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 1,881–1,900 of 2,662 · this parliament
What steps her Department is taking to help tackle pavement parking in Fylde constituency.
The Flyde constituency is a civil enforcement area and therefore pavement parking is a civil matter for Department for Transport (DfT) and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of treatment pathways for sepsis patients in emergency departments.
Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely. As a result, sepsis can be challenging to diagnose early. It is therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated promptly and appropriately regardless of cause.Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of suspected sepsis is supported in National Health Service hospitals, including emergency departments, through the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2). NEWS2 is a clinical screening tool that supports healthcare professionals to recognise acutely unwell adults at risk of deterioration, including those with sepsis. NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute NHS trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England. Several trusts have also implemented the National Paediatric Early Warning Score to support the recognition of sepsis in children.To further aid clinical staff in diagnosing sepsis early, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published updated national guidance in March 2024 on sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and early management, which staff can access alongside NHS England’s online sepsis training programmes. Additionally, the Department continues to fund research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to improve our understanding of sepsis diagnosis and immediate management.Treatment of sepsis in NHS hospitals relies on effective antibiotics. The Government is committed to delivering the United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 national action plan to confront antimicrobial resistance, to ensure that antibiotics keep working for patients with sepsis.
What steps his Department is taking to support research into antimicrobial resistance in relation to sepsis treatment.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Over the past five years, the NIHR has allocated over £6 million in programme funding to support research into antimicrobial resistance in relation to sepsis treatment. The funded research studies multiple aspects of sepsis treatment, including optimising treatment for sepsis and investigating the impact of antibiotics in patients with sepsis.The Department also funds sepsis research through investment in NIHR infrastructure. For example, NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) support translational research, to move scientific discoveries toward patient benefit. The NIHR Sheffield BRC is conducting research to better understand how different blood components contribute to the development of sepsis, to improve patient outcomes and identify potential targets for new sepsis treatments.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including into antimicrobial resistance in relation to sepsis treatment. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. The NIHR supports translational and applied research, working closely with the life sciences industry, medical research charities, and UK Research and Innovation.
How many people with no right to be in the UK were removed between 4 July (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
The Home office published transparency data relating to the return of individuals without lawful status in the UK, on 14 July. This can be found on gov.uk at Returns from the UK between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025 - GOV.UKThe next immigration system statistics quarterly release will be published on 21 August 2025, providing comprehensive statistics on the number of returns from the UK.
What steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnosis of sepsis in NHS hospitals.
Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely. As a result, sepsis can be challenging to diagnose early. It is therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated promptly and appropriately regardless of cause.Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of suspected sepsis is supported in National Health Service hospitals, including emergency departments, through the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2). NEWS2 is a clinical screening tool that supports healthcare professionals to recognise acutely unwell adults at risk of deterioration, including those with sepsis. NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute NHS trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England. Several trusts have also implemented the National Paediatric Early Warning Score to support the recognition of sepsis in children.To further aid clinical staff in diagnosing sepsis early, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published updated national guidance in March 2024 on sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and early management, which staff can access alongside NHS England’s online sepsis training programmes. Additionally, the Department continues to fund research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to improve our understanding of sepsis diagnosis and immediate management.Treatment of sepsis in NHS hospitals relies on effective antibiotics. The Government is committed to delivering the United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 national action plan to confront antimicrobial resistance, to ensure that antibiotics keep working for patients with sepsis.
What steps his Department is taking consult men’s mental health organisations on the men’s health strategy In Lancashire.
The Men's Health Strategy will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all men in England and will be informed by a call for evidence which closed on 17 July 2025. The call for evidence was open to the public, academics, health and social care professionals and stakeholder organisations in England, including men’s mental health organisations in Lancashire. We are now analysing responses to the call for evidence to inform development of the strategy. We will continue to engage with stakeholders during its development.
What recent changes (a) HMRC and (b) Companies House has made to the filing requirements for small and medium-sized businesses.
The Department for Business and Trade is currently engaging with stakeholders on proposed changes in filing requirements at Companies House to ensure they strike the right balance between tackling economic crime and avoiding undue burden on business.HMRC has required companies to file electronic company tax returns since 2011 and announced earlier this year that, from 31 March 2026, it would be withdrawing the joint online filing service it runs with Companies House.
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the probation service in Lancashire.
Lancashire is part of the North West region of the Probation Service. The North West region has developed a Quality Improvement Plan that prioritises and focuses improvement activity. It includes actions derived from internal audits and reports by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation. Progress is regularly monitored, assured and supported by regional and national, Performance, Assurance and Risk functions.Data on probation performance are published at regional and national level. Performance statistics for Probation Delivery Units in Lancashire in 2023-24 are shown in the table below:Performance MeasureTarget (%) Lancashire Performance (%)PS02 SL004 Initial appointment for community sentences95.0%97.0%PS02 SL005 Initial appointment for releases from custody95.0%96.7%PS02 SL006 Initial sentence plan for community sentences and releases95.0%73.1%PS02 SL007R Monthly appointments offered95.0%91.3%PS02 SL010 Timely risk management plans (recall reports part B)90.0%93.2%PS02 SL011 Timely parole reports90.0%94.9%PS02 SL012R Completion of targeted interventions for people convicted of sexual offences70.0%66.8%PS02 SL013 Requirements completed by sentence expiry85.0%82.4%PS02 SL014 Housed on release from custody90.0%85.1%PS02 SL015a Settled accommodation at 3 months post release or disposal (custodial sentences)80.0%72.6%PS02 SL015b Settled accommodation at 3 months post release or disposal (community sentences)80.0%86.6%PS02 SL016 Employed at 6 weeks post release from custody19.0%23.1%PS02 SL017a Employed at 6 months post release or disposal (custodial sentences)32.0%34.9%PS02 SL017b Employed at 6 months post release or disposal (community sentences)37.0%44.4%PS02 SL023 Pre-release sentence plans for enhanced cases59.0%33.9%PS03 SL022R POM/COM handover meeting93.0%61.9%PS04 SL026 Unpaid work assessment90.0%91.6%PS04 SL027 Unpaid work starts within 15 business days of sentence80.0%89.1%PS04 SL028 Unpaid work stand downs2.5%[x]PS04 SL029 Unpaid work completions within 12 months75.0%62.0%PS05 SL031 Accredited programme starts [targeted]89.0%[x]PS05 SL033 Accredited programme completions [targeted]57.0%[x]PS09 SL040R Recording protected characteristics95.0%100.0%Note:These data are the aggregated outcomes from the four Probation Delivery Units in Lancashire (PDU Central Lancashire; PDU East Lancashire; PDU North West Lancashire; PDU Blackburn and Darwen).PS04 SL028 Unpaid work stand downs performance is not available at PDU level for this area.PS05 SL031 (Accredited programme starts [targeted]) and PS05 SL033 (Accredited programme completions [targeted]): performance for these measures are not available at PDU level. A number of cases are assigned to an organisational level PDU in the region, and are therefore not reflected in these geographic PDUs. This has been marked by “[x]”.Outcomes for the North West Region and National probation (including scorecard rating) can be found at: Community Performance Annual, update to March 2024 - GOV.UK.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating in-person appointments for personal independent payment assessments.
The Department is committed to assessing people as quickly as possible to ensure they receive the support they are entitled to in a timely manner.Where there is sufficient available evidence, assessments are done by paper-based review, without the need for a formal consultation. If an in-person consultation is required this is completed either face-to-face, via telephone or via video call.We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper our intention to increase the number of face-to-face assessments, while preserving alternative health assessment channels to meet the specific needs of people who require them, for example as a reasonable adjustment. We are committed to continuing a multi-channel assessment service approach to meet the obligations of the Equality Act 2010.
Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support amateur theatre in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.
