Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure communities can access local railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To ensure communities have access to the local railways, this Government is committed to improving accessibility, customer support, and helping to remove barriers to travel for all users of public transport.
Accessibility is an important part of ensuring communities can access local railways, which is why we will soon be publishing an Accessibility Roadmap that sets out how we will deliver a more accessible railway in the lead up to Great British Railways.
The Government also looks to connect communities directly with their local train operators through initiatives such as the Customer and Communities Improvement Schemes which aims to fund community-led projects that deliver a positive social impact in local communities across the country.
The Department also provides support for the Community Rail Network and Partnerships. Community Rail initiatives take many forms across Great Britain, united by a common goal of improving accessibility, connecting people, and bringing the railway into communities. Community Rail Partnerships deliver projects which bring benefits to local communities through social, environmental and economic growth.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support local authorities to provide more rail-bus links.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government knows that public transport needs to be better integrated in order to improve the experience for passengers, providing access to services and keeping communities connected. We also know that in rural areas, bus services can be a lifeline for many and can be the only means of accessing services, including other modes of transportation such as rail links. The Government is taking action to help improve local bus services and encourage greater integration between transport modes.
We have introduced the Bus Services Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 27 October, to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders, including in rural areas. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £1 billion for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. Somerset Council has been allocated £6.8 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services and connectivity across the area.
The Government also intends to publish its long-term strategy for transport to set the vision for domestic transport across England. It will focus on creating a transport network that works well for people, including those in rural areas.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the illegal betting market on the horseracing industry.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The issue of illegal gambling is a concern for this Government and we are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.
Estimating the size of the illegal gambling market is difficult due to the changing nature of the sites and channels through which customers are able to access illegal activity. While research in this space is improving, further research is required to robustly estimate the extent of illegal gambling within Great Britain, who is engaging with it, and the impact that it is having on issues such as horseracing and tax revenues. This is a priority area of research for the Gambling Commission. We will continue to monitor the latest evidence in this area to improve our understanding of the illegal market.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the illegal betting market on revenues collected by HMRC.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The issue of illegal gambling is a concern for this Government and we are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.
Estimating the size of the illegal gambling market is difficult due to the changing nature of the sites and channels through which customers are able to access illegal activity. While research in this space is improving, further research is required to robustly estimate the extent of illegal gambling within Great Britain, who is engaging with it, and the impact that it is having on issues such as horseracing and tax revenues. This is a priority area of research for the Gambling Commission. We will continue to monitor the latest evidence in this area to improve our understanding of the illegal market.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to help children and young people understand the circular economy.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government recognises the importance of ensuring that children and young people are taught about and understand sustainability and the circular economy, which is why this topic can already be covered across a range of subjects, including science and design and technology. The national curriculum in England provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own school curriculum.
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report is due to be published this autumn, along with the government’s response. The Review is looking at where the evidence suggests that curriculum and qualifications content needs to be updated to reflect rapid social, environmental and technological change, including a greater focus on sustainability.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of pharmacy closures on neighbouring community pharmacies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in their areas. When a pharmacy closes, patients can choose to use a neighbouring pharmacy or a pharmacy near to where they work or shop. There is no restriction on the pharmacy they can nominate to dispense their prescription or where they can seek health advice. Patients may also choose to nominate a distance selling pharmacy who will deliver medicines to their homes free of charge.
Pharmacies are paid per activity which ensures that those pharmacies get paid for the additional work they take on. Pharmacies must give a minimum of three months’ notice if they intend to close permanently. This enables nearby pharmacies to plan for any increase in their activity. Occasionally, pharmacies close unexpectedly for reasons that could not have been foreseen in advance. In areas where this causes difficulties for nearby pharmacies, integrated care boards will work with the affected pharmacies.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce further financial support for community pharmacies required to take on additional dispensing of prescriptions following the closures of neighbouring community pharmacies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in their areas. When a pharmacy closes, patients can choose to use a neighbouring pharmacy or a pharmacy near to where they work or shop. There is no restriction on the pharmacy they can nominate to dispense their prescription or where they can seek health advice. Patients may also choose to nominate a distance selling pharmacy who will deliver medicines to their homes free of charge.
Pharmacies are paid per activity which ensures that those pharmacies get paid for the additional work they take on. Pharmacies must give a minimum of three months’ notice if they intend to close permanently. This enables nearby pharmacies to plan for any increase in their activity. Occasionally, pharmacies close unexpectedly for reasons that could not have been foreseen in advance. In areas where this causes difficulties for nearby pharmacies, integrated care boards will work with the affected pharmacies.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to provide additional support to (a) the Somerset Eel Recovery Project and (b) other local recovery projects to enable the (i) delivery of eel passes, (ii) habitat improvements, (iii) increased Assisted migration and (iv) local community engagement work.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In England, the Environment Agency is responsible for eel management and working with local delivery partners.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
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 adequacy of funding for the (a) Environment Agency and (b) other relevant bodies to (i) monitor and regulate pollution, (ii) assess habitat degradation, (iii) measure silver eel escapement, (iv) ensure that pumps friendly and (v) ensure that barriers are eel friendly.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter and therefore the information provided relates to England only.
The Environment Agency (EA) are responsible for eel management in England. As a non-departmental public body, the EA determine how to allocate their funding from Defra across their activities. Defra has recently committed £350,000 for research and development projects to drive improvements in eel management and conservation.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to review England and Wales’ Eel Management Plans (EMPs), in order to accelerate progress towards meeting silver eel escapement targets.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter and therefore the information provided relates to England only.
The Environment Agency (EA) are responsible for delivering EMPs in England to meet silver eel escapement targets. Defra is not planning to review EMPs at this time as the EA is progressing the delivery of EMPs.