Patrick Spencer MP: written questions 2024
24 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Young Offender Institutions: EducationMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to review the education provided to children in young offender institutions.
Answer: Following the Education Thematic Review recently published by Ofsted and HM Inspectorate of Prisons, education delivery in young offender institutions is under review.The Youth Custody Service (YCS) is committed to promoting the development of each child ...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSuffolk Constabulary: Employers' ContributionsHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18034More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of the increase to employers National Insurance contributions for Suffolk Constabulary in the 2025-26 financial year; and how much additional funding her Departm
Answer: Suffolk Police’s funding will be up to £171.5m in 2024-25. This is in addition to £1.5m provided for the 2024-25 pay award which has been allocated outside of the police funding settlement.The Home Secretary has already announced over half a billion of ad...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSuffolk Constabulary: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18033More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what grounds she decided the level of funding for Suffolk Constabulary; and if she will review that funding.
Answer: Suffolk Police’s funding will be up to £171.5m in 2024-25. This is in addition to £1.5m provided for the 2024-25 pay award which has been allocated outside of the police funding settlement.The Home Secretary has already announced over half a billion of ad...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAnimal Products: SmugglingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the new Border Target Operating Model (a) generally and (b) at tackling the illegal import of products of animal origin.
Answer: Defra continues to monitor and review the impact of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), including the Border Control Post at Sevington. We are working closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAfrican Swine Fever: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12667More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Immediate measures to step up safeguards against African swine fever from Europe, published on 26 September 2024, to help prev
Answer: Defra has made additional funding of £1.9 million available to Dover District Council for the Port Health Authority, for the remainder of this financial year (2024 to 2025), to support Border Force to conduct safeguarding checks on the illegal import of p...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAfrican Swine Fever: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12666More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled African swine fever: how to spot and report the disease, updated on 27 September 2024, whether he plans to ban all personal imports
Answer: Preventing an outbreak of African swine fever in the UK is one of Defra’s key biosecurity priorities. The Department keeps policy on personal imports under constant review and works closely with the devolved governments on contingency planning and prevent...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAfrican Swine FeverDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) likelihood of an African Swine Fever outbreak in the UK and (b) economic impact of such an outbreak.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Epping Forest, on 28 October 2024 PQ 10798.
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordFarming Recovery FundDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the eligibility criteria was for the expanded Farming Recovery Fund.
Answer: Defra is aware of the ongoing challenges farmers have been facing following the winter storms and the wet weather in late 2023 and early 2024. Defra is committed to maintaining food production and supporting thriving farm businesses as well as protecting ...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPension Credit and Winter Fuel PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2024 to question 4377 on Pension Credit, what progress her Department has made contacting pensioner households that are in receipt of Housing Benefit; and if she w
Answer: We will be writing shortly to the approximately 120,000 pensioners we have identified who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. As a result of the Winter Fuel Payment changes announ...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to support for landowners to maintain stretches of waterways on their land to help mitigate future flooding risk.
Answer: All farmers and land managers are encouraged to manage the land in a way that supports and enhances the environment while reducing impacts on others, such as climate risks. Where there is a watercourse, riparian landowners are required under common law to...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9553More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Environment Agency on clarifying its position relating to the ability of landowners to maintain stretches of waterway on their land to help reduce
Answer: The Environment Agency has proactively engaged riparian landowners setting out responsibilities, where there might be exemptions and how they can get help. This has already reached several communities affected in Storm Babet – in Central Suffolk and North...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: Central Suffolk and North IpswichDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support flood defence and preparedness works in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) serves as a Category 1 responder, offering flood warning services and managing various flood management projects. Post-2023 floods, Suffolk’s flood warning areas were refined for enhanced accuracy, with changes effective from N...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: Central Suffolk and North IpswichDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing levels of funding to help (a) support residents who experienced flooding during Storm Babet in 2023 and (b) mitigate
Answer: Following Storm Babet, the Flood Recovery Framework was activated by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Alongside this, the Property Flood Resilience Grant Scheme was activated by Defra. A post activation review of the Flood Recov...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: Central Suffolk and North IpswichDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Suffolk County Council on the costs of implementing section 19 actions in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency.
Answer: S19 recommendations are far reaching and span across several organisations. If all recommendations were to be implemented the cost in central Suffolk and North Ipswich would be in the tens of millions. Efficiency is gained through close partnership workin...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Grid: East of EnglandDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8600More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Norwich-to-Tilbury pylon route on the local agricultural sector.
Answer: It is the responsibility of the developers of electricity network projects, in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission, to propose a route and obtain planning permission for that route including assessment of any agricultural impacts. The Governm...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEducational Psychology: SuffolkDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding she plans to provide to Suffolk County Council to increase provision of educational psychologist services.
Answer: Educational psychologists play a critical role providing support to children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). However, the department knows that current workforce shortages are a barrier to deliveri...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordParentsDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to (a) encourage and (b) support parents to (i) read, (ii) speak and (iii) play with young children in the home.
Answer: The department recognises the vital role of parents and the home learning environment in children's early development and their contribution to the government’s mission to improve opportunity and give all children the best start in life. The department co...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to help parents of children with SEND with (a) education, health and care plans and (b) support systems.
Answer: The department recognises that some parents have struggled to get the right support for their children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), particularly through long and difficult Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan processes.The depa...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEducationDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what early intervention measures her Department is taking in order to (a) identify, (b) evaluate and (c) support children who do not have SEND but require additional support throughout their education due to (i
Answer: This year government is investing £255 million in the Supporting Families Programme, which since 2012 has championed early intervention and helped over 800,000 families achieve successful outcomes.In addition, through the £45 million families first for ch...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to simplify the education, health and care plan (a) application and (b) assessment system; and what support her Department provides to (i) Suffolk County Council and (ii) other loca
Answer: The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes and is planning to work across the sector to provide support for children...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review the High Needs National Formula for pupils with additional support needs to reduce regional disparities.
Answer: The department is taking time to consider the various funding formulae that both it and local authorities use to allocate funding for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. It is important that there is a fair education...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b)plans to take to implement the recommendations of the paper entitled Right Support, Right Place and Right Time, CP 624, published by her Department in March 2022.
Answer: This government is committed to taking a community-wide approach and to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs. The Change Programme, wh...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Grid: East of EnglandDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8081More
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 a community benefit scheme for agricultural landowners affected by the National Grid Norwich to Tilbury project who will n
Answer: The Government cannot comment on specific projects which will come before the Secretary of State for a final planning decision. All projects, regardless of location, must go through the independent and robust planning process. We are committed to ensuring...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Grid: East of EnglandDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8080More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions his Department has had with the agricultural community on the construction of the Norwich-to-Tilbury pylon project.
Answer: It is the responsibility of the developers of electricity network projects – in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission - to propose a route and obtain planning permission for that route. The government sets the rules for a robust and independent...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →