Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Pat McFadden and Sarah Dyke

Monday 27th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

People should not be denied the opportunity to work, which is why the Department has backed the economic inactivity trailblazer in the north-east with £10 million this year and a further £10 million next year. It is testing new ways to help people overcome barriers to work. We are determined to turn around the situation that we inherited from the Conservative party, and we are working closely with the excellent Mayor of the North East to bring these policies together.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

T4. Only 30% of people with autism are in work, compared with nearly 55% of disabled people. Charlie, who is celebrating his 31st birthday on Saturday, lives in Baltonsborough with his parents, but like many young adults with autism, he has struggled to find employment. His mother, Jenny, told me yesterday that Charlie is a classic example of wasted talent, so what steps is the Minister taking to ensure that adults with autism and other special educational needs can find fulfilling and secure employment?

Government Resilience Action Plan

Debate between Pat McFadden and Sarah Dyke

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

We talk about the whole-society approach, because we understand that the public—us, as the hon. Gentleman says—have to be part of it. Government has its role to play, but it will not do everything; the public have a really important role to play in resilience.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

Somerset is so often at the forefront of climate change. Recently, Somerset Rivers Authority set up a community flood action fund to provide small grants for small-scale works to reduce flooding in Somerset. These local, community-led interventions can make all the difference on the ground, but funds are limited, so how will the new resilience action plan future-proof local communities against climate-related risk, and how will it work to support local community interventions such as the SRA’s community flood action fund?

[Pat McFadden]

Those community initiatives sound excellent. As I said in my statement, the Government have set aside some £4 billion for investment in flood defences over the coming years. We have all seen how things have changed over the past 10 or 20 years, and it is critical that we put in place the protections that communities need.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Pat McFadden and Sarah Dyke

Thursday 6th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

We had some earlier exchanges about cyber-attacks. It is important that our democratic processes uphold their integrity and that people who take part in our elections exercise their choice freely and without external interference in the process. The Government are dedicated to ensuring that that happens.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Pat McFadden)]

Since the last Cabinet Office questions, new procurement rules have come into force, which will help to deliver growth, drive value for money and, crucially, give small businesses greater access to the nearly �400 billion of Government procurement. They also include stronger new powers to exclude and debar suppliers on national security and performance grounds. We are also seeking out and reducing wasteful spending, including by using artificial intelligence to go through departmental spending line by line, because it is important that taxpayer funds are used for good public service outcomes. We are seeing the initial fruits of that in the first reduction in NHS waiting lists for years.

[Sarah Dyke]

Women in rural areas often face additional barriers to their engagement in politics, at both local government and national Government levels. The reasons can vary: they may be social, cultural, structural, institutional, or often a perceived lack of knowledge. As we celebrate International Women�s Day, what steps is the Minister taking to address those barriers and encourage women in rural areas to access and engage with politics?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Pat McFadden and Sarah Dyke

Thursday 23rd January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

T6. More than 170 tonnes of illegal meat products have been seized at the port of Dover since 2022. Given the biosecurity threat posed by African swine fever and foot and mouth disease to more than 800 farms in my constituency, alongside thousands of others up and down the country, what steps is the right hon. Gentleman taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure national security and protect British agriculture? I am sure that a statement would be very welcome.

[Pat McFadden]

As I said in response to the shadow Minister, we take the threat of foot and mouth in particular very seriously. We want to work with our farmers and protect them. This is a matter of national security, but it is also a matter of making sure that Great British farming is not affected by the outbreak in Germany.