. All academies are required to have a complaints process which adheres to Part 7 of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. This sets out that it is the academy’s responsibility to handle and resolve any complaints against them. If a complainant has concerns that an academy did not handle a complaint in line with the regulations, they can then escalate to the department, whose role it is to consider whether the academy followed the correct process.
Anyone can object to the Schools Adjudicator if they have concerns about a school’s admission arrangements. The Schools Adjudicator considers objections to the admission arrangements of all mainstream state-funded schools, including mainstream academy and free schools. The Adjudicator’s decision is binding.
The department also considers complaints about maladministration in independent appeal panels in relation to school admissions and complaints about maladministration in independent review panels in relation to permanent exclusions. Decisions taken by panels in both circumstances are legally binding and the department is unable to overturn decisions taken. However, parents can contact the department if they have concerns that the appeal or review panel was not held in compliance with relevant legislation or statutory guidance. If the department upholds a complaint, then a fresh appeal may be requested. If a complainant wishes to take their complaint further following the department’s consideration, they are advised to seek independent legal advice.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) can investigate complaints about maintained schools in certain circumstances. The department is considering the LGSCO’s Triennial Review, including their recommendations around school complaints, and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help improve community policing.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
In December the Prime Minister set out his Plan for Change, including the delivery of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. That means putting bobbies back on the beat in every corner of the country and ensuring that people have a named, contactable officer to turn to when things go wrong.
In January’s Police Settlement we announced £200 million of funding to kickstart the increase of 13,000 neighbourhood officers and PCSOs and we are currently finalising the figures with individual forces for year 1.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that unlawful academy trust admissions policies are amended for future admissions rounds.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Once a school’s admission arrangements have been determined, anyone who believes they are unfair or unlawful may submit an objection to the Schools Adjudicator.
Where the Adjudicator determines that a school’s admission arrangements are unlawful, the admission authority has a statutory duty to revise its admission arrangements within two months of the decision, or by 28 February following the decision, whichever is sooner, unless an alternative timescale is specified by the Adjudicator.
An Adjudicator’s determination is binding and enforceable by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data his Department holds on the number of smart meter failures broken down by (a) installing company, (b) type of smart meter and (c) local authority.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Statistics are available on the number of smart meters not operating in smart mode, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/smart-meters-statistics. A breakdown of this figure by energy supplier is published by Ofgem (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy-and-regulation/policy-and-regulatory-programmes/smart-meter-transition-and-data-communications-company-dcc/smart-meter-performance). The Department does not collect data on smart meters not operating in smart mode by local authority.
A smart meter not operating in smart mode will continue to record energy usage accurately, with an energy company meter reader or the customer needing to take manual meter readings.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the cost to the public purse was of spending to support the installation of smart meters in financial years (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The investment needed for smart metering including installation of smart meters is funded by energy suppliers.
Government expenditure on the Smart Metering Implementation Programme in DESNZ in 2022-23 was £9.7m, in 2023-4 it was £9.8m and forecast expenditure in 2024-25 is £10.5m.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to help community energy projects secure appropriate minimum prices for the power generated.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a market-led mechanism that was designed to ensure that there is a guaranteed route to market for any small-scale low-carbon generator, such as a community energy project, that compensates for the value of their exported electricity.
The Department is also working alongside Ofgem and other key stakeholders to explore options for addressing the regulatory barriers to local energy supply, including route to market.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to establish community energy clubs.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change, and has tabled an amendment to the Great British Energy Bill, which clarifies that Great British Energy may support renewable energy projects involving or benefitting local communities.
The Government has also announced the Great British Energy Community Fund, to provide funding and support to community energy stakeholders, helping to increase the roll out of renewable energy projects.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of recent trends in the level of smart meter failures (a) during installation and (b) in the weeks after installation.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
While the Department collects data on the number of smart meters not operating in smart mode, this does not differentiate between when meters are impacted.
The latest Government statistics on smart meter installations to end December 2024 were published on 20th March and are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/smart-meters-statistics. These include information about the number of smart meters operating in smart mode.
At the end of 2024 over 90% of smart meters were operating as intended and sending automatic readings to suppliers.