Vikki Slade Portrait

Vikki Slade

Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole

1,352 (2.7%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

(since September 2024)

Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill
4th Dec 2024 - 12th Dec 2024
Renters’ Rights Bill
16th Oct 2024 - 5th Nov 2024


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Vikki Slade has voted in 105 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Vikki Slade Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op))
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(14 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(11 debate interactions)
Nusrat Ghani (Conservative)
(7 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(12 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(9 debate contributions)
Home Office
(7 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Vikki Slade's debates

Mid Dorset and North Poole Petitions

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).

Petitions with highest Mid Dorset and North Poole signature proportion
Petition Debates Contributed

We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.


Latest EDMs signed by Vikki Slade

24th March 2025
Vikki Slade signed this EDM on Tuesday 25th March 2025

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance 25th anniversary

Tabled by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
That this House recognises the brilliant work of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance on its 25th anniversary of dedicated service; further recognises the extraordinary contribution of its pilots, volunteers, paramedics, and doctors in providing lifesaving pre-hospital critical care to people in need, particularly in remote, coastal and rural areas; notes …
16 signatures
(Most recent: 31 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 12
Labour: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Conservative: 1
13th March 2025
Vikki Slade signed this EDM on Tuesday 18th March 2025

Wellbeing benefits of outdoor education to young people

Tabled by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
That this House recognises the significant benefits of outdoor learning for children and young people; urges the Secretary of State to undertake a review of the value of those benefits; notes that more time learning outdoors provides an opportunity for children to learn skills and characteristics to cope with many …
34 signatures
(Most recent: 2 Apr 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 24
Independent: 4
Labour: 3
Green Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Vikki Slade's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Vikki Slade, 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.


Vikki Slade has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Vikki Slade has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Vikki Slade has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Vikki Slade has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
12th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to complete the Pay Transparency pilot, launched on 8 March 2022.

We are a mission-led government and women’s equality is at the heart of all our missions.

This means tackling the gender pay gap, where we are taking action much wider than just pay transparency. We are taking the first steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans alongside their figures, detailing the steps they are taking to narrow their gender pay gap and support employees during the menopause, as well as introducing stronger protections against sexual harassment.


Our plan to Make Work Pay will move further and faster to tackle the gender pay gap, improve access to flexible working and provide stronger protections at work. We are also expanding access to high-quality, accessible early years education with more free hours for working families.

Many employers understand that when women succeed, so does their business. As women’s equality and economic growth go hand in hand we need to ensure that every organisation is harnessing the talent, creativity and brilliance of women in their workforce.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
3rd Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the requirement in the Economic and Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 to publish full lists of shareholders on (a) survivors of domestic abuse who own shares in private residential property management companies as a by-product of owning their own home and (b) shareholders in private residential property management companies who cannot afford the cost of applying to have their details redacted.

Requiring certain companies to provide a one-time full shareholder list will allow Companies House to present shareholder information that is already displayed on the register in a more user-friendly way.

The Government aims to strike the right balance between transparency and privacy. New measures will enable those whose details appear on the register (including people at increased risk of harm such as domestic abuse survivors) to apply to have more personal information protected from public disclosure than currently possible. Any fees payable will adhere to HM Treasury’s cost recovery principles.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of pausing the current government subsidies for Drax’s power generation until the Public Accounts Committee reports on its inquiry on Government support for biomass.

The Government has agreed new Heads of Terms with Drax for short term support from 2027 to 2031. It halves the subsidy paid to Drax, strengthens the sustainability arrangements to require 100% sustainable biomass, and reduces Drax’s generation so that it only operates when absolutely necessary on the system.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to increase funding rates for early years provision of three and four year olds.

As usual, the hourly funding rates will vary between local authorities reflecting the different communities that local authorities serve. However, for the 2025/26 financial year, the national average three and four year-old hourly funding rate of local authorities is increasing by 4.1%. On top of this, eligible children can also attract additional funding through the early years pupil premium.

Early education gives all children, especially disadvantaged children, the best start in life. That is why the department is delivering the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% from 68p per hour in 2024/25 to £1 per hour in 2025/26, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.

