Victoria Collins Alert Sample


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View the Parallel Parliament page for Victoria Collins

Information between 5th May 2025 - 15th May 2025

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Division Votes
7 May 2025 - Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 56 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 97 Noes - 363
7 May 2025 - Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 55 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 160 Noes - 294
7 May 2025 - Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 54 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 88 Noes - 287
7 May 2025 - Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 54 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 76 Noes - 295
12 May 2025 - Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 61 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 2 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 98 Noes - 402
12 May 2025 - Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 62 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 90 Noes - 318
12 May 2025 - Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 61 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 87 Noes - 404
13 May 2025 - UK-EU Summit - View Vote Context
Victoria Collins voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 62 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 104 Noes - 402


Speeches
Victoria Collins speeches from: Oral Answers to Questions
Victoria Collins contributed 1 speech (101 words)
Wednesday 14th May 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Victoria Collins speeches from: Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords]
Victoria Collins contributed 1 speech (571 words)
Consideration of Lords message
Wednesday 14th May 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Victoria Collins speeches from: Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords]
Victoria Collins contributed 7 speeches (1,706 words)
Wednesday 7th May 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology


Written Answers
Children: Social Services
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce regional differences in social care provision for disabled children.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On Thursday 20 March I announced the launch of the national Families First Partnership programme, backed by over £500 million in grant funding to support rollout. This includes the publication of the Families First Programme guide, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/families-first-partnership-programme.

The department’s goal for this programme is to improve access to support for families, including families with disabled children, right across the country. The aim is to rebalance the system of support away from crisis intervention and towards earlier help, delivering on the government’s mission to provide children with the best start in life, keep children safe and break down barriers to opportunity.

The department recognises there is geographical variation for a range of reasons. Through the rollout of this programme, local areas will co-design services with partners and families to better understand local need and services, to inform future delivery. We will work to support local authorities throughout the transformation period.

Dental Services: Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to emergency dentistry in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency this is the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB are expected to deliver 5,712 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

Technology: Taxation
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to increase taxes on global tech companies.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK remains committed to reaching a global solution on the taxation of the digital economy through Pillar 1 of the G20-OECD Inclusive Framework project. The UK has fully implemented Pillar 2 of the project which ensures all multinationals are subject to a minimum rate.

The Digital Services Tax (DST) is an interim tax measure to ensure that digital services providers pay UK tax on digital services that reflects the value they derive from UK users. It is UK’s intention to repeal our Digital Services Tax (DST) when Pillar 1 of the OECD project is in place.

Export Health Certificates: Fees and Charges
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the fees charged by veterinary practices for issuing Animal Health Certificates.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

All fees set by veterinary surgeons or veterinary practices are a private matter between individual practices and their clients. Neither the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the UK regulator of the veterinary profession, nor Defra intervene in the level of fees that are charged.

Teachers: Mental Health
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Friday 9th May 2025

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the mental health of (a) teachers and (b) support staff.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High-quality teaching is the biggest in-school factor that makes a difference to a child’s education. Being taught by a good teacher can add almost half a GCSE grade per subject to a given pupil’s results. That is why, as well as working to recruit additional teachers, the department is working hard to retain our experienced teachers.

The department is working in partnership with the sector and mental health experts to improve staff mental health and wellbeing. Steps taken include continued promotion of the education staff wellbeing charter, which sets out shared commitments to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff in schools and colleges. More than 4,000 schools and colleges have signed up to the charter so far, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.

The department has also funded mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders, which includes professional supervision and counselling. More than 2,600 leaders have benefitted from this support so far. This support can be accessed at: https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/get-help/help-for-your-staff/wellbeing-services/professional-supervision/.

Furthermore, a range of resources have been made available to help schools prioritise staff wellbeing. For example, the department’s ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service, developed alongside school leaders, provides tools to support schools to identify opportunities to cut excessive workload and improve staff wellbeing. This service can be accessed at: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/.

Finally, guidance is available to support school leaders and staff to help manage behaviour in schools, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools--2.

