Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rachel Gilmour this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 235 · this parliament
What estimate her Department has made of the total revenue raised through VAT on electricity used to charge electric vehicles, including (a) domestic charging at the reduced 5% VAT rate and (b) public charging at the standard 20% rate.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment she has made of the impact of the overall tax burden on hospitality businesses.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment he has made of the impact of frozen state pensions on UK state pensioners residing overseas.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of current review and oversight mechanisms in cases where the police issue a conditional caution without a charging decision being made, particularly in circumstances where the individual has not made an admission of guilt; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that such cases are subject to scrutiny and avenues for challenge.
Awaiting answer.
Whether her Department collects data from local authorities on the reasons why Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 is applied.
The department collects data from local authorities on placement reasons for pupils educated under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 for those in local authority funded placements.This information is published annually in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ accredited official statistics: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of embedding a cross-governmental approach to young people who go missing.
The government takes the issue of any child going missing, from home or care, extremely seriously and has provided clear guidance about responsibilities for all children who go missing. When a child is found, they must be offered an independent Return Home Interview and local authorities, police and voluntary services should also work together to understand why the child went missing and what support they may need, including with their mental health, in the future to prevent them from going missing again.The department has announced a £7 million funding boost to early support hubs across England providing drop-in mental health support for young people aged 11 to 25. Alongside this, we are investing an extra £688 million in mental health services this year and are recruiting 8,500 additional mental health workers across children’s and adult services.Measures from the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and Crime and Policing Bill, reforms being delivered through the Families First Partnership Programme, supported by £2.4 billion, updates to the Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance, and oversight from the Keeping Children Safe ministerial board will ensure that we better respond when children go missing and intervene earlier to tackle the underlying drivers.Measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill aim to put an end to misconceptions about legal barriers to sharing information, through introducing an Information Sharing Duty and making provision for a Single Unique Identifier to improve information sharing between agencies.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of stock levels of propanolol 80mg and 160mg modified release capsules until July 2026 on (i) patient outcomes and (ii) availability of medication which is a suitable substitute.
The Department is aware of supply issues affecting propranolol 80 milligram and 160 milligram modified release (MR) capsules due to ongoing manufacturing issues. The issues affecting propranolol 80 milligram MR capsules are expected to resolve by July 2026, while issues with propranolol 160 milligram MR capsules remain ongoing until further notice.The Department is working with all suppliers to help resolve the issues and improve supplies, including asking that they source stock from other markets. We have also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed imports of propranolol 80 milligram and 160 milligram MR capsules. We have engaged with National Health Service specialist clinicians and issued comprehensive guidance on how to manage patients during this time and to advise on available alternative preparations.The Department continues to work with the supply chain teams and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to mitigate the situation and ensure supplies are available for patients as soon as possible.
What estimate her Department has made of the costs of expanding the rural fuel duty relief scheme to cover all of Tiverton and Minehead constituency.
The Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme has provided a 5p reduction to motorists buying fuel in certain areas since its introduction in 2012. The areas included in the scheme demonstrate certain characteristics such as: pump prices much higher than the UK average; remoteness leading to high fuel transport costs from refinery to filling station, and; relatively low sales meaning that retailers cannot benefit from bulk discounts.There are no plans to amend the list of eligible locations.
If he will set out how the National Cancer Plan for England will reduce barriers to innovative and life extending treatments for people with secondary breast cancer when those treatments are not approved by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
The National Cancer Plan commits to increasing access to the best innovative cancer treatments for all patients, including those with secondary breast cancer. The Cancer Drugs Fund has helped to ensure that, according to industry data, patients in England receive new cancer treatments 50% faster than the European Union average, and it will continue to provide earlier access to promising new treatments. By April 2026, a joint process between National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will boost the speed of decisions on licensing and appraisal of medicines, so that recommendations for the National Health Service to fund new drugs can be made faster.NICE has a strong track record in recommending treatments for breast cancer and will continue to evaluate all new medicines for breast cancer. There are no plans to routinely fund medicines where NICE has been unable to recommend them as clinically and cost effective.Since January 2022, NICE has recommended all but one of the treatments for breast cancer that it has assessed through the Cancer Drugs Fund, including treatments for secondary breast cancer such as Truqap and Korserdu, which are now available to eligible NHS patients.To ensure that people diagnosed with secondary breast cancer have timely access to new and innovative treatments, NHS England commissioned a National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer, which provides timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary. The purpose of the audit is to identify information to increase the consistency of access to treatments and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. The NHS is now acting on those findings.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the administration of the Tier 2 NHS Pension Scheme, particularly in relation to retirement dates and the clarity of communications regarding retirement information.