Future spending decisions beyond 2025/26 will be announced following the next spending review.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential benefits of creating an agency for supply teachers to standardise pay and conditions.

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and the department is grateful for their important contribution to schools across the country.

Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers and are best placed to make decisions on their approach to recruitment.

A supply teacher’s pay and working conditions will depend on who employs the supply teacher.

Supply teachers employed directly by a state maintained school or local authority must be paid in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers laid down in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.

If a supply teacher is employed by a private agency or non-maintained school, the employer can set the rate of pay and conditions of employment.

The department does not have plans at this time to assess the potential benefits of creating an agency for supply teachers to standardise pay and conditions. Instead, we are focused on our central mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost life chances for every child by recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across our schools, both mainstream and specialist, and our colleges over the course of this parliament.

The department is already making progress towards this key pledge, including by accepting a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools, announcing a £233 million Initial Teacher Training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 recruitment cycle, and confirming targeted retention incentives for shortage subjects worth up to £6,000 after tax. We will continue to work alongside the sector as we seek to re-establish teaching as an attractive profession that existing teachers want to remain in, former teachers want to return to, and new graduates wish to join.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changing the funding for built environment Level 7 apprentices on the Government's commitment to build 1.5 million homes.

The government is committed to 1.5 million homes being built across this Parliament while spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.

The department is working closely with industry and across Whitehall on this ambition, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions to understand skill needs and how to address them.

The department has made early progress on expanding the skills offer with the announcement of Construction and Industry Training Board and National Housebuilding Council funding worth £140 million, to deliver up to 32 Homebuilding Skills Hubs and to make 5,000 more construction apprenticeships available, making use of existing flexibilities in our apprenticeships system to help businesses get the skilled workers they need more quickly.

There are 96 high quality apprenticeship standards in the construction and the built environment sector approved for delivery across levels 2 to 6 to support employers and apprentices to develop the skills they need, with three apprenticeship standards in the sector approved for delivery at level 7.

This government had a dire fiscal inheritance with a £22 billion blackhole in the nation’s finances. We are taking difficult decisions to fix the foundations of our economy and prioritise government spending where it can be most impactful, including in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.

The department is taking advice from Skills England, who have been engaging with employers and sector-representative organisations, including in construction, and expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships shortly. Learners who have started these apprenticeships will be funded through to completion and employers will continue to be able to offer these apprenticeships where they choose to do so.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of including grief education in the relationships and sex education curriculum.

The statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance, which sets out the specific topics pupils should be taught, makes clear that teachers should be aware of common adverse childhood experiences and understand when and how these may be affecting their pupils. This will help teachers to tailor their lessons accordingly, taking decisions on appropriate resources and support to enable them to teach the curriculum effectively. Teachers are free to draw on the support and expertise of subject associations and other providers of curriculum support. The RSHE statutory guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

The RSHE statutory guidance is currently under review. The department is looking carefully at responses to the public consultation conducted last year, considering the relevant evidence and discussing with stakeholders before setting out next steps to make sure the guidance draws from the best available evidence. As part of this process, the department will explore whether additional content is required, including on grief education and bereavement.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce wraparound childcare in all schools by September 2026.

This government will build a modern childcare system that supports families from the end of parental leave, right through to the end of primary school.

Childcare needs do not stop when children start school. To support parents the government will deliver free, universal breakfast clubs in every primary school in England. Free breakfast clubs will be available in up to 750 early adopter schools from April 2025 as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase in advance of a national roll out.

The government is additionally delivering the national wraparound childcare programme which has provided local authorities with more than £160 million to deliver the expansion of new before and after school places for primary school-aged children. The government’s ambition is that, by 2026, all parents and carers of primary school-aged children who need it will be able to access term-time childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm.

The programme is designed to support local authorities to deliver their statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient wraparound childcare places and remove the additional challenges faced in local areas with shortages. Where local wraparound provision is not available, parents can request that the school their child attends considers establishing wraparound or holiday childcare through the long-standing ‘right to request’ process.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of an increase in waste incinerators on the UK's carbon emission reduction targets.

The Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. Defra published the Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note and an accompanying statement on 30 December 2024, which set out that government will only back new Energy from Waste projects that meet strict conditions. Proposals for new facilities will have to demonstrate a clearly defined domestic residual waste treatment capacity need to facilitate the diversion of residual waste away from landfill, or enable the replacement of older, less-efficient facilities.

New facilities will have to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy. This will be achieved through application of Decarbonisation Readiness requirements that come into force from February 2026, increased heat recovery, and roll-out of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS). The government is developing a business model to support Waste CCUS projects and stimulate private investment. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Authority has confirmed its intention to include waste incineration and energy from waste in the scheme from 2028. Inclusion in the ETS means the sector's emissions will be capped along with other sectors in the scheme, and that cap will reduce in line with delivery of climate targets.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of waste incineration on (a) public health and (b) respiratory conditions.

The Environment Agency assesses the emissions from new waste incinerators, also known as Energy from Waste (EfW) plants, as part of the permitting process and consults the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on every application received. The UKHSA’s position is that modern, well-run and regulated municipal waste incinerators are not a significant risk to public health. This view is based on detailed assessments of the effects of air pollutants on health and on the fact that EfW plants make only a very small contribution to local concentrations and overall national emissions of air pollutants.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) undertake a needs assessment for waste disposal and (b) ban new incinerators unless there is a proven need for them.

The Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy, which will support economic growth, deliver green jobs, promote efficient and productive use of resources, minimise negative environmental impacts and help us accelerate to Net Zero. There will however still be a need for the safe and sanitary management of residual waste. In accordance with the Waste Hierarchy, sending residual waste that cannot currently be prevented, prepared for reuse, or recycled to Energy from Waste plants is preferable to disposal in landfill. We are clear however that we do not support incineration overcapacity.

Before the end of this year, the Government will publish an analysis of residual waste treatment capacity, including waste incineration, in England setting out our future capacity needs to inform future policy directions.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
22nd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to end fox hunting.

This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only.

The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs except where it is carried out in accordance with the exemptions in the Act. This includes Fox Hunting.

In addition, the Government made a manifesto commitment to ban Trail Hunting as part of a set of measures to improve animal welfare. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing. Further announcements will be made in due course.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to increase protection for farmed fish.

The Animal Welfare Committee’s updated Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing was published last year. A GB-wide farmed trout joint Government and industry working group is now examining the issues raised in the report to explore the potential options for more detailed welfare at killing requirements. The Scottish Government are also working closely with the salmon industry.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of vehicular accidents involving drivers who have not disclosed age-related health conditions on their driving license renewals in each of the last five years.

This information is not held by the Department for Transport.

The Department’s data on road injury collisions is based on information reported to the police via the STATS19 data collection system. STATS19 does not capture information on the health conditions of those involved in collisions.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
27th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings her officials had with the then hon. member for Mid Dorset and North Poole on flooding at Bakers Arms Roundabout on the A35 during the last Parliament; and what agreements were made to consider measures to resolve the issue.

The Department has no record of meetings on this matter during the last Parliament.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling carers receiving Carer's allowance who defer drawing state pension to receive the same uplift as those who do not.

Where a person has deferred claiming their State Pension, they cannot accumulate increments that will increase their State Pension amount if they have received certain social security benefits including Carer’s Allowance.

The underlying principle is to prevent a person earning an enhancement to their pension while drawing another benefit that would otherwise have not been payable had they been receiving their State Pension.

The Department encourages people to seek independent financial advice before making a decision not to claim their State Pension when they reach State Pension age and this is set out in GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/plan-retirement-income/get-financial-advice

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking with HMRC to establish data-sharing processes to enable the auto-enrolment for Pension Credit for individuals on very low incomes.

HMRC and DWP already have well established data-sharing processes and procedures, which are governed by the rules on how data can be accessed, shared and used whilst safeguarding individuals’ data and privacy. DWP officials are currently considering options of using government data, including HMRC data, more effectively to help identify households eligible for Pension Credit. However, a person’s eligibility for Pension Credit and the amount they may get depends on their particular financial and personal circumstances and not all of these can be accurately determined from Government data alone.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to create effective information sharing processes with the Department for Health and Social Care so that people with a permanent disability are no longer required to repeatedly prove the existence of their disability for receipt of disability benefit.

