Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to meet with those harmed by sodium valproate.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This is the responsibility of the Secretary of State at DHSC, whose department is meeting with these stakeholders.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if his Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has used this Spending Review to maximise the value from every taxpayer pound. Phase 2 of the Spending Review marks the first zero-based review in nearly 18 years, with every line of Government spending scrutinised, to make sure it is delivering value for money.
The Government published robust delivery plans that set out exactly how departments will achieve their efficiency targets. HM Treasury published an overview of departmental efficiency targets and delivery plans for the 2025 Spending Review on 11 June 2025. These are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-efficiency-delivery-plans
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what recent discussions his Department have had with HM Treasury on the provision of funds for valproate (a) financial redress and (b) interim payments.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report in due course.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding for valproate (a) financial redress and (b) interim payments were included in the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report in due course.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if his Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to meeting the 5 per cent savings and efficiency target with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis, including through the FCDO2030 strategic change programme.
These funding allocations - informed by the findings of the zero-based review - are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Valuation Office Agency scrapped in government drive to slash inefficiencies, published on 28 April 2025, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the expected 5 to 10 per cent of additional savings in VOA administrative costs by 2028-29 on full time equivalent.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The potential impact of the expected additional savings in the Valuation Office Agency’s administrative costs and Full Time Equivalents (by 28/29) will be determined as detailed plans are developed and implemented.Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the amount that British Wool spent on its overseas operations in the last 12 months.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not regularly collect or monitor information on sales or uses of wool; this is managed by British Wool.
British Wool publishes its annual accounts and financial statements on its website, which include information on its operational activities, including any overseas expenditure. These documents are publicly accessible and provide transparency on the organisation’s use of funds.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to (a) review the (i) structure and (ii) market position of British Wool and (b) make an assessment of the effectiveness of the role of British Wool in supporting the incomes of British sheep farmers.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A new framework document was published in May 2025 and sets out the strategic relationship between Defra, the Devolved Governments, and British Wool. The Framework establishes clear governance arrangements and shared priorities, ensuring British Wool is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of the sector. The framework document was informed by a review of British Wool’s operations, including its structure and market position, conducted jointly by Defra and Devolved Governments, this was published on 15 March 2023.
While the Department is not currently undertaking a separate assessment of British Wool’s effectiveness in supporting farmer incomes, the Framework Document provides a foundation for ongoing collaboration and performance monitoring. Defra remains committed to working with British Wool and industry stakeholders to ensure the organisation continues to deliver value to sheep farmers and contributes to the long-term sustainability of the wool sector.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if her Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is committed making savings and efficiencies, with SR funding allocations agreed on this basis.
These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the ZBR – are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if her Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is committed to meeting the 5% savings and efficiency target, with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis.
These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the Zero Based Review – are the first steps in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.