Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department will publish its expanded fraud strategy.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government’s Manifesto set a clear commitment to deliver a new Fraud Strategy. This commitment will be delivered in early 2026.
The Strategy has been developed in close collaboration with stakeholders from industry, law enforcement and non profit organisations. It will set out how we will disrupt fraud, safeguard individuals and businesses and respond to fraud with support and justice for victims.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when will the strategic governance review of the Probationary Service be published.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Government has committed to undertake a strategic review of the Probation Service in its manifesto. We remain committed to this and will review governance arrangements, looking at local partnerships across England and Wales.
This work will follow implementation of the Sentencing Bill reforms, which will significantly change how the Probation Service operates. Governance arrangements must be designed to enable and support the effective delivery of these reforms. Our priority is to ensure the Probation Service is on a stable footing and performance has improved before undertaking the review.
In the meantime, this Government will continue to strengthen joint working with local partners to reduce reoffending and better protect the public.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what percentage of women sentenced to custody in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025 received sentences of six months and fewer.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Latest Criminal Justice Statistics data published to the end of June 2025 shows that for female defendants aged 18 or over:
In 2023, 3,268 women received a custodial sentence of six months or less, representing 68% of all female custodial sentences.
In 2024, 4,078 women received a custodial sentence of six months or less, representing 71% of all female custodial sentences.
Between January and June 2025, 2,199 women received a custodial sentence of six months or less, representing 71% of all female custodial sentences during this period.
*Please note: The most recent published sentencing data is available up to June 2025.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of Crown Courts had specialist rape courts in place on 1 January 2026.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have a record and rising backlog, and as a result rape cases are waiting too long to be heard. We are therefore taking decisive action to address this backlog through bold court reforms, which we announced following Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. These reforms will speed up justice for all victims, including those of rape.
Alongside these reforms we are committed to improving the experience of attending court for victims of rape across all Crown Courts. We will be introducing a package of legislative measures to improve victims’ experience of giving evidence and to end reliance on so-called rape myths in the courtroom; we are rolling-out trauma-informed training for all HMCTS criminal court staff; and we have also committed to ensuring that the Operation Soteria model, which focuses investigations on the suspect and away from the victim, is continued in the courtroom post-charge.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her contribution of 4 November 2024, official report column 46, and to WPQ UIN 53062, (a) on what date the leak inquiry commenced, (b) on what date it concluded and (c) when its findings will be made public.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The investigation remains ongoing and all reasonable lines of inquiry will be pursued.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 February 2025, official report of column 631, and the response to WPQ UIN 53059, (a) on what date the inquiry commenced, (b) on what date it concluded and (c) when its findings will be made public.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The investigation remains ongoing. I am unable to comment further on the progress or specifics of an ongoing investigation.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of (a) named day questions, and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by his Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025 and (vi) October 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the information requested:
Month | Named Day | Ordinary Written |
May 2025 | 55.3% | 73.8% |
June 2025 | 44.4% | 53.3% |
July 2025 | 45.2% | 60.7% |
August 2025 | N/A | N/A |
September 2025 | 36.9% | 53.3% |
October 2025 | 52.3% | 46.0% |
Source: Department of Health and Social Care
Note: there were no written parliamentary questions due for answer in August 2025 as Parliament was in recess for that entire month.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total budget was for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-2025 and (c) 2025-6 financial years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care board revenue allocations are available here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/
The total revenue allocations for consecutive years are not comparable as the scope of services covered changes. For instance, some specialised services were delegated for the first time in 2025/26.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total full FTE headcount employed by Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland ICS was in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025 as at 1st January of each year.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff employed by hospital trusts and integrated care boards but excludes staff working for other providers such as in primary care or social care. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the Human Resources system for the National Health Service, and is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics
The most recent published data can be found within the July 2025 (Including selected preliminary statistics for August 2025) section of the publication, within the file “NHS Workforce Statistics, July 2025 England and Organisation”. Within this file, the full time equivalent (FTE) staffing levels for NHS organisations can be found in worksheet 5 and the headcount data can be found in worksheet 4. Published figures are taken from the last day of each month.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with the Mayor of Leicester on local government reorganisation; and on what dates since 1 January 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No discussions have been held between ministers of the Department of Health and Social Care and the Mayor of Leicester on local government reorganisation since 1 January 2025.
Local government reorganisation is led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Department of Health and Social Care engages with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the implications of local government reorganisation for health and care services.