Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the GP-to-patient ratio in Broxbourne constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In July 2024, the median number of full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice per 10,000 registered patients in the Broxbourne constituency was 5.5. This was more than the median in England, of 5.4.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve (a) resilience and (b) preparation for flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has established a ministerially led cross-Governmental Flood Resilience Taskforce to ensure that communities are better protected from flooding, with the first meeting taking place in September. The Flood Resilience Taskforce will ensure that preparedness and resilience to flooding is reviewed regularly before the start of the main flood season; and that it is continuously improved to ensure optimum protection to people, homes and businesses.
In advance of the winter, MPs will receive advice on how to access the most up to date flood information from the EA and how to raise awareness of flooding with constituents.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help protect rural communities at risk of flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protecting communities around the country from flooding and coastal erosion is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities. That’s why we are launching a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedness ahead of and after the winter flood season.
In the current floods investment programme, approximately 40% of the Environment Agency’s flood defence schemes, and 45% of their investment, protect properties in rural communities. We will review the floods programme to ensure flood risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future.
Working with farmers and landowners is an important part of the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy Roadmap up to 2026. As part of this, the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership focuses on helping farmers and land managers adapt to a changing climate.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that young people have the necessary skills to gain employment.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government aims to create a clear, flexible, high quality skills system that supports all young people, thereby breaking down the barriers to opportunity and driving economic growth.
The department has already taken steps to reform the skills system.
Firstly, the department has established Skills England, which is a new organisation that will ensure we have the highly trained workforce needed to deliver national, regional and local skills needs, aligned with the Industrial Strategy. It is a critical part of the government’s mission to raise growth sustainably across the whole country to support people to get better jobs and to improve their standard of living.
Secondly, the department has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18 and chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to refresh the curriculum to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meets the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work. The review will be undertaken in close partnership with stakeholders, including employers. A call for evidence will be launched in the coming weeks which will set out the areas where the review group would particularly welcome input.
Thirdly, the department is undertaking a short, internal review of post-16 qualifications reform. The review will examine the current planned reforms to look at how the department can ensure high quality qualifications like T Levels are open to as many people as possible, whilst also ensuring there are high-quality alternatives available where they are needed. To allow space for the review, the department has paused the planned defunding of qualifications in construction and the Built Environment, Digital, Education and Early Years, and Health and Science, which was due to go ahead in July 2024. The department will conclude and communicate the outcomes of this review before the turn of the year. Defunding decisions for 2025 onwards will be confirmed after the short review.
T Levels will continue to be rolled out as high quality qualifications which include direct experience of the workplace, providing young people with a firm foundation for their future. 21 T Levels are now available, including Media, Broadcast and Production, Craft and Design, and Animal Care and Management, which are being taught for the first time from this September.
The government will continue to take steps to reform the skills system, as part of a comprehensive post-16 education and skills strategy.
The department will introduce a Youth Guarantee of access to training, an apprenticeship, or support to find work for all 18 to 21 year olds. This will bring together existing funding and entitlements to help to lower the number of young people who are not learning or earning. This is vital to prevent young people becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age.
The department is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy, to create opportunities for learners of all ages and to give employers greater flexibility to train and upskill their workforce by allowing investment in a broader range of skills training.
The department will establish Technical Excellence Colleges, which will work with businesses, trade unions, and local government to provide opportunities to young people and adults, developing a highly skilled workforce that meets national and local needs.
These reforms will support all young people to have access to the skills and training opportunities to enable them to succeed in the workplace.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to reduce the tax burden on working people.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants to keep taxes as low as possible on working people and will do so by delivering sustainable growth through economic stability and sound public finances. The upcoming Budget on 30 October will set out reforms to fix the foundations, so that we can rebuild Britain and make working people better off.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
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 has allocated funding for flood defences in Hertfordshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has allocated capital grants for new flood defences as well as maintenance funding for existing flood defence assets in Hertfordshire.
For the financial year 24/25 (April 2024 - March 2025), the Environment Agency's allocated funding for asset maintenance in Hertfordshire is £1,040,280. This figure covers their expected maintenance on flood defence assets and main river channels under their permitted powers, including vegetation management, operational checks on flood defence assets, treatment of invasive non-native species, mechanical and electrical inspections, and inspection and maintenance of public safety measures.
In addition, as of 4 September 2024, £6,480,444 of Grant in Aid has been allocated to capital flood defence projects in Hertfordshire for the financial year 24/25.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
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 help improve infrastructure for general practices.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, and this means better utilising and expanding primary care infrastructure across the NHS estate. That is why we have set out our intention to fix the front door to the NHS and bring healthcare closer to home, and the local community.
At a local level, the relevant integrated care board is responsible for deciding how the NHS budget for its area is spent, and funding is allocated according to local priorities, such as new general practice surgeries, integrated care centres, or neighbourhood hubs. Any further support for NHS organisations delivering local and national priorities will be considered as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support children with special educational needs in Broxbourne constituency.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is committed to providing the necessary support to improve the experiences for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.
Ofsted inspected local arrangements for children with SEND in Hertfordshire in July 2023. Its report, published on 10 November 2023, concluded that there are widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.
The department provides support and accountability to the Hertfordshire local area partnership by monitoring progress against its priority action plan and Improvement Plan, and by providing advice and guidance via a SEND expert advisor. The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Post Office on opening a banking hub in Broxbourne constituency.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets and is committed to championing sufficient access for all.
We have committed to work closely with banks to roll out at least 350 banking hubs. That rollout is overseen by Cash Access UK (CAUK). LINK (the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network) assesses a community’s needs for access to cash in the event of the closure of a core cash service or if LINK receives a request directly from a community.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of waiting times for GP surgeries in Broxbourne constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the the crisis in GPs to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service.
Broxbourne sits within the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, where 82.7% of appointments were delivered within two weeks of booking, 0.4% lower than the national average.
Our plan to restore GPs and improve the waiting times to see a GP will require both investment and reform. We have committed to train thousands more GPs, end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments by introducing a modern booking system, and trial new Neighborhood Health Centers to bring community health services together under one roof. Furthermore, the Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.