The government supports the arts predominantly through Arts Council England (ACE). Through their main funding programme, the 2023-2027 National Portfolio Investment Programme, ACE is providing over £100 million in grants per year to around 195 theatres across the country. Across all their funding programmes, including lottery schemes, for the financial year 2024-25, ACE awarded around £300 million to theatres/theatre based organisations.While the Arts Council does not have a funding classification for ‘amateur’ theatre specifically, in 2024 they supported the Spot On Festival in Poulton-le-Fylde with over £50k of funding. Spot On works to bring professional performing arts to village halls, libraries, pubs and open spaces across Lancashire. As a combined arts festival, they worked with 30 professional performing arts shows and 8 local groups and provided a number of outreach activities as part of the festival, including drama workshops. Details of all Arts Council Funding in Fylde and Lancashire can be found on their website here: https://culture.localinsight.org/#/mapAmateur Theatre groups across Lancashire and Fylde are able to apply to Arts Council England’s open funding programme, National Lottery Project Grants, which provides over £100 million of support annually to individuals and organisations.
If he will make an estimate of the change in average household energy bills in (a) England and (b) Fylde since July 2024.
Ofgem publishes historical price cap amounts, including broken down by region: Energy price cap (default tariff) levels | Ofgem. The data is not available at constituency level. The main reason for the increases to the price cap since 2022 is an increase in wholesale energy costs which are influenced by international fossil fuel markets which we cannot control. This is why our Clean Power 2030 Mission is so vital. 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. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from next winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs.
What recent steps she has taken with relevant authorities to help increase the safety of bus drivers in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.
The Government have introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill which focuses on delivering safe, more reliable bus networks. The Bill sets requirements for mandatory training on how to recognise and respond appropriately to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour, on buses for staff, including drivers and those who deal directly with the travelling public or with issues related to the travelling public. Provisions in the Bus Services (No.2) Bill would also give all local transport authorities (LTAs) the power to make bus byelaws, which can be enforced by local authority officers on vehicles and at bus stations and stops. This, combined with targeted enforcement should lead to safer networks. Transport Safety Officers or Transport Safety and Enforcement Officers are also already operating in some areas. All LTAs in England are required to publish Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) with information on how they intend to improve services in their area. LTAs have been informed that BSIPs should include plans on how LTAs and local bus operators will work together to ensure that bus services are safe and perceived to be safe by all. This may include measures such as appropriate passenger safety training for bus drivers to deal with emergency situations on or off the bus and encouraging bus operators to liaise with local police and other stakeholders to address safety concerns.
How much was the cost to the public purse of assessing Hamas' appeal against proscription.
No assessment of those costs has yet been carried out.
How many pancreatic cancer specialist nurses are employed in the NHS in England.
The Department does not hold information on the number of full time equivalent pancreatic cancer specialist nurses employed in the National Health Service in England.The Nursing and Midwifery Council does not require any specific post-registration education programme to be undertaken in order for a registered nurse to become a pancreatic cancer specialist nurse. Employers develop specialist roles to meet community and service need locally.
What steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnosis rates for pancreatic cancer.
The Government recognises that pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early. Its symptoms are often vague and non-specific, meaning many patients are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options are limited and outcomes are poor. This underlines the critical importance of improving routes to earlier diagnosis.To address this challenge, the National Health Service has implemented non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways across England. These services support faster and more accurate diagnosis for patients who present with symptoms that do not clearly indicate a specific type of cancer, including those often seen in pancreatic cancer. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England, ensuring more patients benefit from quicker access to the right investigations.The NHS has launched a £2 million initiative, funding 300 general practices (GPs) to identify pancreatic cancer early by screening high-risk patients over 60 years old with new diabetes diagnoses and unexplained weight loss for urgent testing. More than 300 GPs across England will begin using the initiative, with dozens rolling it out now, and the rest to be up and running in the autumn.Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer care, including for pancreatic cancer, is a priority for the Government. The NHS England Cancer Programme commissions clinical cancer audits, which provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, increase the consistency of access to treatments, and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. Rather than a single audit, NHS England commissions ten audits, by tumour type, including for pancreatic cancer. On 12 September 2024, the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre published its State of the Nation Report on Pancreatic Cancer, and the initial recommendations are informing improvements in treatment and care.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 65159 on Undocumented Workers: Sharing Economy, how many reports of suspected (a) asylum seekers and (b) irregular migrants working in the gig economy have resulted in enforcement action in each of the last three years.