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) administers the NHS Pension Scheme in accordance with the scheme regulations and publishes clear guidance to support members applying for ill-health retirement, including Tier 2 benefits. The guidance sets out the eligibility criteria, the two‑tier structure of ill‑health benefits, and the steps members must follow. This guidance is available on the NHSBSAs website at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/member-hub/applying-ill-health-pension-benefits.The NHSBSA publishes detailed information on normal pension ages, the definition of permanent incapacity, and the enhancements associated with Tier 2 benefits, helping members understand how retirement dates and entitlements are determined. Processing turnaround times are also published and regularly updated so that members and employers are kept informed throughout the process. The processing times are available from the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/current-processing-times-nhs-pensions.The NHSBSA keeps this material under regular review to ensure it remains clear and accessible and works closely with employers to support accurate and timely communication with scheme members.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the ability of rural communities to contact emergency services in the event of a prolonged power cut following BT’s move from copper landlines to digital voice services.
The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK, including rural communities. In 2024/25, there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN, each affecting 500 or more customers.In November 2024, the Government secured additional safeguards from the telecoms industry. These include the provision of free battery back-ups for vulnerable and landline dependent customers to ensure access to emergency services for at least one hour in a power outage. Many communication providers have gone further, providing battery back-ups with 4-7 hours of battery life.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of the UK’s readiness for war.
As set out in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, we are increasing national warfighting readiness to deter threats to UK and our interests. This includes transforming the Armed Forces to ensure they are more lethal, reversing the 14 years of hollowing out and underfunding this government found when it came into office.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the business rates model on rural pubs that have been rescued and are operated by volunteers in local communities; and what steps she is taking to ensure that non‑viable pubs, kept open because of the efforts of volunteers to preserve them, are not taxed for volunteering.
The Government has announced a £4.3 billion business rates support package to protect ratepayers from large overnight increases in bills. In addition, the Government is introducing permanently lower multipliers for eligible RHL properties. These are worth almost £1 billion per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties. On top of this, pubs and live music venues will also benefit from 15% off their new business rates bills, ahead of their bills being frozen in real terms for a further two years. Three-quarters of pubs will see bills flat or falling in April. The new relief is worth £1,650 for the average pub next year. As a sector pubs will pay 8% less in business rates in 2029 than they do right now. Pubs in rural areas may also benefit from either Rural Rate Relief or Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR). Rural Rate Relief aims to ensure that key amenities are available and community assets are protected in rural areas. It provides 100% rate relief for properties that are based in eligible rural areas with populations below 3,000. Around a third of properties in England pay no business rates because of SBRR. The Government will also launch a review which will explore how pubs are valued for business rates.
If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding allocated for research into chronic pain disorders.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) including research into chronic pain disorders. Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, the NIHR invested £39.4 million in direct research funding in this area. Further information on that research can be seen at the following link: https://nihr.opendatasoft.com/pages/homepage/ The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. At the current time, there are 41 studies actively recruiting for participants on many aspects of chronic pain. Further information is available at the following link: https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/results/search-results?query=chronic%20pain&location= The NIHR’s infrastructure also provides support for the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research that is funded by the NIHR’s research programmes, other public funders of research, charities, and the life sciences industry, including many aspects of chronic pain. Further information is available at the following link: https://nihr.opendatasoft.com/explore/dataset/nihr-infrastructure-supported-projects/table/?q=Chronic+Pain&disjunctive.centre&disjunctive.pi_full_name&disjunctive.research_theme&disjunctive.financial_year&disjunctive.infrastructure_scheme
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will consider the merits of the development of an environmental quality standard for water for either Fipronil or Imidacloprid.
