Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to increase support for learning disability services in West Dorset constituency.

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

Each integrated care board must have an executive lead for learning disability and autism. To make it easier for people with a learning disability and autistic people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to make sure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments for people. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, including if a person is autistic or has a learning disability, and their reasonable adjustment needs, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

Under the Health and Care Act 2022, from 1 July 2022, Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role. This helps to ensure that staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide safe and informed care. To support providers to meet the statutory training requirement, we have been rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, otherwise known as Oliver’s Training, to the health and adult social care workforce. A code of practice has been published to guide CQC registered providers on how to meet the statutory requirement for learning disability and autism training under the Health and Care Act 2022 which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oliver-mcgowan-code-of-practice

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 adequacy of funding allocated to Integrated Care Boards to support people with learning disabilities.

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

NHS England is responsible for setting funding allocations for integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs primarily pay for learning disability and autism services from their general allocation to provide healthcare for their population. In 2024/25, ICBs spent £3,323 million of their total allocation on learning disability and autism services and an additional £130 million on transformation programmes, including community/children and young people keyworkers, autism, and partnerships in neurodiversity in schools.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of wastewater capacity in West Dorset for planned housing developments.

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

The government recognises the importance of water and wastewater provision on new developments.

As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Sustainable development should be pursued both through the preparation and implementation of local development plans, and the application of policies in the framework.

The government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. We believe that strategic issues such as water capacity are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications.

A key function of local development plans is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential to ensuring not only that housing and infrastructure need is appropriately planned for, but that they are aligned with each other. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies.

Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans, and drainage and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guideline published by the Environment Agency and Ofwat, sets out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth, with the number of planned developments being based on published local plans.

Relevant planning practice guidance sets out that good design and mitigation measures should be secured during development, both through site-specific and non-site-specific policies on water infrastructure. The revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques when the development could have drainage impacts and should have appropriate maintenance arrangements in place. We continue to explore whether more needs to be done to ensure sustainable drainage technologies are taken up more widely in new development, either through planning policy or by commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and a decision on the best way forward will be made in the coming months.

Ensuring that we take a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water, including tackling pollution and managing pressures on the water environment at a catchment, regional and national scale, is a core objective of the ongoing independent review into the regulatory system of the water sector, launched in October 2024 by the UK and Welsh Governments. The review is expected to report this summer, and we will carefully consider its findings.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of levels of access to dyslexia-specific teaching support and diagnostic services in West Dorset.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

High-quality teaching is central to ensuring that all pupils, including those with dyslexia or other types of SEND, are given the best possible opportunity to achieve. To support all teachers, the department is implementing a range of teacher training reforms to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed. From September 2025, the department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of Early Career Teacher Training to develop training materials that support the needs of children with SEND.

We recognise that the early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with dyslexia, and measures have been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. West Dorset's nearest English Hub is The Cornerstone English Hub.

Whilst the department has not made an assessment of dyslexia provision in West Dorset, the Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review (including its sufficiency), working with parents, young people, and providers. Where a local area does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) early identification and (b) support for children with dyslexia in primary schools in rural areas.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

High-quality teaching is central to ensuring that all pupils, including those with dyslexia or other types of SEND, are given the best possible opportunity to achieve. To support all teachers, the department is implementing a range of teacher training reforms to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed. From September 2025, the department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of Early Career Teacher Training to develop training materials that support the needs of children with SEND.

We recognise that the early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with dyslexia, and measures have been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. West Dorset's nearest English Hub is The Cornerstone English Hub.

Whilst the department has not made an assessment of dyslexia provision in West Dorset, the Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review (including its sufficiency), working with parents, young people, and providers. Where a local area does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Environment Agency on enforcement action relating to pollution affecting Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach.

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

Through the PR24 process the Environment Agency (EA) has secured the following work by South West Water to improve the quality at Church Cliff Beach:

Uplyme sewage treatment works and Gun Cliff sewage pumping station will be fitted with flow monitoring equipment, Uplyme storm sewage tanks will be improved to reduce stills, the Cobb sewage pumping station will be improved, two combined sewage overflows (CSO) will be investigated and assessed in relation to the possible impact on water quality, five further CSOs will be improved to meet the bathing water standard of no more than 2 spills per bathing season.

An investigation will be undertaken to confirm the benefits of these works for Church Cliff beach.

Lyme Regis Town Council, working with the EA, has set up a Water Quality Group to oversee improvements in the bathing water quality at Church Cliff beach.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the bathing water classification at Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach.

