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1627855

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2023
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Dental Services: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to local NHS dental services for children in (a) England and (b) Somerton and Frome constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	185040
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2023 answer text <p>From 1 April 2023 responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population, including for children, has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. NHS England has published an accompanying Assurance Framework which sets out its approach to providing assurance that commissioning functions are carried out safely and effectively by ICBs.</p><p>In September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’ which sets out how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to NHS dental for patients of all ages, whilst making the National Health Service dental contract more attractive to dental practices. These changes have been implemented, including through regulations that came into effect on 25 November 2022. NHS England is holding further discussions with the British Dental Association and other stakeholders for plans for additional reforms of the NHS Dental System coming shortly.</p><p>In circumstances where a guardian or parents are unable to access an urgent dental appointment for their child directly through a NHS dental practice, they are advised to contact NHS 111 for assistance.</p> answering member constituency Harborough answering member printed Neil O'Brien question first answered 22/05/2023 16:33:35 answering member 4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1627856

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Alternative Fuel Payments: Homelessness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps his Department has taken to facilitate access to the Alternative Fuel Payment for people without a permanent address.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	185041
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2023 answer text <p>The Government has been engaging with key stakeholder groups who represent those households without a permanent address. The Government is keen to support these households to ensure they can receive energy bills support. Officials are working to establish whether there is a robust method for these households to provide proof of eligibility, whilst protecting public funds, so they can claim the AFP support.</p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 22/05/2023 16:53:54 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1627857

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Flood Control: Somerset
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that Somerset is more resilient to future flood risk.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	185042
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2023 answer text <p>Somerset has seen significant investment in recent years and has benefitted from the formation of the Somerset Rivers Authority partnership. Over £80 million of investment since 2014 in flood risk interventions helps the Environment Agency better manage flooding. It allows the Environment Agency to take pre-emptive action to delay the onset of flooding, to evacuate the waters more effectively. Together this enables communities to be more resilient and to recover more rapidly from flooding. The below investment was delivered in 2014/15:</p><ul><li>£6m on dredging, financed by DEFRA, delivered by the Environment Agency</li><li>£20m on raising roads and drainage improvements financed by Department of Transport delivered by Somerset County Council</li><li>£20m on repairing flood damage to assets from Defra Flood defence grant-in-aid</li><li>£13m on improvements to the Sowy and Kings Sedgemoor Drain from Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership</li><li>£3.5m on Pumping station extra capacity and improvements at Aller and Westonzoyland</li><li>£500k improvements to the Parrett and Tone hydraulic model.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency are continuing to invest in Somerset, this includes maintaining existing defences and also helping communities to adapt and become more resilient in the face of a changing climate. Ongoing investment includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Bridgwater Tidal Barrier scheme – investment of over £128m – Operational barrier by 2026.</li><li>Dunball Sluice refurbishment – total investment of around £3.6m. Delivery by 2024</li><li>Pumping Station upgrades – Project to invest around £5.5m. Complete by 2025</li><li>Reservoir improvement investment (public safety) – Investment Program of £19m – Delivery complete by 2027</li><li>Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvements – Council have agreed £6m funding in 3 interventions:</li></ul><p>1. River Tone left bank defence improvements, Frieze Hill to Town Bridge</p><p>2. Raising of Firepool lockgate and defences between the River Tone and the Bridgwater to Taunton Canal (TTC10)</p><p>3. Longrun Meadows - optimising flood water storage.</p><p> </p><p>Communities in Ilminster, Chard and Minehead are also benefitting from recently approved investment to help reduce flood risk. The Environment Agency and Somerset Council have secured funding from the Frequently Flooded Allowance fund to carry out investigative studies on what future flood risk interventions are required.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/05/2023 10:31:56 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1627858

