Fred Thomas MP: written questions 2025
51 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Schools: AdmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered amending the school admissions code to allow schools to withdraw an offer if new information suggests that their admittance poses a risk to another student.
Answer: All children, from whatever background and no matter what challenges they face, deserve a safe environment in which they can learn. Nothing is more important than safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. Keeping children safe in education is sta...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: AdmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71848More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to review the School Admissions Code.
Answer: All children, from whatever background and no matter what challenges they face, deserve a safe environment in which they can learn. Nothing is more important than safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. Keeping children safe in education is sta...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Medical ExaminationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessments were conducted (a) face-to-face and (b) by phone in each of the last two years.
Answer: The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments carried out by (a) face-to-face and (b) telephone in the last two calendar years are readily available on tab T2_32_Assessment_by_Channel, in Tables 2.32a and 2.32b of Pathways to Work: Evidenc...
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHMP DartmoorMinistry of JusticeTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to re-open HMP Dartmoor.
Answer: Elevated radon readings were first found at Dartmoor in 2020. HMPPS have been monitoring radon levels to manage exposure to prisoners and staff.Dartmoor has been temporarily closed since August 2024 after monitoring results were higher than expected. We a...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHarassment: Victim Support SchemesMinistry of JusticeTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69194More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) victims of harassment who have been unable to secure a conviction against the perpetrator and (b) other victims of harassment.
Answer: In its manifesto, the Government committed to strengthening protective orders, which can be used to protect from harassment in different situations, to make sure victims can get the strongest protection they need, at the earliest opportunity. Last Novembe...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHarassmentHome OfficeTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69193More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on the steps they are taking to ensure that incidents of harassment do not escalate into (a) more serious incidents and (b) violent crimes.
Answer: Everyone has the right to both feel safe and be safe going about their day-to-day lives. Harassment should be treated seriously by all police forces, with every victim treated with dignity, and every investigation and prosecution conducted thoroughly and ...
Answered 5 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordHarassmentHome OfficeTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69192More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that reports of harassment are taken seriously by the police.
Answer: Everyone has the right to both feel safe and be safe going about their day-to-day lives. Harassment should be treated seriously by all police forces, with every victim treated with dignity, and every investigation and prosecution conducted thoroughly and ...
Answered 5 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department have taken to improve support in the community for mental health.
Answer: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government is recruiting 8,500 mental health workers to help ease the pressure on busy mental health services. The latest data ...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: Mental HealthDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69190More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health.
Answer: The latest adult psychiatric morbidity survey, published on 26 June 2025, provides data on the prevalence of both treated and untreated mental health disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions in the adult population in England, those aged 16 years old a...
Answered 4 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people suffering a mental health crisis are able to access suitable treatment quickly.
Answer: Substantial progress has been made in building more robust crisis care pathways across all ages and in all regions, ensuring that people in a mental health crisis can receive the right care. However, the 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambitions to go fu...
Answered 29 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Hospital BedsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69188More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the availability of beds at psychiatric inpatient units.
Answer: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we need to focus treatment away from hospital and inpatient care and improve community and crisis services. Through our 10-Year Health Plan we will make sure more mental...
Answered 29 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMotability: Attendance AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64259More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the eligibility criteria for the Motability Scheme to include Attendance Allowance claimants.
Answer: Attendance Allowance (AA) is a weekly benefit for those over State Pension age who require care or supervision as a result of a physical or mental disability. AA is paid at two rates. A higher rate of £110.40 a week for claimants who need help or supervis...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPensioners: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support pensioners who have (a) become disabled after reaching State Pension age and (b) require (i) adapted vehicles and (ii) mobility assistance.
Answer: Attendance Allowance (AA) is a weekly benefit for those over State Pension age who require care or supervision as a result of a physical or mental disability. AA is paid at two rates. A higher rate of £110.40 a week for claimants who need help or supervis...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordWater Supply: PlymouthDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the resilience of the water supply in the long term in Plymouth.
Answer: The Government and the Environment Agency work with water companies and other stakeholders to monitor and manage water resources in England. Water companies are responsible for ensuring a secure water supply for their customers. Plymouth lies in South Wes...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordWater Supply: PlymouthDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many water supply outages there were in Plymouth in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.
Answer: Under the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD), all water companies must report to Defra any water outages that impact over 5,000 properties or will last over 24 hours. In 2025, one incident affecting Plymouth was reported to Defra. Betw...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the variances in the eligibility criteria for disabled bus passes.
Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The disabled eligibility criteria are set out in section 146 of the Transpo...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Transport: DisabilityDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support disabled people using public transport.
Answer: The government is committed to improving public transport services so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. On 17 December, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill to put the powe...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMaternity AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 904753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of Maternity Allowance.
Answer: The Secretary of State is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and the State Pension, including statutory pay. This is based on a review of trends in prices and earnings growth in the preceding year. From April 2025 the standard rate ...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOffenders: EmploymentMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to support individuals with unspent convictions seeking employment.
Answer: We know that finding employment after release reduces the chance of reoffending significantly, by up to nine percentage points. That is why the Government’s manifesto commits to break the cycle of reoffending by better supporting prisons to link up with e...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54138More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a levels of Educational Psychologists on EHCP (a) assessment and (b) review waiting times.
Answer: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.Educational psycho...
Answered 6 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOctopuses: PlymouthDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) increase in biomass of Octopus vulgaris and (b) their predation of shellfish in pots at sea on the livelihoods of (i) c
Answer: I recently visited the fishing industry in Plymouth and was made aware of reports of an unusual abundance of octopus in the Southwest including Cornwall. Defra understands this ‘octopus bloom’ is impacting shellfish potting fisheries and causing concern t...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Body ArmourMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on replacing enhanced combat body armour for all deployed armed forces personnel.
Answer: The safety of personnel remains the Ministry of Defence’s top priority and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our forces and maintain operational readiness. Where it is appropriate, alternative body armour plates have been issued to...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: FraudDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32292More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to (a) tackle the fraudulent reporting of earnings to the Child Maintenance Service and (b) ensure that parents are paid the correct amount of maintenance.
Answer: The primary goal of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is to ensure that children receive the financial support they are entitled to. To achieve this, the CMS collaborates with HMRC and Benefit systems to accurately calculate maintenance payments. This c...
Answered 27 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordProbation OfficersMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28432More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of probation officers had a caseload of (a) above 30, (b) above 40, (c) above 50 and (d) above 60 in (i) 2010, (ii) 2014, (iii) 2019 and (iv) 2023.
Answer: Caseload data for Probation Officers is unavailable pre-unification of the Probation Service (June 2021). Caseload data for the service as a whole is published for earlier periods (Offender management statistics quarterly - GOV.UK) but is not broken down ...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordProbation Officers: RetirementMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many probation officers retired from the service in (a) 2010, (b) 2014, (c) 2019 and (d) 2023.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the leaving reasons of probation officers in Table 14b of the quarterly “HM Prison and Probation Service workforce statistics” publication. The latest publication and tables, which covers the year to September 202...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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