Sarah Gibson MP: written questions
271 published records · newest first.
Written questions
IndustryDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to align the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy with economic strategies developed by devolved Administrations.
Answer: The Industrial Strategy will unleash the full potential of our cities and regions by attracting investment and creating the best environment for businesses in them to thrive My officials are working with the devolved governments on how we can drive growt...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: TrainingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to incentivise employer investment in workforce training and upskilling as part of the Invest 2035 strategy.
Answer: The Industrial Strategy Green Paper is clear that the people that create and work in businesses will be central to the success of the growth-driving sectors and clusters. The government is developing proposals to ensure that the current and future skills ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordIndustryDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what criteria his Department is using to identify the most critical (a) subsectors and (b) technologies within the eight priority sectors outlined in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
Answer: There is no single 'best' way to identify the most critical subsectors and technologies, so the Government has used a range of quantitative and qualitative evidence and judgement. We have considered metrics which relate to the Industrial Strategy's object...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's Allowance: OverpaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47497More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the the potential merits of writing off historical Carer’s Allowance overpayments in cases involving small or inadvertent breaches of the earnings limit.
Answer: The Government inherited a system where busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of responsibility, have been left having to repay large sums of overpaid Carer’s Allowance (CA) – sometimes worth thousands of pounds. We needed to understand exac...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's Allowance: OverpaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Carer’s Allowance overpayment cases identified by her Department in each of the last six years were subject to investigation prior to the commencement of debt recovery procedures.
Answer: The Department looks into every case where an overpayment is calculated before the overpayment is finalised and debt recovery commences. Where overpayments do occur, the Department has a duty to the taxpayer to protect public funds and to ask for money to...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's Allowance: OverpaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47495More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to review the structure of the earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance to reduce the risk of significant overpayments resulting from minor threshold breaches.
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 recordCarers: 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 record
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