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Floods: Somerset
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) homes and (b) businesses in Somerset were affected by flooding in each of the last 10 years.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	185043
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2023 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Property Flooding Overview</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of Properties Flooded</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>15</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>11</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>173</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>22</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>10</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>26</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>45</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>304</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p><p>The above table shows the number of properties flooded during the last 10 years across both business and homes, and includes all sources of flooding – surface water, fluvial and coastal. The source of most of the data comes from Somerset Council report produced post flooding which is why the information is not split between homes and businesses. These reports are produced as part of the Flood &amp; Water Management Act 2010. The reports from 2022 have not yet been published, although the Environment Agency are not aware of any properties flooding in Somerset during 2022.</p><p> </p><p>For 2023 the Environment Agency estimated that 5 properties flooded in January and around 120 properties flooded in May, however they are working with Somerset Council to confirm exact numbers.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 23/05/2023 15:33:52 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1627860

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Flood Control: Somerset
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the resilience of flood protection measures in (a) Somerset, (b) East Somerset and (c) the River Cam catchment area during the winter of 2022–23.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	185044
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2023 answer text <p>Much of Somerset is below sea level and many of its rivers are raised above the ground, so it will always be at risk of coastal and fluvial flooding. In January 2023, the Environment Agency put in place the largest temporary pumping operation in its history on the Somerset Levels and Moors. In combination with the innovative way water was managed through the system, this meant that on this occasion, widespread flooding of property was avoided.</p><p> </p><p>During the Spring, East Somerset has experienced some of the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the area. This has led to roads becoming unpassable, and in the case of the River Cam, around 100 houses flooding. In all cases, the flood protection measures performed as designed, but were overwhelmed by the volume and intensity of rainfall.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 23/05/2023 15:29:53 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1626012

	registered interest
	date	05/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Business and Trade
	answering dept id	214
	answering dept short name	Business and Trade
	answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
	hansard heading	Hospitality Industry and Tourism: Vacancies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking with industry representatives to address labour shortages in the (a) hospitality and (b) tourism sectors.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	183930
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>The Government is in regular dialogue with the hospitality and tourism sectors and is aware of the recruitment and retention challenges facing businesses. The Hospitality Sector Council is actively looking at this issue and the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board, which comprises businesses across both sectors, is considering ways to strengthen training.</p><p>We are also helping to fill vacancies through our Plan for Jobs programmes, which use work coaches to help match local talent with jobs in hospitality. Our sector-based work academy programme and flexible support fund, and various initiatives, are also encourag-ing jobseekers to look for opportunities in the sector. In addition, on 1 April 2023, the Gov-ernment increased the National Living Wage by 9.7% to £10.42.</p><p>The Government is also supporting six Private Member’s Bills which will improve workers’ rights and encourage more people into work. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act has now achieved Royal Assent meaning more than 2 million workers will have their tips protected when the measures come into force. This package of Bills will help new parents, unpaid carers, hospitality workers, and give employees better access to flexible working.</p><p>The Government is continuing to improve apprenticeships, making them more flexible and making it easier for employers to make greater use of their levy funds. The catering and hospitality sector serves up a host of different apprenticeships in restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, nightclubs and hotels, including for example chef de partie.</p> answering member constituency Thirsk and Malton answering member printed Kevin Hollinrake grouped question UIN 183931 question first answered 16/05/2023 16:53:33 answering member 4474 label Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1626014

	registered interest
	date	05/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Business and Trade
	answering dept id	214
	answering dept short name	Business and Trade
	answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
	hansard heading	Hospitality Industry: Labour Turnover
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps she has taken to help support (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the hospitality sector.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	183931
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>The Government is in regular dialogue with the hospitality and tourism sectors and is aware of the recruitment and retention challenges facing businesses. The Hospitality Sector Council is actively looking at this issue and the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board, which comprises businesses across both sectors, is considering ways to strengthen training.</p><p>We are also helping to fill vacancies through our Plan for Jobs programmes, which use work coaches to help match local talent with jobs in hospitality. Our sector-based work academy programme and flexible support fund, and various initiatives, are also encourag-ing jobseekers to look for opportunities in the sector. In addition, on 1 April 2023, the Gov-ernment increased the National Living Wage by 9.7% to £10.42.</p><p>The Government is also supporting six Private Member’s Bills which will improve workers’ rights and encourage more people into work. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act has now achieved Royal Assent meaning more than 2 million workers will have their tips protected when the measures come into force. This package of Bills will help new parents, unpaid carers, hospitality workers, and give employees better access to flexible working.</p><p>The Government is continuing to improve apprenticeships, making them more flexible and making it easier for employers to make greater use of their levy funds. The catering and hospitality sector serves up a host of different apprenticeships in restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, nightclubs and hotels, including for example chef de partie.</p> answering member constituency Thirsk and Malton answering member printed Kevin Hollinrake grouped question UIN 183930 question first answered 16/05/2023 16:53:34 answering member 4474 label Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1626015

