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 discussions he has had with (a) social care providers and (b) local authorities on ensuring (i) choice, (ii) control and (ii) flexibility in the provision of care as enshrined in the Care Act 2014.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to working in partnership with social care professionals and providers, local authorities, and crucially the people who draw on care and support, to give people more choice and control over their care.
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate services.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing local authorities' delivery of their adult social care duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. The assessments undertaken by CQC identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, helping us to target support where it is most needed. If CQC identifies a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
What steps her Department is taking to improve standards in the private rented sector in Bournemouth East constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our Renters’ Rights Bill will deliver the government’s manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by applying a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector to drive up standards within it.
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, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing Mayoral Strategic Authorities with statutory duties on play via the proposed English Devolution Bill.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that formal play spaces and recreational areas should not be built on unless they are no longer needed, equivalent or better alternatives are provided, or the new development is for alternative sports or recreational provision which offers greater benefits.
The Government believes that individual local authorities are best placed to make local planning decisions. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will introduce powers for strategic authorities to produce strategic spatial plans for their area. These powers are about planning for growth across a larger than local area, and do not include specific duties in relation to play. Local planning authorities will still be responsible for developing and agreeing a Local Plan in line with the strategic spatial plan and it is at this level that specific decisions about issues like playgrounds would be made.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of exempting DIY loft insultation from VAT.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs), including insulation materials, in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027. After this, they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent.
Insulation products purchased for DIY insulation are subject to the standard rate of VAT at 20 per cent, which applies to most goods and services. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
One of the key considerations when assessing a new VAT relief is whether the cost saving is likely to be passed on to consumers. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates. The Government has no current plans to introduce a VAT relief on the sale of insulation productions, but the Government keeps all taxes under review.
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, when she plans to introduce the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 24890 on 29 January 2024.
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 help tackle the (a) consumption and (b) sale of monkey dust.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to reducing the harm caused to individuals and communities from drugs. This is vital to our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes, break down barriers to opportunities for all and contribute to economic growth.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned in May 2023 by the then Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire to provide an updated harms assessment of 3',4'-Methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and other synthetic cathinones (sometimes sold as “monkey dust”) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
On 3 February 2025, the ACMD’s report was published. Their assessment considered the harms and controls of synthetic cathinones, and it includes recommendations to reduce their harm across the UK. Although no specific assessment has been made about the sale and crime trends, the ACMD report does comment on the social harms and the association of synthetic cathinones with violent behaviour.
The Home Office will give careful consideration to the ACMD’s recommendations and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs's review into Synthetic cathinones published on 3 February 2025.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to reducing the harm caused to individuals and communities from drugs. This is vital to our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes, break down barriers to opportunities for all and contribute to economic growth.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned in May 2023 by the then Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire to provide an updated harms assessment of 3',4'-Methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and other synthetic cathinones (sometimes sold as “monkey dust”) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
On 3 February 2025, the ACMD’s report was published. Their assessment considered the harms and controls of synthetic cathinones, and it includes recommendations to reduce their harm across the UK. Although no specific assessment has been made about the sale and crime trends, the ACMD report does comment on the social harms and the association of synthetic cathinones with violent behaviour.
The Home Office will give careful consideration to the ACMD’s recommendations and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the sale of monkey dust on trends in the level of crime.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to reducing the harm caused to individuals and communities from drugs. This is vital to our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes, break down barriers to opportunities for all and contribute to economic growth.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned in May 2023 by the then Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire to provide an updated harms assessment of 3',4'-Methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and other synthetic cathinones (sometimes sold as “monkey dust”) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
On 3 February 2025, the ACMD’s report was published. Their assessment considered the harms and controls of synthetic cathinones, and it includes recommendations to reduce their harm across the UK. Although no specific assessment has been made about the sale and crime trends, the ACMD report does comment on the social harms and the association of synthetic cathinones with violent behaviour.
The Home Office will give careful consideration to the ACMD’s recommendations and will respond in due course.
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 increase accessible holiday club provision for SEN children requiring one to one support.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This year, the government is again investing over £200 million in the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, with all local authorities in England. The programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families, benefiting their health, wellbeing and learning.
The HAF programme funding is primarily for school aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals (FSM).
While the majority of funding that local authorities receive should be used for holiday club places for children in receipt of FSM, local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children, who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision.
Local authorities are responsible for understanding the needs of the children and families in their area and ensuring that the programme reaches those who need it. In addition, they have flexibility in how the programme can be delivered to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or additional needs, who are in receipt of FSM, ensuring it is tailored to meet the needs of those children and their families.
The department’s guidance on the HAF programme 2024 provides key points for local authorities to consider when designing provisions for children with SEND or additional needs. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme/holiday-activites-and-food-programme-2024.
The department encourages local authorities to engage with local and national organisations, including special schools with expertise in working with children with SEND or additional needs. Local authorities are obligated to include the numbers of children with SEND or additional needs who have participated in their programme in their post provision reporting to us.
Local authorities must ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review (including its sufficiency), working with parents, young people and providers.
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, when will the allocation of GP funding for 2025-26 be published.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024 we announced a proposed funding uplift for general practices (GPs) in 2025/26 of £889 million, representing a 7.2% cash growth, estimated to be an approximately 4.8% real terms growth. This is the largest uplift to GP funding since 2019 and means that we are reversing the recent trend, with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to GPs.
We started consulting with the General Practitioners Committee in England, of the British Medical Association, on the 2025/26 GP Contract on 19 December 2024, and will consider all proposed policy changes alongside the funding uplift. The final changes will be announced in the usual way following the close of the consultation in 2025.