Matt Vickers MP: written questions 2025
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Written questions
Armed Forces: Mental Health ServicesMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97618More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to expand mental health support services for (a) serving personnel and (b) veterans.
Answer: All Service personnel have access to mental health support throughout their career, including medical and non-medical services. This includes, but is not limited to, preventative support such as wellbeing services, digital content, access to interventiona...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: CybersecurityMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97617More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of cyber-security resilience within Defence Digital systems.
Answer: Defence prioritises cyber security and regularly reviews its resilience through the GovAssure scheme. This process relies on the National Cyber Security Centre's (NCSC) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) to assess risk and drive improvements in cyber securi...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: DeploymentMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the readiness of deployable military units.
Answer: The Armed Forces readiness is directed by the Armed Forces Plan, in which the Chief of the Defence Staff directs his Military Command Chiefs to hold a variety of Force Elements at varying levels of readiness. This readiness in aligned to our NATO Force Mo...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Protective ClothingMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate the rollout of new personal protective equipment for frontline personnel.
Answer: The safety of our personnel is our top priority. Our deployed personnel are in possession of the protective equipment that they require for their roles. The Department continues to explore new technologies and options to ensure that issued protective equi...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: HousingMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of construction costs on the armed forces estate modernisation programme.
Answer: The Defence Housing Strategy sets out a vision for the future renewal of the Service family estate, is backed by a 10-year programme of investment to deliver its recommendations in full. Nine out of ten Defence family homes will be improved, and service s...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: HousingMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average waiting time is for repairs requested through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
Answer: The table below details the average repair response times for Emergency, Urgent and Routine maintenance tasks by Ministry of Defence (MOD) contractors for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the UK in November 2025:AverageAmey PerformanceVIVO Performanc...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: HousingMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97612More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve accommodation standards for service personnel living in single living accommodation.
Answer: Enhancing the standard of accommodation, including single living accommodation (SLA) is essential to the morale and retention of Service personnel and is a priority within the Defence infrastructure portfolio. Defence is committed under the Strategic Defe...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Labour Turnover and RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97611More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment this Department has made of trends in the level of recruitment and retention levels across the armed forces in the latest reporting period.
Answer: The figures in the latest reporting period highlight that for the first time since early 2021, Armed Forces intake is now greater than outflow. In the 12 months preceding 1 October 2025 there was an increase of 13% in people joining the Armed Forces compa...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97610More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with operators of housing-with-care schemes on international best practice in relation to tenure.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 87630 on 11 November 2025.
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBicycles: TheftDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97609More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the British Transport Police works with (a) her Department, (b) Network Rail and (b) train operating companies to reduce pedal-cycle theft at railway stations, including
Answer: The Department is committed to working with the rail industry and the British Transport Police (BTP) to ensure that the railway remains a safe environment for passengers and rail staff. BTP works in partnership with rail operators to make stations hostile...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBicycles: TheftDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97608More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the British Transport Police’s screening policy, including any value or time-window criteria on (a) cycle-theft reporting rates at railway stations and (b) public c
Answer: The British Transport Police (BTP) are operationally independent and how they deploy their resources across the network is for the Chief Constable to decide. Criminal activity, including cycle theft, is not tolerated on the network and BTP are committed t...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBicycles: TheftDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97607More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the British Transport Police's crime-screening policy introduced in August 2024, if she will publish the formal guidance for pedal-cycle theft (J13) and the operational factors used to determi
Answer: The British Transport Police (BTP), like their Home Office force counterparts, are operationally independent and decisions on whether to release guidance are for the Chief Constable to make. Crime figures for the BTP are collated by the Home Office and pu...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of Universal Credit advances that remain outstanding beyond 12 months.
Answer: Most UC advances (new claims, benefit transfer and Budgeting Advances) have a maximum repayment period of 24 months except change of circumstances advances which have a maximum of 6 months.
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment the Department has made of the level of access to face-to-face support for claimants with limited digital skills.
Answer: If a work coach becomes aware a claimant lacks digital skills, they are able to refer to provision for Foundation Digital Skills, and then onto Essential Digital Skills training. In England, this is paid for by the adult skills budget.
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for child maintenance enforcement actions.
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will do everything it can to address the non-payment of child maintenance and ensure appropriate enforcement action is taken in a timely manner.Enforcement action can include deductions from earnings orders, or from ban...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97238More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s current forecast is for its staffing requirements in benefit processing centres for the next financial year.
Answer: The Department continually impacts and assesses the service being offered to customers. Staff numbers are reviewed on an ongoing basis, in line with the latest economic and benefit forecasts.
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment Schemes: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the availability of specialist disability employment advisers within Jobcentres.
Answer: Every Jobcentre has access to a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA). We have over 700 FTE DEAs across our Jobcentre network. We regularly monitor the number of staff allocated to this role. DEAs are trained as Work Coaches, followed by additional role spe...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to increase take-up of Carer’s Allowance among eligible carers.
Answer: Carer’s Allowance (CA) offers financial support and recognition to unpaid carers in England and Wales who are unable to work full-time due to their caring responsibilities.Information and guidance on CA entitlement is available through multiple channels, ...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the cost of living on the adequacy of benefit levels in the most recent review period.
Answer: The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review State Pension and benefit rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where th...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIndustrial Injuries Disablement BenefitDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97234More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the current clearance times for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims.
Answer: Monthly statistics on Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) assessments, by assessment month and decision time, are published on Stat-Xplore . They are available for claim starts to March 2025. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest us...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: FraudDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of fraud and error detection systems used in Universal Credit administration.
Answer: Over the last year, we have seen a statistically significant decrease in the Universal Credit overpayment rate from 12.4% to 9.7% of expenditure - this represents a 21% fall in the overpayment rate, equivalent to £1.7bn in terms of FYE 2025 Universal Cred...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: Older PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97232More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve support for unemployed claimants aged over 50 seeking to return to work.
Answer: Work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement. The Department is therefore committed to supporting workers over the age of 50 through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexi...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Department has made of the impact of recent policy changes on the proportion of disability benefit decisions overturned at appeal.
Answer: The Department is committed to monitoring the impacts of its policies. Information about disability benefit appeal overturns can be retrieved from StatXplore, HMCTS’ quarterly statistics, or the Department’s quarterly PIP statistics. The latter includes i...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97230More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce average waiting times for Access to Work applications and renewals.
Answer: We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper ...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of pensioners eligible for Pension Credit who are not currently receiving it.
Answer: The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics cover the financial year 2023 to 2024 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2024 - GOV.UK. The Government wants all pensioners to get the support t...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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