Oliver Dowden MP: written questions 2025
117 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Hospital BedsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to change the current bed capacity in the NHS across England.
Answer: In September, there were an average of 100,615 general and acute beds open across all acute trusts in England, 93,553 of which were occupied, a 93% occupancy rate.Decisions regarding the opening of additional beds to manage pressures are made locally by i...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHospital BedsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the current bed capacity is in the NHS across England.
Answer: In September, there were an average of 100,615 general and acute beds open across all acute trusts in England, 93,553 of which were occupied, a 93% occupancy rate.Decisions regarding the opening of additional beds to manage pressures are made locally by i...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRobotics: InnovationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90759More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote NHS innovation in robotics.
Answer: Robotics is one of the Department’s 10-Year Health Plan’s five "big bets” and by supporting the innovation pipeline from research through to adoption we aim to stimulate greater innovation and more rapid delivery of these technologies for improved pa...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSurgery: InnovationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote NHS innovation in nano surgery.
Answer: As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan, the Department encourages innovation in the health sector that helps to support the three big shifts in healthcare: moving care from hospitals to communities; transitioning from analogue...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBlood Tests: InnovationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote NHS innovation in liquid biopsies.
Answer: The Government is committed to funding innovative technologies, including multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests such as liquid biopsies, to improve early cancer diagnosis rates for cancer patients in the National Health Service. The Office for Life Sciences’...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGenomics: InnovationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote NHS innovation in genomics.
Answer: The ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan, together with the 10-Year Health Plan, will enable the United Kingdom to remain firmly at the forefront of the genomics revolution by driving large-scale preventative care and enabling world-class re...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVirtual WardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90755More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the target number of virtual wards is in the NHS across England.
Answer: In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance in...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVirtual WardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90754More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there is a target for the number of virtual wards in the NHS across England.
Answer: In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance in...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVirtual WardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual wards there are in the NHS across England.
Answer: In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance in...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensed Premises: Local PressDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing the requirement to advertise new premises licences or variations to existing ones in local newspapers on local transpar
Answer: Following the Licensing taskforce report, the Government published a Call for Evidence on reforming the licensing system on 7 October, which closed on 6 November. The Call for Evidence invited views on the impact of licensing reforms, including in relatio...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Local PressDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing the requirement for local authorities to publish statutory public notices in local newspapers on local transparency in
Answer: Following the Licensing taskforce report, the Government published a Call for Evidence on reforming the licensing system on 7 October, which closed on 6 November. The Call for Evidence invited views on the impact of licensing reforms, including in relatio...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiabetes: Medical EquipmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase access to continuous glucose monitors for people with diabetes.
Answer: There are currently over 200,000 people living with diabetes in England who benefit from real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) In order to help integrated care boards (ICBs) improve access to CGM to eligible people, data is now collected as part o...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiabetes: Medical EquipmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the phased implementation period for access to hybrid closed-loop technology for people with type 1 diabetes.
Answer: NHS England has developed a five-year national strategy with guidance to National Health Service providers on the phased uptake approach of hybrid closed loop (HCL) systems. Rollout started in April 2024 with pregnant women, children, young people, those ...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is her Department’s timetable for announcing future rounds of funding for the Access for All programme.
Answer: Access for All funding for the current Spending Review period has been allocated, with projects to be announced in due course. We would expect any future rounds to align to future Spending Review periods. Until then, accessibility upgrades can be funded v...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HertsmereHome OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of asylum accommodation contracts on the private rented housing market in Hertsmere constituency.
Answer: We are working towards a more fair and equitable spread of asylum accommodation across the UK, working in partnership with Local Government through our Place Based engagement structures and asylum accommodation plans.Under those plans and through that eng...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HertsmereHome OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90263More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are being housed in homes of multiple occupation in Hertsmere constituency.
Answer: We are working towards a more fair and equitable spread of asylum accommodation across the UK, working in partnership with Local Government through our Place Based engagement structures and asylum accommodation plans.Under those plans and through that eng...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: InfrastructureMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that appropriate infrastructure is built when building new towns.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: Green BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Green Belt protection is factored in when making decisions on new towns.
Answer: Green Belt policy is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90260More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have an up-to-date local plan before local government reorganisation.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 3 June 2025 (HCWS676) and the answer given to Question UIN 70545 on 15 September 2025.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLeasehold: ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90259More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to include leasehold houses in Right To Manage eligibility.
Answer: The government has commenced the Right to Manage measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. They came into effect on 3 March 2025. These changes implement the Law Commission recommendation to increase the non-residential floorspace limit from...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90258More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have enough resources to enforce planning conditions if developers do not comply with planning appli
Answer: Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case. It is also for local planning aut...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will publish further guidance to Local Planning Authorities on the weight given in the planning balance to a failure to comply with the Golden Rules.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025. The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should n...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 58228 on Planning: Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Local Authorities are upholding the Gol
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025. The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should n...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70546More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to (a) Business Property Relief and (b) Agricultural Property Relief on the level of resources required at HMRC.
Answer: On 21 July 2025 HMRC published a policy paper on the agricultural property relief and business property relief reforms for Inheritance Tax. The summary of impacts includes an estimate of HMRC’s costs to deliver the measure. https://www.gov.uk/government/p...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70545More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have an up-to-date local plan.
Answer: The plan-led approach is, and must remain, the cornerstone of our planning system. To progress toward our ambition of universal local plan coverage, the government has made clear that it will drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible. Later thi...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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