	registered interest
	date	05/05/2023
	answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
	answering dept id	216
	answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
	answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
	hansard heading	Broadband: Somerton and Frome
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of households in Somerton and Frome constituency did not have access to fibre optic broadband on 1 May 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	183932
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>Currently, over 89% of premises in the Somerton and Frome constituency can access a superfast broadband connection. Over 51% have access to a gigabit-capable connection and 38% have fibre to the premises.</p><p>The Government is committed to working with broadband suppliers to ensure 85% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, and then for nationwide coverage by 2030. We are on track to achieve our target.</p><p>As part of Project Gigabit, the Government’s £5 billion mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband across the UK, we have begun launching procurements that give subsidies to broadband suppliers to build gigabit-capable infrastructure to premises that will not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans alone. In the coming months, we plan to launch a procurement that will improve broadband connectivity for premises in Somerton and Frome.</p><p>Constituents in Somerton and Frome have also made excellent use of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme which provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband. More than 960 premises in Somerton and Frome have received a fast, reliable connection through the voucher scheme, worth over £1.5 million.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 16/05/2023 11:49:15 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1610427

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Sewage: Waste Disposal
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of sewage spillages on river water quality.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	180560
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2023 answer text <p>We have been consistently clear that the failure of water companies to adequately reduce sewage discharges is totally unacceptable. That is why in August 2022, we published the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storm-overflows-discharge-reduction-plan" target="_blank">Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan</a> - the most ambitious plan to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows in water company history.</p><p> </p><p>Environment Agency data shows that 7% of waterbodies in England failed to reach Good Ecological Status because of storm overflows in 2019, a significant contribution to the 36% affected by the wider water industry. This compares to agriculture affecting 40% of water bodies and urban and transport affecting 18%.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to increasing transparency. We have increased the number of storm overflows monitored across the network from 7% in 2010 to 91% in 2022, and we will reach 100% cover by the end of the year.</p><p> </p><p>Earlier this month, we launched our consultation on Continuous Water Quality Monitoring and Event Duration Monitoring. This outlines the Government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflow and final effluent discharges.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 21/04/2023 12:57:59 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1610428

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Sewage: Waste Disposal
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce sewage discharges in Somerton and Frome constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	180561
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2023 answer text <p>Last year, Government published the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1101686/Storm_Overflows_Discharge_Reduction_Plan.pdf" target="_blank">Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan</a>, requiring water companies to deliver their largest ever infrastructure investment - £56 billion capital investment over 25 years.</p><p> </p><p>In February 2023, I asked water and sewerage companies to set an action plan on every storm overflow in England. I have also announced water companies will face higher penalties that are quicker and easier to enforce.</p><p> </p><p>In Frome and Somerton, the Environment Agency (EA) are scrutinising Wessex Water’s performance and asset management on a number of fronts, including:</p><ul><li>Working with Wessex Water to implement event duration monitoring to understand how often and for how long storm sewage overflows occur. This enables them to address their network performance and reduce spills.</li><li>Continuing to take tough action where water companies cause sewage pollution of our watercourses by incidents, whether through failing assets or poor maintenance. The EA have a number of enforcement cases against Wessex Water pending.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The EA also regulate private discharges from small-scale sewage treatment works in this rural catchment. They have a monitoring programme, and failures in discharge quality are subject to robust follow-up and, if appropriate, formal action to ensure improvements are made.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 20/04/2023 09:38:40 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton