Sarah Gibson MP: written questions
390 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Carers: Part-time EmploymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of earnings threshold rules for Carer’s Allowance on unpaid carers engaged in part-time employment.
Answer: The weekly earnings limit in Carer’s Allowance (CA) was increased to £196 net earnings in April 2025. This is the largest cash increase ever since CA was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: PlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making water companies statutory consultees in planning applications.
Answer: The government recently declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further detail can be found in the Written...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: WiltshireDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to assess the potential impact of the extended £2 bus fare cap on residents' access to (a) essential services and (b) employment opportunities in Wiltshire.
Answer: The government is investing over £150 million to deliver the new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025 to help keep bus fares affordable. Under the plans of the previous administration, the £2 cap on bu...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: WiltshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47063More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full-time equivalent GPs were employed (a) in the latest period for which data is available and (b) five years ago in Wiltshire.
Answer: The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice (GP) in Wiltshire was:328.0 FTE in March 2025; and309.3 FTE in March 2020.GPs employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme are not included as they are employed by primary ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral PractitionersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average number of patients per GP is in (a) Wiltshire (b) England.
Answer: As of 31 March 2025, the median number of full time equivalent doctors in general practice (GP) per 10,000 registered patients was:6.6 in Wiltshire; and5.6 in England.GPs employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme are not included as they ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: WiltshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practices there (a) are (b) were in 2019 in Wiltshire.
Answer: As of February 2025, there were 45 main practices and 28 branch practices in Wiltshire. This compares to 47 main practices and 27 branch practices in December 2019.
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: WiltshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practices have closed in Wiltshire in each of the last five years.
Answer: The following table shows the number of general practices in Wiltshire which have closed in each of the last five years:YearNumber of practice closures2020220210202202023020240Practices close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, and ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to (a) support and (b) expand the clinical role of community pharmacies.
Answer: We have concluded the most recent consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26 with the community pharmacy sector. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26, and w...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: WiltshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is planning to take to support community pharmacies in the forthcoming 10-Year NHS Plan in Wiltshire.
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 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: South WestDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the creation of pharmacy deserts in the south west of England.
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 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47056More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) urban and (b) rural access to pharmacies.
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 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of high street pharmacies.
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 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: PaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department will commit to a review of the frequency of State Pension payments to better support pensioners in managing their budgets.
Answer: The current State Pension payment regime has been in place since 6 April 2010 for those people who reached pensionable age on or after that date.However, to make the opportunity of being paid calendar monthly available, there would need to be significant ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: PaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46468More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of paying the State Pension on a monthly basis.
Answer: The current State Pension payment regime has been in place since 6 April 2010 for those people who reached pensionable age on or after that date.However, to make the opportunity of being paid calendar monthly available, there would need to be significant ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: PaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of four-weekly State Pension payments on the ability of pensioners to plan financially.
Answer: The current State Pension payment regime has been in place since 6 April 2010 for those people who reached pensionable age on or after that date.However, to make the opportunity of being paid calendar monthly available, there would need to be significant ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBoiler Upgrade Scheme: Heat PumpsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the comparative merits of (a) air-to-air and (b) other heat pump technologies eligible under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answer: The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not currently support air-to-air heat pumps, as heat pump installations must provide both space heating and hot water heating, using liquid as a medium for delivering that heat. We want to target support at technologies that...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ContractsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish regular updates on the progress of the implementation of NHS dental contract reforms.
Answer: To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of National Health Service dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: WiltshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to (a) monitor and (b) assess the impact of the Dentistry Rescue Plan in (i) Wiltshire and (ii) Chippenham; and what criteria he uses to assess improved access to NHS dental
Answer: The Government’s ambition is to make sure that everyone who needs dental treatment can access a dentist. The Government will tackle the immediate crisis with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Health: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46463More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to implement the supervised tooth-brushing scheme for children in Wiltshire; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the scheme is available in Chippenham.
Answer: On 7 March 2025, we confirmed plans to implement targeted supervised toothbrushing programme to reach up to 600,000 children between three and five years old in the most deprived areas of England. Further information is available at the following link:htt...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDentistry: WiltshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46462More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase the recruitment of dentists in (a) Chippenham and (b) Wiltshire; and how many dentists he plans to recruit in those areas by 31 December 2025.
Answer: We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46461More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure that additional urgent dental appointments are distributed equitably across Integrated Care Boards; and what the target number is for Bath and North East Somerset,
Answer: The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. The ICBs have been asked to start ma...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: DogsHome OfficeTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with (a) animal welfare activists and (b) Marshall Bio Resources on the mass rearing of beagles for the purpose of animal testing.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) with the Home Office and Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs involvement is leading on a strategy to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal t...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to maintain the current number of driving test centres in rural communities.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45321More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2025 on levels of electric vehicle adoption; and what impact these changes will have on owners of zero-emi
Answer: Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. As announced by the Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, zero emission and hybrid cars, vans and motorcycles will begin to pay VED in a similar way to petrol and...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43793More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief on trends in levels of agricultural employment.
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The reforms reduce the inherita...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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