Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Do not reduce staff-child ratios in early years childcare
Gov Responded - 17 May 2022 Debated on - 14 Nov 2022 View Vicky Ford's petition debate contributionsThe Government should not reduce the existing adult-child childcare ratios as has been suggested. There are surely better ways to reduce the cost of living – potentially endangering children in trusted care is not how it should be done.
Commission an independent review of childcare funding and affordability
Gov Responded - 23 Jun 2021 Debated on - 13 Sep 2021 View Vicky Ford's petition debate contributionsWe have the second most expensive childcare system in the world. A full time place costs, on average, £14,000 per year, making it completely unaffordable for many families. Parents are forced to leave their jobs or work fewer hours, which has a negative impact on the economy and on child poverty.
End child food poverty – no child should be going hungry
Gov Responded - 11 Nov 2020 Debated on - 24 May 2021 View Vicky Ford's petition debate contributionsGovernment should support vulnerable children & #endchildfoodpoverty by implementing 3 recommendations from the National Food Strategy to expand access to Free School Meals, provide meals & activities during holidays to stop holiday hunger & increase the value of and expand the Healthy Start scheme
Provide 15 hours free childcare to working parents for children over 9 months.
Gov Responded - 8 May 2019 Debated on - 9 Mar 2020 View Vicky Ford's petition debate contributionsAfter 9 months of maternity leave, most working mums do not receive any maternity pay and need to go back to work. I think all working parents should be entitled to 15 hours free childcare from the time a child is 9 months. It makes more sense to provide this funding from 9 months instead of 2 years
These initiatives were driven by Vicky Ford, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Vicky Ford has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Vicky Ford has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
The proposals laid down in this bill were subsequently incorporated into upcoming Building Regulations. See here for more information.
A Bill to amend building regulations to require letter boxes in new buildings to be positioned above a certain height; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to make provision requiring local authorities to exercise their functions with a view to improving and promoting regular attendance by registered pupils at schools in their area; and to make provision requiring school proprietors to have an attendance policy to promote regular attendance.
A Bill to make provision to enable local authorities to establish planning obligations relating to affordable housing in respect of the conversion of commercial property to residential use; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to make provision to enable local authorities to establish planning obligations relating to affordable housing in respect of the conversion of commercial property to residential use; and for connected purposes.
Spiking Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Richard Graham (Con)
Roadworks (Regulation) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Mark Francois (Con)
Public office (child sexual abuse) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Alexander Stafford (Con)
Flexible Working Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Whately (Con)
Domestic Energy Efficiency Plan Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Sarah Newton (Con)
Driving (Persons with Dementia) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Rachel Maclean (Con)
Pregnancy and Maternity (Redundancy Protection) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Maria Miller (Con)
Climate Change (Net Zero UK Carbon Account) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Alex Chalk (Con)
Online News Platforms (Regulation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Damien Moore (Con)
Stalking Protection Act 2019
Sponsor - Sarah Wollaston (LD)
Forensic Science Regulator Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Chris Green (Con)
Hereditary Titles (Female Succession) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Philip Davies (Con)
Postal Voting Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Damien Moore (Con)
Prisons (Substance Testing) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Bim Afolami (Con)
DiGeorge Syndrome (Review and National Health Service Duty) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - David Duguid (Con)
Discarded Needles (Offences) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Simon Clarke (Con)
The strongest protections in the Online Safety Bill are for children, and platforms will have to take proactive steps to prevent children being exposed to illegal content and behaviour, including child sexual exploitation and abuse and content assisting suicide.
Services likely to be accessed by children will also be required to protect children from other harmful material, including pornography and cyberbullying. If sites fail in their duties, they will be subject to tough enforcement action.
The department publishes statistics on schools funding at the national level, including revenue funding to state-funded schools in England for pupils aged 5 to 16, in cash and real terms. Statistics for the 2010/11 to 2023/24 financial years are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-funding-statistics.
In 2016/17 national per pupil funding in cash terms was £5,590 and in 2023/24 this had risen to £7,460 in cash terms. This represents a cumulative growth in per pupil funding since 2016/17 of 9.9% in real terms, as measured by the GDP deflator.
