Rachel Gilmour MP: written questions
161 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Flood Control: Local GovernmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25080More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what methods for public recourse are available when a council authority is unable to fulfil their statutory duties on flood prevention.
Answer: Protecting all communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. Lead local flood authorities (unitary and county authorities) are required to manage local flood risks from surface water, groundwater and...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordOsteoporosis: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25079More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is to introduce early diagnosis services for osteoporosis.
Answer: On 6 January 2025, NHS England published the new Elective Reform Plan, which sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by the end of this Parliament. Further information on the Elective Reform Plan is available a...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: Working HoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25078More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support for out of hours doctors services in (a) Tiverton and Minehead constituency and (b) England.
Answer: No such assessment has been made by the Department. The commissioning of out of hours services, and to what extent those services are supported, is the responsibility of local commissioners in partnership with their providers, and in the best interest of ...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEpilepsy: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25077More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding for research into epilepsy.
Answer: The Department funds research into epilepsy via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). There are currently no plans to assess the adequacy of funding for research into epilepsy, however, the NIHR continues to welcome high quality appl...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23645More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) support for homeless people and (b) the criteria by which those at risk of homelessness are deemed vulnerable.
Answer: Homelessness levels are far too high and this Government is taking action to deliver long term solutions. As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25), bringing total...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: South WestDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23644More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding levels for NHS Dentists in the South West of England; and if his Department will draw up plans on how to use additional funding
Answer: A budget of £3.8 billion for primary, community, and secondary dentistry has been allocated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England for 2024/25, to deliver new initiatives and address the challenges facing National Health Service dentistry. Al...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Devon and SomersetMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the resources available to local government for planning enforcement in (a) Devon and (b) Somerset.
Answer: In the answer to Question UIN 16501 on 5 December 2024 I set out the government’s investment to support capacity and capability in local authorities. This will be further underpinned by increases in planning fees that will help improve the resourcing of p...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Fuels: Public ConsultationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22491More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to deliver a consultation on technical issues associated with renewable liquid heating fuel under Section 159 of the Energy Act 2023.
Answer: As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expects to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation which have fewest options to decarbonise. Renewable liquid heating fuels (RLHF) are also much more expensive to use than other heating solu...
Answered 14 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: PaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 6 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of paying the State Pension in monthly instalments.
Answer: State Pension payments are usually paid four weekly in arrears. People have the option to be paid weekly or in some circumstances bi-weekly. There are no plans to introduce alternative payment arrangements.
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Overseas Territories: CompaniesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18294More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of legislation on tackling (a) tax evasion and (b) illicit financial transactions in British Overseas Territories; and what esti
Answer: The Overseas Territories (OTs) work to uphold international standards such as those set out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Financial Action Task Force on tax transparency and countering illicit financial flows respec...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBlood Cancer: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18293More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to implement the recommendations within the Blood Cancer UK report entitled, UK Blood Cancer Action Plan, published on 4 September 2024.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Poole on 11 October 2024 to Question 7389.
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordIncome Tax: Tax Rates and BandsTreasuryTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18292More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of freezing Income Tax thresholds until 2028 on the number of people who will begin paying (a) Income Tax and (b) the higher rate of Income Tax in each financial
Answer: The information requested is published as part of the OBR’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The published table sets out the effects of the threshold freeze on taxpayers, by showing estimated numbers with and without indexation of the thresholds and th...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with producer organisations on (a) the closure of the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme and (b) replacing that scheme (i) in part or (ii) in ful
Answer: The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our fruit and vegetable growers and recognises their important role in maintaining a secure supply of home – produced fresh produce. The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and legi...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's timetable is for making a decision on whether to extend the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme beyond 31 December 2025.
Answer: The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our fruit and vegetable growers and recognises their important role in maintaining a secure supply of home – produced fresh produce. The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and legi...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17696More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Fruit and Vegetables Aid scheme beyond 31 December 2025.
Answer: The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our fruit and vegetable growers and recognises their important role in maintaining a secure supply of home – produced fresh produce. The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and legi...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHospiscare: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of public funding for Devon Hospiccare in Exeter.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services that the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England, including the NHS Devon ICB, under which Devon Hospiscare falls, must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and suppor...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPets: InsecticidesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17694More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the current adequacy of (a) regulation of fipronil and imidacloprid products, (b) (i) methods and (ii) scale of publication and promotion
Answer: The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) authorises veterinary medicinal products under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 (as amended) to protect public health, animal health, the environment, and promote animal welfare. This involves ensuring m...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Advisory ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17693More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to expedite the establishment of the Supported Housing Advisory Panel.
Answer: The Government remains committed to implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, including appointing members to a Supported Housing Advisory Panel.The recruitment of Panel members has resumed and applications closed...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: WatchetMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the occupancy rate for houses in Watchet in Tiverton and Minehead constituency.
Answer: Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum p...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordNHS and Social Services: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with adult social care providers on the planned level of funding for the (a) NHS and (b) social care in the next four financial years.
Answer: The Department holds regular meetings with adult social care stakeholders, including service providers and representative bodies, to discuss key issues and developments, such as the impact of the Budget on the sector.
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance ServiceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by Gingerbread entitled Fix the CMS, published on 25 November 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) assigning (i) dedicated and (ii) named case
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) continues to engage regularly with stakeholders as we consider CMS reform. We are currently considering the recommendations and our response to the Gingerbread report ‘Fix the CMS’.The CMS Service Modernisation Programm...
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: South WestDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17411More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will meet the hon. member for Tiverton and Minehead and the Peninsula Rail Task Force.
Answer: I’m pleased to advise that the Rail Minister Lord Hendy has accepted an invitation to meet with the Chair of the Peninsula Rail Task Force, Cllr Andrea Davis, and officials are currently making the necessary arrangements.
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17410More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting hospitality businesses from proposed changes to employer National Insurance contributions.
Answer: The Government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability after the situation we inherited from the previous administration. The Go...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming IncentiveDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the record-keeping requirement for the Sustainable Farming Initiative for 2024 will be maintained.
Answer: For Sustainable Farming Incentive, the Rural Payments Agency carries out desk-based administrative checks on a sample basis which can include requesting and checking the nature and quality of any supporting evidence, such as receipts and farm records. The...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy Performance CertificatesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17408More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Energy Performance Certificate on the ability of households to manage heating bills.
Answer: Currently, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) produce an energy efficiency rating (EER) based on the estimated running costs of the property. Basing the rating and recommendations of the EPC on cost is done with the aim of generating improvement which...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →