Every parliamentary written question tabled by Lee Anderson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 241–260 of 1,340 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with members of the Chagossian community in Britain.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have met Chagossian individuals and groups over 30 times since 2024. I have met with Chagossian groups and individuals four times. The new Chagossian Contact Group has held meetings in September and December 2025, and again in January. The group will continue to meet quarterly.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of the public purse of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill.
I refer the Hon Member to the details of the forecast cost at the time, and duration of the treaty set out in the Explanatory Memorandum published on 22 May 2025, and to the extensive discussion of all these issues and methodologies that has subsequently taken place during the passage of the Bill.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what security assessments her Department undertook ahead of the approval of the planned Chinese Embassy by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Security Minister on 20 January.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she engaged with (a) the Security Service and (b) other security agencies prior to the approval of the planned Chinese Embassy by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Security Minister on 20 January.
What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of in person GP appointments.
The Government has committed to guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one. The National Health Service is clear that general practices must provide face-to-face appointments, alongside remote consultations, and patients’ input into consultation type should be sought and their preferences for face-to-face care respected unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.We are boosting capacity in general practice so patients can get the appointments they need, including face‑to‑face. We have invested £160 million through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to bring over 2,000 extra General Practitioners (GPs) into Primary Care Networks, increasing appointment availability across England.We are investing a further £485 million in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP contract to over £13.8 billion and introducing a new practice‑level GP reimbursement scheme. The scheme, worth £292 million, will fund additional GPs or more GP sessions with existing GPs, equivalent to around 1,600 full‑time GPs nationally. This will strengthen capacity, improve access to face-to-face appointments and improve patient satisfaction.
What steps his Department is taking to help ensure backup energy generators at hospitals are well maintained.
It is the responsibility of each National Health Service provider to have resilience plans and procedures in place. Guidance is provided to the NHS within the Health Technical Memorandum 06 series, namely Health Technical Memorandum 06-01: Electrical services supply and distribution, Health Technical Memorandum 06-02: Electrical safety guidance for low voltage systems, and Health Technical Memorandum 06-03: Electrical safety guidance for high voltage systems, which are all respectively available at the following three links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/electrical-services-supply-and-distribution-htm-06-01/https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/electrical-safety-guidance-for-low-voltage-systems-htm-06-02/https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/electrical-safety-guidance-for-high-voltage-systems-in-healthcare-premises-htm-06-03/This guidance is for healthcare organisations, defined as organisations that provide or intends to provide healthcare services, and is therefore applicable to primary and secondary care providers.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she considered the the future of Diego Garcia after the 99-year lease agreed in the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill expires.
I refer the Hon Member to the details of the duration of the treaty set out in the Explanatory Memorandum published on 22 May 2025, and to the extensive discussion of all these issues that has subsequently taken place during the passage of the Bill.
What data his Department holds on the total percentage of (a) nurses and (b) General Practitioners in the NHS who were trained overseas.
NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England which includes data on the self-reported nationality of National Health Service staff, which may not be the same as the country which they trained in but is a good proxy for the level of staff trained overseas. The published information is available at the following link within the file “NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations – data tables”:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statisticsAdditionally, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) publishes data on the percentage of nurses on Nursing and Midwifery Council register by country/region of training. These nurses may work in a range of other settings as well as the NHS. The most recent NMC data is available at the following link:https://www.nmc.org.uk/about-us/reports-and-accounts/registration-statistics/NHS England publishes monthly General Practice workforce statistics for England which includes data on General Practitioners’ country of primary medical qualification aggregated by country of qualification group UK, European Economic Area or elsewhere. This information is available at the following link within the file “Bulletin Tables”:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/general-and-personal-medical-services
Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to increase the number of science parks in the UK.
The government is ensuring that everyone benefits from innovation-led economic growth by supporting clusters of R&D excellence across the UK. As these clusters grow our ambition is that investment into science parks increases in all regions of the UK.We are investing up to £500 million in the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, for local leaders to grow their high-potential innovation clusters and create jobs. The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund empowers local leaders to target R&D investment to the needs of their areas, including investing in R&D facilities to build regional innovation capability.A new Mayoral Revolving Growth Fund will give six Mayoral Strategic Authorities in the North and Midlands a devolved pot of funding to address access‑to‑finance barriers, including for the development of commercial scientific infrastructure. Decisions on projects, including support for laboratory space, will rest with the respective authorities. Developers are also able to engage with the National Wealth Fund on potential financing for life science laboratory space.
What steps she is taking to help improve GCSE pass rates among pupils eligible for free school meals in the Ashfield constituency.
The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out our plans to build a system that supports every child to achieve and thrive.It sets a clear path to raising standards and broadens children’s education. This includes a refreshed curriculum, improved transitions and an enrichment entitlement for every child.To help improve GCSE outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, we are driving standards through new RISE teams, a refreshed high-quality curriculum and assessment system, recruiting 6,500 additional teachers and piloting a new place‑based Headteacher Retention Incentive to attract and support headteachers in the areas that need them most.Additionally, in the 2026/27 financial year, £3.2 billion of pupil premium funding will support improved outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, and the National Funding Formula will allocate £5.6 billion according to deprivation. We are also developing a new model to better target disadvantage funding at the most entrenched need.When this generation finishes secondary school, our ambition is for all pupils to reach at least a grade 5 across their GCSEs and for the disadvantage gap to be halved, with 30,000 more disadvantaged pupils passing English and maths GCSEs.
What steps she is taking to help ensure free speech is maintained on university campuses.
This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. We commenced provisions from the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on 1 August 2025 that strengthen provider duties on free speech, including a requirement to put in place free speech codes of practice, and require the Office for Students (OfS) to promote free speech, while banning non-disclosure agreements on complaints about bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct.The OfS has also issued extensive guidance to higher education (HE) providers on commencement of their duties. The OfS’ Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the HE sector to offer advice and share best practice, so HE providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.The department is seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend and repeal elements of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 at the earliest opportunity.
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure all secondary schools offer a wide range of GCSE subject options.
As part of their duty to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, schools are expected to offer a range of subject options to help meet the aspirations of all pupils.On 23 February, the department published a consultation which includes proposals to improve the Progress 8 model to maintain a strong academic core and ensure breadth and choice for every child. The consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/key-stage-4-performance-measures-and-targeted-rise-extension. We want to recognise the value of subjects that strengthen our economy and society, for example the arts and sciences, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
What steps she is taking to help improve educational opportunities in former coalfield areas.
All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed. Our mission is to make this a reality across the country, including in former coalfield areas.We’re investing £9.5 billion into early years next year to help families access affordable high-quality childcare places all over the country including those in former coalfield areas. We are also taking bold action to lift 550,000 children out of poverty, tackling the high levels of deprivation seen in many former coalfield areas.Our “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” white paper sets out our plan to provide a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience for every child. We are consulting on funding reforms to reflect different lengths and depths of disadvantage that children may be experiencing including the persistent challenges faced in former coalfield areas.The department is also strengthening routes into post-16 education, employment and training so every young person can progress into secure, well-paid work. We recognise that former coalfield areas face some of the biggest barriers to opportunity and this government will ensure those Children and Young People benefit from the landmark reforms we are making to education and beyond.
What steps she is taking to help support students to challenge issues of free speech on university campuses.
Higher education (HE) must be a space for robust discussion, intellectual rigour and exposure to new ideas. These expectations on our universities are long standing and not negotiable.There are already routes of redress for students where they believe that a HE provider has breached its duties under the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. As we have previously set out, students can already make complaints relating to free speech to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, whose service is free at the point of use.The Office for Students (OfS) already regulates providers in relation to free speech and academic freedom through their existing conditions of registration. The OfS has also issued extensive guidance to HE providers on commencement of their duties, which supports students navigating these issues.
What steps she is taking to help support mature students in universities.
As autonomous institutions, higher education (HE) providers are responsible for setting their own timetabling and student support arrangements and in doing so, must take the needs of all students including mature learners, into account.In January 2027 the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will launch and transform the HE student finance system. The LLE will give adults, up to the age of 60, access to a flexible, four year loan entitlement to use over their working lives to study full courses and individual modules. The LLE will broaden access at levels 4 to 6 for a range of learners, including those returning to education later in life or studying whilst working.We are also reintroducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants, providing disadvantaged students with up to £1,000 extra per year on top of existing loans for living costs from academic year 2028/29.Together, these reforms modernise the student finance system and ensure that mature students can access the support they need to participate and succeed in HE.
Whether her Department has had recent correspondence with universities on the enforcement of freedom of speech guidelines.
The department has not had recent correspondence with universities on the enforcement of the free speech duties. This answer does not cover any correspondence which the Office for Students may have had with universities on enforcement of freedom of speech.
What steps she is taking to support older people in financial difficulties.
We are committed to helping pensioners with the cost of living and ensuring financial security in retirement. The State Pension will remain the foundation of retirement income and, in line with the government’s commitment to the Triple Lock for the duration of this parliament, over 12 million pensioners will benefit from a 4.8% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2026, worth up to £575 a year. This follows a substantial increase in 2025/26, when those on the full new State Pension received a £360 boost. The Government provides Pension Credit for pensioners with low incomes. Pension Credit is an income-related benefit which targets help at the poorest pensioners. The amount a person gets depends on how much income they have each week and how much they have saved or invested. The Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee will also increase by 4.8% in April 2026, from £227.10 to £238 a week for single pensioners and from £346.60 to £363.25 for couples, protecting the poorest pensioners. Over three quarters of pensioners will benefit from the Winter Fuel Payment for the duration of this Parliament, targeting help at those on lower and middle incomes while ensuring fairness for taxpayers.Pensioners also benefit from free eye tests, NHS prescriptions and bus passes, and some may qualify for means tested benefits such as Housing Benefit and Cold Weather Payments. To help with ongoing cost of living pressures, the government will remove around £150 on average off household energy bills across Great Britain from April 2026 and the government is expanding the Warm Home Discount to an additional 2.7 million households, meaning around 6 million low-income households will receive £150 support with their energy bills.
Media and Sport, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of trends in the level of ageism in the media sector.
There are processes in place to track and monitor diversity data across the media, including a statutory role for Ofcom under the Communications Act 2003 to promote diversity and inclusion in the TV and radio sector. As part of this, broadcasters provide data to Ofcom on the make-up of their off-screen workforce in terms of age, ethnicity, gender and disability, which Ofcom reports on annually. These reports can be viewed at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/equity-and-diversity/diversity-equal-opportunities-tv-and-radio. In addition, the Equality Act 2010 contains strong protections for older people against age discrimination in a variety of settings, including work and the provision of services. The Act prohibits both discrimination because of age and harassment related to age.
What steps his Department is taking to help improve employment opportunities for older people.
Work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement, and we recognise the wealth of skills and experience that older workers bring both to the workplace and the economy. We are committed to supporting workers over the age of 50 through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes age-inclusive employment practices, flexible working, and progression and career development. We have a dedicated offer for older workers within jobcentres, including our 50PLUS Champions who provide a critical layer of support to ensure the needs of older jobseekers are met. We also offer a Midlife MOT, which helps people to review their health, finances and skills and signpost to suitable support. Our Employer and Partnership Teams in jobcentres work with a range of employers and partners to enhance the skills and employment support available locally for customers. As part of our plans to Get Britain Working and create a new Jobs and Careers Service, we are committed to reforming employment support to ensure it is inclusive and meets the needs of our customers. We are considering the support we offer to those aged 50 and over so that they can access support to find good, meaningful work, and help them progress in work or increase their earnings.
What steps she is taking to help ensure that older people feel able to challenge ageism in society.
I refer the Hon member to the answer on 1 September 2025 (PQs 69429, 69430).