The published information has been designed to capture core funding for schools and be as consistent and comparable as possible across these years, given that the funding system has changed significantly during that time. It covers mainstream primary and secondary schools, special schools, alternative provision, pupil referral units and non-maintained special schools. Information about the methodology can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/school-funding-statistics-methodology. The department does not have a breakdown of this time series at local authority level, therefore equivalent figures are not available for Essex.
At local authority level, the department instead publish per pupil units of funding for the schools block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in cash terms. In 2016/17 for Essex, this was £4,392. Following changes to the funding system in 2017/18, the primary and secondary per pupil units of funding were provided separately and, in 2023/24 for Essex, these were £4,720 and £6,116 respectively. These figures are for mainstream schools only and do not include any additional grant funding outside of the DSG, such as the mainstream schools additional grant and teachers’ pay additional grant. The national equivalent to these local authority figures is £4,636 for 2016/17 and £4,954 and £6,422 for 2023/24 for primary and secondary schools respectively.
Departmental records show that between 2010 and 2017 five schools in Chelmsford constituency received or benefited from specific school improvement grants, and between 2017 and the end of December 2023 ten schools received or benefited from specific school improvement grants.
The following grants have been included in this analysis:
The department has also included grants allocated for sponsored academy conversions (2010 to date), as well as grants for transferring academies between trusts (2012 to date) because these grants may include elements for school improvement activities.
The department has limited this analysis to these grants as they can be quantified for some of the time periods requested. The department's policy of retaining financial records for seven years limits access to data before the 2016/17 financial year. Other department grants may contribute less directly to wider school improvement. In addition, many of these and other grants are allocated via academy trusts or other organisations, and so schools may benefit indirectly without being the designated recipient from department. Finally, not all grant programs have been operational throughout the entire period between 2010 and 2023.
For a summary of the grants awarded, and for relevant school-level data, please refer to the tables below:
Table 1: Summary of school improvement grants paid for supporting schools in Chelmsford constituency.
| Number of institutions in receipt of a school improvement grant and their total value | |
Grant programme | (a) 2010 to 2017 | (b) 2017to2023 (to end December 2023) |
Regional Academy Growth Fund** | RAGF 2016-2017 2 trusts each with 1 school in Chelmsford* | N/A |
Multi-academy Trust Development and Improvement Fund** | N/A* | 2 trusts, one with 2 schools and 1 with 1 school in Chelmsford* |
Trust Capacity Fund ** | N/A* | 1 trust with 2 schools in Chelmsford* |
Strategic School Improvement Capital Budget | N/A* 2010-2017 | None |
Environmental Improvement Grant | None for 2016-17. | None |
Emergency Strategic Improvement Fund | N/A as fund started in 2017-18 | None |
Sponsored conversions to academy status | 3 academies, totalling £210,000 | None |
Transfer of an academy | None | None |
School Improvement Offer | N/A* | 1 school, totalling £1,800 |
Trust and School Improvement offer | N/A* | 4 schools, totalling £16,800 |
* Grant programme not operating during this period.
** The RAGF, MDIF, and TCAF funds support growth in the capacity of academy trusts to oversee academies. Funding is allocated to trusts, and available data only reflects the total amounts received at the trust level. We are unable to attribute specific portions of the funding awarded under the RAGF, MDIF or TCaF programmes to individual school improvement efforts within any given trust or locality.
Table 2: Value of school improvement grants awarded where it is possible to identify a value attributable to the Chelmsford constituency.
Name of school or trust | Grant name | Year funding allocated or first payment made | Amount paid or allocated |
Melbourne Park Primary and Nursery School | Pre-opening sponsored grant | 2014 | £70,000 |
Meadgate Primary School | Pre-opening sponsored grant | 2013 | £70,000 |
Larkrise Primary School | Pre-opening sponsored grant | 2016 | £70,000 |
Newlands Spring Primary School | School Improvement Offer Tier 1 | 2019 | £1,800 |
South Essex Academy Trust | Trust and School Improvement Offer | 2022 | £3,000 |
Bridge Academy Trust | Trust and School Improvement Offer | 2022 | £1,800 |
The Chelmsford Learning Partnership | Trust and School Improvement Offer | 2023 | £6,000 |
Attain Academy Partnership | Trust and School Improvement Offer | 2023 | £6,000 |
Re-use has a significant role to play in driving down unnecessary waste. In accordance with the waste hierarchy, the priority should be on reuse of materials, before recycling, and so we are working to identify measures that could be used to encourage greater use of reusable packaging. We will bring forward our proposals in 2025.
In the meantime, EPR will contribute to a reduction in the creation of new packaging from virgin materials as producers are incentivised to reconsider the need for packaging and, where it is needed, to use reusable and recyclable packaging. This will contribute to climate change mitigation in line with our commitment to comprehensive action on climate change.
From October this year, we will ban the supply of single use plastic plates and cutlery, as well as expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers. Government guidance on the ban makes it clear businesses should prepare by considering reusable alternatives..
The introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging regulations will encourage businesses to think carefully about how much packaging they use, and to design and use packaging that is easily recyclable. It will also encourage use of reusable and refillable packaging.
Re-use has a significant role to play in driving down unnecessary waste. We are working to identify measures that could be used to encourage greater use of reusable packaging, but we haven’t specifically assessed measures targeting non-plastic plates in fast food restaurants. We remain committed to introducing re-use obligations and will bring forward our proposals with the intention of introducing these in 2025.
Out of millions of trips completed since e-scooter trials began, the vast majority of journeys have been completed safely.
From 2020, DfT has been monitoring the frequency of casualties involving e-scooters. The majority of DfT reported road casualty statistics are based on STATS19 data, the system through which the police report road casualties. STATS19 collects data on e-scooter casualties, including those using private scooters, with data published regularly in e-scooter casualty factsheets. The most recent e-scooter factsheet can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-e-scooter-factsheet-year-ending-june-2023/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-e-scooter-factsheet-year-ending-june-2023.
In addition, the Department routinely publishes data on casualties in reported road collisions using all other modes of road transport based upon data provided by police forces via the STATS19 system, including figures for bicycles, motorcycles, cars, HGVs and LGVs. A comparison of the casualty rates for different modes of travel can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/657c4a0983ba380013e1b610/ras0203.ods. Data from STATS19 (2022) found the severity of injuries for e-scooters and pedal cycles to be broadly similar. The most common injuries across both modes were abrasions, sprains, and bruising.
The latest caseload data shows Universal Credit is supporting 2.8 million claimants across the country to more easily start work and access smoother incentives, such as the work allowance and taper, to increase hours. We have scrapped the cliff edges and complicated hours’ rules of the legacy benefit system to ensure claimants have flexibility to access the opportunities offered in the labour market.
There are a record number of people in work at 32.9 million – up by over 3.8 million since 2010. During August 2019 and September 2019, the latest information available, just over 200,000 Universal Credit claimants have succeeded in getting into jobs.
Monthly information surrounding the volumes of Universal Credit claimants who have moved into work is shown in the table below.
- | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 |
April | 320 | 5,150 | 25,000 | 79,900 |
May | 550 | 5,900 | 26,800 | 87,400 |
June | 650 | 6,310 | 29,200 | 81,600 |
July | 1,010 | 6,500 | 31,600 | 87,800 |
August | 1,290 | 7,630 | 38,900 | 94,200 |
September | 1,890 | 10,100 | 47,300 | 106,300 |
October | 2,150 | 10,800 | 52,600 | N/A |
November | 2,600 | 11,700 | 59,900 | N/A |
December | 2,320 | 9,600 | 44,300 | N/A |
January | 3,230 | 14,700 | 61,400 | N/A |
February | 3,940 | 16,600 | 68,800 | N/A |
March | 5,070 | 22,100 | 84,200 | N/A |
Notes:
1. Figures are for Universal Credit Full Service only
2. Figures are at household level. In some cases both members of a household may have entered work in the same month, but only one job entry would be counted in our response.