Personal Independence Payment, the main disability benefit, is based on an assessment of the customer’s needs and not whether they have a particular condition or not. Award reviews are a key feature of these benefits to ensure that the level of benefit matches the customer’s current needs.

The Health Transformation Programme is modernising health and disability benefit services to improve efficiency and customer experience. By improving how we gather evidence and by enabling the re-use of information, the new service will provide DWP agents and Healthcare Professionals with easier access to relevant information. This will reduce the burden on customers to provide complex information and reduce the need for them to provide it more than once. As part of this, we are exploring the potential for data sharing between the Department for Health and Social Care and DWP.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase the effectiveness safeguards for people with mental health conditions when engaging with the benefits system.

All customer-facing DWP colleagues are undertaking mandatory mental health awareness training to better support claimants who may present with mental health issues. All colleagues also have access to a wide range of guidance and signposting to help support customers. Where further specialist help is required, DWP has a national network of Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders who can provide additional advice and support through the local networks they have built with external partners and organisations.

Additionally, through the national DWP Visiting Service, the department provides additional face-to-face support across all service lines to customers who cannot access DWP services in any other way. A visit can be arranged for a customer if they need extra help to claim benefits, for example because they have complex needs, are disabled, are a vulnerable young person making a claim for the first time, have nobody else to support them or cannot claim benefits in any other way.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to provide the same level of support to self-employed parents taking maternity leave as to self-employed people taking leave for adoption.

Self-employed pregnant women who have paid the required Class 2 National Insurance contributions are entitled to Maternity Allowance.

As a general rule, maternity pay is primarily a health and safety provision relating specifically to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. As there is no associated period of pregnancy for adopters, they are unable to make a claim for maternity pay regardless of their employment status.

The Government very much values self-employed people who come forward to take on the challenging but rewarding role of being an adoptive parent, that is why there is provision for Local Authorities to make discretionary payments, equivalent to Maternity Allowance, to self-employed adopters who do not qualify for Statutory Adoption Pay and where they satisfy the relevant criteria. This payment is means-tested and ensures that resources are targeted at those adopters who need it most, as part of a package of post-adoption support.

Prospective adopters and the child or children that they intend to adopt are also entitled to an assessment of their family’s needs. This includes a whole host of support including discretionary means-tested financial support, advice, information and counselling, and support services.

Depending on individual circumstances, additional financial support, for example, Universal Credit, Child Benefit and the Sure Start Maternity Grant (a lump sum payment of £500) may also be available to new parents.

The Government has committed to a review of parental leave to ensure that it best supports working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to help retain alternatives to digital booking systems for GP appointments for those that cannot access online systems.

We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. The GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice.

The 2025/26 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours. In addition to improving online access, this will help free up phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to accelerate the NHS employment at appropriate grades of doctors trained in (a) Australia and (b) New Zealand.

National Health Service employers work at a local level to ensure they have the workforce they need, which includes making decisions about recruiting internationally educated doctors.

The Health and Care Worker visa offers a reduced visa fee, faster processing times, and an exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge to eligible overseas health and social care workers who wish to work in the United Kingdom, including doctors.

All doctors wishing to practise in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and hold a licence to practise. The GMC is statutorily independent of the Government and sets the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to its register. This ensures that registrants are safe to practise and that patients receive a high standard of care. Information on the process for joining the GMC’s register and tailored support for international applicants can be found on the GMC’s website.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to recruit NHS staff from UK citizens who obtained their medical qualification outside of the UK.

There is no central programme to recruit United Kingdom citizens who have obtained their medical qualification outside the UK into the National Health Service. NHS employers work at a local level to ensure they have the workforce they need, which includes making decisions about recruiting internationally educated doctors and determining the support they may require.

All medical practitioners wishing to practise in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and hold a licence to practise. The GMC is statutorily independent of Government and sets the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to its register. This ensures registrants are safe to practise and that patients receive a high standard of care. Information on the process for joining the GMC’s register and tailored support for international applicants can be found on its website.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making people with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome automatically eligible for IVF treatment.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) fertility guidelines set out the best practice for the National Health Service to follow for those suffering from clinical infertility. It is for integrated care boards to make local decisions about the services for their local population, taking account of NICE guidelines.

