Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers in Kent to hire more apprentices.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, backed by £1 billion of additional investment, which will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and give employers, including in Kent, greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need to grow and succeed.
As of August, the Government now fully funds apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s for employers of all sizes.
To support non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people, we have introduced a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant.
We also provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care.
These payments can be added together where the employer and/or apprentice are eligible.
The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises around 3,000 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England, including in Kent, through nine regional networks which provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support and training is available to school leadership teams to help tackle incidents of a) racism and b) other forms of discrimination against i) pupils and ii) staff.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There is no place for any form of discrimination in our schools, and we are committed to ensuring that pupils and staff feel safe and supported.
The department’s Educate Against Hate website provides free, quality assured resources and guidance to help teachers challenge prejudice and build resilience to racism and other forms of discrimination. When incidents occur, we work closely with schools, trusts and local partners to provide timely and proportionate support.
The department also publishes guidance on preventing and tackling harassment against school staff, including discriminatory behaviour and bullying.
As part of the department’s wider commitment to combating discrimination, we have allocated £7 million to strengthen action against antisemitism in education, which includes a £1 million innovation fund. Sir David Bell’s review into antisemitism in schools and colleges will also provide further support and guidance for school leaders on preventing and responding to antisemitism.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many incidents of racism against a) pupils and b) staff were reported in schools in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not centrally collect data on the number of reported incidents of racism against pupils or staff in schools in England and therefore does not hold the information requested.
The department publishes guidance for schools on preventing and tackling bullying and, more recently, on preventing and tackling the bullying and harassment of school staff. This is avaiable at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-bullying; and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying-and-harassment-of-school-staff/preventing-and-tackling-the-bullying-and-harassment-of-school-staff. Schools are expected to have appropriate policies and procedures in place to address bullying and discriminatory behaviour.
School leaders are responsible for ensuring that schools comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010, including taking appropriate action to prevent and tackle discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Schools are expected to have effective behaviour and anti-bullying policies in place and to address incidents of racist abuse when they occur.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of rising fuel prices on the competitiveness of coach operators based in Kent.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the impact of cost increases on the coach sector, and we will continue to monitor developments closely. The Government has taken action to help support businesses with these increased costs, including extending the 5p fuel duty cut until the end of the year, benefitting coach operators, including in Kent.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the international recruitment regional fund beyond the end of this financial year.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The data requested is not held centrally by the Department of Health and Social Care. On wider immigration issues, the Home Office consultation on Earned Settlement closed in February 2026 and responses are currently being analysed. The Home Office will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many displaced care workers there were in a) Kent, b) the South East and c) England on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The data requested is not held centrally by the Department of Health and Social Care. On wider immigration issues, the Home Office consultation on Earned Settlement closed in February 2026 and responses are currently being analysed. The Home Office will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that patients are able to continue to receive hormone replacement treatment if there is an interruption to their shared care agreement.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Shared care arrangements are voluntary and involve a specialist clinician transferring responsibility for some aspects of a patient’s care, such as prescribing medicines, to a general practitioner. If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place or is interrupted, responsibility for ongoing prescribing remains with the specialist clinician responsible for the patient’s treatment.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve a) broadband coverage and b) phone signal in rural areas in Kent.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is delivering gigabit broadband to 99% of UK premises by 2032 through a mix of commercial and subsidised roll-out and has an ambition for all populated areas to be able to access higher quality standalone 5G by 2030; this includes rural communities.
Subsidised broadband connections to harder to reach premises are being delivered via Project Gigabit. 8,750 premises across the 13 local authority districts in Kent are included in the scope of a Project Gigabit contract being delivered by CityFibre, of which c.2,550 premises have already received a gigabit-capable connection via the contract.
Following a recent consultation with suppliers on their capability and interest in further delivery through Project Gigabit in the areas previously covered by CityFibre’s contract, a procurement is now under way with Openreach for a new contract to provide coverage to as many of the remaining premises as possible in Kent.
Regarding mobile phone signal improvements, the rollout of higher quality standalone 5G is commercially led by the network operators, and all three have committed significant investment plans which align with the Government’s ambition. Government is undertaking a Mobile Market Review to assess what further action Government can take to support the sector in delivering comprehensive, high-quality connectivity; we expect to set out next steps later this year.
Government also remains committed to unlocking the barriers to the deployment of digital infrastructure. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to address broadband rollout in leasehold flats (multi-dwelling units). It was confirmed in the King’s Speech on 13 May that our proposed leasehold measures are being taken forward through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. In addition, we are pursuing reforms to the mobile planning system in England with MHCLG. Both Departments are carefully considering responses to the recent joint call for evidence on planning reform and we will determine next steps in due course.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department is having with the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum, National Highways, and other stakeholders on eliminating the need for the deployment of Operation Brock to be deployed on the M20.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department continues to work closely with the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum, National Highways, Kent County Council, and other local partners to ensure that traffic management arrangements in Kent remain effective, proportionate and responsive to changing risks.
Operation Brock remains a contingency measure designed to protect the strategic road network, maintain access for local communities and businesses, and support the continued flow of freight through the Short Straits during periods of disruption. Decisions on its deployment are kept under regular review through established multi-agency arrangements, led locally by the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum, so that Brock is used only where it is necessary and proportionate.
The government recognises the impact that Operation Brock can have on road users and communities in Kent and is committed to working with partners to reduce that impact wherever possible. The department, National Highways and local partners are actively considering longer-term options that could lessen reliance on queuing HGVs on the M20, including approaches that make better use of technology to manage freight movements and provide greater resilience through off-road holding capacity.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing regulations for standard fines in car parks owned by private operators.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan
The government is carefully considering options on the level of the private parking charge cap as part of its work to introduce a new private parking Code of Practice.
The government intends to lay this new Code before parliament in autumn 2026.