3. Figures are based upon situations when a household reports no earnings in one Assessment Period but then has earnings in the next.
4. Self-employed jobs are not included in the table.
5. Figures also include instances of a household moving out of work and at a later date moving back into work.
The Department monitors changes to the market closely to understand patient access to pharmaceutical services within the National Health Service. The law requires that every three years, local authority Health and Wellbeing Boards undertake pharmaceutical needs assessments to identify if there is a need for improvement or better access to services in the local areas. Contractors can apply to open a pharmacy where there is a gap or a need for improved access to services or if they can make a case for providing other benefits to the local communities.
When their usual local pharmacy closes, patients can choose to access any of the remaining pharmacies nearby. Patients can also choose to access NHS pharmaceutical services remotely through any of the approximately 400 internet pharmacies in England, which are contractually required to deliver medicines to patients’ home address free of charge.
There were 10,673 pharmacies on 31 December 2023 providing NHS services in England. Access remains good with 80% of the population living within 20 minutes walking distance of a pharmacy and twice as many pharmacies in the most deprived areas of the country.
The UK condemns the lack of humanitarian access into and across Sudan, as a result of the actions of the parties to the conflict. Lack of security remains the biggest constraint for international agencies and national NGOs seeking to deliver much-needed life-saving assistance. We continue to raise humanitarian access, including bureaucratic and administrative impediments, with the warring parties, our international partners and in international fora such as the UN.
The UK condemns the lack of humanitarian access into and across Sudan, as a result of the actions of the parties to the conflict. Lack of security remains the biggest constraint for international agencies and national NGOs seeking to deliver much-needed life-saving assistance. We continue to raise humanitarian access, including bureaucratic and administrative impediments, with the warring parties, our international partners and in international fora such as the UN.
The UK condemns any actions that further fuel the brutal conflict in Sudan. There is a UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur, which the UK renewed in March 2023, and which complements a longstanding bilateral UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan. These regimes have been used to constrain the flow of weapons into the country and support efforts to stop those who pose a threat to stability in Darfur. The UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur will be reviewed by September 2024. Ministers continue to place emphasis on the importance of neutrality and of supporting a ceasefire and civilian political transition.
In response to the ongoing conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan, on 12 July I announced a package of six sanctions under the UK's Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. The UK has imposed an asset freeze on three commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and three commercial entities linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as the two main parties to the conflict. These sanctions, which target entities which the SAF and RSF have used to support their war efforts, are designed to press the parties into a permanent ceasefire, allow unfettered humanitarian access and commit to a sustained and meaningful peace process.
In response to the ongoing conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan, on 12 July I announced a package of six sanctions under the UK's Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. The UK has imposed an asset freeze on three commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and three commercial entities linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as the two main parties to the conflict. These sanctions, which target entities which the SAF and RSF have used to support their war efforts, are designed to press the parties into a permanent ceasefire, allow unfettered humanitarian access and commit to a sustained and meaningful peace process.
In response to the ongoing conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan, I announced on 12 July a UK package of six sanctions under the Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. We are freezing the assets of three commercial entities linked to each party involved in the conflict: the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These sanctions, which target entities which the SAF and RSF have used to support their war efforts, are designed to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities.
The UK's top humanitarian priority for Sudan is to secure improved access and security guarantees for humanitarian agencies, whose operations are highly constrained by insecurity and restrictions on the movements of humanitarian aid and relief workers. The UK is working closely with the UN, neighbouring countries, donors and humanitarian agencies to put pressure on the warring parties to abide by their commitments under international humanitarian law and to allow lifesaving aid to reach those in need. FCDO officials meet regularly with UN counterparts to discuss the present humanitarian challenges in Sudan.