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

Through the PR24 process the Environment Agency (EA) has secured the following work by South West Water to improve the quality at Church Cliff Beach:

Uplyme sewage treatment works and Gun Cliff sewage pumping station will be fitted with flow monitoring equipment, Uplyme storm sewage tanks will be improved to reduce stills, the Cobb sewage pumping station will be improved, two combined sewage overflows (CSO) will be investigated and assessed in relation to the possible impact on water quality, five further CSOs will be improved to meet the bathing water standard of no more than 2 spills per bathing season.

An investigation will be undertaken to confirm the benefits of these works for Church Cliff beach.

Lyme Regis Town Council, working with the EA, has set up a Water Quality Group to oversee improvements in the bathing water quality at Church Cliff beach.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to meet with local stakeholders to discuss raising the bathing water quality rating at Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach.

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

Through the PR24 process the Environment Agency (EA) has secured the following work by South West Water to improve the quality at Church Cliff Beach:

Uplyme sewage treatment works and Gun Cliff sewage pumping station will be fitted with flow monitoring equipment, Uplyme storm sewage tanks will be improved to reduce stills, the Cobb sewage pumping station will be improved, two combined sewage overflows (CSO) will be investigated and assessed in relation to the possible impact on water quality, five further CSOs will be improved to meet the bathing water standard of no more than 2 spills per bathing season.

An investigation will be undertaken to confirm the benefits of these works for Church Cliff beach.

Lyme Regis Town Council, working with the EA, has set up a Water Quality Group to oversee improvements in the bathing water quality at Church Cliff beach.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of water quality at Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach on public health.

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

Through the PR24 process the Environment Agency (EA) has secured the following work by South West Water to improve the quality at Church Cliff Beach:

Uplyme sewage treatment works and Gun Cliff sewage pumping station will be fitted with flow monitoring equipment, Uplyme storm sewage tanks will be improved to reduce stills, the Cobb sewage pumping station will be improved, two combined sewage overflows (CSO) will be investigated and assessed in relation to the possible impact on water quality, five further CSOs will be improved to meet the bathing water standard of no more than 2 spills per bathing season.

An investigation will be undertaken to confirm the benefits of these works for Church Cliff beach.

Lyme Regis Town Council, working with the EA, has set up a Water Quality Group to oversee improvements in the bathing water quality at Church Cliff beach.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of post-16 transport costs on (a) education access and (b) participation rates in rural communities.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises that the cost and availability of transport can present difficulties for some students, including those in rural areas. However, the responsibility for post-16 transport lies with local authorities, who have a duty to publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people to access further education.

Arrangements do not have to be free, but the department expects local authorities to make reasonable decisions based on the needs of their population, local transport infrastructure, and the resources they have available.

Many local authorities do offer some form of subsidised transport. For example, in the West Dorset constituency, Dorset Council offer a surplus seat scheme and subsidised transport for young people from low-income families who meet their eligibility criteria. Some education and training providers also provide subsidised or free transport, such as college buses, and travel subsidies from private training providers.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also used to help students with travel costs, including those on low incomes. It enables schools, colleges and training providers to support students with transport costs where these have been identified as a barrier to participation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to review the funding framework for post-16 (a) school and (b) college transport, in the context of the requirement for participation in education or training until the age of 18.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises that the cost and availability of transport can present difficulties for some students, including those in rural areas. However, the responsibility for post-16 transport lies with local authorities, who have a duty to publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people to access further education.

Arrangements do not have to be free, but the department expects local authorities to make reasonable decisions based on the needs of their population, local transport infrastructure, and the resources they have available.

Many local authorities do offer some form of subsidised transport. For example, in the West Dorset constituency, Dorset Council offer a surplus seat scheme and subsidised transport for young people from low-income families who meet their eligibility criteria. Some education and training providers also provide subsidised or free transport, such as college buses, and travel subsidies from private training providers.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also used to help students with travel costs, including those on low incomes. It enables schools, colleges and training providers to support students with transport costs where these have been identified as a barrier to participation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) affordability and (b) availability of transport to post-16 (i) education and (ii) training in (A) West Dorset constituency and (B) other rural areas.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises that the cost and availability of transport can present difficulties for some students, including those in rural areas. However, the responsibility for post-16 transport lies with local authorities, who have a duty to publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people to access further education.

