Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the (a) farming, (b) rural and (c) game sports industries on changes to shotgun licensing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation shortly.
No decisions have yet been made on whether and what changes might be necessary. Our approach will be informed by the public consultation, and we will consider the views put forward before deciding on what further action to take. We will then provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that the Government intends to bring forward.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she intends to publish the consultation into licensing controls for shotguns.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation shortly.
No decisions have yet been made on whether and what changes might be necessary. Our approach will be informed by the public consultation, and we will consider the views put forward before deciding on what further action to take. We will then provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that the Government intends to bring forward.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of imported agricultural produce on farm-gate prices for British farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, Defra will uphold high food and animal welfare standards. The Government recognises concerns about methods of production not permitted in the UK.
While production methods vary in line with different climates, diseases and other contextual reasons, Defra will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact this might have. Where necessary, Defra is prepared to use the full range of powers at its disposal to protect the most sensitive sectors.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out the agreed definition of being housebound that is used by the NHS; and under what circumstances is a person's status from being classed as housebound.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the commissioner to ensure patients registered with a general practice (GP) have access to urgent care when they are at home and unable to attend the practice they are registered with.
Under the GP Contract, GPs are required to provide services to a patient outside of practice premises, for instance via a home visit, in instances where the practice considers that a consultation is required, and it would be inappropriate for the patient to attend the practice.
Commonly, a patient is considered housebound if they cannot leave their home environment due to physical or psychological illness.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate has been made of the economic impact of housing (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in Ipswich.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office works closely with local authorities and takes into account the pressures associated with providing asylum accommodation. We continue to engage with local authorities to manage these impacts, including on their wider statutory responsibilities and local plans.
To support this work, the Home Office administers a range of grants to help local authorities meet the costs of accommodating asylum seekers.
Costs associated with asylum accommodation and support are reported at a national level in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data her Department holds on the number of farms that have become (a) insolvent and (b) ceased trading in the last three years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The numbers of companies with Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2007 code 011, 012, 013, 014, 015 and 016 that entered insolvency in the UK in the last three years (2023 to 2025) are presented in the table below. This information has been provided by the Department for Business and Trade.
Calendar Year | Companies Entering Insolvency |
2023 | 63 |
2024 | 80 |
2025 | 67 |
The Insolvency Service’s Monthly Company Insolvencies Official Statistics Publication provides more information and a breakdown of SIC codes.
Information on business closures for farms is best obtained from the Office for National Statistics’ quarterly business demography publication. This release is regarded as ‘official statistics in development’. However, it is not possible to separately identify farm closures from within the published group which contains them, which is ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’.
Business closures in the UK for Agriculture, forestry and fishing from the first quarter of 2023 until the fourth quarter of 2025 are shown in the table below.
UK Agriculture, forestry and fishing business closures
Period | Business Closures |
Q1 | 1310 |
Q2 | 1260 |
Q3 | 1975 |
Q4 | 990 |
2023 total | 5535 |
Q1 | 1090 |
Q2 | 1525 |
Q3 | 1200 |
Q4 | 1055 |
2024 total | 4870 |
Q1 | 1885 |
Q2 | 1645 |
Q3 | 1355 |
Q4 | 1505 |
2025 total | 6390 |
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of housing (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in Ipswich on social cohesion.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We have a set of Asylum Accommodation Plans which take an evidence-based approach to the procurement and occupancy of Dispersal Accommodation; ensuring we are finding suitable accommodation to fulfil our statutory duty, while considering the impacts on local areas.
The Home Office continues to work with local government to allocate asylum seekers based on a range of evidence, including the availability of housing, pressure on services and community cohesion.
Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Suffolk County Council on the (a) social and (b) economic impact of housing (i) refugees and (ii) asylum seekers on the local area.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office continues to work closely with local authorities to manage all the pressures arising from the provision of asylum accommodation including the impact on wider local authority obligations and plans.
The Home Office has delivered various grants through which we provide funds to support local authorities housing asylum seekers.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect British agricultural produce from foreign competition.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Strengthening food security by supporting our farmers and food producers is a priority for this Government. Defra is backing British farmers to create a productive, profitable and sustainable future for farming.
As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, Defra will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. Defra recognises concerns about methods of production which are not permitted in the UK.
While production methods vary in line with different climates, diseases and other contextual reasons, Defra will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, Defra will be prepared to use the full range of powers at our disposal to protect our most sensitive sectors.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of funding the construction of a Northern Bypass around Ipswich.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Ipswich Northern Bypass was a scheme developed by Suffolk County Council, who are the Local Transport Authority for this region. A decision was taken locally by Suffolk County Council to withdraw the scheme back in 2020.
Suffolk County Council did not engage with the Department on the scheme and did not submit a Strategic Outline Business Case before withdrawing it. As a result, the Department has never been in a position to assess the proposal.
The department would go through the relevant assessment process if this or other schemes were put forward and if funding became available in the future.