Life Expectancy
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Friday 9th May 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce differences in healthy life expectancy between regions in England.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Tackling health inequalities is central to our Health Mission, which is why the Government has committed to halving the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions, by addressing the social determinants of health. Work is currently underway across the Department and with NHS England and the regional Directors of Public Health to develop approaches to address regional health inequalities.

In line with the Health Mission, we will also be launching a 10-Year Health Plan with the core focus of addressing healthcare inequity, ensuring the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it, whenever they need it.

Solar Power: Schools
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Friday 9th May 2025

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what eligibility criteria her Department is using to choose successful schools for Great British Energy's rooftop solar panels project.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department recently announced, in partnership with Great British (GB) Energy, an £80 million (£40 million from the department and £40 million from GB Energy) initiative to install solar and other technologies such as electric vehicle chargers in 200 schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in 2025/26.

This programme is targeting 200 schools and colleges in this first year 2025/26, so the department is not proposing a bidding round to select the schools and colleges to avoid burden on the system.

There will be a cluster of about 45 schools in each of the North West, North East and West Midlands, selected based on deprivation levels and other factors such as roof capacity. These schools have not yet been selected. Each cluster will also include a further education college which will work with the contractors appointed to promote careers in renewables to support growth in the construction and clean energy workforce. There will also be a minimum of 10 schools in each of the 9 government office regions to ensure regional spread.

Once we have appointed delivery partners, they will work through a department-supplied list of possible schools. The list will be based on specific criteria including deprivation, roof condition and location and this data set, combined with local data sets, will ultimately determine a long list of possible projects. Only once feasibility studies have been undertaken on each of the possible schools, will we be able to confirm which schools have been selected and what interventions have been determined as appropriate.

Hospitals: Discharges
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Thursday 8th May 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the rate of discharge from hospitals into social care in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is a priority for the Government to support hospital discharge and ensure that people receive the care that they need.

On 30 January 2025, the Government published the policy framework for the Better Care Fund (BCF) in 2025/26, which took effect on 1 April 2025. The new BCF Policy Framework supports local areas to use pooled funding in a way that reduces delayed discharges and delivers greater impact for those receiving integrated care.

£9 billion of funding is available through the BCF for 2025/26, including £149 million provided to Hertfordshire. This consists of £110 million to the Hertfordshire and West Essex and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Boards, and £39 million to Hertfordshire County Council.

Social Services: Disability
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Thursday 8th May 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that deafblind people can access appropriate social care in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) the rest of England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Care Act 2014 and Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, local authorities are responsible for ensuring people with complex disabilities, including deafblind people, access the right care and support. Under the Equality Act (2010), local authorities must also make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for people with complex disabilities. Support for people with complex disabilities will form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will, for example, report on how the local authorities work with deafblind people when there is something important to highlight, such as something being done well, innovative practice, or an area for improvement. The CQC is assessing all 153 local authorities in England. So far, the CQC has published over twenty assessments, including an assessment for Hertfordshire County Council, which is available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/Hertfordshire1

By identifying local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, CQC assessments facilitate the sharing of good practice and help us to target support where it is most needed. These steps will help to ensure that people with complex disabilities, including deafblind people, do not face barriers to accessing appropriate care.

Carers: Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Thursday 8th May 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve support for family carers in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support they need. Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires them to provide a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.

On the 7 of April 2025, the Government increased the Carer’s Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since the Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service highlighted the need for a fresh approach to supporting and involving unpaid carers, to improve outcomes across the board, for carers, for those they care for, and the NHS itself.

These findings will be carefully considered as part of our 10-year plan to reform and modernise the NHS, and as we continue to shape our plans to reform adult social care, including through the National Care Service.

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

The commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support.

Social Services: Disability
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Thursday 8th May 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce barriers to social care for (a) deafblind people and (b) other disabled people with complex needs in (i) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (ii) the rest of England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Care Act 2014 and Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, local authorities are responsible for ensuring people with complex disabilities, including deafblind people, access the right care and support. Under the Equality Act (2010), local authorities must also make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for people with complex disabilities. Support for people with complex disabilities will form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will, for example, report on how the local authorities work with deafblind people when there is something important to highlight, such as something being done well, innovative practice, or an area for improvement. The CQC is assessing all 153 local authorities in England. So far, the CQC has published over twenty assessments, including an assessment for Hertfordshire County Council, which is available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/Hertfordshire1

By identifying local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, CQC assessments facilitate the sharing of good practice and help us to target support where it is most needed. These steps will help to ensure that people with complex disabilities, including deafblind people, do not face barriers to accessing appropriate care.

