Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will look to open an emergency dental care unit in Swindon as the largest urban centre in Wiltshire.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 September in response to Question 24197.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to expand access to NHS dentistry in Swindon.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 September in response to Question 24197.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to review the contract with HCRG Care Services at Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for overseeing the contracts they have agreed with providers for the delivery of NHS services locally.
For further information, I refer the Hon. Member to the remarks I made in the debate in the House of Commons on HCRG Care Group: Performance in the South-west on 28 October 2026, available at the following link:
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help tackle the 12 hour work issue for people in temporary accommodation.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Housing Benefit can be paid to people both in and out of work, with income tapers applying as earnings increase. From 5 October 2026, the Department introduced new earned income disregards for working-age Housing Benefit claimants living in Temporary Accommodation and Supported Housing, as announced at Autumn Budget 2025. The new disregards remove the cliff edge arising from the interaction of universal credit and Housing Benefit so that claimants are better off if they take up work or increase their hours.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for leasehold reform.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), 15 July 2026 (HCWS270) and 12 October 2026 (HCWS363).
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent progress she has made on devolution in areas with no plans for Mayors.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government’s ambition is to ensure every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a strategic authority by the end of 2027, with strategic authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028.
The Government recently wrote to all areas without a Strategic Authority seeking confirmation of their devolution ambitions, including their preferences regarding mayoral or non-mayoral devolution and views on the right geographical footprint. We will confirm next steps in writing to all areas soon.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will provide guidance on access to flu, covid, shingles and other vaccinations for house bound residents.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
General practitioners are contractually required to offer vaccinations to 100% of eligible patients, including housebound patients, and must ensure that appointments are acceptable and convenient to those patients. This is in accordance with the General practice enhanced service specification – COVID-19 and adult influenza vaccination programmes: 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027; The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2015 for other routine vaccinations; and the General practice vaccination and immunisation services: standards and core contractual requirements, available at the following three links respectively:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1862/schedule/3/paragraph/5/made
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps she has taken on the closure and restructuring of NHS England with regard to redundancies of staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the impact assessment that has been laid before Parliament, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-bill-abolishing-nhs-england-impact-assessment
The latest information on NHS England's workforce, including information on redundancy, was published in NHS England's most recent Annual Report and Accounts. This is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-england-annual-report-and-accounts-2025-to-2026
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has considered reallocating policy costs and levies on non-domestic electricity bills for energy-intensive businesses, particularly those operating in sectors such as defence and advanced manufacturing.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the pressure high electricity costs place on businesses. Eligible energy-intensive businesses in Scotland can benefit from the British Industry Supercharger, which provides relief from certain electricity policy costs and network charges. The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will also support over 10,000 businesses across Great Britain, reducing electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour—an average discount of around 25%. We are working closely with the Department for Business, Industry, Science and Trade to explore further options to reduce non-domestic electricity costs. In the longer term, delivering clean power will strengthen energy security and reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to limit the impact of non-commodity costs on non-domestic energy bills.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the pressure high electricity costs place on businesses. Eligible energy-intensive businesses in Scotland can benefit from the British Industry Supercharger, which provides relief from certain electricity policy costs and network charges. The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will also support over 10,000 businesses across Great Britain, reducing electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour—an average discount of around 25%. We are working closely with the Department for Business, Industry, Science and Trade to explore further options to reduce non-domestic electricity costs. In the longer term, delivering clean power will strengthen energy security and reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.