Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on improving broadband connectivity in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises not included in suppliers' commercial plans.
As of the end of March 2024, over one million premises had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.
More than £2.3 billion of contracts have already been signed to connect over one million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband, predominantly in rural areas.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how minimum energy efficiency standards take into account properties which are not occupied for less than half of the period between 1 October and 30 April.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of April 2020, privately rented homes in England and Wales are required to meet the minimum standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) E before they can be let, unless a valid exemption applies. The regulations are applicable if a property is let on an assured tenancy, regulated tenancy, or domestic agricultural tenancy, and legally required to have an EPC. There is more information and guidance on the requirement to have an EPC available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to lower waiting times for speech therapy for children.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department continues to improve access to speech and language therapy by including the ‘Early Language and Support for Every Child’ (ELSEC) pathfinder project, in partnership with NHS England and within the department’s existing Change Programme. This is delivered across nine pathfinder sites, with one in each English region.
The interim programme evaluation allows the department to explore insights into the effectiveness of ELSEC delivery at a local level. Highlight reporting data shows that therapy support teams have helped around 20,000 children so far and just over 3000 setting staff have been upskilled in delivering interventions. A final evaluation will take place following the end of the summer term 2025.
The department is continuing funding support for the 11,100 schools registered for the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme. As of March 2025, as part of NELI, 47,982 pupils undertook an initial Language Screen assessment in the 2024/25 academic year.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department provides to farmers for laying hens.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant was recently offered to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England. It supports these farmers to improve the health, welfare, and productivity of their flocks through access to £22.6 million in grants towards the cost of upgrading their housing. Applications closed on 18 September 2024 and all applicants have been contacted to notify them of next steps.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has has with relevant stakeholders on the provision of sustainable funding for transforming (a) palliative and (b) end of life care services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
I also recently met Rachael Maskell MP and Baroness Finlay to discuss the progress of their independent commission into palliative and end of life care.
As part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners.
We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on physical infrastructure access pricing for full fibre broadband.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ofcom’s Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) framework supports market entry and expansion by alternative network operators via access to Openreach’s ducts, poles, and other utility infrastructure.
Ofcom has powers to impose access conditions on electronic communications networks, enabling third party infrastructure access on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, and without undue discrimination.
My officials meet with Ofcom on a regular basis to discuss a range of regulatory issues including PIA. The Government supports this framework but will not intervene in independent Ofcom decisions regarding fee pricing structure or the adequacy of the current level of fees.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current level of Physical Infrastructure Access fees.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ofcom’s Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) framework supports market entry and expansion by alternative network operators via access to Openreach’s ducts, poles, and other utility infrastructure.
Ofcom has powers to impose access conditions on electronic communications networks, enabling third party infrastructure access on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, and without undue discrimination.
My officials meet with Ofcom on a regular basis to discuss a range of regulatory issues including PIA. The Government supports this framework but will not intervene in independent Ofcom decisions regarding fee pricing structure or the adequacy of the current level of fees.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for the Home Office to tackle freight crime; and what assessment she has made of the merits of targeting the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme funding at areas with high rates of freight crime.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime can have on businesses and drivers. Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are tackling crime and restoring public confidence in policing and the wider criminal justice system.
Alongside the Home Office Minister of State for Policing and Crime Reduction, I met Rachel Taylor MP, Chair of the APPG for Freight and Logistics on 26 March to discuss the impact of freight crime.
The Home Office continues to work closely with the police and the wider automotive industry to ensure our response to vehicle crime, including freight crime, is as strong as it can be.
The Department for Transport’s HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme is providing up to £43.5 million of joint investment with industry to upgrade HGV parking and driver welfare facilities across England. This investment has been allocated and is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve security, toilets, showers and refreshment facilities and increase lorry parking spaces.
This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities, including Motorway Service Areas, along the strategic roads network.
Future funding for financial years beyond 25/26 and its potential targeting towards high freight crime areas is subject to the Spending Review.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the the merits of extending the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme beyond the current funding period.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime can have on businesses and drivers. Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are tackling crime and restoring public confidence in policing and the wider criminal justice system.
Alongside the Home Office Minister of State for Policing and Crime Reduction, I met Rachel Taylor MP, Chair of the APPG for Freight and Logistics on 26 March to discuss the impact of freight crime.
The Home Office continues to work closely with the police and the wider automotive industry to ensure our response to vehicle crime, including freight crime, is as strong as it can be.
The Department for Transport’s HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme is providing up to £43.5 million of joint investment with industry to upgrade HGV parking and driver welfare facilities across England. This investment has been allocated and is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve security, toilets, showers and refreshment facilities and increase lorry parking spaces.
This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities, including Motorway Service Areas, along the strategic roads network.
Future funding for financial years beyond 25/26 and its potential targeting towards high freight crime areas is subject to the Spending Review.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the distribution of funding for research and development across (a) England, (b) Norfolk and (c) South West Norfolk constituency.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT's R&D budget is rising to £13.9 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, a real terms increase of 8.5% compared to 2024/25. This will include investments in our R&D system in every region of the UK.
In 2023/24, UKRI invested £8,357 million in England, £141 million in Norfolk and £0.5 million in South West Norfolk.
UKRI’s investments in Norfolk include £317 million for Norwich Research Park to establish a pioneering plant and microbial research hub by 2030.