Individuals with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome do not have wombs but can form their families through surrogacy arrangements, which are not currently included in NICE fertility guidelines. The collection and storage of eggs is covered by NICE fertility guidelines but currently only for those being treated for cancer. The guidelines are currently under review and expected to be published later in 2025.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
28th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will offer provisionally registered status to overseas-qualified dentists.

In 2024, the Department carried out a consultation on introducing legislation that would give the General Dental Council (GDC) powers to provisionally register overseas-qualified dentists who have not yet met the GDC’s requirements for full registration. Dentists that meet our high standards should be able to enter the workforce efficiently.

Further information on the consultation is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/provisional-registration-for-overseas-qualified-dentists

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions and we are considering whether to proceed with the proposal to introduce provisional registration. Our position on this proposal will be set out in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
15th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to allow optometrists to share scan data directly with consultants, in the context of patient waiting times.

NHS England is testing how improving digital connectivity between primary care optometry and secondary care will allow optometrists to share diagnostic images and receive advice and guidance from specialists. This will enable more patients to be managed in the community, reducing the need for patients to be referred, and for those needing a referral to the hospital eye service, this could reduce the need for repeat diagnostics.

This approach aims to free up secondary eye care capacity and improve clinic efficiency, so specialists can prioritise patients needing specialist input on ophthalmology waiting lists.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to respond to the consultation entitled Pharmacy supervision which closed on 29 February 2024.

A previous consultation on pharmacy supervision was published earlier this year. The Government and devolved administrations will set out plans for the policy when it responds to that consultation, in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will reinstate the availability of medications previously available on prescription for (a) households on low incomes and (b) pensioners so that they are free of charge.

There are currently no plans to review the list of items that formed part of the NHS England review into medicines that cannot be routinely supplied. Prescribers are free to make their own decisions on which medicines to prescribe, unless they are banned or restricted, and are held accountable for their prescribing decisions by their employer, and professional regulator. A range of prescription charge exemptions are already in place to help people on low incomes and those aged 60 years old and over.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the list of conditions eligible for free prescriptions by working age people.

There are no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate to exempt people from the prescription charge.

Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place, for which those with the greatest need may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are also available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three-month and 12-month certificates available. The 12-month PPC can be paid for in instalments.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to dependant rules for health and social care visas on closures of care homes; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing health and social care workers to bring dependants subject to the requirement to pay the health surcharge.

In December 2023, the Home Office published their estimated immigration impacts of the announced legal migration changes, including the restriction on bringing dependants for care workers and senior care workers. These are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/legal-migration-statement-estimated-immigration-impacts/legal-migration-statement-estimated-immigration-impacts-accessible

This was followed by the 2024 spring Immigration Rules: impact assessment published in September 2024, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-immigration-rules-impact-assessments/2024-spring-immigration-rules-impact-assessment-accessible

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Afghan counterpart on improving safe access to education for girls in that country.

We repeatedly condemn the Taliban's draconian restrictions on women and girls' rights, both bilaterally and internationally. Ministers do not engage with the Taliban. The UK Mission to Afghanistan in Doha continues to press Taliban acting ministers and Afghan officials on their grotesque human rights abuses, including the recent ban on female medical education. UK officials most recently visited Kabul in January 2025 to raise human rights issues with senior members of the Taliban, including their policies which limit women and girls' access to education. While in New York in January I publicly demonstrated my support for Afghan women and girls at the UN, ahead of the International Day of Education on 24 January.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the Official Development Assistance budget is spent overseas.

The Home Secretary is committed to ensuring asylum costs fall and has already acted. This includes taking measures to reduce the asylum backlog and end the use of expensive hotel accommodation.

As the Prime Minister said in the House, as we clear the asylum backlog there are efficiencies that will be made that will mean more of that money is spent overseas.

Catherine West
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
12th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty.

The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, also known as the Global Oceans Treaty or the High Seas Treaty), which is in line with our determination to reinvigorate the UK's wider international leadership on climate and nature. Work is in hand on the measures needed to implement the detailed and complex provisions of the Agreement before the UK can ratify.

