Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will increase sentences for offences committed with a knife.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Tackling knife crime is a priority and this Government is determined to do all it can to break the deadly cycle of violence that devastates the lives of individuals, families and communities.

The maximums available for existing knife offences include up to 4 years’ imprisonment for carrying a knife or threatening with an offensive weapon being 4 years’ imprisonment. Where someone is actually harmed by a knife or offensive weapon, there are a range of offences that the offender may be charged with, such as causing grievous bodily harm. These can result in lengthy sentences, up to life imprisonment. Sentencing in individual cases are a matter for our independent judiciary.

We will be reforming the sentencing framework in line with most of the recommendations made by the Independent Sentencing Review in May 2025 to ensure that our prisons never run out of space again, which would place the public at unconscionable risk.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many referrals has HMRC received from local enforcement authorities in relation to the penalty regime introduced through the Tobacco Products (Traceability and Security Features) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has received 312 referrals from local enforcement authorities in relation to the penalty regime introduced through the Tobacco Products (Traceability and Security Features) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

These regulations extended powers to enable Trading Standards to tackle non-compliance with the UK’s Tobacco Track and Trace system, which regulates tobacco at all stages of the supply chain, from manufacture through to retail. Trading Standards can make referrals to HMRC on potential breaches of the law, for HMRC to impose penalties.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help ensure access to cash in Ashfield constituency.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require the reasonable provision of free cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts.  Data from LINK (the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network) identifies 66 ATMs in Ashfield, including 47 free-to-use ATMs. The UK’s largest banks and building societies are required to assess the impact of a closure or material alteration of a relevant cash withdrawal or deposit facility and put in place a new service if necessary.

Assessments are undertaken by LINK, the industry designated coordinating body responsible for conducting cash access assessments. LINK take into account a number of factors including those unique to each location, such as the size and vulnerability of the population and whether it is reasonable for people to travel to nearby facilities, factoring in geographic barriers such as hills, rivers and major roads.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. Further information about submitting a cash access request can be found on LINK’s website.

The Government is also working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK by the end of this Parliament. These hubs will provide small businesses and individuals with critical cash and in-person banking services.  Over 225 banking hubs have been recommended to date and over 150 are already open. 

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many knife crimes were reported in Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - 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 22 May is attached.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is she taking to help tackle illegal immigration from Iran.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

We continue to work closely with our partners across the Middle East to enhance capabilities concerning irregular migration and border security across the region, to further disrupt serious organised crime, including organised immigration crime and illicit drug flows.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the DVSA on waiting times for driving tests.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

During the last 12 months, two driving examiners (DE) have retired in Ashfield. As a result of recruitment campaigns in Ashfield, in the last 12 months two new entrants were successful. One new entrant has completed their training and is conducting driving tests, the other new entrant, following successful completion of their training will start conducting tests in the next 7-8 weeks. A further new entrant will start their training on 23 June. In February, DVSA also transferred one examiner into Ashfield DTC.

DVSA has received applications for its current campaign for the Ashfield cluster. The agency anticipates additional new entrants for late Autum from this campaign. DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns and will recruit as many DEs as possible.

The average and longest waiting times for a practical car driving test in Ashfield is shown in the table below:

Over the last 12 months, the regions that have experienced the longest driving test waiting times are in the South of England.

The average waiting time in days for a theory test at test centres that serve customers in Ashfield can be found in the tables below:

Derby

Nottingham

Chesterfield

*Please note, DVSA only holds data from when its new theory test booking service was implemented in September 2021. Theory test data availability is not measured in the same way as practical tests. DVSA’s relevant KPI for theory tests is the difference between the first confirmed booking date and the first confirmed test date, excluding bank holidays. Theory tests can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

I regularly meet with officials from DVSA to discuss various topics. The Secretary of State met with DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Loveday Ryder, on 21 May 2025 to discuss car practical driving test waiting times and other topics.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which areas of England have the longest waiting time for a driving test.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

During the last 12 months, two driving examiners (DE) have retired in Ashfield. As a result of recruitment campaigns in Ashfield, in the last 12 months two new entrants were successful. One new entrant has completed their training and is conducting driving tests, the other new entrant, following successful completion of their training will start conducting tests in the next 7-8 weeks. A further new entrant will start their training on 23 June. In February, DVSA also transferred one examiner into Ashfield DTC.

DVSA has received applications for its current campaign for the Ashfield cluster. The agency anticipates additional new entrants for late Autum from this campaign. DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns and will recruit as many DEs as possible.

The average and longest waiting times for a practical car driving test in Ashfield is shown in the table below:

Over the last 12 months, the regions that have experienced the longest driving test waiting times are in the South of England.

The average waiting time in days for a theory test at test centres that serve customers in Ashfield can be found in the tables below:

Derby

Nottingham

Chesterfield

*Please note, DVSA only holds data from when its new theory test booking service was implemented in September 2021. Theory test data availability is not measured in the same way as practical tests. DVSA’s relevant KPI for theory tests is the difference between the first confirmed booking date and the first confirmed test date, excluding bank holidays. Theory tests can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

I regularly meet with officials from DVSA to discuss various topics. The Secretary of State met with DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Loveday Ryder, on 21 May 2025 to discuss car practical driving test waiting times and other topics.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times were for (i) theory and (ii) practical driving tests in Ashfield constituency in each of the last five years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

During the last 12 months, two driving examiners (DE) have retired in Ashfield. As a result of recruitment campaigns in Ashfield, in the last 12 months two new entrants were successful. One new entrant has completed their training and is conducting driving tests, the other new entrant, following successful completion of their training will start conducting tests in the next 7-8 weeks. A further new entrant will start their training on 23 June. In February, DVSA also transferred one examiner into Ashfield DTC.

DVSA has received applications for its current campaign for the Ashfield cluster. The agency anticipates additional new entrants for late Autum from this campaign. DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns and will recruit as many DEs as possible.

The average and longest waiting times for a practical car driving test in Ashfield is shown in the table below:

Over the last 12 months, the regions that have experienced the longest driving test waiting times are in the South of England.

The average waiting time in days for a theory test at test centres that serve customers in Ashfield can be found in the tables below:

Derby

Nottingham

Chesterfield

*Please note, DVSA only holds data from when its new theory test booking service was implemented in September 2021. Theory test data availability is not measured in the same way as practical tests. DVSA’s relevant KPI for theory tests is the difference between the first confirmed booking date and the first confirmed test date, excluding bank holidays. Theory tests can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

I regularly meet with officials from DVSA to discuss various topics. The Secretary of State met with DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Loveday Ryder, on 21 May 2025 to discuss car practical driving test waiting times and other topics.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test examiners have been onboarded in Ashfield constituency in the last year.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

During the last 12 months, two driving examiners (DE) have retired in Ashfield. As a result of recruitment campaigns in Ashfield, in the last 12 months two new entrants were successful. One new entrant has completed their training and is conducting driving tests, the other new entrant, following successful completion of their training will start conducting tests in the next 7-8 weeks. A further new entrant will start their training on 23 June. In February, DVSA also transferred one examiner into Ashfield DTC.

DVSA has received applications for its current campaign for the Ashfield cluster. The agency anticipates additional new entrants for late Autum from this campaign. DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns and will recruit as many DEs as possible.

The average and longest waiting times for a practical car driving test in Ashfield is shown in the table below:

Over the last 12 months, the regions that have experienced the longest driving test waiting times are in the South of England.

The average waiting time in days for a theory test at test centres that serve customers in Ashfield can be found in the tables below:

Derby

Nottingham

Chesterfield

*Please note, DVSA only holds data from when its new theory test booking service was implemented in September 2021. Theory test data availability is not measured in the same way as practical tests. DVSA’s relevant KPI for theory tests is the difference between the first confirmed booking date and the first confirmed test date, excluding bank holidays. Theory tests can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

I regularly meet with officials from DVSA to discuss various topics. The Secretary of State met with DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Loveday Ryder, on 21 May 2025 to discuss car practical driving test waiting times and other topics.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test examiners have left the DVSA in Ashfield constituency in the last year.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

During the last 12 months, two driving examiners (DE) have retired in Ashfield. As a result of recruitment campaigns in Ashfield, in the last 12 months two new entrants were successful. One new entrant has completed their training and is conducting driving tests, the other new entrant, following successful completion of their training will start conducting tests in the next 7-8 weeks. A further new entrant will start their training on 23 June. In February, DVSA also transferred one examiner into Ashfield DTC.

DVSA has received applications for its current campaign for the Ashfield cluster. The agency anticipates additional new entrants for late Autum from this campaign. DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns and will recruit as many DEs as possible.

The average and longest waiting times for a practical car driving test in Ashfield is shown in the table below:

Over the last 12 months, the regions that have experienced the longest driving test waiting times are in the South of England.

The average waiting time in days for a theory test at test centres that serve customers in Ashfield can be found in the tables below:

Derby

Nottingham

Chesterfield

*Please note, DVSA only holds data from when its new theory test booking service was implemented in September 2021. Theory test data availability is not measured in the same way as practical tests. DVSA’s relevant KPI for theory tests is the difference between the first confirmed booking date and the first confirmed test date, excluding bank holidays. Theory tests can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

I regularly meet with officials from DVSA to discuss various topics. The Secretary of State met with DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Loveday Ryder, on 21 May 2025 to discuss car practical driving test waiting times and other topics.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Allowance to enable more people to claim it

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government wants to expand eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments, recognising the goals of supporting these pensioners, meeting need and of sustainable public finances. Any change will be announced to Parliament in the normal way.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in National Insurance contributions on organisations that deliver services for SEND children.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Most children with special educational needs and disabilities receive their education in mainstream schools. With the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions from April 2025, the department is providing additional funding of over £930 million in the 2025/26 financial year to support mainstream schools and special schools.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will increase the number of police officers in neighbourhood teams in Nottinghamshire.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government has committed to restoring neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This includes putting thousands more police personnel on the beat in neighbourhood policing roles up and down the country. As a part of this pledge, Nottinghamshire Police have been allocated £3,570,488 funding in 2025/26 to bolster their neighbourhood policing teams.

Based on their funding allocation, Nottinghamshire Police’s projected growth over 2025/26 will be 30 police officers (FTE), 20 Police Community Support Officers (FTE), and 20 Special Constables (headcount).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what interim support his Department is providing to integrated care boards in relation to NHS dentist shortages in Ashfield constituency.

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

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.

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.

We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS, a central part of which will be our workforce. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

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.

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 increase the number of available NHS dental appointments in Ashfield 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 Ashfield constituency, this is the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB is expected to deliver 24,360 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds data on changes in bus usage in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England since the increase in the bus fare cap.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The bus fare cap was increased in January 2025. Currently, the only available data relating to bus usage after this date comes from the Domestic Transport Usage by Mode publication available on GOV.UK, which contains daily figures at the Great Britain outside London level only.

No data are held on bus usage at (a) constituency level.

On 19 June, daily data for (b) Nottinghamshire are due to be published on GOV.UK for the first time as part of the new Daily local bus passenger and trip statistics publication.

In November, annual data for the year ending March 2025 covering (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England are due to be published on GOV.UK as part of the regular Annual bus statistics publication.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of online taxi app companies on (a) independent taxi companies and (b) their drivers.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Government supports choice for passengers in the taxi and private hire vehicle sector. It is a matter for taxi drivers if they wish to use a taxi app company as an intermediary between them and the passenger. All private hire vehicle journeys must be pre-booked through a licensed operator. It is for private hire vehicle drivers to decide which operators they wish to work with, subject to licensing requirements. The Department’s taxi and private hire vehicle survey provides information on the numbers of licensed taxi and private hire vehicle drivers, vehicles and private hire vehicle operators and how these have changed since the adoption by passengers and the sector of new technology.

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 levels of access to NHS dental care in Ashfield constituency.

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

The Dental Statistics - England 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324

In the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, which includes the Ashfield constituency, 42% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months to June 2024, compared to 40% in England, and 60% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months to June 2024, compared to 56% in England.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the validity of driving theory tests to a minimum of three years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a customer’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation, and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it. It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people began receiving Pension Credit after the announcement of changes to the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2024.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

On 29 May 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 25 May 2025. Pension Credit Statistics - May 2025

Comparing the period since the announcement on 29 July 2024 that Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) will be means tested (29 July 2024 to 25 May 2025) with the comparable period a year previous (31 July 2023 to 26 May 2024), DWP has:

• Received 285,600 Pension Credit claims – a 51% increase or 96,200 extra applications on the comparable period a year previous
• Cleared 308,800 Pension Credit claims - a 74% increase or 131,300 extra clearances on the comparable period a year previous, of which: 162,800 Pension Credit claims have been awarded – a 57% increase or 58,800 extra awards on the comparable period a year previous.

Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that people (a) in Ashfield constituency and (b) nationwide have access to face to face banking services.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, businesses and high streets in Ashfield and across the UK. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament.

Over 220 hubs have been announced so far, and over 160 are already open.

Banking hubs offer everyday counter services provided by Post Office staff, allowing people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services.

Where a branch closure is announced or a community has submitted a cash access assessment request, LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, assesses a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions where it considers that a community requires additional cash services, such as a banking hub or deposit service.

Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trade union access proposals on SMEs that employ less than 200 people.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to modernising industrial relations and as part of this we are moving away from a reliance on outdated, ad-hoc access arrangements by providing a formal right of access for trade unions in the Employment Rights Bill.