Arrangements do not have to be free, but the department expects local authorities to make reasonable decisions based on the needs of their population, local transport infrastructure, and the resources they have available.

Many local authorities do offer some form of subsidised transport. For example, in the West Dorset constituency, Dorset Council offer a surplus seat scheme and subsidised transport for young people from low-income families who meet their eligibility criteria. Some education and training providers also provide subsidised or free transport, such as college buses, and travel subsidies from private training providers.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also used to help students with travel costs, including those on low incomes. It enables schools, colleges and training providers to support students with transport costs where these have been identified as a barrier to participation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support low-income families with the cost of transport to (a) school and (b) college for 16 to 18-year-olds in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises that the cost and availability of transport can present difficulties for some students, including those in rural areas. However, the responsibility for post-16 transport lies with local authorities, who have a duty to publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people to access further education.

Arrangements do not have to be free, but the department expects local authorities to make reasonable decisions based on the needs of their population, local transport infrastructure, and the resources they have available.

Many local authorities do offer some form of subsidised transport. For example, in the West Dorset constituency, Dorset Council offer a surplus seat scheme and subsidised transport for young people from low-income families who meet their eligibility criteria. Some education and training providers also provide subsidised or free transport, such as college buses, and travel subsidies from private training providers.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also used to help students with travel costs, including those on low incomes. It enables schools, colleges and training providers to support students with transport costs where these have been identified as a barrier to participation.

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 made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms for restrictions under section 157 of the Housing Act 1985 on rural housing markets.

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

The government has not made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the enforcement mechanisms for restrictions under section 157 of the Housing Act 1985.

There are currently 52 authorities in England that have areas designated as rural.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to require water companies to be statutory consultees for housing developments in West Dorset constituency.

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

I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 60676 on 23 June 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions she has had with Dorset Council on expanding social housing provision in West Dorset.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all local authorities, including Dorset Council, after the Spending Review detailing the announcements made in relation to social and affordable housing.

For an overview of them, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58440 on 17 June 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the level of need for additional social housing in West Dorset.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all local authorities, including Dorset Council, after the Spending Review detailing the announcements made in relation to social and affordable housing.

For an overview of them, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58440 on 17 June 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support Dorset council to ensure housing developments in West Dorset are (a) affordable and (b) suitable for young families.

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

It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.

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 had recent discussions with Dorset Council on (a) retaining and (b) attracting young families through new housing provision in West Dorset.

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

It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has received recent representations from (a) local authorities and (b) people in West Dorset constituency on the use of Section 157 provisions in the Housing Act 1985 to enable second home purchases.

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

It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps with Dorset Council to ensure local plans include provision for age-appropriate housing to support downsizing in West Dorset constituency.

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

It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support the delivery of smaller, accessible homes in West Dorset constituency to help older residents downsize.

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

It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the purchase as second homes of homes sold under section 157 of the Housing Act 1985 in (a) areas of high housing demand and (b) West Dorset constituency.

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

It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure new homes in West Dorset constituency do not exceed local sewage treatment capacity.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 9948 on 23 October 2024.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria he uses to assess improved access to NHS dental services in West Dorset constituency.

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

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, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the West Dorset constituency, this is the NHS Dorset ICB.

We are working with NHS England, the NHS Business Services Authority, and the ICBs to set out the requirements for monitoring and reporting progress against the 700,000 urgent appointments, which will enable us to identify where further support is needed. Data on the number of dentists recruited under the Golden Hello scheme is regularly collected by NHS England. As of 6 May 2025, in England, there were 66 dentists in post with a further 24 dentists who have been recruited but are yet to start in post under this scheme. A further 231 posts are currently being advertised.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to (a) monitor and (b) assess the impact of the Dentistry Rescue Plan in West Dorset constituency.

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

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, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the West Dorset constituency, this is the NHS Dorset ICB.

We are working with NHS England, the NHS Business Services Authority, and the ICBs to set out the requirements for monitoring and reporting progress against the 700,000 urgent appointments, which will enable us to identify where further support is needed. Data on the number of dentists recruited under the Golden Hello scheme is regularly collected by NHS England. As of 6 May 2025, in England, there were 66 dentists in post with a further 24 dentists who have been recruited but are yet to start in post under this scheme. A further 231 posts are currently being advertised.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure access to NHS dentistry in new housing estates.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure all new and existing housing developments have an adequate level of healthcare infrastructure. This is alongside guidance on how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better negotiated and used towards delivering local health services and infrastructure.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.

ICBs are responsible for having local processes in place to involve patient groups, and for undertaking oral health needs assessments, to identify areas of need. For the West Dorset constituency, this is the NHS Dorset ICB.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not making water companies statutory consultees in planning consultations on new housing developments.

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

Water companies are not statutory consultees on individual planning applications, but they are consulted as part of the preparation of local development plans.

The government recently declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth.

Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to expand schemes to help encourage downsizing in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) rural areas.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of under-occupied homes on housing availability in West Dorset constituency.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to incentivise the use of existing housing stock to help tackle low room occupancy rates.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of under-occupied homes on housing availability.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support older homeowners to downsize in West Dorset constituency.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the levels of under-occupied homes in West Dorset constituency.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to reduce low room occupancy rates in West Dorset constituency.

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

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to make water companies statutory consultees in the planning system.

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

As the hon. Member is aware, the government does not plan to make water companies statutory consultees in the planning system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued to schools on managing incidents in which children have (a) filmed and (b) disseminated footage of other children being harmed by their peers.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school, and nobody should face violence or abuse.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the 2024 ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance. Evidence from the Children’s Commissioner published in April 2025, shows over 90% of schools are restricting the use of phones during the school day. The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

Schools should make clear to pupils that good behaviour does not end at the school gates and that, even though the online space differs in many ways, the same standards of behaviour are expected online as offline, and that everyone should be treated with kindness and respect.

In cases where pupils do misbehave outside school premises, including online bullying and abuse, schools can apply sanctions to the appropriate pupils. The school behaviour policy should set out how the school will respond to any non-criminal misbehaviour off the school premises or online.

All schools and colleges are also under a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and must have regard to ‘Keeping children safe in education’ which is the department’s statutory safeguarding guidance. Any criminal behaviour should be appropriately escalated and reported to police.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding (a) in absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of all research funding his Department has provided for research into (i) climate change adaptation and (ii) resilience in the UK in each of the last five years.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Over 2020-2024 UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) invested at least £317 million into research focused on climate change adaption and resilience. This sits within UKRI’s ‘Building a Green Future’ portfolio, which is focused on R&D investment to accelerate the UK’s transition to a secure and prosperous green economy by 2050, totalling £3,948 million over 2020-2024. Total UKRI investment over this period totalled over £30bn. These investments are underpinned by further investments in environmental and social data and modelling, the talent pipeline and support for commercialisation. The most recent review of the Building a Green Future portfolio has been published here: https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/UKRI-07102024-Building-a-Green-Future-UKRI-portfolio-review-2024.pdf

Defra is the lead department for climate adaptation and also invests in a range of research on climate adaptation and resilience.

Stampede by the Sea

Reform of the special educational needs and disabilities system

Loan Charge and settlement terms offered to large companies and individuals

Elm Grove Care Home and Ashley House Care Home

Press ownership by foreign states

Role of relationship education in preventing violence against women and girls

Shared Lives Carers

Fracking moratorium and onshore fossil fuel exploration

Found: present: Emily Thornberry (Chair); Alex Ballinger; Uma Kumaran; Blair McDougall; Abtisam Mohamed; Edward Morello

Found: Liam Byrne; Sarah Champion; Bill Esterson; Baroness Fall; Baroness Kidron; Sir Julian Lewis; Edward Morello

Found: Sir John Whittingdale: Apologies.Q18 Edward Morello: It’s fine.

Found: Liam Byrne; Sarah Champion; Bill Esterson; Baroness Fall; Baroness Kidron; Sir Julian Lewis; Edward Morello

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

Found: Forster Steve Darling Mr Lee Dillon Liz Jarvis Dr Danny Chambers Olly Glover Pippa Heylings Edward Morello

Found: Barker Debbie Abrahams Anna Sabine Alice Macdonald Leigh Ingham Cameron Thomas Zöe Franklin Edward Morello

Found: called_NC20 Gideon Amos Olly Glover Jess Brown-Fuller Tom Gordon Ben Maguire Vikki Slade Edward Morello

ClimateTech APPG
Thursday 26th June 2025

Found: Attendees: Members: ● Chair: Steve Race MP ● Officers: Edward Morello MP and Brian Mathew

ClimateTech APPG
Thursday 26th June 2025

Found: Parliamentary Group on ClimateTech Attendees: ● Steve Race MP ● Lord Graham Evans ● Edward Morello