Victoria Collins MP: written questions
379 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pensioners: Cost of LivingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what fiscal steps her Department is taking to support pensioners with the cost of living in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) England.
Answer: The Government is honouring its commitment to the Triple Lock with a recent 4.1% increase to the basic State Pension, the new State Pension, and the standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit. Over this Parliament (2029/30), the OBR forecasts that the G...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarers: Legal Aid Scheme and Respite CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44790More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on reviewing the eligibility of unpaid carers for (a) legal aid and (b) advocacy; and what assessment he has made of the potentia
Answer: To be eligible for legal aid, which includes advice, assistance, and advocacy, where applicable, generally an applicant’s legal matter must be in scope for legal aid, and they must pass both a merits and a means test. The merits test, for civil legal aid,...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRented Housing: Tenants' RightsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to improve the rights of residents in non-traditional housing against (a) eviction, (b) sudden contract cancellations and (c) large rent increases.
Answer: All renters, regardless of tenure or agreement type, deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes.Residents in non-traditional housing who fall outside the assured tenancy system are likely to possess a licence to occupy and thus are excluded from the s...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: WomenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve staffing levels at GP surgeries to ensure ring timely access to women's health services.
Answer: The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the fut...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Harpenden and BerkhamstedDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of available NHS dental appointments in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 April 2025 to Question 44281.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Fees and ChargesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the cost of dental care for (a) low income families and (b) pensioners.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.The responsibility ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will take steps to (a) update the basic rate of Universal Credit annually inline with inflation and (b) introduce an essentials guarantee to reflect the cost of living.
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 a freeze between 2016/17 a...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44784More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to fund the Adoption and Special Guardianship fund after 2025/26.
Answer: The department remains committed to supporting adoptive and kinship families, who play an essential role in providing stable and loving homes for children in need. On 1 April, it was announced that the adoption and special guardianship support fund would ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPeriod PovertyDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle period poverty for young girls in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) England.
Answer: No-one should have to miss out on education because of their period, which is why the department provides free period products to girls and women in all state-maintained schools and 16 to 19 education organisations in England.Since the launch of the Perio...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44782More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce inequalities in SEND funding between local authorities.
Answer: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the departm...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Mental HealthDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the mental health of (a) teachers and (b) support staff.
Answer: High-quality teaching is the biggest in-school factor that makes a difference to a child’s education. Being taught by a good teacher can add almost half a GCSE grade per subject to a given pupil’s results. That is why, as well as working to recruit additi...
Answered 9 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44780More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme applies a currency model to commission (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care services.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Commission into Adult Social CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if will make it his policy that unpaid carers are the central focus of the Independent Commission into Adult Social Care.
Answer: We are launching an independent commission chaired by Baroness Louise Casey into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission is independent. We expect it will engage unpaid carers as part...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRivers: HertfordshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the bathing standard in the (a) River Ver and (b) River Lea.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving the quality of bathing water at designated sites around the country, as an important contributor to many people’s mental and physical health. However, as these two sites are not designated bathing waters they are n...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: SewersMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to impose a legal duty on large-scale housing developments to include adequate sewage capacity.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 40935 on 31 March 2025.
Answered 16 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: IncentivesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to incentivise dentists to increase NHS appointments in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) England.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentist...
Answered 14 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFractures: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to provide additional funding for fracture liaison services to help increase the (a) coverage and (b) quality of those services.
Answer: Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFractures: Older PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure effective fracture liaison services for over 50s.
Answer: Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPalliative CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will provide Integrated Care Boards with detailed guidance on the minimum provision of palliative care required for hospices in their area.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in ...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTrain Operating CompaniesDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce (a) accountability and (b) enforcement provisions for private train companies during rail nationalisation.
Answer: During the transition of passenger services to a public sector operator, the Secretary of State for Transport will continue to hold private sector operators to account through a range of measures, using enforcement provisions where required. All operators...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarers: EnergyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential impact of the energy price cap increase on unpaid carers.
Answer: The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make ...
Answered 16 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department have to ensure that local authorities can fulfil their duties to carers under the Care Act 2014.
Answer: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to unpaid carers. This means that the CQC is looking at how local authorit...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Labour Turnover and RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to develop a (a) comprehensive and (b) fully-funded plan to effectively (i) recruit, (ii) train, and (iii) retain a sustainable social care workforce.
Answer: We are launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. We expect that the commission will look at workforce issues, building on work already underway to provide a c...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDementia: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37846More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the move to a neighbourhood health service will (a) meet the complex needs of people living with dementia and their families and (b) include (i) Admiral Nurses and
Answer: We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered in local communities to spot problems earlier, supporting people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer. The Government also wants a society ...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile PhonesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35480More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using revenue generated by spectrum Annual Licence Fees to support improved mobile coverage.
Answer: Ofcom sets mobile spectrum fees independently to promote the optimal use of spectrum. The Government recognises the cost of these fees to the industry. Supporting investment in mobile networks is a priority and the Government continues to assess what furt...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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