We will be consulting on specific details of the access framework before they are set out in secondary legislation. We encourage businesses and unions of all sizes to share their views. An impact assessment on the Bill was published last year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the legalisation of self-driving vehicles on people whose jobs require driving.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The development of self-driving vehicle technology has the potential to support our Plan for Growth, creating up to 38,000 high-quality jobs, and unlocking £42 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Additional benefits will include reducing human error – which causes nearly 9 in 10 road collisions – and offering new, flexible transport options, particularly for those with limited mobility.

We expect that the introduction of self-driving vehicles will be gradual, given the current readiness of the technology. We are committed to continued engagement with affected groups, including representatives for taxi, bus and private hire vehicle drivers, as we develop and implement the secondary legislation underpinning the Act.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the proportion of people reliant on public transport in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands, (d) England and (e) the UK.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport holds no direct data or estimates of reliance on public transport.

The National Travel Survey (NTS), overseen by the Department, collects data on the proportion of households who have no access to a car or van for England (22% in 2023) and East Midlands (21% in 2023). NTS data is not available at constituency, county or UK level.

The 2021 Census for England and Wales, overseen by the Office for National Statistics, also collected data on the proportion of households with no cars or vans, as shown in the table below.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve levels of care for children in social care.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department announced the biggest overhaul to children’s social care in a generation to ensure opportunity for all children. This includes increased investment and landmark legislation through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Our policy statement ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’, published in November 2024, outlines our vision and core legislative proposals. We will shift the focus of the children's social care system to early support to keep families together.

Implementing the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will improve levels of care for children in social care, as it is a key step towards delivering the government’s Opportunity Mission. It will break the link between young people’s background and their future success, to shift the focus of the children's social care system to earlier support for children and families, and to tackle profiteering in the care market and put children needs first.

Our plans will ensure:

• Children can remain with their families where possible.
• We will support more children to live with kinship carers or in fostering families.
• We will support children in care and care leavers, including rolling out the ‘Staying Close’ programme.
• We will delivery stronger multi-agency approaches to support families and keep children safe.
• We will fix the broken care market to tackle profiteering and put children first.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many warning letters Ofsted has sent to unregistered care settings for children in the last year.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is illegal to manage an unregistered setting that should be registered with Ofsted. Unregistered settings pose a risk to children, given there is no assurance about safety.

Ofsted can pursue criminal prosecution, and between April 2023 and March 2024, opened over 1000 cases to investigate potential unregistered settings.

We are strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, so they can fine unregistered providers. There is no limit to the fine. Ofsted will take into account the provider's previous record, severity of the breach and impact on children. This will enable Ofsted to act at scale and pace to tackle persistent offenders. It will also act as a greater deterrent. This will mean that more children are placed into registered settings, where Ofsted, the local authority, and the public can be assured that the child is in a home that meets all the requirements set out in legislation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle unregistered care settings for children.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is illegal to manage an unregistered setting that should be registered with Ofsted. Unregistered settings pose a risk to children, given there is no assurance about safety.

Ofsted can pursue criminal prosecution, and between April 2023 and March 2024, opened over 1000 cases to investigate potential unregistered settings.

We are strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, so they can fine unregistered providers. There is no limit to the fine. Ofsted will take into account the provider's previous record, severity of the breach and impact on children. This will enable Ofsted to act at scale and pace to tackle persistent offenders. It will also act as a greater deterrent. This will mean that more children are placed into registered settings, where Ofsted, the local authority, and the public can be assured that the child is in a home that meets all the requirements set out in legislation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to retain police officers in Nottinghamshire.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The retention of police officers is a priority for the Home Office and the National Police Chiefs Council. Voluntary resignation rates in England and Wales, at 3.4%, are low compared to other sectors. Experienced officers are incredibly valuable which is why forces should be using evidence-based strategies to manage the retention and progression of officers. Retention activity is supported by the College of Policing which provides a learning platform to all forces that contains insights and guidance, themed around attraction, recruitment, onboarding and retention.

In 2025-26, overall funding for policing will total up to £19.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 police settlement. Nottinghamshire Police will receive up to £301.6 million in funding in 2025-26, an increase of up to £18.0 million when compared to the 2024-25 police settlement equating to a 6.4% cash increase.

Of this, as part of the Officer Maintenance Ringfenced Grant, £376.8 million will be available to forces to maintain officer numbers at expected levels. Nottinghamshire Police has been allocated up to £6.2 million for maintaining a headcount of 2,408 officers.

