Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to help (a) first-time buyers and (b) low-income families secure housing in Ashfield constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership.
The government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes, including the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.
In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, we are committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme which will support first-time buyers in Ashfield and across the country who are struggling to save for a large deposit.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to provide (a) educational and (b) training support to apprentices, in the context of of recent trends in the level of Level 7 funding.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth with the support of a strong skills system. The government is reforming the current apprenticeship offer to ensure that more young people can benefit from high quality training.
The new growth and skills offer will deliver greater flexibility for both learners and employers in England and will be aligned with the government’s industrial strategy, creating routes into good jobs in growing industries. As a first step, the department will be introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships, in targeted sectors. These flexibilities will provide high quality entry pathways for young people, help more people learn new high quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country. The department will set out more detail in due course.
This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The government will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves. The department is taking advice from Skills England, who engaged with employers on funding for level 7 apprenticeships over the autumn, and the department expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships shortly. Learners who have started these apprenticeships will be funded through to completion.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she hold discussions with the Rt hon. and hon. Members from (a) Yorkshire and (b) Greater Manchester about the potential merits of a national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Since coming into office last July, the Government has been focused on delivering meaningful change for victims and survivors impacted by these horrendous crimes. We have continued to engage with many stakeholders and stand ready to meet and have met with MPs who have an interest in these important issues.
We have been clear that local authorities, who are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. And we stand ready to support as we can. That is why the Home Secretary announced to Parliament on the 6th and 16th January 2025 a range of measures, including stronger national backing for local inquiries.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will write to veterans who were responsible for guarding the Qarmat Ali water treatment in Iraq in 2003 to offer medical checks.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
On 15 January I met with veterans who guarded the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in Iraq in 2003. It was a positive meeting in which my priority was giving the veterans the space to be able to share their experiences and concerns.
I am committed to regularly engaging with veteran groups, and as a veteran myself, I would like to reassure you that the health and wellbeing of all our veterans is of the upmost importance. This Government is committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve, who have served and their families.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with veterans who were guarding the Qarmat Ali water treatment in Iraq in 2003 on their exposure to sodium dichromate.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
On 15 January I met with veterans who guarded the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in Iraq in 2003. It was a positive meeting in which my priority was giving the veterans the space to be able to share their experiences and concerns.
I am committed to regularly engaging with veteran groups, and as a veteran myself, I would like to reassure you that the health and wellbeing of all our veterans is of the upmost importance. This Government is committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve, who have served and their families.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to ensure parents maintain the right to home educate their children.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 sets out a parent’s right to educate otherwise than at school, i.e. to home educate. The department knows many parents work hard to provide a suitable education for their children in their home environment.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme trustees about the review of that Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I met with the Chair and Trustee representatives of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme on 16 December where they outlined their proposals for changes to the Scheme.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to support (a) victims and (b) victims families impacted by grooming gangs; and what steps she is taking to ensure these incidents don't occur in the future.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have been clear that this Government is prioritising work to safeguard children, ensure victims and survivors are protected and supported, while pursing offenders and bringing them to justice.
I have supported, and continue to support, many victims and survivors of grooming gangs and other forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse, both in my capacity as Minister, Member of Parliament and continuing support for those I worked with before becoming an MP.
And we are continuing to work across Government and with policing and law enforcement partners at pace to further strengthen our prevention of and response to all forms of child sexual abuse. This includes the commitments the Home Secretary has outlined in Parliament to introduce a mandatory duty for those working with children to report sexual abuse and exploitation, to make grooming an aggravating factor to toughen up sentencing, and to improve data collection across forces.
In her statement on 16 January 2025, the Home Secretary announced that the Government will be working to develop a new framework for victim-centred, locally-led inquiries, where they are needed, and as a first step to work with Oldham Council and up to four other pilot areas. This will also include support for local authorities who want to explore other ways of supporting victims, including setting up local panels or drawing on the experience of the IICSA Truth Project.
The Home Secretary will also ask all chief constables to look again at historic gang exploitation cases where ‘No Further Action’ was taken, and work with the police Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce to pursue new lines of inquiry and re-open investigations where appropriate and these new measures will be backed by £2 million of additional funding for the taskforce and the panel.
In addition to the statutory support local authorities provide to victims of modern slavery, for potential child victims, the Government has rolled out the Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service to two thirds of local authorities in England and Wales. The ICTG service is currently delivered by Barnardo's.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the sustainability of energy produced by Drax power station in the last 12 years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government supports biomass as a low carbon source of energy only where relevant sustainability criteria are met. Drax must demonstrate compliance with these criteria to Ofgem as the independent regulator. Evidence provided is independently audited. Ofgem recently published their conclusions on an investigation into Drax’s compliance with sustainability standards on 29 August 2024. The investigation found that whilst Drax complied with the standards, it failed to report data accurately. Government expects full compliance with all regulatory obligations and the size of Drax’s redress payment, £25m, underscores the robustness of the regulatory system.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 improve access to (a) healthcare services, (b) GPs and (c) mental health support in (i) Ashfield and (ii) Mansfield constituencies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since June 2022, the 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England have been responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services that meet the clinical needs of their respective populations, with the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB being responsible the Ashfield and Mansfield constituencies.
However, we know that patients are struggling to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to improving access to GP appointments across the country, including in the Ashfield and Mansfield constituencies. That’s why, in October 2024, we provided an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will increase the number of GPs employed and the number of appointments delivered in GPs, benefitting thousands of patients that are struggling to receive the care they desperately deserve. Additionally, we have announced a proposed £889 million uplift to the GP Contract for 2025/26, the largest uplift in years, with a rising share of total NHS resources going to GPs. We are currently consulting the profession on key proposals to improve access, continuity of care, and GP recruitment.
We recognise that many people in the Ashfield and Mansfield constituencies are not getting the mental health support or care they need. As part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers nationally to reduce wait times and provide faster treatment. We will also provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, roll out Young Futures hubs in every community, and modernise the Mental Health Act.