Rachel Gilmour MP: written questions
277 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Children: Social ServicesDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47506More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to provide support to parents who have had children removed into the care system; and what support is available to help those parents maintain or develop a relationship with
Answer: The children’s social care national framework and ‘Working together to safeguard children’ statutory guidance is clear that children should be raised by their families, within their family networks or in family environments wherever possible. The departme...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take through the 10 Year Health Plan to support community pharmacies.
Answer: The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that s...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: ClosuresDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent community pharmacy closures in (a) rural and (b) deprived areas.
Answer: Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare ...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSewage: Tiverton and MineheadDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of sewage discharges into waterbodies in Tiverton and Minehead constituency; and what steps he is taking to ensure that co
Answer: For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvem...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47068More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she make an assessment of the adequacy of levels of welfare support for children within married families.
Answer: We will bring in a permanent, above inflation, rise to the standard allowance in Universal Credit for the first time ever by raising the standard allowance above inflation from 2026/27 until 2029/30. This is in stark contrast to the freeze between 2016/17...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArts: South WestDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47067More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she considered including the West Somerset Opportunity Area in the South West region for the DCMS Create Growth Programme Competition 4.
Answer: The Create Growth Programme supports high-growth creative businesses and SMEs in twelve English regions outside London to scale up and become investment ready. This is delivered through three strands of support - bespoke business support, financial suppor...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordOut of Area TreatmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46488More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the discharge process on patients in cross-county areas.
Answer: Enabling people to be discharged from hospital more quickly and with the right support contributes to speedier recovery and better outcomes. In some instances, this may mean discharging a patient outside of their local area so that they can receive the mo...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCattle: Walls and FencesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46487More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, who is (a) responsible for the installation of fencing to keep cattle safely grazing and (b) liable if the fence breaks and a member of the public is injured by cattle.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, this includes workplace health and safety risks created in agriculture. The main piece of health and safety legislation enforced by HSE is the Health an...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBovine Tuberculosis: ExmoorDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46486More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the spread of tuberculosis in cattle on Exmoor.
Answer: Our Bovine TB Strategy is underpinned by robust routine and targeted testing of all cattle herds in England, restricting cattle movements from infected premises and detecting and removing all test positive cattle. This strategy is enhanced by statutory pr...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPine Martens: ExmoorDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46485More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the reintroduction of pine martens project on Exmoor.
Answer: No assessment has been made of the effectiveness of reintroductions of pine martens project on Exmoor as the release of pine martens on Exmoor is yet to take place. Devon Wildlife Trust, as part of their pine marten reintroduction project, have released p...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChildminding: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46484More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding for childminding providers.
Answer: It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and this is key to the government’s Plan for Change. That also means ensuring the se...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46483More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve financial support for student parents undergoing teacher training and not earning a salary.
Answer: Students attending full-time undergraduate courses and PGCE courses with child dependants qualify for a partially means-tested loan for living costs, a means-tested Childcare Grant, payable towards childcare costs for registered or approved childcare, and...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStudents: ChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46482More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of childcare funding policies for parents in higher education.
Answer: Students attending full-time undergraduate courses and PGCE courses with child dependants qualify for a partially means-tested loan for living costs, a means-tested Childcare Grant, payable towards childcare costs for registered or approved childcare, and...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordClozapine: Side EffectsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45332More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies the (a) side effects and (b) long-term health implications of the use of clozapine as a medicament.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines and medicinal products and ensures that the product information for each medicines reflects what is known about the medicine and provides information to support safe use an...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Management Companies: Bank ServicesTreasuryTabled 3 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44037More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the change in banks' policies on block management accounts on people who own apartment buildings.
Answer: The Government is aware of ongoing action taken by some banks to restrict their services in respect of pooled client accounts, which may include block management accounts. We understand the difficulties this can cause for those whose accounts have been cl...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Parks: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42133More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of planning applications without clear necessity on the boundaries of national parks on those areas.
Answer: The government has made no such assessment. Impacts of development on National Parks are assessed by local planning authorities.National Park authorities are the local planning authority within the National Park and are a statutory consultee for planning ...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the merits of introducing free bus passes for people aged 60 and over.
Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statuto...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic OffencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of sentencing guidelines for banned drivers causing harm to (a) children, (b) animals and (c) other vulnerable road users; and whether she plans to review those guidel
Answer: Driving offences have widespread impact on our communities and can have devastating consequences for victims, their families and their friends. The Government takes road safety very seriously and reducing those killed and injured on our roads is a key pri...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of WayDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34132More
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 right to roam in England.
Answer: The Government committed in its manifesto to improving responsible access to nature. The Department is currently assessing the best way to deliver this, and further information will be made available in due course.
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: TextbooksDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33754More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools to purchase essential textbooks.
Answer: Overall core revenue funding for schools totals almost £61.6 billion this financial year, 2024/25. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced an additional £2.3 billion for mainstream schools and young people with high needs for the 2025/26 finan...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPostural Tachycardia Syndrome: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people with postural tachycardia syndrome.
Answer: Improving health outcomes for people who live with long-term conditions, including postural tachycardia syndrome, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future. The National Institute for Health and Care E...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund a permanent initiative.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth: SomersetDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle disparities in length of periods of poor health between (a) people in Somerset and (b) the national average.
Answer: The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy varying widely across and within communities. The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain by tackling the structural inequalities that contribute to poor health, p...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: WaterMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32901More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) ingress and (b) egress routes for water in new building developments.
Answer: This government recognises the importance of development being resilient to flooding from all sources, including from surface water. The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes sh...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCrafts: National Vocational QualificationsDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32900More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to withdraw funding for the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Stone Masonry Heritage and Skills on (a) the preservation of heritage skills and (b) the
Answer: The government has a central mission to drive forward opportunity and growth, which relies on people having the skills needed to thrive in life and work. The construction sector is vital in driving economic prosperity and providing career opportunities fo...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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