Anneliese Dodds
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of linking stamp duty thresholds to regional house prices.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a national tax in England and Northern Ireland charged using the same percentage rates across the country. This ensures stable and predictable revenue for the Exchequer while maintaining fairness for taxpayers. The current structure of SDLT ensures that those buying the most expensive properties contribute the most. Linking SDLT thresholds to regional house prices could increase complexity and create distortive effects around borders, impacting property markets.

More broadly, SDLT continues to be an important source of Government revenue, raising around £12 billion each year to help pay for the essential services the Government provides. Any reforms to SDLT would have to carefully consider impacts on the Exchequer alongside administrative costs and simplicity for the taxpayer. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the usual tax policy making process.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on recruitment by businesses.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), with a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances.

We acknowledge that, as the OBR set out, this measure will have an impact on labour supply. With all policies considered, the OBR expect the employment level to increase from 33.6 million in 2024 to 34.8 million in 2029.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of people made bankrupt by the Loan Charge.

HMRC will only ever consider initiating bankruptcy as a last resort, where they have been unable to work with the customer to agree a manageable payment plan. HMRC will also not force anyone to sell their main home or access their pension funds early to pay their Loan Charge or disguised remuneration debts.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing (a) Pension Credit and (b) the personal allowances of pensioners to mitigate the potential impact of the removal of Winter Fuel Allowance.

The standard minimum income guarantee for a single person and couples in Pension Credit rises in line with average earnings to ensure that it maintains its relative value over time to ensure that Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) will continue to provide a safety net for those who find themselves without an adequate income in retirement.

The government wants to ensure that individuals receive the support that they are eligible for, and we have already seen a greater than 152% increase in Pension Credit claims since the July Statement.

The previous government announced the Personal Allowance (PA) would be maintained at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The PA —the amount of income someone can earn before paying income tax—is currently set high enough to ensure that those pensioners whose sole income is the new State Pension or basic State Pension, and who have not deferred and do not receive protected payments, do not have to pay any income tax.

Darren Jones
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of HM Passport Office accepting multilingual standardised birth certificates as part of passport applications for the children of British parents born in Europe.

His Majesty’s Passport Office requires customers to provide a full birth certificate, issued in the country of birth, as part of a passport application. Multilingual Standard Forms do not meet this criteria: they are an extract of a civil registration record translated into the language needed and are not a full original certificate.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of enabling the use of electronic signatures, matched to the DVLA database, for admissions of vehicular offences on S172 forms.

Whilst the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 does not explicitly require wet signatures, the Penalty Notice System for Policing does not currently have the capability to match signatures between DVLA and s.172 forms.

A number of forces have additional software that in some cases allow for online admissions via a public access portal.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that premises covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill will also be required to provide (a) first aid equipment and (b) public access trauma kits.

The Terrorism Protection of Premises Bill does not include a specific requirement relating to the provision of medical treatment and associated equipment.

Wider work is ongoing to strengthen Healthcare Standards. The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) is working with partners to put in place updated guidance for health care at events.

DHSC has also undertaken work with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) and health sector partners to help improve and standardise the contents of Public Access Trauma (PAcT) kits.

Dan Jarvis
Minister of State (Home Office)
27th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to the Home Office, with reference to her Oral Statement of 27 November 2024 on Respect Orders and anti-social behaviour, whether police officers will be able to pursue (a) off road bikes and (b) e scooters when these vehicles are being used in (i) an anti-social or (b) dangerous manner.

The police are able to pursue off road bikes and electric scooters when they are used anti-socially or dangerously. Any decision on whether to undertake a pursuit is an operational one for the police and should take account of the risk factors and proportionality in each situation.

The Home Office works closely with the NPCC to understand how the safety of police pursuits can be improved.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) making wildlife crimes notifiable and (b) including them in national crime statistics.

There are no plans currently to make all wildlife crimes notifiable and consequentially to include in the national crime statistics. Any non-notifiable wildlife crime reported to police can still be investigated where appropriate, as Chief Constables have operational independence to tackle the crimes that matter most to their communities.

This Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is why, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to help tackle these crimes.

The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) provides intelligence, analysis and investigative assistance to the police and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to support them in investigating wildlife crime. This includes supporting cases referred by Border Force to the National Crime Agency or to individual forces. The NWCU is also the UK policing focal point for EUROPOL and INTERPOL wildlife crime activity. The NWCU uses this information to produce strategic and tactical assessments of wildlife crime across the UK.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
5th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the monthly payment of war pensions.

The War Pension Scheme (WPS) compensates for any injury, illness or death which was caused by service before 6 April 2005. There are two main types of WPS awards depending on the level of disablement:

  1. A gratuity is a tax free lump sum payment for disablement less than 20%
  2. A war disablement pension is an ongoing tax free payment paid weekly or monthly for disablement more than 20%

Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/war-pension-scheme-wps

Al Carns
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recommendations of the National Audit Office's report entitled Local Government Financial Sustainability, published on 28 February 2025.

The government recognises many of the themes identified by the National Audit Office in their recently published report entitled Local Government Financial Sustainability.

I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made by my rt. hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 3 February 2025 (HCWS413), which sets out the action the government is taking through the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement to bring long-term stability and certainty to the local government sector.

Jim McMahon
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the report by the Electoral Commission entitled Voter ID at the 2024 UK general election, published on 10 September 2024, prior to the May 2025 local elections.

The government has recently published our response to the Electoral Commission’s reports on the 2024 General Election, and this is available here: Electoral Commission’s reports on the 2024 elections: government response - GOV.UK.

As set out in that response, we will not be making any further changes to the voter identification policy ahead of the May 2025 local elections.

Rushanara Ali
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
12th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when local elections will be held for (a) areas submitting reorganisation proposals by May 2025, (b) Devolution Priority Programme areas (DPP) submitting proposals by September 2025, (c) postponed shadow unitary elections and (d) postponed mayoral elections.

For both (a) and (b) the postponed May 2025 elections will take place in May 2026 alongside the scheduled district councils in the area.

In addition, (a) For areas submitting reorganisation proposals by May 2025, the most ambitious timeline is likely to lead to shadow elections in 2026; (b) for Devolution Priority Programme areas (DPP) submitting proposals by September 2025, we anticipate mayoral elections in 2026.

(c) no shadow unitary elections have yet been scheduled;

(d) no mayoral elections have been postponed.

Jim McMahon
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
28th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the availability of Great British Insulation scheme grants for loft insulation to properties in Council Tax Band E.

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is not a government-funded grant scheme but an obligation on larger energy suppliers to support eligible households in the least energy-efficient homes by installing insulation measures. Support is offered to households in Council Tax bands A-D in England and A-E in Scotland and Wales, based on property values from 1991 in England and Scotland, and 2003 in Wales. These Council Tax bands capture a similar proportion of homes in each nation and serve as a proxy for income, ensuring the scheme proportionately captures low- to mid-income households. GBIS will be reviewed as part of the Warm Homes Plan and lessons from GBIS will inform future schemes, with decisions communicated to industry and the public.

Alex Norris
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral answer of 20 January 2025 from the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution on Local Government Reorganisation: Devon, Official Report columns 720-721, whether (a) the reorganisation of district councils and (b) other local government reorganisation is optional.

The question in the House was taken in relation to the current applications to join the Devolution Priority Programme. As stated in the House this allows for areas to put forward locally led proposals on both devolution and local government reorganisation. We are very pleased with the level of interest and can confirm again that no area was required to submit proposals by government.

Beyond the Devolution Priority Programme the English Devolution White Paper sets out our priorities in reorganisation where we believe there are clear efficiencies which can redirect resources to frontline services, and this will need to align to the reforms to local government funding. We will expect all two tier areas and smaller or failing unitaries to develop proposals for reorganisation.

We will take a phased approach to delivery, taking into account where reorganisation can unlock devolution, where areas are keen to proceed at pace or where it can help address wider failings. However, we are clear that reorganisation should not slow down devolution, and plans for both should be complementary. We will deliver this process as quickly as possible including through legislation where it becomes necessary to ensure progress.

Jim McMahon
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)