Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average number of patients per GP is in (a) Wiltshire (b) England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of 31 March 2025, the median number of full time equivalent doctors in general practice (GP) per 10,000 registered patients was:
GPs employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme are not included as they are employed by primary care networks (PCNs), rather than directly by practices. PCNs’ work may occur across county borders, so it is not possible to say how many PCN employed staff work in Wiltshire.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practices there (a) are (b) were in 2019 in Wiltshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of February 2025, there were 45 main practices and 28 branch practices in Wiltshire. This compares to 47 main practices and 27 branch practices in December 2019.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to implement the supervised tooth-brushing scheme for children in Wiltshire; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the scheme is available in Chippenham.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 7 March 2025, we confirmed plans to implement targeted supervised toothbrushing programme to reach up to 600,000 children between three and five years old in the most deprived areas of England. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supervised-toothbrushing-for-children-to-prevent-tooth-decay
£11 million of additional funding for 2025/26 has been allocated to eligible local authorities, including Wiltshire Council, through the Public Health Grant. Full details are available at the following link:
Implementation will be led locally to ensure this targeted investment best meets local needs.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase the recruitment of dentists in (a) Chippenham and (b) Wiltshire; and how many dentists he plans to recruit in those areas by 31 December 2025.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For Chippenham and Wiltshire, this is Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB.
ICBs have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 10 March 2025, in England, 45 dentists have commenced in post and a further 36 dentists have been recruited but are yet to start in post.
To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to (a) monitor and (b) assess the impact of the Dentistry Rescue Plan in (i) Wiltshire and (ii) Chippenham; and what criteria he uses to assess improved access to NHS dental services in those areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s ambition is to make sure that everyone who needs dental treatment can access a dentist. The Government will tackle the immediate crisis with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.
We are working with NHS England, the NHS Business Services Authority, and the integrated care boards to set out the requirements for monitoring and reporting progress against the 700,000 urgent appointments, which will enable us to identify where further support is needed. Data on the number of dentists recruited under the Golden Hello scheme is regularly collected by NHS England.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to maintain the current number of driving test centres in rural communities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2025 on levels of electric vehicle adoption; and what impact these changes will have on owners of zero-emission vehicles registered between 2017 and 2025 which will move from a £0 rate to the standard rate of £190-£195 per year.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. As announced by the Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, zero emission and hybrid cars, vans and motorcycles will begin to pay VED in a similar way to petrol and diesel vehicles. Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.
The Policy Costings document and Tax Information and Impact Note published alongside Autumn Statement 2022 when the change was announced both estimate the impact on zero emission vehicle take-up to be ‘minimal’.
The Tax Information and Impact Note also sets out expected economic, equalities and other impacts of the changes, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025.
The Government is committed to supporting the transition to zero emission vehicles and announced a number of measures at Autumn Budget 2024 to support zero emission vehicle take-up. From 1 April 2025, VED First Year Rates have changed to apply higher rates to hybrid, petrol and diesel vehicles.
The Government has also maintained incentives for the purchase of zero emission vehicles within the Company Car Tax and Salary Sacrifice regimes until 2030, and extended the 100% First Year Allowances for businesses purchasing zero emission cars and installing chargepoint infrastructure.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) urban and (b) rural access to pharmacies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.
Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.
Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.
The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.
In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of high street pharmacies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.
Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.
Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.
The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.
In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.