The UK believes the African Union is best placed to coordinate an African-led international response to the crisis in Sudan. As a member of the African Union-led Core Group, the UK is working with regional and international partners to end hostilities in Sudan, push for urgently needed humanitarian access, particularly in Khartoum and Darfur, and to secure a viable peace process, including support for the emergence of an all-inclusive civilian and political platform for dialogue on a future vision for Sudan. We will continue to pursue all diplomatic avenues to secure an end to the violence, protection of civilians and humanitarian access. We urge both parties to the conflict to engage in an inclusive dialogue that will deliver a political transition to a democratic process as called for by the Sudanese people.
There is a UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur, which we renewed in March 2023. There is also a longstanding bilateral UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan. These regimes have been used to constrain the flow of weapons into the country and support efforts to stop those who pose a threat to stability in Darfur. The UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur will be reviewed by September 2024.
In response to the outbreak of conflict on 15 April, the FCDO created an enhanced Sudan Unit, bringing in a range of specialist, including on humanitarian, conflict, and justice-related issues. The FCDO also regularly engages with a range of partners on the current issues facing Sudan. This includes engagement with the Sudanese diaspora community, NGOs, academics, domestic stakeholders and both international and regional partners on topics including conflict, atrocity prevention, human rights, and humanitarian assistance. These engagements have created opportunities for knowledge-sharing and for the UK to support international efforts to secure the permanent cessation of hostilities and a return to peace and stability in Sudan.
The UK Government has repeatedly condemned the Taliban's decisions to restrict women and girls' education. We are committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and regularly press the Taliban to provide full and equal access to education for all. We support the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan's call for the Taliban to clarify where Matiullah Wesa is being held, the reasons for his arrest, and to ensure he has access to legal representation and contact with his family.
As announced at Autumn Statement, the Government will consult on the design of a new framework for encouraging the establishment and growth of captive insurance companies in the UK. The consultation will launch in Spring 2024.
The consultation will test views on proposals to introduce an attractive and competitive new UK captive insurance regime that works for businesses. Key to this will also be proportionate regulation that maintains the UK’s high regulatory standards.
The Treasury will continue to work closely with the independent regulators as it considers the case for a UK captives framework.
The information is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services, including VAT on public electric vehicle charging points. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.
The information is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services, including VAT on public electric vehicle charging points. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.
We are committed to keeping children safe online and are delivering a number of initiatives that support that objective. For example, we are investing up to £145m over three years in our County Lines Programme to crack down on the county lines gangs exploiting our children and young people. Through this Programme we are developing a better understanding of how to disrupt online activity that is aimed at recruiting and exploiting children and young people.
The Online Safety Act 2023 is a key piece of legislation to keep children safe. There are a number of priority offences in the Act which relate to child criminal exploitation such as drug related offences, sexual exploitation and weapons and firearms supply offences. Technology companies must take proactive measures and use systems and processes to remove and limit people’s exposure to related content.
Student visa applications for Chevening scholars will be considered on their individual merits and in line with immigration rules.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office have confirmed that Sudanese nationals who have been offered a Chevening award for the 2023-24 academic year and are unable to take up the scholarship due to the conflict and travel restrictions are able to defer their award to the 2024-25 academic year.
We remain committed to delivering our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
We have allocated £125 million across England and Wales through the Safer Streets Fund and the Safety of Women at Night Fund, including £550,000 investment into the constituency of My Right Honourable Friend, the Member for Chelmsford.
The Government is supporting my Right Honourable Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells’s ‘Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Bill’, which would make public sexual harassment a specific offence.
The Department does not hold the information required to fully respond to this question. We do hold some data on parking facilities available to households and dwellings, published annually in Live Tables DA2201, DA2202, and DA2203 available online, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/amenities-services-and-local-environments.The Department does not collect data on households’ car ownership.
The Department does not hold the information required to fully respond to this question. We do hold some data on parking facilities available to households and dwellings, published annually in Live Tables DA2201, DA2202, and DA2203 available online, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/amenities-services-and-local-environments.The Department does not collect data on households’ car ownership.
We will give an update on this important matter in due course.
This Government understands the importance of social housing and are clear that more homes must be built.
Our £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme will deliver tens of thousands of high-quality social homes right across the country, ensuring that hard working families and individuals can live in safety and security in the communities they call home.