Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mims Davies this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 161–180 of 272 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, if he will publish guidance on the minimum time and notice period required under section 293B(7) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Paragraph 60 of the government’s Planning Practice Guidance on Crown Development and Urgent Crown Development makes clear that once an application is ‘accepted’ under the Urgent Crown Development route the Secretary will notify the relevant local planning authority.
Whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on (a) when and (b) how often they can issue legal stop notices in relation to the housing of asylum seekers in their areas.
Planning enforcement action is not a matter for the Home Office. This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities across the country so that the Home Office continues to meet its statutory obligations while also carefully considering the impact on local areas.
Which Government Departments use a ministerial car.
The Government Car Service (GCS) provides Departmental Pool Cars (DPC) to the following Government departments: Attorney General’s OfficeCabinet OfficeDepartment for Business and TradeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportDepartment for EducationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDepartment for Health and Social CareDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyDepartment for TransportDepartment for Work and PensionsHM TreasuryHome OfficeMinistry for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentMinistry of JusticeScotland Office
Whether his Department has made an application under Section 293B Town and County Planning Act 1990 in relation to the Crowborough Training Camp.
Asylum is a Home Office lead. As such, The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has not made an application under Section 293B Town and County Planning Act 1990 in relation to Crowborough Training Camp and the MOD has not received any planning objections from Wealden District Council on the use of Crowborough Training Camp as asylum accommodation.
Whether she has met with, consulted or received submissions from the Ashdown Forest Conservators on the proposed use of the Crowborough Training Camp for asylum seeker accommodation.
Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.The Home Secretary will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.
Whether she has exercised powers under section 293B(9) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to require the publication of notices in relation to any such application concerning the Crowborough Training Camp and asylum seeker accommodation.
Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.The Home Secretary will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.
Whether her Department has submitted the required information under section 293B(7) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in relation to an application by the Ministry of Defence concerning the use of Crowborough Training Camp for asylum seeker accommodation.
Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.The Home Secretary will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.
Whether the Secretary of State has issued any directions under section 293B(13) to Wealden District Council relating to site notices or other publicity requirements for the Crowborough Training Camp and asylum seeker accommodation application.
Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.The Home Secretary will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.
Whether her Department has had it own ministerial car service since her appointment.
Since my appointment, the Wales Office has not had its own ministerial car service.
Whether any objection has been received from Wealden District Council as the Local Planning Authority on the use of Crowborough Training Camp as asylum accommodation.
Asylum is a Home Office lead. As such, The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has not made an application under Section 293B Town and County Planning Act 1990 in relation to Crowborough Training Camp and the MOD has not received any planning objections from Wealden District Council on the use of Crowborough Training Camp as asylum accommodation.
Whether his Department has made an application under Section 293B Town and County Planning Act 1990 in relation to the Crowborough Training Camp.
Asylum is a Home Office lead. As such, The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has not made an application under Section 293B Town and County Planning Act 1990 in relation to Crowborough Training Camp and the MOD has not received any planning objections from Wealden District Council on the use of Crowborough Training Camp as asylum accommodation.
What meetings she has held with the victims and survivors of grooming gangs in Wales since January 2025.
As the lead department, the Home Office leads on engagement with victims and survivors of grooming gangs across Wales and England. On 16 June 2025, the then Home Secretary made a statement to Parliament confirming that the Government has accepted all of the recommendations made in Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, including a recommendation to commission a national inquiry. Baroness Casey specifically recommended that the national police operation and national inquiry should cover England and Wales. The Home Office has been working closely with partners to develop the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, with early consultation already undertaken with victims and survivors. The National Working Group (NWG) charity has been coordinating the engagement with victims and survivors related to the inquiry set-up, including sessions attended by the Minister for Safeguarding and VAWG.
What steps she has taken to help victims of grooming gangs in Wales.
The Government is committed to tackling all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The police will respond to all allegations of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring that victims are protected and offenders are brought to justice.The National Inquiry into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will cover England and Wales. The Home Secretary has written to the First Minister to confirm this.We will continue to work closely with law enforcement and safeguarding partners to address ongoing crimes and protect vulnerable children across Wales and the rest of the UK.We are also providing £2.59 million in 2025-26 for the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Fund, providing a range of support services with national reach. As part of the fund, this year we have provided £193,515 to Cyfannol Women’s Aid.The Home Office also launched the invitation-to-tender for the national Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) Service contract in September 2025, which will expand coverage from two thirds of local authorities in England and Wales to all local authorities in England and Wales.The service provides specialist modern slavery and child exploitation expertise to ensure child victims are protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation or re-trafficking, and promote the child’s recovery. It supports child victims of sexual exploitation and grooming who have been referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), and the professionals working with them.The Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) provides specialist support to adult victims of exploitation and trafficking who have been identified through the NRM in England and Wales. This includes adults who experienced sexual exploitation as children.
If she will make (a) an assessment of the potential merits of launching a Wales-wide inquiry into grooming gangs and (b) it her policy to tackle ongoing crimes relating to grooming gangs in Wales.
The Government is committed to tackling all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The police will respond to all allegations of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring that victims are protected and offenders are brought to justice.The National Inquiry into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will cover England and Wales. The Home Secretary has written to the First Minister to confirm this.We will continue to work closely with law enforcement and safeguarding partners to address ongoing crimes and protect vulnerable children across Wales and the rest of the UK.We are also providing £2.59 million in 2025-26 for the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Fund, providing a range of support services with national reach. As part of the fund, this year we have provided £193,515 to Cyfannol Women’s Aid.The Home Office also launched the invitation-to-tender for the national Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) Service contract in September 2025, which will expand coverage from two thirds of local authorities in England and Wales to all local authorities in England and Wales.The service provides specialist modern slavery and child exploitation expertise to ensure child victims are protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation or re-trafficking, and promote the child’s recovery. It supports child victims of sexual exploitation and grooming who have been referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), and the professionals working with them.The Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) provides specialist support to adult victims of exploitation and trafficking who have been identified through the NRM in England and Wales. This includes adults who experienced sexual exploitation as children
Whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on (a) when and (b) how often they can issue legal stop notices in relation to the housing of asylum seekers in their areas.
Planning enforcement action is not a matter for the Home Office. This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities across the country so that the Home Office continues to meet its statutory obligations while also carefully considering the impact on local areas.
How much funding her Department has allocated to Wealden District Council for each asylum seeker.
We are working closely with key stakeholders including local health partnersto minimise the impact on the local community. Total costs will be included inthe Departments Annual Report and Accounts in the normal way.
How much (a) revenue and (b) capital spending has been allocated to railways in Wales in each year of the Spending Review period; and (i) how much and (ii) over what period of time her Department plans to spend on railways in Wales outside of the Spending Review period.
I would refer the Honourable Member to the answer I provided to written question UIN 69339 on 2 September 2025.
When he plans to respond to The Hughes Report: Options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, published on 7 February 2024.
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s Report.
What progress his Department has made on increasing the recruitment and training of midwives since July 2024.
NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. This covers staff working for hospital trusts and integrated care in England. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the human resources system for the National Health Service. These show that as of 30 June 2025, there are currently 24,888 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England. This is an increase of 1,326 or 5.6%, compared to 30 June 2024. Further information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics3,270 students have accepted places to undergraduate midwifery degrees at English providers so far in 2025. This is a 3% increase compared to the same point in 2024. This is also the first year-on-year increase in the number of acceptances since 2021, when acceptances across healthcare courses peaked, driven by interest due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/statistical-releases-daily-clearing-analysis-2025These are not final numbers, and the Department will continue to monitor numbers of acceptances through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services’ clearing cycle which ends in October.
What steps his Department is taking to increase the recruitment and training of midwives.
To break down financial barriers to training, eligible midwifery students receive a non-repayable grant of £5,000 per year via the NHS Learning Support Fund. Further financial support is available for childcare, dual accommodation costs and travel. Apprenticeship routes are also available to those for whom a full-time university route is not practical or preferred.On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. Vacant maternity support worker posts will be temporarily converted to Band 5 midwifery roles, backed by £8 million to create new opportunities specifically for newly qualified midwives and further ease the recruitment strain.Later this year, we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.