Natasha Irons MP: written questions 2025
19 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Temporary Accommodation: Housing BenefitDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the amount of the Housing Benefit subsidy for temporary accommodation cases being less than Local Housing Allowance rates on the quality of tempora
Answer: DWP pays local authorities a Housing Benefit subsidy for Temporary Accommodation cases. There are restrictions on the amount paid, including a subsidy cap which is the lowest of £500 per week in certain areas of London or £375 elsewhere, 90% of 2011 LHA r...
Answered 28 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHomelessness and Supported HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69643More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support (a) homeless services and (b) supported housing providers with their finances.
Answer: The government has increased funding for homelessness services by £233 million in 2025/26 to a total of £1 billion to prevent rises in the number of households in temporary accommodation and to help prevent rough sleeping. This includes £185.6 million thr...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69642More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the supply of supported housing meets future demand.
Answer: At the Spending Review, we announced £39 billion for a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36. The programme will not set numerical targets for particular types of homes other than Social Rent. However, it is desig...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 61354 on Personal Independence Payment, if she will set out the methodology used to estimate the number of claimants who would be subject to the benefi
Answer: As I made clear in my statement to the House, Hansard, 1 July, col 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I am leading, and which will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that re...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to the PIP eligibility criteria on the number of people subject to the benefits cap (a) nationally and (b) in Croy
Answer: We estimate that in 2029/30, for those affected by the proposed changes to the PIP eligibility criteria, 1,200 claimants will be also subject to the benefit cap. This estimate assumes that people potentially subject to the benefit cap are no more, and no ...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Age Assessment BoardHome OfficeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55587More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of independence of the National Age Assessment Board.
Answer: The introduction of the National Age Assessment Board (NAAB) in March 2023, a decision-making body comprising of social workers who can conduct Merton age assessments on behalf of local authorities, offers significant improvements to our processes for ass...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcare: Free School MealsDepartment for EducationTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54468More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that two-year-olds in Government-funded childcare places receive free school meals in (a) private and (b) school nurseries.
Answer: Under current programmes, 2.1 million disadvantaged pupils are registered to receive benefits-based free school meals (FSM). This includes pupils attending a local authority maintained, academy or free school nursery who are entitled to FSM, as long as th...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic Abuse: Children and Young PeopleDepartment for EducationTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools provide (a) children and (b) young people with information on support available for victims of domestic abuse.
Answer: ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), our statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges, is clear that all staff should be aware of and provide support to children and young people who might be victims of domestic abuse. KCSIE provides ...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: ChildrenDepartment for EducationTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a comparative assessment of the cost to the public purse of (a) increasing funding for early interventions and (b) conducting late-stage interventions in children’s social care.
Answer: This government recognises that early intervention improves outcomes and reduces overall public spending.In the 2023/24 financial year, local authorities’ gross expenditure on children and young people's services was £14.8 billion, a 12% increase in cash ...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: ChildrenDepartment for EducationTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reductions in early intervention funding on levels of demand for (a) child protection services and (b) care placements.
Answer: This government recognises that early intervention improves outcomes and reduces overall public spending.In the 2023/24 financial year, local authorities’ gross expenditure on children and young people's services was £14.8 billion, a 12% increase in cash ...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: Age AssuranceHome OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of assessments undertaken by the National Age Assessment Board that were subject to a legal challenge in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024; and how many and wha
Answer: The number of age assessments undertaken by the National Age Assessment Board that were subject to a legal challenge was 22 in total (1 in 2023 and 21 in 2024).20 of the 22 age assessments decisions were successfully defended (91%).
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCompulsorily Detained Psychiatric PatientsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help protect patients who have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Answer: The Mental Health Bill, which has now passed from the House of Lords to the House of Commons, will give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights, and support, and will ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterans: CroydonMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51005More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how Operation VALOUR will support (a) veterans in Croydon East constituency and (b) the creation of a new veterans hub in Croydon.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for Veterans and People gave on 12 May to Questions 50185, 50186, 50187, 50189, 50190, and 50191 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr Cartlidge), and Question 50424 to the hon. Member for Spelthorne (...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBowling: Loneliness and Public HealthDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of funding grassroots bowls on (a) tackling loneliness and (b) public health.
Answer: We are committed to providing support for grassroots clubs who provide access and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity. Bowls has a unique and important role to play in tackling loneliness through supporting people to have the socia...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBowlingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support she provides to grassroots bowls clubs.
Answer: We are committed to providing support for grassroots clubs who provide access and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity. Bowls has a unique and important role to play in tackling loneliness through supporting people to have the socia...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48672More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for (a) decision-making and (b) funding allocation for embedded youth work in A&Es to support young victims of (i) violence and (ii) exploitation.
Answer: Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission. Prevention and early intervention to stop young people being drawn into crime is an integral part of that mission. That’s why the Government’s manifesto comm...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordYouth ServicesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of youth services on (a) preventing exclusions, (b) increasing school attendance and (c) educational attainment.
Answer: This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to live safe and healthy lives, and the positive impact youth services can have on young people, including in educational settings. That is why we are co-producing a new National Youth Stra...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily Hubs: CroydonDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much Croydon council will receive for family hubs in this financial year.
Answer: In 2024/25, Croydon Council were allocated £1.619 million for the delivery of Family Hubs and Start for Life programme.In 2025/26, the department and the Department of Health and Social Care will provide a £126 million boost to give every child the best s...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Temporary AccommodationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the use of short-term accommodation for homeless families.
Answer: Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected.We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get u...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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