Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential contribution of domestic solar energy generation to the UK meeting its net zero targets.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Domestic solar will play an essential role. Through the Solar Taskforce and the forthcoming Solar Roadmap, we will set out recommendations on how Government and industry can work together to significantly increase rooftop solar capacity.

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 support A&E Departments in Gloucestershire in winter 2024-25.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local winter resilience plans and resourcing are operational matters for the National Health Service. The national approach on priorities for winter planning was issued by NHS England on 16 September, setting out the key steps to be taken to support the delivery of high-quality care for patients this winter.

The NHS is managing extra demand over the winter period, by strengthening same day emergency care, offering more fall services for older people, and with upgraded 24-hour live data centres. I also made a statement on winter preparedness in the House of Commons on 18 December 2024.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to improve the energy efficiency of homes in winter 2024-2025.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We have various schemes already delivering improvements to home energy efficiency through the Energy Company Obligation, the Great British Insulation Scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant, the Warm Homes: Social Housing Decarbonisation, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Customers can also use the tool ‘Find Ways to Save Energy in your Home’ (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), which provides users with tailored recommendations for home improvements to increase energy efficiency and clean heat.

As the first step towards the Warm Homes Plan, the Government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency.

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 improve the retention of midwives.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the National Health Service. NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure that the NHS remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes building a compassionate and inclusive culture, supporting staff wellbeing, and promoting flexible working opportunities.

Targeted retention work for midwives is being undertaken by NHS England and led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This includes a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, strengthened advice and support on pensions and flexible retirement options, and the publication of menopause policies and guidance. NHS England has also invested in unit-based retention leads who focus on retention and provide pastoral support to midwives. This initiative, alongside investment in workforce capacity, has seen a reduction in vacancy, leavers, and turnover rates.

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 help increase the recruitment of midwives for Cheltenham General Hospital’s Aveta Birth Centre.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Information on local plans is not collected centrally by the Department. National Health Service organisations are responsible for their own recruitment, and for developing their own workforce plans based on local service needs. At a national level, we are committed to training the staff the NHS needs, and will work closely with partners in education to do this.

NHS England continues to lead on a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure that the NHS remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes a strong focus on improving organisational culture, supporting staff health and wellbeing, and promoting flexible working opportunities. It is continually reviewing the effectiveness of these and their impact on the workforce.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of poor access to NHS dental services on health outcomes in Gloucestershire.

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

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

The data for the Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, which includes the Cheltenham constituency, shows that 29% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months, compared to 40% in England, and 51% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months, 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 the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to mitigate (a) cancellations and (b) delays to rail between Cheltenham and London during the construction period for Old Oak Common station.

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

The department continues to work closely with HS2, Network Rail, GWR, TfL and Heathrow Express to mitigate the impacts of Old Oak Common construction. This aims to minimise disruption to passengers on the Great Western Main Line during the construction of the new station and during its operation, including through investing £30m to ensure that passenger services can continue to operate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department taking to increase the provision of NHS dental care in Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham constituency, this is the NHS Gloucestershire ICB.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential economic impact of the disruption to rail services between Cheltenham and London during the construction of Old Oak Common station on affected (a) consumers and (b) businesses.

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

Old Oak Common is essential to support the Government’s growth mission. We recognise the potential economic impact that disruption could have, and my department continues to work with Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies to align works and minimise disruption to passengers on the Great Western Main Line during the construction of the new station. We are also using standard industry precedents to manage enhancements on the network including compensating industry bodies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of relocating civil servants working on cyber security and technology to be closer to the cyber industry in Cheltenham as part of the Places for Growth Scheme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

We are working with departments on their future plans as part of the upcoming Spending Review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of relocating civil service offices to Cheltenham via the Places for Growth Scheme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

We are working with departments on their future workforce and location plans as part of the upcoming Spending Review.

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 ensure new GP surgeries are included as part of strategic housing developments.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - 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 we require world class NHS infrastructure across the entire NHS estate. Beyond hospitals, we know we need the right infrastructure in the right places to deliver on our commitments of creating a true Neighbourhood Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve.

We are aware of the additional demand and challenges placed upon primary care infrastructure by significant housing developments. The Department of Health and Social Care has worked closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to address this issue in the recently published updated National Planning Policy Framework, clearly outlining the importance of health infrastructure. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government on updating guidance and ensuring that all new and existing developments have an adequate level of healthcare infrastructure.

The relevant integrated care board is responsible for deciding how the NHS budget for its area is spent, and allocates funding according to local priorities. Any further support for NHS organisations will be set out at the Autumn Spending Review.

World Darts Championship

Possible sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili

Israeli Knesset decision to ban UNRWA

World Darts Champion Luke Littler

England men's cricket team's upcoming fixture against Afghanistan

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell

Cirencester Signpost’s King’s Award for Voluntary Service

McLaren Racing Formula 1 Constructors' Championship

Asda's Cashpot for Schools initiative

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