The Hon Member will be aware the that Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill contains new measures requiring companies operating in the gig economy to carry out employment checks on all individuals working for them, further strengthening our controls against illegal working, and it is a matter of regret that the Hon Member and his colleagues voted against those measures at the third reading of the Bill on 12 May 2025.
Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support libraries in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.
Public libraries are funded by local authorities and each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within available resources.The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires the Secretary of State to “superintend and promote the improvement of the public library service provided by local authorities in England”. To assist this function the department regularly monitors and reviews changes to local authority library service provision, and engages with local authorities to discuss issues related to their respective library service.I understand that as at 31 December 2023, Lancashire County Council’s statutory library provision consisted of 64 static libraries (63 run by the local authority and one community run) and a mobile library service consisting of five vehicles. Six of the static libraries are located in the Fylde constituency.The Secretary of State announced in February 2025 a further £5.5 million of the Libraries Improvement Fund for 2025-26 to enable library services across England to invest in a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology. Lancashire County Council has previously received around £165,000 from this fund to support a project at Burnley library.The government is committed to getting local government back on its feet. The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils' Core Spending Power on 2024-25.
If her Department recognises (a) student nurses and (b) other essential vocational trainees as "working" for the purposes of childcare eligibility.
On 7 July, we published our Best Start in Life strategy, which sets out how we will make real change happen for families across the country.The working parent entitlement is aimed at eligible parents who wish to start working or work more hours, which is why this entitlement is conditional on work. To be eligible, parents must earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at National Minimum Wage, which is equivalent to £195 per week/£10,158 per year in 2025/26, and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year. Students of all academic levels may be eligible for the entitlement if they meet the eligibility criteria, including the income criteria.We recognise the value of parents continuing in education and provide a range of support for students in higher education to support them with childcare. If they meet the eligibility criteria, students can also apply for the Childcare Grant and Parental Learning Allowance.
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 58584 on Undocumented Migrants: Biometrics, for how long is biometric data retained when it is collected from individuals who have entered the UK unlawfully.
In most cases the Home Office usually retains biometrics (facial image and fingerprints) taken from foreign nationals, including people who have entered the UK unlawfully, for a period of up to 15 years, but may do so for longer in certain circumstances.
What recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of regional variation for access to treatment for pancreatic cancer.
The Government recognises that pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early. Its symptoms are often vague and non-specific, meaning many patients are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options are limited and outcomes are poor. This underlines the critical importance of improving routes to earlier diagnosis.To address this challenge, the National Health Service has implemented non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways across England. These services support faster and more accurate diagnosis for patients who present with symptoms that do not clearly indicate a specific type of cancer, including those often seen in pancreatic cancer. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England, ensuring more patients benefit from quicker access to the right investigations.The NHS has launched a £2 million initiative, funding 300 general practices (GPs) to identify pancreatic cancer early by screening high-risk patients over 60 years old with new diabetes diagnoses and unexplained weight loss for urgent testing. More than 300 GPs across England will begin using the initiative, with dozens rolling it out now, and the rest to be up and running in the autumn.Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer care, including for pancreatic cancer, is a priority for the Government. The NHS England Cancer Programme commissions clinical cancer audits, which provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, increase the consistency of access to treatments, and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. Rather than a single audit, NHS England commissions ten audits, by tumour type, including for pancreatic cancer. On 12 September 2024, the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre published its State of the Nation Report on Pancreatic Cancer, and the initial recommendations are informing improvements in treatment and care.