Nigeria: Religious Freedom
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Thursday 8th May 2025

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support Nigeria in implementing the Universal Periodic Review recommendations relating to the Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is committed to upholding the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and was an active participant in Nigeria's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in January 2024. Our dialogue on human rights, including FoRB, remains an important part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria. Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), the UK is working with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and belief systems. Additionally, through our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme (SPRiNG) the UK is providing £38 million to help tackle the root causes of intercommunal conflict, including security, justice, and natural resource management challenges.

Agriculture: Subsidies
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take steps to adapt farming subsidy schemes to incentivise the (a) housing of all farmed animals in woodland and (b) planting of woodland in permanent pasture; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (i) animal welfare, (ii) climate and (iii) biodiversity.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Businesses must notify the competent authorities in advance of a consignment arriving in GB when it contains High risk or Medium A risk plants and plant products as they are subject to phytosanitary controls. Upon completion of the notification an initial risk assessment is provided detailing whether an inspection is required. Drivers and notifiers are informed in one of two ways.

  1. If the transporter uses the Goods Movement Vehicle Service (GVMS), drivers should use the ‘check if you need to report an inspection’ service, to find out what they need to do. Drivers should check this service again before they reach the point of entry.
  2. If the transporter does not use GMVS, Imports of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) will provide an initial risk assessment telling the importer/agent if their consignment needs SPS checks when they submit their import notification. If the consignment does need checks, the importer/agent will also receive a text and email message 2 hours before the transporter’s estimated time of arrival in GB. The message will confirm what the transporter needs to do. They can also check their IPAFFS dashboard.
Social Rented Housing: Finance
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing additional funding for social rent homes in the forthcoming spending review.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

Social Rented Housing: Finance
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will provide funding for social rent homes in the Spending Review.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

Agriculture: Forestry
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will extend agroforestry funding to (a) include multiple species and (b) increase tree planting density to help provide an appropriate habitat for (i) pigs and (ii) chickens.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Our in-field agroforestry offers under the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes allow flexibility for land managers to decide on tree species and densities that suit their objectives, to realise the multiple benefits that trees provide in the farming landscape. Land managers are able to establish and maintain a wide range of eligible woodland and fruit tree species, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eligible-tree-species-elm-agroforestry-action. Land managers can also be paid a species diversity bonus for planting 5 or more species of tree, to help improve the resilience of agroforestry systems.

Our ELM in-field agroforestry offers allow for a range of planting densities. Under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, land managers can establish and maintain in-field agroforestry systems with an average of 30-130 trees per hectare on low sensitivity land. Our Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offers will pay land managers to maintain in-field agroforestry systems up to an average of 400 trees her hectare.

Special Educational Needs
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase access to assessments for Special Educational Needs in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) England.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in mainstream settings through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources.

Through a graduated approach, teachers are responsible for monitoring the progress of all pupils and putting support in place where needed. Where a child who has SEND needs more support than their school can usually provide, schools, parents or carers can ask the local authority to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment.

The department recognises the critical role of educational psychologists within the SEND system, including their statutory contribution to EHC assessments. The department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, building on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in 2023. Trainees will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments.

The department provides support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership by monitoring progress against its priority action plan and improvement plan and by providing advice and guidance via a SEND expert advisor. The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan, to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.

The department expects all local authorities to meet their statutory duties and we will continue to monitor and challenge Hertfordshire County Council’s EHC plan 20 week timeliness.

Online Information Advisory Committee
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Monday 12th May 2025

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on the terms of reference for the Advisory Committee on Online Information.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom and its advisory committees are independent of government. The design of the advisory committee’s Terms of Reference are therefore a matter for Ofcom.

