Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been allocated in each financial year from 2026-27 to 2028-29 for the provision of specialist domestic abuse support for deaf and disabled victims and survivors; and how that funding compares in cash and real terms with funding provided for the existing service.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As part of āFreedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girlsā, the Home Office committed to deliver specialist VAWG Helplines across England and Wales alongside 1-1 advocacy support for victims of VAWG who are least likely to be able to access support locally.
The competitions to deliver this Ā£24 million investment closed on 31 July 2026. As the competitions are still ongoing, we are unable to comment on the details beyond what has already been published. However, we can provide assurance that the Home Office is working to ensure there is no gap in provision between existing services including for disabled people and the services awarded through the competition.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Department has made of the potential effect of changes to the procurement of specialist domestic abuse support for deaf and disabled victims and survivors on (a) waiting times, (b) accessibility, (c) service quality and (d) survivor safety.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As part of āFreedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girlsā, the Home Office committed to deliver specialist VAWG Helplines across England and Wales alongside 1-1 advocacy support for victims of VAWG who are least likely to be able to access support locally.
The competitions to deliver this Ā£24 million investment closed on 31 July 2026. As the competitions are still ongoing, we are unable to comment on the details beyond what has already been published. However, we can provide assurance that the Home Office is working to ensure there is no gap in provision between existing services including for disabled people and the services awarded through the competition.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an equality impact assessment has been completed for the 2026-29 procurement of specialist domestic abuse support for deaf and disabled victims and survivors.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As part of āFreedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girlsā, the Home Office committed to deliver specialist VAWG Helplines across England and Wales alongside 1-1 advocacy support for victims of VAWG who are least likely to be able to access support locally.
The competitions to deliver this Ā£24 million investment closed on 31 July 2026. As the competitions are still ongoing, we are unable to comment on the details beyond what has already been published. However, we can provide assurance that the Home Office is working to ensure there is no gap in provision between existing services including for disabled people and the services awarded through the competition.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Department is taking to prevent an interruption to specialist British Sign Language-accessible domestic abuse support when the current funding period ends in October 2026.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As part of āFreedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girlsā, the Home Office committed to deliver specialist VAWG Helplines across England and Wales alongside 1-1 advocacy support for victims of VAWG who are least likely to be able to access support locally.
The competitions to deliver this Ā£24 million investment closed on 31 July 2026. As the competitions are still ongoing, we are unable to comment on the details beyond what has already been published. However, we can provide assurance that the Home Office is working to ensure there is no gap in provision between existing services including for disabled people and the services awarded through the competition.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the cause of the persistent odour affecting residents in Calne, Wiltshire; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Environment Agency and local authorities have the resources and enforcement powers required to identify and address the source of the smell.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency is aware of persistent odour reports in Calne and continues to treat the issue as a priority. Officers from the Environment Agencyās Wessex Area team have been deployed daily since last Thursday to investigate the source and assess any environmental impacts. They are conducting odour assessments at the times residents report the smell to be strongest, mainly late at night and early morning. These assessments are helping to establish the odourās intensity and origin and will inform any necessary regulatory action.
Defra engages closely with the Environment Agency and other agencies to review resources and enforcement powers.
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 children under the age of 18 were newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in each of the last five years, and how many of those cases involved hospital admission through accident and emergency departments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information is not held in the format requested.
Information is held on the count of finished admission episodes on emergency admissions and those made through accident and emergency (A&E) departments for patients aged between zero and 17 years old with a primary diagnosis of 'type 1 diabetes' for activity between 2020/21 to 2024/25.
Year | Total admissions (including non- emergency) | All emergency admissions (including those not made via A&E department) | Emergency admissions made via the A&E department |
2020/21 | 6,006 | 5,569 | 3,771 |
2021/22 | 7,120 | 6,561 | 4,483 |
2022/23 | 6,508 | 6,027 | 4,175 |
2023/24 | 6,271 | 5,792 | 4,179 |
2024/25 | 6,013 | 5,537 | 4,171 |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to retain dedicated payment rates for (a) organic conversion and (b) organic maintenance within the revised Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Yes, recent announcements have confirmed that DEFRA is retaining dedicated payment rates for organic conversion. Defra has also confirmed that it is removing three actions relating to maintenance of organic land; however, organic farmers will be able to apply for existing conventional actions instead of the ones removed.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new Sustainable Farming Incentive offer will include long-term organic maintenance payments that take into account the level of similar payments offered in the EU and devolved Administrations.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Defra reviews environmental scheme approaches used internationally, including those in the EU and the devolved nations, to inform our thinking. However, the department ultimately designs and implement schemes that we believe are most appropriate for England.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10% commission charge on park home residents requiring residential care in Wiltshire.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many applications for Fit and Proper Person status have been (a) granted, (b) refused and (c) granted subject to conditions since The Mobile Homes (Requirement for Manager of Site to be Fit and Proper Person) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The fit and proper person test, which applies to a site owner or the person appointed to manage a site, is intended to ensure that those managing park home sites are competent to do so.
Where properly applied by local authorities, the legislation has been shown to be effective.
Local authorities are responsible for administering the fit and proper person test. They are required to publish and maintain a register of persons they are satisfied are fit and proper persons to manage a park home site in their area. The information contained in these registers is held locally and is not held centrally.
My Department will continue to monitor the operation of the test and consider whether any changes are required.