Neil Hudson

One case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N5 has been confirmed in the Yorkshire area this season. This case follows recent detections of the HPAI H5N5 in wild birds in the region and is the first case confirmed since declaration of Great Britain’s zonal freedom from HPAI in March 2024.

The case was confirmed in commercial poultry at a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire on the 5 November 2024. To prevent further disease spread, all poultry on the infected premises have been humanely culled and preliminary cleansing and disinfection has been carried out at the premises by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place surrounding the premises. Protection zones must stay in force for a minimum of 21 days and surveillance zones for a minimum of 30 days. The zones will only be lifted once all disease control activities and surveillance in the zones have been successfully completed and there are no suspect cases in the zones under investigation. Defra continue to monitor the situation and the need for an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will be considered in response to further increases in risk.

Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case this season was detected on 26 August 2024, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the east coast and some inland areas in England.

The movement of susceptible animals from the RZ to live elsewhere in England requires a specific licence and is subject to free pre-movement and post-movement testing. This helps to prevent the possible establishment of new pockets of disease from undetected spread via animal movements. Some animals were humanely culled to prevent establishment at the outset and infected animals in cases found in free areas outside the restricted zone have also been humanely culled.

Defra has permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3 and these vaccines are now available for vets to prescribe in England.

Defra and APHA continue surveillance of susceptible animals and epidemiological assessments, remaining vigilant for any changes, and are working closely with key industry stakeholders to review how we approach controls for BTV-3 for the coming winter months, in 2025 and beyond.

Defra’s farming budget will be £2.4 billion in 2025/26. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for environmental land management schemes. This funding will deliver improvements to food security, biodiversity, carbon emissions, water quality, air quality and flood resilience. We will work with the sector to continue to roll out, improve and evolve these schemes, to make them work for farming and nature.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities, which is why we set up a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedness ahead of and after the winter flood season. Across England, we will invest £2.4 billion over the next two years to improve flood resilience, by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences.

Longer term funding decisions as regards funding for farming and floods will be made at the next Spending Review.

We are reviewing the date for implementing specific post-Brexit border checks set out in the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) and will publish more information on these soon.

We continue to maintain essential border controls to protect our national biosecurity.

Due to the intelligence led and dynamic nature of our biosecurity controls and to ensure operations are not impacted, we are unable to share data on Sanitary and phytosanitary checks.

Consignments called to Sevington for an inspection will have completed the necessary customs declarations and pre-notifications. These goods will not be legally cleared for sale or use within the UK until they have attended and been cleared at the Border Control Post (BCP).

Where the BCP has concerns, for example due to non-attendance, there are existing robust provisions for contacting the person responsible for the load, if it is then not possible for the goods to proceed to the BCP then the goods to be referred for inland controls by the local authority, enforceable through the data collected through those customs declarations and pre-notification.

The Department collects road traffic casualty data for e-scooters using data reported by the police to the Department for Transport. In 2023 there were 1,292 collisions involving e-scooters, compared to 1,411 in 2022. There were 1,387 casualties in collisions involving e-scooters, compared to 1,502 in 2022, and of these 1,117 casualties were e-scooter users, compared to 1,154 in 2022.

Our best estimate, after adjusting for changes in reporting by police, is that there were 416 seriously injured and 965 slightly injured in collisions involving e-scooters, this compares to 441 and 1,049 respectively in 2022.

January to June 2024 provisional e-scooter personal injury collisions are due to be published at the end of November. January to December 2024 provisional figures are due to be published in Spring 2025.

Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and TfL. Government has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, it is for them to assess the quality of their services and make decisions on investment.

We have engaged with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and farmers to raise awareness on how they can access services through various channels including partnering with NFU at county shows, providing NFU an informative toolkit and continuation of inviting NFU to our regular stakeholder events.

One of the Government’s primary missions is to grow the economy, getting more people into work and helping those in work get better paid jobs is central to achieving this. The Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by informal carers who provide invaluable support for children, relatives, partners, friends, and neighbours who may need care.

Support is offered to those carers in receipt of Universal Credit, either on a voluntary basis for those eligible for Universal Credit Carer Element and / or Carers Allowance, or through individualised work coach support for part time carers. This support can include help from a work coach to access skills provision, referrals to contacted provision such as Restart, careers advice, job search support and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry.

As part of our commitment to reform employment support through delivery of a new national jobs and careers service we will transform the current service and consider the specialist needs of specific groups in designing our new approach.

Alongside employment support, the Government have also announced Plans to Make Work Pay, which will create a new partnership between business, trade unions and working people. The Plan to Make Work Pay will end exploitative zero hours contracts; end the scourge of fire and rehire practices; and introduce basic rights from day one to parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal. We will strengthen the collective voice of workers and create the Fair Work Agency to ensure employment rights are upheld.

Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over.

Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners are likely to see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock.

We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.

The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.  An additional £500 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF, including funding for the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.

We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.

Our other steps include cutting waiting times in the NHS which will help many pensioners currently waiting in pain and discomfort for treatment, and delivering the economic stability which is so crucial for pensioners.

In Epping Forest constituency, the estimated number of pensioners who will have Winter Fuel Payments withdrawn is 15,744. In England, the estimated number of pensioners who will have Winter Fuel Payments withdrawn is 8,609,778. This is based on Feb-24 Pension Credit statistics and 22/23 Winter Fuel Payment statistics, (sources below).

This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of Pension Credit recipients for Epping Forest constituency and England from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for Epping Forest constituency and England. The Pension Credit data is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024 in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics.