As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, £200 million will be available to forces in 2025/26 to support the Government’s commitment in delivering 13,000 additional personnel into neighbourhood policing teams by the end of this parliament. Nottinghamshire Police has been allocated £3.6 million for an increase of 30 police officers, 20 PCSOs and 20 Special Constables.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54343 on Tobacco: Smuggling, how many and what proportion of those referrals resulted in the revocation of the business's economic operator registration.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The majority of referrals received so far have been in respect of businesses who do not hold an economic operator registration because they do not sell, or intend to sell, any legitimate tobacco products.

Under The Tobacco Products (Traceability and Security Features) Regulations 2019, a valid Economic Operator ID (EOID) holder who breaches the requirements on a second or subsequent occasion, may have their EOID registration revoked for either 6 months or 5 years. No referrals have met this criterion so far.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of money laundering by Turkish barber shops on (a) the community and (b) the wider economy.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

Money laundering not only enables serious and organised crime and national security threats but impacts our communities by drawing people into crime, gangs, and exploitation. It also undermines the integrity of our financial system and impacts on economic prosperity and growth. Driving it down is an important part of this Government’s key missions to deliver safer streets and economic growth.

We know that cash intensive businesses such as barber shops can be exploited by criminals who seek to launder their cash enabling them to profit from their illegal activities. Addressing cash-based money laundering is therefore one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), which sits within the National Crime Agency. In March, the NECC coordinated a three-week crackdown against barbershops and other cash intensive business across England and Wales involving 19 different police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, as well as national agencies including HMRC, Trading Standards and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. In total, 380 premises were visited across the three-week operation, with officers securing freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1m, executing 84 warrants and arresting 35 individuals. Officers also seized more than £40,000 in cash, 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, over 8,000 illegal vapes and two vehicles.

This is the first phase of targeted action against criminals and organised crime groups who use high-street businesses to launder criminal monies, and the NECC is committed to continue working with Policing and partners to reduce this threat.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54343 on Tobacco: Smuggling, how many and what proportion of those referrals resulted in a penalty; and what the average penalty was.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Of the 312 referrals received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from local authority Trading Standards, 87 have so far progressed through casework to the issuing of a financial penalty for breaches of the Tobacco Track and Trace requirements. The average penalty charge to date has been £6,005.

The progression of the remaining, and future referrals are expected to result in additional penalty charges being issued.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to help support (a) seriously ill and (b) disabled people who may be affected by proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to focus PIP on those with higher needs. We are mindful of the impact this change to PIP eligibility could have on people. That is why, in the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working (published on 18 March), we are consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement due to the reforms, including ensuring health and care needs are met.

This Labour government will always protect the most vulnerable. Those with severe conditions will not be affected. There will be no change for a person claiming PIP under “Special Rules for End of Life” (SREL). They will not require a consultation and will automatically be awarded the enhanced rate of daily living as is the current process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54350 on Cash Dispensing: Ashfield, how she defines the reasonable provision of free cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the regulator responsible for the access to cash regime, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) defines reasonable provision on a geographic basis, whilst having regard to the cash access policy statement set out by HMT. The FCA’s rules set out that 95% of people in urban areas should be within 1 mile of a cash access point and 95% of people in rural areas should be within 3 miles of a cash access point. However, the FCA also notes that assessments should take into account local factors when considering whether there is a deficiency of cash services in a local community.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. Further information about submitting a cash access request can be found on LINK’s website.

In circumstances where LINK considers that a community requires additional cash services, the financial services sector will provide a suitable shared solution, such as an ATM, cash deposit service, or shared Banking Hub, for cash users in that community.

To ensure the reasonable provision of cash and banking services, the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK, which will provide individuals up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 225 hubs have been announced so far, and over 150 are already open.

Mauritius Treaty

Found: Current membership Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker; Chorley) (Chair) Lee Anderson (Reform UK; Ashfield) Mr

Found: Current membership Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker; Chorley) (Chair)Lee Anderson (Reform UK; Ashfield) Mr

Found: _NC31 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin .

Found: _NC33 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin .

Found: _NC109 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin REPORT STAGE Monday 9

Found: _NC109 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin .

Found: _NC33 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin .

Found: _NC109 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin .

Found: _NC33 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin .

Found: _NC109 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin ★.

Found: _NC33 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sarah Pochin ★.

Found: _NC16 Jim Allister Sir Desmond Swayne Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sammy

Found: _NC16 Jim Allister Sir Desmond Swayne Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Sammy

Found: _NC16 Jim Allister Sir Desmond Swayne Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock Alex

Diabetes APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: :00-17:00 In attendance: - Virendra Sharma MP - Derek Thomas MP - George Howarth MP - Lee Anderson