Lee Dillon MP: written questions 2024
78 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Thames WaterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with Ofwat on the potential impact of the levels of Thames Water's (a) debt and (b) dividend payments on its customers.
Answer: Water companies are commercial entities, and it would be inappropriate to comment further on the specific situation of any individual company. We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to...
Answered 7 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: NewburyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to support pharmacies in Newbury constituency with the increased cost of employers National Insurance contributions.
Answer: We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at Autumn Budget 2024, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The em...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordProject Gigabit: BerkshireDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21441More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans hi Department has expand the roll out of Project Gigabit in (a) Kintbury, (b) Boxford, (c) Lambourn, (d) Great Shefford and (e) Newbury constituency.
Answer: According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, 99% of premises in the Newbury constituency can already access superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps), and almost 87% can access a gigabit-capable broadband connection.To extend gigabit-capable c...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FloodsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds plans for supporting rail networks affected by flooding.
Answer: Network Rail and other operators are responsible for planning for flooding events and have contingency plans in place. The Department keeps in close contact with these operators in such events and would take appropriate action as necessary.
Answered 7 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21439More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventing planning inspectors from overturning decisions made in line with neighbourhood plans.
Answer: Appeal decisions by planning inspectors must be taken in accordance with policies in the development plan for the area, including any neighbourhood plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The revised National Planning Policy Framework, wh...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: LambournDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21438More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress has been made on Project Groundwater in Lambourn Valley.
Answer: Project Groundwater is funded by the £150 million Flood & Coastal Resilience Innovation programme, managed by the Environment Agency (EA). The programme includes 25 local projects around the country that are testing practical ways of bolstering resili...
Answered 7 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDrugs: NewburyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19572More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research in the pharmaceutical sector in Newbury.
Answer: The Department funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research across the United Kingdom, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).Development and delivery...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: PricesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18044More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to prevent households that have chosen not to install smart meters from higher energy tariffs.
Answer: The mechanism for protecting consumers from disproportionate energy prices is the Price Cap, which ensures default tariffs are priced efficiently. This protects households who are on their supplier’s default tariff. The level of the price cap is the same ...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18043More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing separate inheritance tax thresholds for (a) agricultural land and (b) business equipment for farmers.
Answer: The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordLand: ValuationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to reduce the hope value of land.
Answer: The government recently brought into force regulations that provide for the removal of ‘hope value’ from the assessment of compensation in compulsory purchase cases, where there is justification in the public interest. Guidance and a fact sheet on the mea...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren in CareDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18041More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing funding to ensure that the Lifelong Links programme can be extended to all children in care.
Answer: The department is committed to helping children thrive and wants the best for every child and family. We know that a stable support network and loving relationships are crucial to supporting children in care and care leavers to thrive.To support this, the...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordLeasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18040More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's timescales are for bringing forward secondary legislation in relation to the Leasehold Act 2024.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: PricesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15544More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with energy suppliers on continuing the Voluntary Debt Commitment after winter 2023-24.
Answer: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had regular discussions with suppliers on a range of issues, including the Voluntary Debt Commitment. Following these discussions, the Government and industry have worked together to deliver a £500m Win...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSports: ChildrenDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2024 to Question 11698 on Sports: Children, what steps she is taking to help ensure the adequacy of access to grassroots sports facilities for children under
Answer: Our mission-led Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be ac...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: NewburyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15090More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of adequate (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care in Newbury.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs), including Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB, which covers the Newbury constituency, must commission. This promotes a more consistent nation...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBuilding Safety Fund and Cladding Safety SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15089More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to allow social landlords to access the (a) Building Safety Fund and (b) Cladding Safety Scheme.
Answer: Social landlords can already apply to the Cladding Safety Scheme and the Building Safety Fund (BSF) where the cost of remediating a building would threaten the financial viability of the landlord or to cover costs which - without the protections of the Bu...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: NewburyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15087More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce unemployment among people aged 50 to 65 in Newbury constituency.
Answer: Improving employment outcomes for people of all ages will play an important part in the government’s economic growth and opportunity missions. We are reforming jobcentres, so they match people, including older workers, to the right job and combine employm...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRivers: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the cleanliness of rivers.
Answer: For too long, sewage and pollution have contributed to the uncleanliness of our rivers, lakes, and seas. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will deliver on the Government’s commitment to put water companies under special measures. It will drive meaningful ...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to provide additional support to local authorities to prepare for flooding in winter 2024-25.
Answer: We set up the first ever Floods Resilience Taskforce on 12 September. The Taskforce sets out a new approach to preparing for flooding, and working cohesively between national, regional and local government, including the devolved administrations and flood...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: Community Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15083More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the Pharmacy First campaign.
Answer: There is a targeted public communications campaign with associated media materials, running from 11 November 2024 until mid-December 2024 as well as coordinated communications across the healthcare system and sharing best practices where the service is al...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15082More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that education, health and care plan assessments are (a) progressed and (b) issued promptly.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 26 November to Question 14834.
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHorses: ExportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15080More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to secure a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU to facilitate the movement of thoroughbred horses across borders.
Answer: The Prime Minister and President of the European Commission met on 7 November at the European Political Community in Budapest, where they discussed the strength of the UK-EU partnership and the need to work together to tackle the challenges facing Europe....
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHorsesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15079More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of designating thoroughbred horses as high health animals.
Answer: On 25 November 2024 we announced that physical checks at Border Control Posts for live animals imported from the European Union, including horses and other equines, and goods and live animals arriving at west coast ports from Ireland, will not begin in 20...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHorses: DatabasesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15078More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to introduce digital equine identification.
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification and traceability. Digital enhancements are unl...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordGP SurgeriesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 901298More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will conduct a review of the decision to delegate the power to hold leases for GP premises to integrated care boards.
Answer: NHS England currently accepts ICBs holding leases only as a last resort or by exception due to the significant capital required. While we know that is not the most effective use of ICB resources, it is an important safeguard. We are committed to fixing th...
Answered 19 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →