Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Snowden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,321–1,340 of 2,662 · this parliament
What estimate he has made of the number of care workers working for less than the National Living Wage in Fylde constituency.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 16th October is attached.
How much funding was allocated to hospice services in each of the last five financial years; and what information his Department holds on the proportion of that funding from (a) central government, (b) local authorities and (c) charitable donations.
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 care and end of life care.Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.Most hospices in England are charitable organisations, receiving approximately one third of their funding from the NHS and the rest through other independent fund-raising means. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives from the NHS varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.This approach allows the hospices to maintain their independence and autonomy, providing them with the freedom to provide services beyond the statutory offer. Thus, hospices are not required to report their charitable donations to the Government, nor is the Government to collect such information from hospices.Hospices do incredible work to support people and families when they need it most, and we recognise the incredibly tough pressures they are facing. Which is why, for the first time in a generation, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.Furthermore, the Children’s Hospice ‘Grant’ has provided additional funding since 2006/07. The following table shows the Children’s Hospice ‘Grant’ amounts allocated since 2015/16 to 2025/26:YearGrant amount awarded2015/16£11,000,000.002016/17£11,000,000.002017/18£11,000,000.002018/19£11,000,000.002019/20£12,000,000.002020/21£15,000,000.002021/22£17,000,000.002022/23£21,000,000.002023/24£25,000,000.002024/25£25,000,000.002025/26£26,000,000.00Note: the payment is no longer referred to as a ‘grant’ by NHS England as it is now channelled through ICBs rather than being directly paid to hospices by NHS England.Since 2022/23, individual allocations of the grant have been determined using a prevalence-based model, enabling allocations to reflect local population need.I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.
Whether the Crown Commercial Service considered the (a) cost and (b) accessibility of the RM6277 framework to small independent recruitment agencies during the design and tendering process.
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) considered bidding costs and accessibility for small independent agencies in the design and tendering of RM6277: Non‑Clinical Staffing, including lotting, proportionate evaluation and market engagement. Small-medium enterprises, including small independent recruitment agencies, secured over 70% of places across lots 1 to 6 and 46% in lot 7. This is in line with the government’s strategy to back small and medium-sized businesses.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the RM6277 framework agreement on small and medium-sized recruitment agencies supplying non-clinical staff to the NHS.
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) designed the RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing commercial agreement with small-medium enterprise (SMEs) accessibility in mind. SMEs secured over 70% of places across lots 1 to 6 and 46% in lot 7. CCS commercial agreements are not mandatory, and provide a compliant route to procure common goods and services. It is the responsibility of each organisation, including the NHS, to determine whether to use a framework.
What plans she has to work with schools to (a) identify and (b) support pupils impacted by homelessness or temporary accommodation.
On 10 October, the government announced £10.9 million in funding for ‘Supporting Children Experiencing Homelessness’ via the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2025/26. The funding has been allocated to 61 local authorities with the highest numbers of children in temporary accommodation to increase access to support and services for families and to make a tangible impact on their quality of life whilst they remain in need. The funding is intended to deliver positive benefits to children’s education outcomes and can include interventions such as travel to school, school uniforms and equipment, and the improvement of communal spaces to enable children to complete homework.‘Keeping children safe in education 2025’ (KCSIE) is the statutory guidance to which schools and colleges in England must have regard when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.KCSIE outlines that school and college staff are in a position to identify concerns early, provide help for children, promote children’s welfare and prevent concerns from escalating, and that all staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn.
What steps he is taking to ensure equitable regional access to hospice care.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.However, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas.We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICB on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.More widely, I have tasked officials to look at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.
What estimate he has made of levels of malnutrition in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.
The Government is committed to tackling malnutrition, including in the Fylde constituency and Lancashire. In the United Kingdom, the primary causes of malnutrition are clinical. Most cases will be secondary to another health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or impact on a person’s ability to eat and drink. As such, poor or inadequate dietary intake is unlikely to be the primary cause.The Department does not hold malnutrition data at the constituency or local authority level. While NHS England has previously published information on malnutrition from National Health Service providers at the Government Office Region of Treatment, this is a primary or secondary diagnosis and is a count of admissions not people; the same person may have had more than one admission episode within same time period. The most recent malnutrition data published by NHS England in October 2024 is available by NHS hospital trusts.Diagnosis and detection are key, and health staff are trained to spot the early warning signs of malnutrition so effective individual treatment can be put in place. All NHS services are recommended to adhere to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guideline CG32, Nutrition support for adults: oral nutrition support, enteral tube feeding and parenteral nutrition. NHS England’s Nursing Directorate is also leading on a review and refresh of the National Nutrition and Hydration guidance.
What steps he is taking to ensure that the results of research funded through the Mental Health Goals programme are rapidly translated into frontline NHS mental health services.
The Government is investing £50 million through the Mental Health Goals programme to speed up the translation of research into frontline NHS services. Funding will support a 20,000-person research cohort, improved access to mental health data, and an Industry Alliance Team to fast-track clinical trials. A new Lived Experience Partnership will ensure innovations reflect real patient needs. These steps will help deliver more effective, personalised treatments for people struggling with mental health conditions and ensure that breakthroughs reach NHS patients faster, supporting a National Health Service fit for the future.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2025 to Question 79077 on Ethics and Integrity Commission, if he will set out the nature of the advice the Cabinet Office will provide to the Prime Minister before the establishment of a public inquiry; and whether that advice will be made public.
