Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the workforce modelling used as the basis for the 10 Year Workforce Plan will be independent; and whether the results of that modelling will be independently assessed and tested.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have committed to updating workforce modelling which will be set out in and alongside the 10 Year Workforce Plan when published in spring 2026. This will be supported by external scrutiny to independently assess and test it.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking is to ensure that new homes are built to be flood resilient.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk (whether existing or in the future). Where development is necessary in such areas, the development should be made safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere.
The government is consulting on changes to the NPPF, including a dedicated chapter on planning for flood risk and coastal change. The consultation is open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.
If it is found to be necessary to build homes in areas of flood risk, statutory guidance accompanying the Building Regulations promotes flood resilient building work in flood-prone areas, through Approved Document C which can be found on gov.uk here. This may include adequate sub-soil drainage; use of non-return valves and anti-flooding devices on sewers and drains; water resistant construction; and provision for inspection and clearance of sub-floor voids.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending The Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 to apply to vehicles which have 16 or more seats, rather than carry 16 or more passengers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Accessible Information Regulations (AIR) 2023 were introduced to support disabled people in particular to make the journeys important to them, but accessible information is valued by a wide range of passengers.
The Department considered the scope of the Regulations carefully during their development, including through a public consultation, seeking to balance the benefits of improved accessibility with the practical and financial implications for operators—particularly those using smaller vehicles. The wording selected, including the focus on total vehicle capacity was chosen for consistency with the well-established Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000, albeit with a lower threshold in order to allow more passengers to benefit from audible and visible information.
I recognise the costs involved in achieving AIR compliance and the impact on smaller operators in particular and that is why the Department has made a £4.65 million grant available to operators with fleets of 20 vehicles or fewer to help cover the cost of installing the necessary equipment.