Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to secure funding for rural housing enablers to support housing initiatives in rural areas.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to funding the Rural Housing Enabler programme until 31 March 2025. It is also providing over £5 billion total housing investment in 2025-26 to boost the supply of new housing, including in rural areas. This includes a £500 million top up to the Affordable Homes Programme. Other funding allocations for individual programmes for the next financial year will be determined in upcoming months through the department’s business planning exercise and announced in due course.

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 the National Insurance contributions rise on the provision of fast-track care to patients applying for Continuing Healthcare funding.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The employer National Insurance contributions rise will be implemented in April 2025. The Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of (a) the potential merits of compensating coastal communities disproportionately affected by sewage discharges for the environmental and economic damage caused and (b) whether such compensation could be funded through the water company regulatory framework.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, sets specific performance targets for companies in the five-yearly price review. Where companies fail to meet these targets, including pollution incidents, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills.

Additionally, under new proposals set out by this government on the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, households and businesses will be entitled to higher payments from water companies when basic services are not met. This includes payments for incidents of internal and external sewer flooding to a customer’s property.

On 23 October, the Secretary of State and the Welsh Government launched an Independent Commission into the water sector and its regulation, in what is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. These recommendations will form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has her department made of the potential impact of the operation of the new waste incinerator on Portland on public transport in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Full reasons for the decision are set out in the published decision letter and Inspector’s Report. The Inspector’s Report provides a complete list of the evidence which was before the Inquiry. Having issued this decision, the Secretary of State has no further jurisdiction in the matter, and it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional incentives for NHS dentists to operate in (a) rural and (b) remote areas.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

Integrated care boards have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years. As of 7 November 2024, 629 Expressions of Interest have been received, 308 of which have been approved for participation in the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme. 64 posts have been advertised, with five dentists commenced in post.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address shortages in NHS dentists in rural areas; and what his timeline is for tackling such gaps.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

Integrated care boards have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years. As of 7 November 2024, 629 Expressions of Interest have been received, 308 of which have been approved for participation in the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme. 64 posts have been advertised, with five dentists commenced in post.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on requiring drugs manufacturers to include additional labelling on the front of boxes of medications containing a potentially addictive substance.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The legislative requirements for the labelling of medicines are set out in Schedules 24 and 25 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. The regulations are continually under review and updated as and when a need is identified. It should be noted that the current legislative framework already provides for the presentation of ‘any special warning applicable to the product’ on the outer carton of a medicine, which would enable product-specific safety information to be presented on the pack if considered necessary.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations has she received from religious organisations about extending the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme beyond March 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

My officials and I have met with a range of heritage bodies since July and this has included discussions on the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Department has received correspondence from religious organisations regarding the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and the views of their congregations and communities as a result of funding. A couple of Church of England bishops have also approached me at events and mentioned the scheme.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with religious organisations on the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on religious buildings.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

My officials and I have met with a range of heritage bodies since July and this has included discussions on the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Department has received correspondence from religious organisations regarding the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and the views of their congregations and communities as a result of funding. A couple of Church of England bishops have also approached me at events and mentioned the scheme.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to ensure that trade agreements have a positive impact on the agricultural sector in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We want more trade opportunities for British farmers to grow their businesses, including for the more than 1,000 commercial farm holdings in West Dorset. Our FTAs will help open new long term potential export markets. For example, we are pressing ahead with our accession to the CPTPP which enters into force on 15 December. This will facilitate easier market access for agriculture products for which Dorset is celebrated, such as by reducing tariffs on UK dairy in countries such as Chile and Japan.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes in the level of living costs on homelessness rates; and what steps she is taking to mitigate that potential impact.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high. This government recognises the devastating impact this can have on those at risk of, or affected by, homelessness.

The Household Support Fund (HSF) is a scheme providing discretionary support to those most in need towards the cost of essentials, such as food, energy and water. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available to those in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who need additional help with rent or housing costs. Both schemes are delivered via local authorities.

The Government is investing £1 billion in extending the HSF by a further year, from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026 and extending DHPs into 2025/26. Additional funding for the Devolved Governments will be provided through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. As announced at Autumn Budget we are also introducing a Fair Payment Rate for Universal Credit customers with deductions to retain more of their benefit award.

The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term homelessness strategy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support rural business (a) innovation (b) and investment in (i) West Dorset constituency and (ii) similar areas.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) promotes and supports investment opportunities across all of the UK. In Dorset, DBT has a strong relationship with Dorset Council and proactively promotes the county’s sector strengths, particularly in areas such as AgriTech, Advanced Manufacturing and Defence.

The Government confirmed in the Autumn Budget that it will continue to fund Growth Hubs, including the Dorset Growth Hub, in 2025/26. This will provide key support for local businesses, including those in West Dorset. The forthcoming Industrial Strategy will also help guide investment in areas across the UK based on unique economic opportunities and advantages.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of recent NHS contract reforms on access to NHS dentistry in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other rural areas.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In July 2022, the first substantial changes to the National Health Service dental contract, since the 2006 Dental System Reforms, were made. These allowed the best performing practices to see more patients, specifically up to an extra 10% more activity, where commissioners have given agreement, and enabled commissioners to better manage consistently underperforming contracts. The changes provided increased remuneration for dentists treating patients with high needs and supported the use of increased skill mix in practices.

We will further reform the NHS contract to rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

There are no perfect payment models and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system so that we deliver genuine improvements for patients and the profession.

Government response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on communication of changes to women’s State Pension age

Democratic violations and violence in Georgia

Renewal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Flood recovery framework

Review into breast cancer screening

Domestic Abuse Offences

UN Special Rapporteur's report on atrocity crimes in Iran

Found: Thornberry (Chair); Aphra Brandreth; Dan Carden; Uma Kumaran; Blair McDougall; Abtisam Mohamed; Edward Morello

Found: Thornberry (Chair); Aphra Brandreth; Dan Carden; Uma Kumaran; Blair McDougall; Abtisam Mohamed; Edward Morello

Found: Thornberry (Chair); Aphra Brandreth; Dan Carden; Uma Kumaran; Blair McDougall; Abtisam Mohamed; Edward Morello