Please note that the above does not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up we might see as a result of the policy change (means testing Winter fuel payments to those on Pension Credit and other means tested benefits). We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or local authorities.

Also, the published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).

Furthermore, Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.

Sources used:

winter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods (live.com)

Stat-Xplore - Table View (dwp.gov.uk) (Feb-24 data)

The Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP) provides general practitioners (GPs) with information and guidance to counsel men who have no symptoms, but who wish to have a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. It highlights the potential benefits and harms of PSA testing so that men, including those at higher risk, can make an informed decision about whether to have the test.

Based on the current evidence, the PCRMP’s guidance is for GPs not to proactively offer a PSA to men without symptoms. This is because of the high level of inaccuracy of the PSA test, which could lead to unnecessary tests and treatments that carry risks of life-changing harm such as urinary and faecal incontinence, sexual dysfunction, as well as a smaller but serious risk of sepsis. Additionally, some prostate cancers may not produce elevated PSA levels, leading to false-negative results that provide deceptive reassurance.

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and access other primary care services, and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs.

Our plan to increase the number of GP appointments delivered will require both investment and reform. We have already invested £82 million to recruit over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs and take pressure off those currently working in the system. We will also train thousands more GPs, securing the future of the workforce, and will end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments by introducing a modern booking system.

We will provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. Additionally, to rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to National Health Service dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

We are also committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including by cutting red tape. That encompasses making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists, as we shift care from the hospital to the community.

The Government wants everyone to be able to access a primary care professional when they need to. NHS England has overall responsibility for ensuring that there are sufficient primary medical services to meet the reasonable requirements of patients throughout the country. To do so, they will contract providers such as general practices (GPs) to provide these services.

It is for local commissioners to determine what services and care pathways to put in place to best serve the needs of their patient population.  We expect commissioners to act if services are not meeting the reasonable needs of their patients. In the event of a closure, commissioners will assess the need for a replacement provider before transferring patients to alternative practices when a GP surgery closes.

We know that patients across the country are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP), and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform. We will increase the proportion of funding for GPs and are already investing £82 million to recruit 1,000 newly qualified GPs. This will increase the number of GP appointments delivered, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and take pressure off those currently working in the system.

Additionally, we will introduce Neighbourhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home and that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.

We inherited a commitment to implement charging reform in October 2025, which included the cap on care costs. The full policy would have cost government an additional £4bn by 2030 on adult social care spend per year.

Public finances are in their worst position since the Second World War. Funding was not guaranteed by the previous government and preparations for full rollout were not on track, therefore the cap on care costs would have been impossible to deliver by next October.

We are committed to building consensus on the long-term reform needed to create a National Care Service based on consistent national standards. We will set out next steps for a process that engages with adult social care stakeholders, including cross-party and people with lived experience of care.

The Sudan conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world with 24.8 million people in need of assistance. The UK continues to provide humanitarian assistance to support people in Sudan and those who've fled the country. The UK's ODA this year in response to the conflict in Sudan is £113.5 million - the vast majority of which is spent on vital humanitarian aid and support for the regional refugee crisis. This funding includes support to key UN agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF who are providing life-saving food assistance in Sudan. We are also one of the largest donors to the UN-led Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) which provides support to local and national responders, Emergency Response Rooms and a consortium of international non-governmental organisations. The UK continues to support the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), including their work on emergency preparedness and response, protection of civilians, and providing life-saving healthcare across Sudan.

Improving global food and nutrition security is a priority for this government. Our diplomatic and humanitarian engagement is addressing acute need and famine risks in places like Sudan and Gaza. We support long-term solutions, working with partners to transform food and farming systems, critical for inclusive growth, climate resilience and nature protection. At the G20 Development Ministers Meeting in Brazil in July, I announced the UK would join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty when it launches in November, to increase political support, unlock finance, share and learn, and work with partners to scale-up lasting solutions.

The UK and our partners have collectively sent an unambiguous message: the Houthis' attacks on shipping are illegal, dangerous, and destabilising, and we are determined to put a stop to them.

The Foreign Secretary and I continue to work closely with regional and international partners to increase pressure on the Houthis. We remain supportive of US action to degrade Houthi capability and welcome the continued operation of the EU's Operation ASPIDES.

We will always defend the principle of freedom of navigation and British lives at sea.

Estimates of the impact on businesses in Epping Forest from changes to Employer NICs announced at Autumn Budget 2024 are not available.

The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system

This VAT change will not impact pupils with most acute additional needs where these can only be met in private schools, as determined by an Education and Health Care Plan in England, and equivalent processes in other nations.

Where pupils are placed in a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, and they have their places funded by their Local Authority, the Local Authority will be able to reclaim the VAT they incur on these pupils’ fees. In Northern Ireland, it will be the Education Authority who fund placements in private schools and will be able to reclaim the VAT in this way.

The government will publish a Tax Information and Impact Note setting out the impacts of the changes, including the equalities impacts, alongside the Finance Bill.

The government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

On 30 July we announced a number of changes in planning policy designed to support the delivery of affordable homes. We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts, and a further £450 million for councils through the Local Authority Housing Fund enabling councils to grow their housing stock.

At the Budget on 30 October, the Chancellor set out details of an immediate one-year cash injection of £500 million to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme which will deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes. This comes ahead of the multi-year Spending Review next spring, where the Government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme.

The Chancellor also confirmed that we will reduce Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels and allow councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.

In addition, the government will consult on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide the sector with the certainty it needs to invest in new social housing.

The Government has set out changes to how we plan for the homes we need and in relation to grey belt and the Green Belt as part of the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework launched today.