Every parliamentary written question tabled by John Hayes this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 161–180 of 1,744 · this parliament
Innovation and Technology, how much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s first set of accounts were for 2023/24 where the expenditure on special severance payments was £99,390. Expenditure in subsequent years can be found in the relevant annual report and accounts.
What steps she is taking to ensure access for pre-school children with additional needs to nursery places in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
The government wants every child, including those with additional needs, to be able to access a childcare setting where they can get the best start in life. The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms we announced in February will give early years settings the training, evidence-based tools and expert input they need to welcome children with diverse needs into their settings and provide the right support from day one. We are investing over £200 million to strengthen the SEND offer in Best Start Family Hubs, including funding a family-facing practitioner in every hub to join up support across early years settings, health visitors and SEND teams. The Best Start Family Hubs will begin rolling out in April 2026.Alongside this, the department will work with local authorities, including local authority officers in Lincolnshire County Council, to strengthen their childcare sufficiency planning for children with SEND and improve data on the availability of suitable places, giving parents greater confidence that their children can access the early education and childcare they are entitled to.
How much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
Media and Sport, how much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
How much his Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
How much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
What assessment she has made of the risks of remote testing in her Department's English Language Test.
The Home Office has carefully considered the risks of a remote delivery model as part of the procurement to replace current Secure English Language Testing arrangements.The key risks centre on maintaining the integrity and security of the immigration system, including identity assurance, protection against impersonation, and confidence in the reliability of test results. The Home Office has engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity and has developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution.Following rounds of pre-market engagement, the ongoing procurement is explicitly designed to test bidders' ability to meet these standards, and the Department will adopt only those solutions that demonstrably maintain the high level of assurance required.
How much his Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
How much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The Home Office does not publish details of spending on special severance payments separately.The Home Office does publish overall special payments spending and details of this for the previous three financial years can be found through the links below.Pages 190-191 (pages 198-199 on the reader)Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025Pages 190-191 (pages 194-195 on the reader)Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2023 to 2024Pages195-196Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2022-2023
How much his Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
Over the three years fewer than five payments have been issued and the total amount spent is under £40,000.Given the minimal number of payments made in the timeframe, we have provided a consolidated rather than annual response to avoid employees becoming identifiable where multiple data sources could be amalgamated.
What recent assessment her Department has made of the availability of post-16 provision in Lincolnshire.
The department works closely with the Lincolnshire councils and local further education (FE) colleges to ensure there is sufficient post-16 provision in Lincolnshire.The department works with local authorities to assess significant change applications from schools for new post-16 provision or to close existing provision to ensure that any closure proposals do not create 16 to 19 sufficiency challenges within an area.In October 2025, we published the ‘Post-16 education and skills white paper’, setting out reforms to the skills system. This includes the introduction of V Levels to sit alongside A and T Levels, the Further Study pathway, supported by a new Foundation Certificate, to support students to progress onto V, T or A levels and also the Occupational pathway. This is supported by a new Occupational Certificate, assisting students develop skills to go into apprenticeships or employment.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect hare populations in Lincolnshire.
Defra has supported Lincolnshire in preparing its Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which is expected to be published shortly. This strategy will set nature recovery priorities and map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species, such as hares. Nationally, protection of the brown hare population is provided through hare‑coursing legislation introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Together with improved police tactics, intelligence, and information sharing, it is reasonable to assume that these measures are reducing levels of hare coursing, which will play a part in the recovery of the species. In addition, the Government’s recently published Animal Welfare Strategy contains a commitment to consider introducing a close season on shooting brown hares.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The number and cost of special severance payments made by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in each financial year are routinely published in the department's annual report and accounts. The most recently published annual report and accounts are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect seabirds from offshore energy infrastructure.
Offshore wind developers must show how they will avoid and mitigate impacts on protected seabirds, and provide compensatory measures where impacts remain. Within this context, the government is delivering the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package to de-risk and accelerate offshore wind consenting whilst protecting marine habitats and species, including seabirds. The package includes developing environmental standards, establishing a Marine Recovery Fund to deliver compensation at a strategic level and a strategic, ecosystem- based monitoring framework to strengthen understanding of environmental impacts on vulnerable bird species. We have also established a Seabird Conservation Coordination Group, comprising government, experts, environmental NGOs and industry representation. This group is helping to coordinate, monitor and drive delivery of actions for seabirds across our programmes of work in England. We are working with devolved governments on next steps, as they implement their respective seabird conservation strategies.
What steps he is taking to promote the manufacturing sector in (1) Lincolnshire and (2) the East Midlands.
The Government is committed to supporting manufacturing in Lincolnshire and the wider East Midlands. We are backing the sector through targeted investment, skills programmes and support for innovation. The East Midlands Freeport – England’s only inland freeport – is creating new manufacturing opportunities, attracting investment and generating high‑skilled jobs. Through the Local Growth Fund, we are helping local authorities and businesses strengthen supply chains and adopt new technologies. Manufacturers across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands also benefit from wider UK measures, outlined in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.The sector plan sets out how the Industrial Strategy will be delivered for the sector by reforming the business environment to build resilience, removing supply side barriers, developing a digitally literate and highly skilled workforce through the Upskilling and Reskilling programme, and unlocking the economic potential of advanced manufacturing clusters.
How many women in South Holland and the Deepings constituency are in receipt of Pension Credit.
The latest Pension Credit caseload statistics show that as of August 2025, there were 1,698 female recipients of Pension Credit in South Holland and the Deepings. This data is available via: DWP Stat-Xplore.
What steps his Department is taking to support (a) households and (a) businesses reliant on heating oil in Lincolnshire.
The Government understands that many households, particularly in rural and off‑gas‑grid areas, rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat. Unlike gas and electricity, heating oil is bought on the spot market, making it more exposed to short-term volatility in global oil prices, which we recognise is a significant concern for those reliant on it. The Chancellor has announced £53m for low income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. This funding is allocated as part of the Crisis Resilience fund, and will be distributed by Local Authorities. More information can be found here: Over £50 million to help families struggling with soaring heating oil costs - GOV.UK. In addition, the measures taken in the Autumn Budget reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter, including those not on the gas grid. On 30 January, we also announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.
Communities and Local Government, how much his Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
How much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
As per HM Treasury’s Annual Report and Accounts (ARA), the department spent £41,770 on special severance payments in 2023/24 and £206,772 in 2024/25. The figures for 2025/26 are not yet finalised and will be published in the next ARA.
How much his Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available online for the last three years.