The Online Safety Act includes clear requirements for the Committee’s responsibilities: advising Ofcom on how providers should address mis- and disinformation, how the regulator should exercise their transparency powers and fulfil their statutory duty to promote media literacy in relation to mis- and disinformation. These obligations are unchanged and are duly reflected in the terms of reference for the Online Information Advisory Committee.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written Questions
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Wednesday 14th May 2025

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to answer Question 46378 on Nigeria: Religious Freedom, tabled by the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted on 17 April 2025.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member's question. I issued a response to the hon. Member on 8 May.

Employment Schemes: Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Wednesday 14th May 2025

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support vulnerable people into work in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Get Britain Working White Paper set out the biggest reforms to employment support for a generation to support our ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate.

The Department for Work and Pensions will shift from being a department for employment support and welfare to being a department for work. This means a new, locally led system of work and health support being available for those who are unemployed, bringing together existing locally delivered employment support as a single coherent offer that is part of areas’ local growth plans.

Our Jobcentre teams work closely with the Local Authority as well as employers, local colleges and providers in Harpenden and Berkhamsted to promote employment opportunities for our customers, including those who are vulnerable. Jobcentres also have a range of specialist roles to work with vulnerable customers. These roles include Disability Employment Advisers, Prison Work Coaches, Supporting Families Employment Advisers, Visiting Officers and more.

There is a range of employability support options such as face to face or group sessions, job fairs and career events to help engage with vulnerable customers in a setting to suit their needs. There is also Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP) and Mentoring Circles where our Jobcentre teams work closely with employers and providers to give customers the skills they need to enter employment. An example is that we are currently running a Care Sector SWAP for full and part time roles which can be completed at home to support lone parents and those with health conditions to participate.

The Jobcentre teams also have a range of contracted support which is available to our vulnerable customers to help them move closer and in to work. This includes Restart, Work and Health Programme, CV help from NCS, Disability Forums and Jobclubs.

Winter Fuel Payment: Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Wednesday 14th May 2025

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the Winter Fuel Payment on living standards for pensioners in Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is, protecting pensioners on the lowest incomes. Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or other qualifying means-tested benefits or tax credits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 or over.

The last Labour Government lifted over one million pensioners out of poverty, and this Government – despite having to make the tough decisions to deal with our dire inheritance - remains absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. Our commitment to the Triple Lock means that spending on State Pensions is forecast to rise by around £31 billion over this Parliament.

While the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people, other help is also available for low-income pensioners. This includes Cold Weather Payments in England & Wales and help with energy bills via the Warm Home Discount scheme, as well as the Household Support Fund in England, which we extended for a further year with funding of £742 million, with corresponding funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula.

Pension Credit
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Wednesday 14th May 2025

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the level of uptake of Pension Credit in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) the rest of England.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government wants all pensioners to get the support to which they are rightly entitled. That is why we ran the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign across the whole of Great Britian. This included adverts on television; radio; social media; on YouTube; on advertising screens in Pharmacies, Post Offices and leisure centres (including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted). The campaign also featured on train advertising panels (including on Chiltern, Greater Anglia, and Thameslink services) as well as in the press.

As part of the campaign, the Department engaged with all councils in Great Britain, including Hertfordshire council, through the regular Local Authority Welfare Direct bulletins. We also directly targeted 120,000 pensioners in receipt of Housing Benefit inviting them to claim Pension Credit. More recently, around 11 million pensioners will have received a leaflet promoting Pension Credit along with their State Pension uprating letter.

Building on the success of our campaign, we are now writing to all pensioners who make a new claim for Housing Benefit, and who appear to be entitled to Pension Credit, encouraging them to make a claim.

The latest Pension Credit applications and awards statistics were published on 27 February and are available at: Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. The statistics show that the Department made almost 50,000 extra awards on the comparable period in 2023/24. The next set of statistics will be published on 29 May.



Early Day Motions Signed
Wednesday 30th April
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Friday 23rd May 2025

Pavement parking

12 signatures (Most recent: 23 May 2025)
Tabled by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
That this House notes that communities across the UK are negatively impacted by inconsiderate pavement parking and its knock-on effects on pavement use by wheelchair users, parents and carers with prams, and other pedestrians; further notes this is a major concern for the charity Guide Dogs who have been calling …
Wednesday 21st May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 22nd May 2025

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (No. 2)

15 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
That this House condemns the ongoing injustice faced by members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) and urges the Government to act immediately to ensure that all former mineworkers are treated with fairness and dignity; notes that, while the Government has recently released funds from the Miners’ Pension …
Friday 16th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 22nd May 2025

Dementia Action Week

23 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
That this House recognises the profound impact of dementia on both those living with the condition and their loved ones; commends the work of the Alzheimer's Society in establishing Dementia Action Week to encourage people experiencing signs of dementia to seek vital help and support; applauds the initiatives of Thatcham …
Wednesday 21st May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM as a sponsor on Thursday 22nd May 2025

Progress in UK-EU relations

25 signatures (Most recent: 23 May 2025)
Tabled by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
That this House welcomes the steps taken at the recent reset Summit to improve UK-EU relations and move beyond the instability and confusion of recent years; recognises the potential for cooperation in areas such as science, defence and food trade to bring tangible benefits to people and businesses across the …
Wednesday 8th January
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Wednesday 21st May 2025

Import and sale of real fur

66 signatures (Most recent: 21 May 2025)
Tabled by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
That this House urges the Government to ban the import and sale of real fur; notes that the UK has banned the main methods of fur production, namely leg-hold trapping and fur farming, due to their cruelty; believes that it is hypocritical to allow the import and sale of real …
Monday 19th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Tuesday 20th May 2025

World Bee Day (No. 2)

40 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
That this House celebrates 20 May 2025 as World Bee Day, designated by the United Nations in order to raise awareness of the essential role bees and other pollinators play in promoting individual and planetary health; recognises the centrality of bees to the British way of life, from the quiet …
Thursday 8th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 15th May 2025

Deaf Awareness Week 2025

40 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
That this House recognises the importance of, and celebrates, Deaf Awareness Week 2025; acknowledges this year’s theme, Beyond Silence; congratulates organisations such as the British Deaf Association, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, and the National Deaf Children’s Society for the vital work they do in supporting deaf people, …
Thursday 3rd April
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 15th May 2025

Abduction of Ukrainian children

52 signatures (Most recent: 20 May 2025)
Tabled by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
That this House expresses its anger and revulsion at the abduction of over 30,000 Ukrainian children since the start of Russia's invasion; notes with disgust this tactic of the Russian Armed Forces, which threatens to rob Ukraine of its future; believes that these mass abductions authorised by President Putin constitute …
Thursday 1st May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 15th May 2025

Blockade of aid to Gaza

71 signatures (Most recent: 21 May 2025)
Tabled by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
That this House expresses its deep concern that the Israeli Government's current blockade of Gaza has now exceeded 50 days; notes with alarm the recent announcement from the World Food Programme that it has fully depleted its food stocks in Gaza; further notes the severe shortages of medicine, medical equipment, …
Wednesday 14th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 15th May 2025

Jewish LGBTQ+ groups at Pride

24 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
That this House expresses deep concern at the decision by the Jewish LGBT+ charity KeshetUK and other Jewish LGBTQ+ groups to withdraw from Pride in London this year, marking the second consecutive year they have felt unable to participate due to safety concerns and a lack of adequate assurances from …
Wednesday 14th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 15th May 2025

Political parties at Pride

41 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
That this House regrets the decision taken by organisers of several Pride marches and parades across the UK to not allow political parties to march; further regrets that that decision partly stems from a lack of trust in politicians and Government amongst many in the LGBTQ+ community; notes that many …
Monday 12th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Tuesday 13th May 2025

UK-EU Summit

37 signatures (Most recent: 20 May 2025)
Tabled by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
That this House recognises the benefits of a comprehensive Youth Mobility Scheme between the UK and the European Union; urges the Government to adopt a more ambitious approach to negotiations, acknowledging that such a scheme would enhance cultural exchange, expand opportunities for our young people and boost our economy; calls …
Monday 12th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 13th May 2025

Community Energy Pathways and the King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise

