Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to evaluate the impact of Phase One of her Plan for Neighbourhoods; and whether she plans for Phase Two to include neighbourhoods beyond the initial 75 identified.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The new £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 75 communities across the UK, a long-term commitment to building the foundations to kickstart local growth and drive-up living standards. We will publish a monitoring and evaluation strategy in due course.
The current 75 places that are part of the programme were all selected via a selection methodology that has been published on gov.uk here. Expanding the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme would be a decision for the upcoming Spending Review. The Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister have been clear that the Spending Review will need to support the delivery of the government’s plan for a decade of national renewal and raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools teach about the environment.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The national curriculum in England provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own curricula. Topics related to the environment can be taught within all key stages of the science and geography curricula. They can also be taught within the citizenship curriculum, which is compulsory at key stages 3 and 4.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review Group published an interim report on 18 March, and the final report with recommendations will be published in the autumn.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS is taking to help ensure that Dorset Police are able to refer convicted stalkers for mental health interventions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Liaison and Diversion services in Dorset work closely with the police and other parts of the criminal justice system to identify people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, or other issues when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants, or convicted offenders.
The aim is to improve overall health outcomes and to reduce re-offending through early identification of possible need, putting in place the right support from the start, including mental health support, and reducing the likelihood that they will reach a crisis point.
The service can then support them through the criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care support, or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system, where appropriate.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on UK Nationals being able to stay in the Schengen Zone for only 90 in every 180 days.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
HMG officials and Ministers regularly engage the EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens short-term visa-free travel for up to six months. Meanwhile, the EU allows for travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. This may require a visa and/or permit.The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters Rights Bill on landlords with fewer than five properties.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
83% of landlords own fewer than five properties, representing 51% of tenancies. It is essential that our Renters’ Rights Bill provides confidence for good landlords, whether they have small or larger portfolios.
The government values responsible landlords who provide quality homes to their tenants and believes they must enjoy robust grounds for possession where there is good reason to take their property back.
The Department published an Impact Assessment on 22 November 2024. It received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the training available to magistrates on stalking protection orders.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Stalking Protection Orders are civil orders introduced in 2020 by the Stalking Protection Act 2019. The orders can be applied for by the police in the magistrates’ courts. As in all cases heard in the magistrates’ courts, magistrates will sit with a legal adviser who will advise on the law, practice and procedure to be applied in each case.
To preserve judicial independence, statutory responsibility for the training of magistrates rests with the Lady Chief Justice and is exercised through the Judicial College. All magistrates and HMCTS legal advisers who support them receive induction and continuation training. This includes structured judicial decision-making and guidance and training as appropriate when new legislation is being implemented. Guidance and training are kept under review and regularly updated as appropriate to reflect legislative or other changes.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to provide powers to the police to take enforcement action against the illegal use of e-scooters on the public highway.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission. We are giving police the powers they need to tackle anti-social vehicles including the illegal use of e-scooters, to make it easier for them to seize these vehicles from offenders and dispose of them.
On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to against illegal use of e-scooters involved in anti-social behaviour with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.
This will strengthen the law and send a clear message that this sort of behaviour is not tolerated.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislation to limit the speed of e-scooters.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
E-scooters used as part of the ongoing e-scooter trials are already limited to 15.5mph.
Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and enforcement is a matter for the police. No policy decisions on micromobility or e-scooter regulations have yet been made. The Department will consult on any new proposed regulations before they come into force, including on maximum speeds.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the sale of private e-scooters on public safety.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden either on roads or on pavements. Enforcement of illegal and/or irresponsible e-scooter use is a matter for the police. Users can face fines and fixed penalty notices, criminal prosecution, points on their driving licence, and have their e-scooter impounded.
Statistics on road collisions are collected via data reported to the Department by police forces. Provisionally, there were an estimated 1,194 casualties in collisions involving private or rental e-scooters in year ending June 2024, compared to 1,413 in the year ending June 2023.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the (a) sale and (b) import of devices which allow the 15.5 mph speed limit to be removed.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Whilst the department has no plans to make an assessment on this, product safety laws already set requirements for the safety of consumer products placed on the market. This includes e-bikes and related accessories. Manufacturers and importers must ensure that their products comply with this legislation, and distributors must not supply products that they know, or should know, to be dangerous.
The Government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will provide powers to further strengthen our product safety framework.