Stuart Anderson MP: written questions 2025
230 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Mobile Phones: Rural AreasDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help increase mobile phone coverage.
Answer: The government wants all areas of the UK to benefit from reliable and good quality mobile coverage.4G geographic coverage from at least one mobile operator has now reached over 95% of the UK landmass through the Shared Rural Network. The programme is cont...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCombined AuthoritiesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has provided to help support the operation of mayoral combined authorities in each of the last five years.
Answer: Details of funding provided to Mayoral Combined Authorities is published each year in annual devolution reports and can be accessed on gov.uk.
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPost Offices: Rural AreasDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to help protect Post Office services in rural areas.
Answer: We recognise the key role Post Offices play in their communities, and branches in some rural areas are particularly important as the Post Office often acts as a community hub. We are listening carefully to stakeholders to ensure the whole network, includi...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCarers: Rural AreasDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35759More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to support unpaid carers in rural areas.
Answer: Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people.The Government is com...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available to retrofit homes in rural areas.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 February 2025 to Question 30705.
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcare: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle childcare deserts in rural areas.
Answer: It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, improving the life chances for every child and the work choices for every parent.In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the depa...
Answered 29 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPark Homes: UtilitiesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to support park home residents with the cost of utilities.
Answer: Park home residents on low incomes are eligible for support with their household bills. The government has extended the Household Support Fund in England until 31 March 2026 with an extra £742 million in support, with additional funding for the Devolved G...
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written QuestionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to Question 25742 tabled by the hon. Member for South Shropshire on 22 January 2025.
Answer: An answer to Question 25742 is being prepared and will be provided as soon as possible.
Answered 17 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison AccommodationMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to increase capacity within the prison system.
Answer: This Government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, with prisons operating at over 99% capacity and on the brink of collapse.The 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy was published on 11 December 2024, alongside the Annual Statement on Prison Capaci...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: ApprenticesMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) quality and (b) quantity of apprenticeships within the (i) Armed Forces and (ii) associated supply chains.
Answer: The Armed Forces is the largest single deliverer of apprenticeships in the UK, with over 23,000 personnel employed on a nationally recognised apprenticeship programmes at any one time and over 95 per cent of our non-commissioned military recruits offered ...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Health: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many local authorities reported an (a) underspend and (b) overspend on public health grants in the last five financial years.
Answer: Local authorities must account for the full allocated Public Health Grant and must accrue any money that is not committed to a ring-fenced reserve. These reserves serve an important purpose, for example to support strategic changes which may involve a one...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: Employers' ContributionsHome OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on police recruitment.
Answer: The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.1 billion when compared to the 2024-25 and represents a 6% cash increase and 3.5% rea...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic HealthDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34314More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support local authorities with the impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on public health contracts.
Answer: In determining Public Health Grant allocations for 2025/26, we considered a range of cost pressures affecting local authority commissioned or provided health services, including increased operational costs. 2025/26 Public Health Grant allocations have bee...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Health: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34313More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing local authorities longer-term public health funding.
Answer: Following the upcoming Spending Review, we will aim to issue multi-year public health grant allocations to local authorities from 2026/27. We recognise that multi-year funding settlements for councils provide several benefits, enabling them to focus on de...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34312More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on apprenticeship schemes.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on indi...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Health: Rural AreasDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to innovate the delivery of public health services in rural areas.
Answer: Upper tier local authorities have a statutory duty to take steps to improve the health of local people. Under this duty, local authorities commission a range of public health services and are responsible for determining the most effective approaches to th...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: ContractsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33561More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to prioritise businesses that have signed the Armed Forces Covenant when tendering public sector contracts.
Answer: The Government encourages communities, charities and businesses to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. The Cabinet Office has published guidance on how departments can encourage suppliers to sign the Covenant and to raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenan...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Health: Rural AreasDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Public Health Grants in rural areas.
Answer: In line with the Government’s Health Mission, our goal is to create a more equitable healthcare system that leaves no person or community behind.The government recognises the health inequalities faced by rural communities in England, particularly around a...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHorse RacingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31052More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure the commercial viability of (a) racecourses and (b) associated supply chains.
Answer: A major source of support for all 59 racecourses across the country and the wider related industry is the Horserace Betting Levy, which generated £105m in 2023/4. The levy sits alongside commercial deals between the betting and racing industries. Approxim...
Answered 28 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Ambulance ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31051More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the long-term sustainability of air ambulance charities.
Answer: The Government supports the longstanding independent air ambulance charities model for the successful operation of helicopter emergency medical services in England, including through the training and provision of National Health Service clinicians.
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30705More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the retrofitting of homes in rural areas.
Answer: Our ambitious Warm Homes Plan will support investment in households, including rural homes, to install energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating to save families money on their bills. The Government has committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: South ShropshireDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30210More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to improve access to specialist education in (a) rural areas and (b) South Shropshire constituency.
Answer: For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve. We want more chil...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: South ShropshireDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of specialist education provision in (a) rural areas and (b) South Shropshire constituency.
Answer: For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve. We want more chil...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordWater: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve water quality at (a) the River Teme and (b) other bathing sites.
Answer: For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important ste...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28595More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the availability of apprenticeships in rural areas.
Answer: This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Meeting the skills needs of the next decade is central to delivering the government's five missions on economic growth, opportunity for all, a stronger NHS, safer streets and cle...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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