Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of suicide rates among men in West Dorset over the last five years.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of the 27th November is attached.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is supporting research into Soil Moisture Deficit forecasting and monitoring technologies.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
High soil moisture deficit levels within earthworks arise when the earth has become dried out following prolonged dry hot weather, leading to the soil shrinking and cracks developing within. If this is followed by a period of extreme or prolonged rainfall, water entering these cracks can lead to rapid failure of the earthworks.
Network Rail has commissioned an active nationwide monitoring regime using remote sensors, modelling and geotechnical assessments to monitor slope stability across the network. It has also supported academic research, such as the ACHILLES programme, to further industry understanding on the loss of material strength from repeated cycles of wetting and drying. Intelligence from such research is fed into strategic whole life costing modelling to inform future renewal and maintenance activities. At the same time, Network Rail is engaging in proactive measures to reinforce embankments in high-risk areas and reduce water retention and erosion.
Together, these measures should reduce the risk of earthworks failure and improve the long-term resilience of these assets despite the increasing number of extreme weather events that are expected due to climate change.
I am aware that this issue has been particularly problematic on the West of England Line. I am assured by Network Rail that conditions are improving and that it plans to restore a full timetable from 29th November.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 to expand early intervention and targeted mental health support for men at risk of suicide in West Dorset.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including in rural constituencies such as West Dorset. This includes transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.
We are expanding NHS Talking Therapies so that 915,000 people, including men, complete a course of treatment by March 2029, with improved effectiveness and quality of services. We will also expand individual placement and support for severe mental illness so that 73,500 people receive access by March 2028.
The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies middle aged men as a priority group for targeted and tailored support at a national level. The strategy also identifies key risk factors for suicide, providing an opportunity for effective early intervention. One of the key visions of the strategy is to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, so that people feel able to seek help through the routes that work best for them. This includes raising awareness that no suicide is inevitable.
On 19 November, to coincide with International Men’s Health Day, we published the Men’s Health Strategy. The strategy includes tangible actions to improve access to healthcare, provide the right support to enable men to make healthier choices, develop healthy living and working conditions, foster strong social, community and family networks, and address societal norms. It also considers how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages, which include mental health and suicide prevention, respiratory illness, prostate cancer, and heart disease.
Through the Men’s Health Strategy, we are launching a groundbreaking partnership with the Premier League to tackle male suicide and improve mental health literacy, by embedding health messaging into the matchday experience.
We also announced the Suicide Prevention Support Pathfinders programme for middle-aged men. This program will invest up to £3.6 million over three years in areas of England where middle-aged men are at most risk of taking their own lives and will tackle the barriers that they face in seeking support.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 to expand early intervention and targeted mental health support for men at risk of suicide in rural constituencies.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including in rural constituencies such as West Dorset. This includes transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.
We are expanding NHS Talking Therapies so that 915,000 people, including men, complete a course of treatment by March 2029, with improved effectiveness and quality of services. We will also expand individual placement and support for severe mental illness so that 73,500 people receive access by March 2028.
The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies middle aged men as a priority group for targeted and tailored support at a national level. The strategy also identifies key risk factors for suicide, providing an opportunity for effective early intervention. One of the key visions of the strategy is to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, so that people feel able to seek help through the routes that work best for them. This includes raising awareness that no suicide is inevitable.
On 19 November, to coincide with International Men’s Health Day, we published the Men’s Health Strategy. The strategy includes tangible actions to improve access to healthcare, provide the right support to enable men to make healthier choices, develop healthy living and working conditions, foster strong social, community and family networks, and address societal norms. It also considers how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages, which include mental health and suicide prevention, respiratory illness, prostate cancer, and heart disease.
Through the Men’s Health Strategy, we are launching a groundbreaking partnership with the Premier League to tackle male suicide and improve mental health literacy, by embedding health messaging into the matchday experience.
We also announced the Suicide Prevention Support Pathfinders programme for middle-aged men. This program will invest up to £3.6 million over three years in areas of England where middle-aged men are at most risk of taking their own lives and will tackle the barriers that they face in seeking support.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider requiring supervised trainee dentists, while on placement at dental training schools, to work on exclusively on NHS waiting lists rather than private appointments, to help reduce the backlog.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every undergraduate dental student gains clinical experience in the course of their studies under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.
Clinical placements provide dental students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including clinical abilities and effective communication with both patients and colleagues. The patients receiving treatment should never be charged for the care they receive.
These placements are designed to provide students with exposure to a range of clinical environments, rather than to enhance overall National Health Service delivery.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential for dental students in training to carry out supervised NHS dental appointments to help reduce the backlog in routine and urgent care in West Dorset.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every undergraduate dental student gains clinical experience in the course of their studies under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.
Clinical placements provide dental students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including clinical abilities and effective communication with both patients and colleagues. The patients receiving treatment should never be charged for the care they receive.
These placements are designed to provide students with exposure to a range of clinical environments, rather than to enhance overall National Health Service delivery.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 explore the use of final-year dental students to support NHS dentistry capacity while maintaining patient safety and training standards.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every undergraduate dental student gains clinical experience in the course of their studies under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.
Clinical placements provide dental students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including clinical abilities and effective communication with both patients and colleagues. The patients receiving treatment should never be charged for the care they receive.
These placements are designed to provide students with exposure to a range of clinical environments, rather than to enhance overall National Health Service delivery.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential for dental students in training to carry out supervised NHS dental appointments to help reduce the backlog in routine and urgent care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every undergraduate dental student gains clinical experience in the course of their studies under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.
Clinical placements provide dental students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including clinical abilities and effective communication with both patients and colleagues. The patients receiving treatment should never be charged for the care they receive.
These placements are designed to provide students with exposure to a range of clinical environments, rather than to enhance overall National Health Service delivery.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the time taken to process shotgun licence renewals in (a) rural areas and (b) West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The issuing of firearms certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners.
The Government has recently taken action to increase the fees for firearms and shotgun applications that can be charged by police forces. On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. The extra income from fees will help police forces to better resource and train their firearms licensing teams. This was the first increase in fees for 10 years and the Government will conduct more regular reviews of fees in the future.
In the interests of consistency and transparency, the National Policing Chiefs Council (NPCC) Lead for Firearms Licensing has also for the first time published performance data for firearms licensing teams in all police forces. This includes the performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months. This data is now being published by the NPCC on a quarterly basis.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will take steps to prioritise shotgun licence applications where the applicant requires a firearm for work purposes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The issuing of firearms certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners.
The Government has recently taken action to increase the fees for firearms and shotgun applications that can be charged by police forces. On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. The extra income from fees will help police forces to better resource and train their firearms licensing teams. This was the first increase in fees for 10 years and the Government will conduct more regular reviews of fees in the future.
In the interests of consistency and transparency, the National Policing Chiefs Council (NPCC) Lead for Firearms Licensing has also for the first time published performance data for firearms licensing teams in all police forces. This includes the performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months. This data is now being published by the NPCC on a quarterly basis.