28 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
That this House congratulates Community Energy Pathways (CEP), a not-for-profit community energy social enterprise based in Lewes, East Sussex, on being awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise; notes that this award reflects two years of rigorous due diligence by the King’s Fund, acknowledging CEP’s outstanding contribution to empowering …
Thursday 8th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Monday 12th May 2025

Gaza occupation proposals

64 signatures (Most recent: 22 May 2025)
Tabled by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
That this House expresses its outrage at proposals by the Israeli Government to indefinitely occupy Gaza; condemns the plans for the further forced displacement of Palestinians; affirms its belief that, if realised, these would constitute clear breaches of international law; notes with immense concern that these proposals will only make …
Tuesday 6th May
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Thursday 8th May 2025

Safe sleep standards in early years settings

28 signatures (Most recent: 20 May 2025)
Tabled by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
That this House expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family of nine-month-old Genevieve (Gigi) Meehan, who tragically died in May 2022 while in the care of a nursery in Cheadle, Greater Manchester; pays tribute to her mother Katie Wheeler and father John Meehan for their courage and determination in campaigning …
Monday 24th March
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Tuesday 6th May 2025

Ensuring stability for Ukrainian refugees in the UK

99 signatures (Most recent: 19 May 2025)
Tabled by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
That this House believes that Ukrainian refugees fleeing war must be treated with compassion in the UK; recognises that the war in Ukraine still wages on, more than three years after Putin first invaded; notes with concern recent reports that some Ukrainian refugees have faced losing their homes and jobs …
Tuesday 11th March
Victoria Collins signed this EDM on Tuesday 6th May 2025

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

32 signatures (Most recent: 12 May 2025)
Tabled by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
That this House notes that March is Prostate Cancer awareness month; highlights that prostate cancer has become the most common cancer in England, with a massive 25% increase in cases between 2019 and 2023 and a further 1,100 men being diagnosed each year in Northern Ireland; underlines the importance of …



Victoria Collins mentioned

Parliamentary Debates
Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords]
116 speeches (13,161 words)
Consideration of Lords message
Wednesday 14th May 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Mentions:
1: None Chris Bryant, Anna Turley, Callum Anderson, Rachel Hopkins, Katie White, Dr Ben Spencer and Victoria Collins - Link to Speech

Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords]
177 speeches (39,154 words)
Wednesday 7th May 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Mentions:
1: Chris Bryant (Lab - Rhondda and Ogmore) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
2: Caroline Dinenage (Con - Gosport) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
3: John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
4: Max Wilkinson (LD - Cheltenham) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
5: Chris Bryant (Lab - Rhondda and Ogmore) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
6: Sarah Olney (LD - Richmond Park) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
7: Vikki Slade (LD - Mid Dorset and North Poole) Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). - Link to Speech
8: None —(Victoria Collins.) - Link to Speech
9: None —(Victoria Collins.) - Link to Speech



Bill Documents
May. 15 2025
Public Bill Committee Amendments as at 15 May 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: Coghlan Charlotte Cane Dr Danny Chambers Gideon Amos Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Zöe Franklin Victoria Collins

May. 14 2025
Public Bill Committee Amendments as at 14 May 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: Coghlan Charlotte Cane Dr Danny Chambers Gideon Amos Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Zöe Franklin Victoria Collins

May. 14 2025
Minutes of the Reasons Committee
Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Minutes of Reasons Committee

Found: WEDNESDAY 14 MAY 2025 Members present: Sir Chris Bryant, in the Chair Callum Anderson Victoria Collins

May. 13 2025
Public Bill Committee Amendments as at 13 May 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: Chris Coghlan Charlotte Cane Dr Danny Chambers Gideon Amos Dr Roz Savage Zöe Franklin Victoria Collins

May. 07 2025
Consideration of Bill Amendments as at 7 May 2025
Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC9 Steff Aquarone Victoria Collins Caroline Voaden .

May. 07 2025
Consideration of Bill Amendments as at 7 May 2025
Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC8 Steff Aquarone Victoria Collins .

May. 07 2025
Report Stage Proceedings as at 7 May 2025
Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Bill proceedings: Commons

Found: Not called_NC9 Steff Aquarone Victoria Collins Caroline Voaden .