Advice will be tailored to the specifics of each case. Broadly, the Cabinet Office will provide advice on whether a proposed inquiry model and its terms of reference appear appropriate to investigate the particular matter in question. This will help ensure that the right response is taken and that we do not adopt approaches that would delay accountability to victims, survivors and their families. In line with the longstanding approach across multiple administrations, confidential advice to Ministers will not be made public.
What steps he is taking to ensure that reforms to judicial review do not adversely impact access to justice for local communities challenging Government decisions on infrastructure projects.
The ability to challenge the lawfulness of Government decisions and those of other public bodies is fundamental to the rule of law. The Government remains committed to this principle.Under the changes being taken forward in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) judicial reviews, only claimants whose cases are deemed ‘totally without merit’ at the oral permission stage in the High Court will be prevented from appealing to the Court of Appeal. In other cases, the claimant can appeal the refusal of permission.The Government is also working with the judiciary to take forward a number of other procedural changes to speed up the process for NSIP judicial reviews, such as target timescales, to ensure such cases are dealt with promptly. This can benefit all parties, including claimants.These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the ability for the public to challenge decisions.
With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, what the 34 infrastructure projects are; and what the (a) outcome and (b) duration was of each judicial review case.
Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.
With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, what discussions she has had with the Lord Chief Justice on proposed reductions in judicial review timelines.
Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.
With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed judicial review reforms on rights to (a) environmental and (b) community consultation.
Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure the effective prosecution of the perpetrators of winter fuel payment scams targeting pensioners.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises the serious harm caused by such scams targeting vulnerable and older people, including those exploiting winter fuel payments. The CPS will prosecute any such cases referred that meet their legal test.The CPS’ approach to tackling fraud and protecting vulnerable victims is set out in the CPS Economic Crime Strategy 2025 Final Progress Report which was published in May 2025. The CPS continues to engage with Age UK and other civil society partners on a broad range of economic crime issues to understand victims’ concerns and improve support.Although the CPS cannot disaggregate its Fraud and Forgery Principal Offence Category Data to identify the number of prosecutions specifically related to winter fuel payment scams, since 2021, the CPS has maintained strong performance in fraud prosecutions, securing conviction rates of over 85%.Over the last five years, more than £458 million has been recovered through CPS-obtained confiscation orders, with £95 million returned to victims by way of compensation.
What steps his Department is taking to raise awareness among pensioners of winter fuel payment scams.
DWP, in partnership with Action Fraud, are raising awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams across Facebook and Twitter. This is alongside DWP’s continued work with trusted partners and charities such as Independent Age to ensure accurate and timely information is available. DWP has also developed a recorded message for our telephone lines and issued a press release via GOV.UK to raise awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams.
With reference to the Minister for Security's speech entitled Minister calls on business leaders to act now against cyber risks, published on 14 October 2025, what steps she is taking to encourage businesses in Fylde constituency to sign up for the Early Warning service.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), law enforcement and industry offer a comprehensive package of cyber protection measures designed to strengthen national resilience against online threats.One of those measures is the NCSC Early Warning Service, which is a free, easy-to-use alert system that notifies UK organisations of potential cyber threats affecting their networks. By signing up, businesses receive timely alerts that can help detect and respond to threats before they escalate, improving visibility and resilience across their digital infrastructure. Businesses can register via the MyNCSC portal: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/active-cyber-defence/early-warningThe regional network of Cyber Resilience Centres (CRCs) in England and Wales, funded by the Home Office, offer the full package of measures to small and medium-sized enterprises, that often lack in-house expertise or awareness of cyber threats and risks.CRCs bridge that gap by providing trusted guidance aligned with NCSC standards, offering tailored, bitesize advice and long-term support. CRCs also help organisations achieve Cyber Essentials certification – the UK Government-backed scheme setting five baseline controls proven to reduce cyber risk. Certification signals a commitment to security, strengthens supply chain assurance, and is recommended by NCSC as the minimum standard for all organisations.The Early Warning Service is a key tool offered as part of this package of measures, with sign-up promoted to businesses in Fylde by the Cyber Resilience Centre for the North-West. We would advise all businesses in Fylde to join this local CRC, which can provide advice and tailored services appropriate to the individual needs of each business.
With reference to the Written Statement of 13 October 2025 entitled Government of Service, HCWS939, what criteria will be used in the recruitment process for the three new independent members of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.
I refer the Honourable Member to the recruitment advert for the Ethics and Integrity Commission Independent Member roles which was published on Monday 13 October 2025. The full details, including the essential criteria, can be found on the public appointments website at: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9003
How many companies subject to investigation for Bounce Back Loans fraud have been prevented from dissolving in (a) Lancashire and (b) Fylde constituency in the last 12 months.
This information is not centrally held by the Department for Business and Trade.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 24721 on Dental Services: Lancashire, what recent progress he has made on delivering 700,000 additional dental appointments.
We have asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.Appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed most. The Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is expected to deliver 20,822 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.
If she will consider the potential merits of requiring Disclosure and Barring Service checks to include civil offences where a safeguarding issue was involved.
The purpose of a criminal record check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is to provide information to employers and others to help them judge the suitability of an individual for a particular role.On the highest level enhanced DBS checks, which are used for the most sensitive roles working with children or vulnerable adults, chief officers of police have the discretion to include non-criminal information held on their systems, if they consider it relevant and proportionate to disclose, to support safeguarding.DBS checks are only one part of a broader safeguarding framework. Employers and organisations are expected to consider a range of factors when assessing suitability for roles, including references, employment history, and other relevant information.We continually keep the disclosure and barring regime under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate.