Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the extension of the supertram network in South Yorkshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is backing South Yorkshire and its Mayor Oliver Coppard with £1.45 billion of funding to improve local journeys, including a renewal of the existing supertram network.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is her expected timetable for the implementation of measures with regard to exempt accommodation contained in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act to raise standards and drive out the minority of poor providers taking advantage of the Housing Benefit system whilst providing little or no support to residents.
On 15 October we took the next step in implementing the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act by publishing a consultation on draft regulations, which will close on 10 December. The licensing regulations will be laid early next year following the analysis and consideration of consultation responses. We expect licensing to be fully implemented in 2027/28.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will ensure any development on green belt land approved within local plans includes effective consultation mechanisms with local residents.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a local plan, the draft plan will be subject to formal consultation with the local community and then submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the current criteria for determining the level of local housing allowance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum financial support available for renters claiming either Universal Credit or Housing Benefit in the private rented sector and the level of LHA is based on the number of bedrooms a household needs and the area in which they live. LHA rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas.
In 2024 LHA rates were increased to the 30th percentile of local market rents costing an additional £7 billion over 5 years.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviews LHA rates annually, including the Shared Accommodation Rate. Decisions consider a range of factors such as market rents across Great Britain, poverty impacts and other government priorities.
The causes of homelessness are both personal and structural, and there is no single welfare or housing policy that can significantly reduce homelessness on its own. DWP continues to work closely with MHCLG to make sure interactions with homelessness are considered.
For under 35s that have experienced homelessness there is an exemption from the shared accommodation rate of LHA. Those who are exempt can claim the higher one-bedroom rate of LHA.
Renters receiving housing support who face a shortfall in meeting their rent costs can apply for a Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment from local authorities in England.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she could set out the number of police officers per thousand reported crimes for each of the metropolitan strategic mayoral authorities.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales, broken down by Police Force Area (PFA), on a bi-annual basis in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences, recorded by the police in England and Wales, at the Police Force Area level and the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Area level. This information is published on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables
Data on the police workforce is collected at PFA level only and not for metropolitan strategic mayoral authorities, which do not necessarily align with PFAs. Data on offences is published at CSP which can be aligned with metropolitan strategic mayoral authorities.
Data on the number of police officers and the number of police officers per capita, broken down by PFA, as at 31 March 2026 can be found in Table H4 of the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2026’ publication here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2026.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she could set out the number of police officers per capita for each of the metropolitan strategic mayoral authorities.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales, broken down by Police Force Area (PFA), on a bi-annual basis in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences, recorded by the police in England and Wales, at the Police Force Area level and the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Area level. This information is published on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables
Data on the police workforce is collected at PFA level only and not for metropolitan strategic mayoral authorities, which do not necessarily align with PFAs. Data on offences is published at CSP which can be aligned with metropolitan strategic mayoral authorities.
Data on the number of police officers and the number of police officers per capita, broken down by PFA, as at 31 March 2026 can be found in Table H4 of the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2026’ publication here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2026.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has any plans to undertake a value for money assessment of the current provisions for dealing with homelessness.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are working closely with DWP and HMT on the Value for Money Review for homelessness. The review will assess the underlying cost-effectiveness of cross government spend that helps to prevent and relieve all forms of homelessness, and will make actionable recommendations that improve efficiency, accountability, outcomes, and reduce financial pressures on councils. The review will also explore accommodation delivery models, including novel and innovative approaches to temporary accommodation and the supported housing sector. The findings will inform decisions for future policy development.
For further details please see the published Terms of Reference available on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients with blood cancer have been denied funding for a second donor stem cell transplant due to the current NHS policy of not allowing patients to have a second transplant if they relapse under one year from the first donor stem cell transplant.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England does not routinely collect or hold data on the number of patients with blood cancer who do not meet the eligibility criteria set out in its clinical commissioning policies, the numbers who have not been funded to receive treatment under the current commissioning policy, or the number of patients whose disease relapsed under 12 months of a first allogeneic-hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
NHS England recognises the seriousness of relapse following a stem cell transplant and is actively reviewing the current policy, working with clinicians, patients, and charities to assess the latest available evidence. A revised draft policy is expected to undergo stakeholder testing in the new year, with final decisions currently anticipated in late spring 2027.
The ongoing review will consider the latest peer-reviewed clinical evidence, alongside clinical benefit, patient safety, affordability, and the opportunity cost of any new investment. Any changes to commissioning arrangements will be considered through NHS England's established policy development process, which includes an independent evidence review, expert clinical input, patient and public involvement, and stakeholder testing. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the draft policy through a formal stakeholder testing process before any final decisions are made.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have been unable to have a second donor stem cell transplant due to NHS guidance which does not allow patients to have a second transplant within a year if they have relapse under one year from the first transplant.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England does not routinely collect or hold data on the number of patients with blood cancer who do not meet the eligibility criteria set out in its clinical commissioning policies, the numbers who have not been funded to receive treatment under the current commissioning policy, or the number of patients whose disease relapsed under 12 months of a first allogeneic-hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
NHS England recognises the seriousness of relapse following a stem cell transplant and is actively reviewing the current policy, working with clinicians, patients, and charities to assess the latest available evidence. A revised draft policy is expected to undergo stakeholder testing in the new year, with final decisions currently anticipated in late spring 2027.
The ongoing review will consider the latest peer-reviewed clinical evidence, alongside clinical benefit, patient safety, affordability, and the opportunity cost of any new investment. Any changes to commissioning arrangements will be considered through NHS England's established policy development process, which includes an independent evidence review, expert clinical input, patient and public involvement, and stakeholder testing. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the draft policy through a formal stakeholder testing process before any final decisions are made.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will direct the FSA to publish the terms of reference and timetable for conduct of their review of current and emerging abattoir technologies and their potential regulatory use including what plans they have to consult industry stakeholders.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) works closely with the meat industry on the introduction of new technology in abattoirs. Whilst it is for businesses to determine what technology they wish to invest in and deploy, the FSA is keen to collaborate on these initiatives to understand any impacts on regulation and any associated benefits for food safety, animal welfare standards, and business growth. For example, the FSA and industry trade bodies have recently developed a joint protocol for the deployment of automated faecal contamination technology in abattoirs. The FSA also recently commissioned independent research into new technologies in meat official controls, which involved engagement with both trade bodies and individual businesses. This research will be published later this year.