Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an estimate of the number of FTE GPs at surgeries in the Witham constituency over each of the next five years.

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

Whilst no specific estimate has been made, total full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) in Witham constituency have increased from 32.9 in April 2022 to 43.29 in April 2026.

As independent businesses that hold contracts with the National Health Service, general practices determine the staffing skill mix to best suit the patients they serve. GP services are commissioned and assured by integrated care boards to meet the needs of changing populations and demographics.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much bilateral ODA funding is planned to be provided to Mauritius (a) this year and (b) in each of the next five years.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the information available on Official Development Assistance-funded programmes, via the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Development Tracker website, and to the upcoming publication of the FCDO's Annual Report and Accounts for 2025/26, which will set out programme outturn for that financial year and plans for the period up to the end of 2028/29.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what value of resources (a) have been provided since 22 May 2025; and (b) will be provided to Mauritius under the UK-Mauritius Strategic Partnership Framework in each of the next five years.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the information available on Official Development Assistance-funded programmes, via the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Development Tracker website, and to the upcoming publication of the FCDO's Annual Report and Accounts for 2025/26, which will set out programme outturn for that financial year and plans for the period up to the end of 2028/29.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the levels of Government grants to be provided to each of the proposed unitary authorities under his proposals for local government reorganisation to support their respective general funds in (a) 2028/29; (b) 2029/30; and (c) 2030/31.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As part of the local government reorganisation process, councils were required to set out assessments of implementation and transition costs within their proposals. It is expected that councils will be able to meet these costs over time from existing budgets, including from the flexible use of capital receipts that can support authorities in taking forward transformation and invest-to-save projects.

Alongside this, the Government has announced up to £63 million in capacity funding to support councils going through local government reorganisation. £4.5m is being allocated to councils in Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

We have delivered the first multi-year settlement in a decade, setting out funding allocations for local authorities for three years, up to 2028-29. As we set out at the provisional Settlement in December, the division of the funding in the multi-year settlement between new unitary councils is a decision for local areas to take.

It is important that these allocations are determined locally because local authorities hold the knowledge and experience needed to assess the level of need and resources at a sub-local authority level. Between now and the end of the multi-year Settlement, there will be another Spending Review which will determine arrangements for 2029-30 and beyond.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the costs to the public purse of local government reorganisation in Essex.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As part of the local government reorganisation process, councils were required to set out assessments of implementation and transition costs within their proposals. It is expected that councils will be able to meet these costs over time from existing budgets, including from the flexible use of capital receipts that can support authorities in taking forward transformation and invest-to-save projects.

Alongside this, the Government has announced up to £63 million in capacity funding to support councils going through local government reorganisation. £4.5m is being allocated to councils in Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

We have delivered the first multi-year settlement in a decade, setting out funding allocations for local authorities for three years, up to 2028-29. As we set out at the provisional Settlement in December, the division of the funding in the multi-year settlement between new unitary councils is a decision for local areas to take.

It is important that these allocations are determined locally because local authorities hold the knowledge and experience needed to assess the level of need and resources at a sub-local authority level. Between now and the end of the multi-year Settlement, there will be another Spending Review which will determine arrangements for 2029-30 and beyond.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has for staffing reductions; and what the forecast staffing levels in her Department are over each of the next five years.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The position remains as originally set out to the Rt Hon Member in the response of 14 July 2025 to her Question 64726. The Department will continue to update the House on progress with the implementation of the FCDO2030 programme, as and when there are significant developments or milestones to report.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the number of pupils in Witham that will have an EHCP in each of the next five years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department does not hold this data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether provision for capital investment in (a) new; and (b) updating healthcare facilities in Witham constituency is being made available over the next five years.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that National Health Service organisations have the capital investment they need to maintain and improve healthcare facilities.

Over the period between 2026/27 and 2029/30, the East of England region has been allocated significant capital funding, including £536 million from the Constitutional Standards Recovery Fund to support secondary and emergency care capacity. This funding will support investments across key areas, including diagnostics, urgent and emergency care, mental health, community care, and electives.

In addition, the region has been allocated over £277 million from the Estates Safety Fund for 2026/27 to 2029/30 to address critical infrastructure and safety risks, alongside a further indicative £346 million for estate works up to 2034/35.

Operational capital funding is also allocated to systems within the region to support day-to-day investment in NHS infrastructure and equipment. The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has been allocated over £181 million in operational capital funding for the period between 2026/27 and 2029/30, to be prioritised according to local need.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had with the Chinese government during her recent visit to that country.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the summary of the Foreign Secretary's visit to China and India published on GOV.UK (link provided below), including the wide range of issues discussed in the course of her meetings with Chinese and Indian counterparts. As part of these discussions, I can confirm that the Foreign Secretary raised the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai in China.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-completes-landmark-trip-to-china-and-india-to-bolster-uk-security

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she raised the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai during her recent visit to China.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the summary of the Foreign Secretary's visit to China and India published on GOV.UK (link provided below), including the wide range of issues discussed in the course of her meetings with Chinese and Indian counterparts. As part of these discussions, I can confirm that the Foreign Secretary raised the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai in China.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-completes-landmark-trip-to-china-and-india-to-bolster-uk-security

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support she is providing to abattoirs; what assessment she has made of the potential impact on abattoirs of the charges from the Food Standards Agency; and what discussions she has had with (a) representatives from abattoirs; (b) the Department for Health and Social Care; and (c) the Food Standards Agency on the potential implication for her policies of the judgement in [2026] EWHC 1327 (Admin).

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Food safety is non-negotiable. Vets and Meat Hygiene Inspectors carry out essential work every day that protects public health, upholds animal welfare, and underpins the £11.3 billion meat industry. The ruling does not challenge the principle of inspection charging. We know businesses will want clarity on what this will ultimately mean in practice, the FSA will provide further information as quickly as the legal process allows.

Defra engages regularly with other government departments and stakeholders across the farming, food and abattoir sector on matters within the Department’s remit.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an estimate of levels of congestion on (a) the A12 between junctions 19 and 25; and (b) the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey in each of the next 15 years compared to current levels.

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

National Highways is currently undertaking a study on the A12 (junctions 19 to 25) that includes an assessment of current and future congestion levels on the corridor. This study is expected conclude by the end of this year.

National Highways is not currently undertaking a specific study to assess levels of congestion on the A120 corridor in each of the next 15 years compared to current levels.

The Local Plan process requires Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to assess the impacts of proposed growth allocations, including impacts on the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The LPAs of Chelmsford, Braintree, and Colchester are all in the process of updating their respective Local Plans. This work is ongoing and continues to build towards a fuller understanding of potential future impacts.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) what funding she has made available for improvements to (a) safety; and (b) junctions between Junctions 19 and 25 on the A12 in each of the next five years; and (2) what funding she has made available for improvements to (a) safety; and (b) junctions between Braintree and Marks Tey on the A120 in each of the next five years.

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

We have committed over £27 billion to deliver the objectives set out in the third Road Investment Strategy to ensure the strategic road network continues to serve all users effectively. This includes £24.99 billion for National Highways to operate, maintain, renew, and enhance the network during this period covering 2026–31. National Highways is responsible for determining how this funding is best allocated to deliver the objectives of the third Road Investment Strategy.

For the A12 in Essex, National Highways forecasts a spend of c. £55 million for various capital renewals over the next five years, with £4.8 million allocated in 2026–27 and the remainder to be confirmed annually.

For the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey, c. £5.6 million has been allocated for various capital renewals for the next five years, including £3.2 million in 2026–27, with the remainder to be confirmed annually.

This investment enables safety and network resilience works and varies based on network needs, and could include measures such as improving road surfaces, visibility, and renewing ageing structural assets.

National Highways is also exploring proportionate, targeted small-scale interventions on the A12 corridor in Essex, subject to demonstrating alignment with wider government objectives for potential delivery in future road periods.