Sarah Dyke

Government is committed to providing redress to individuals affected by the Horizon scandal as quickly as possible. We continue to seek options to speed up redress, in discussion with the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board. For example, on the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme we have recently committed to providing offers on fully completed claims within 40 working days in 90% of cases, in line with our commitment on the GLO scheme. As of 30 September 2024, approximately £363 million has been paid to over 2,900 claimants across the available schemes.

Setting a target of March 2025 for every sub-postmaster affected by failures in the Horizon Scandal to receive compensation in full could put pressure on vulnerable postmasters who may need more time to finalise their claim with their legal representatives, or to respond to offers. It could also rule out new potential claimants, who are still coming forward.

Businesses across the country, including those in rural areas, can access support through their local Growth Hubs. DBT is committed to helping rural businesses to boost exports, improve access to finance, stamp out late payment practices and compete for public procurement contracts.

The Government is committed to ensuring justice and financial redress is delivered as swiftly as possible for postmasters affected by the Horizon IT Scandal, whether that is through the redress schemes that are already operating or the new scheme which we intend to launch before the end of this month for those whose convictions have been overturned by the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act and the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Act.

The latest published data shows that between April 2022 and March 2023, 90% of premises benefiting from publicly-subsidised broadband rollout, including Project Gigabit, were rural.

Almost £2 billion of contracts have been signed to connect over a million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband. These are premises that would otherwise not be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout, and fall predominantly in rural areas.

At the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a new UN Plastics Treaty, the UK will align with our domestic policy on any provisions related to chemical recycling, including mass balance.

Therefore, where relevant we will recognise that chemical recycling technologies can offer a complementary route to support the transition towards a circular economy, where mechanical recycling is unfeasible or uneconomic and where this waste may otherwise be incinerated.

There are no proposals in the Treaty on the mass balance approach. Through their recent consultation response following Autumn Budget, His Majesty’s Treasury confirmed acceptance of using a mass balance approach to calculate chemically recycled content in plastic packaging for the purposes of the Plastic Packaging Tax in the UK.

The Government is committed to playing a leading role at the forthcoming fifth intergovernmental negotiating committee to ensure an effective plastic pollution treaty is agreed which addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.

Funding will be needed from all sources, public and private, to support an effective treaty and should leverage synergies with funding to support other global environmental challenges. The level of funding will depend on the outcomes of negotiations on control measures and the associated assessments of the support required for their implementation.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across all four nations will include single-use drinks containers from 150ml to 3 litres.

In England and Northern Ireland, materials included in DRS are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel, and aluminium drink containers. Glass will not be in scope of the scheme.

Across the UK, it is estimated that approximately 4 billion plastic and 2.5 billion metal drinks containers are not recycled every year – a significant amount being landfilled, littered or incinerated.

Once the DRS for drinks containers is introduced, the Deposit Management Organisation will be required to reach a collection rate of 90% of DRS containers in year 3 of the scheme.

Further details, including monetary analysis on the reduction of disamenity of litter, will be provided in the DRS Final Impact Assessment. This will be published when the Statutory Instrument is laid in Parliament.

Across the UK, it is estimated that approximately 4 billion plastic and 2.5 billion metal drinks containers are not recycled every year – a significant amount being littered.

Once the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers is introduced, the Deposit Management Organisation will be required to reach a collection rate of 90% of DRS containers in year 3 of the scheme.

Delivering reliable and affordable public transport services for passengers is one of the government’s top priorities as we know how important this is for passengers and for local growth. The government is looking at the future of the £2 fare cap as a matter of urgency and is considering the most appropriate and affordable approach for the future of the scheme.

The Department also published an interim report in September 2023 setting out emerging trends in key outcomes from the first two months of the scheme. The report is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-2-bus-fare-cap/2-bus-fare-cap-evaluation-interim-report-february-2023.

The Department is undertaking a capital spend portfolio review. The review will consider a number of projects under the former Restoring Your Railway programme.

Improving bus services is a key part of this Government’s growth mission. We are determined to deliver better services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. The Government will empower local transport authorities and reform funding by giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding and allowing them to plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities. We will work closely with local authorities and mayors to understand what is needed to improve and grow their bus networks by learning from their experiences and building on their successes, and we will announce our future bus funding plans in due course.

The latest published data shows a total of 1,438 hospital beds in Somerset, in quarter four of 2023/24. This compares to a total of 1,374 hospital beds reported by National Health Service trusts in quarter four of 2014/15.

Data on NHS bed numbers is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/bed-availability-and-occupancy/bed-data-overnight/

I know that the loan charge is a very important matter for many members and their constituents. Within my first two weeks in office, I had my first meeting with campaigners to discuss the loan charge. The Chancellor and I have been considering this matter since taking office and will provide an update in due course.

According to consumer website Which?, UK banks and building societies closed over 6000 branches across the UK from January 2015 to May 2024.

The Government recognises the importance of banking to communities and high streets. The Government has therefore committed to work closely with banks to roll out at least 350 banking hubs, which provide individuals and businesses up and down the country with critical cash and banking services.