Environmental quality standards (EQS) are fundamental to the effective assessment and regulation of chemical impacts. This commitment has already been made in the roadmap produced by the Cross Governmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group. The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good. It sets out how we will deliver on our promise to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas – not just for today, but for generations to come. We have committed to explore setting new ambitious overarching targets for the water environment. In the meantime, we continue to work towards our obligation to secure continuous improvement for the water environment.
If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of NHS-funded programmes for pain management, with particular relevance to those designed for chronic pain conditions.
The Department recognises the significant impact that chronic pain has on individuals and the importance of ensuring that National Health Service‑funded pain management services are effective, accessible and evidence‑based. Integrated care boards (ICBs) commission a range of multidisciplinary pain management programmes across primary, community, and specialist care to help people manage persistent pain. These services include pharmacological and non‑pharmacological interventions, such as physiotherapy, psychological therapies, and supported self‑management.When commissioning pain management services, ICBs should have regard to the chronic pain guideline published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), reference code NG193, as NICE’s evidence‑based recommendations set out nationally recognised best practice for assessing and treating chronic pain, helping to ensure that commissioned services are safe, effective, and aligned with the highest clinical standards.The Getting It Right First Time Chronic Pain workstream, introduced in 2025, is reviewing pain services across all care settings to identify unwarranted variation and improve access, equity, and outcomes for people living with chronic pain. This work is aligned with wider NHS and Government plans to promote integrated, proactive, and person‑centred long‑term condition management.Through the 10‑Year Health Plan, the Government is expanding community‑based services, strengthening multidisciplinary care models, and improving access to diagnostics and specialist input, all of which support better management of long‑term conditions such as chronic pain. These measures will contribute to improving the adequacy and consistency of NHS‑funded pain management services across England.
What steps he is taking to ensure that the Access to Work Scheme supports people with multiple sclerosis in employment.
The support that a customer will receive from Access to Work is dependent upon their needs and circumstances at the time they make an application. Case managers will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision on support. All assessments are done on an individual basis with all conditions, including Multiple Sclerosis where applicable, considered as part of an individual’s application. We continue to engage disabled people’s organisations and individuals with lived experience, drawing on their insights alongside the National Audit Office’s recommendations as we take forward improvements to the scheme.
What discussions his Department has had with the Department for Science and Technology about the potential for a respiratory Modern Service Framework to strengthen the UK’s life sciences ecosystem by scaling up the adoption of new medicines and innovations for lung conditions.
The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy prioritisation in respiratory health, including the cross‑Government alignment that may be required.
What assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in the Tiverton and Minehead constituency compared with national averages; and what steps he is taking to help ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.
The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.Data is available for emergency finished admission episodes where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. Data for Tiverton and Minehead is shown in the table.Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sectorWestminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence (Office for National Statistics)2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025, provisional)Tiverton and Minehead995790England608,449423,588Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department of Health and Social Care Fingertips website. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency, but is available at regional, county, unitary authority and integrated care board level. Information for Somerset is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000066/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.Through our community diagnostic centres (CDCs), we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get diagnosed closer to home. 101 CDCs across the country now offer out-of-hours services, 12 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning patients can access vital diagnostic tests around busy working lives. This is alongside action being taken to expand capacity and improve the quality of pulmonary rehabilitation services to support patients living with respiratory conditions.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of training for GPs and emergency healthcare staff to understand chronic pain conditions.
Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.All United Kingdom registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Good Medical Practice. In 2012 the GMC introduced revalidation which supports doctors in regularly reflecting on how they can develop or improve their practice, gives patients confidence doctors are up to date with their practice, and promotes improved quality of care by driving improvements in clinical governance.To support healthcare professionals in the assessment and management of chronic pain, the NICE has published guidance on this topic, which can be found at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193The guidance includes recommendations for healthcare professionals on how to carry out a person-centred assessment when an individual presents with chronic pain, how to develop a care and support plan for a patient with chronic pain, and how to manage flare-ups of chronic pain. The guidance also includes recommendations on both pharmacological and non-pharmacological management options for chronic pain.