Every parliamentary written question tabled by Dan Norris this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 161–180 of 293 · this parliament
How many small e-commerce packages passed through customs in the UK from China in 2024.
Consignments imported into the UK that are valued at £135 or less are not subject to customs duty and are predominantly imported through a simplified customs declaration. As part of this, multiple goods can be bulk declared without providing the total number of consignments. Therefore, HMRC does not routinely collect customs data on the number of imports from China that are worth less than £135.
What steps her Department is taking to reduce the waiting time for driving tests at the Bristol (Kingswood) centre.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK. On 15 July, DVSA launched a new recruitment campaign for the Bristol area. DVSA is looking to recruit two additional driving examiners (DE) at Kingwood, up to 10 additional DEs in Avonmouth and two additional DEs in Weston-Super-Mare. Further vacancies in other sites in the surrounding area such as Taunton and Chippenham, will also be advertised in DVSA’s following recruitment campaigns shortly.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the dimensions of cages necessary for the breeding and rearing of game birds that is adequate to avoid stress.
Defra’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes provides keepers with guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of gamebirds, including providing appropriate space and facilities to ensure the avoidance of stress. The code recommends that barren cages for breeding pheasants and small barren cages for breeding partridges should not be used, and that any system should be appropriately enriched. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 places a duty on keepers to ensure that the needs of an animal are met to the extent required by good practice.
Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to next review the regulations for end-of-life vehicles.
This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. The forthcoming Circular Economy Strategy will be supported by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the Government will make on a sector-by-sector basis, supporting government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower. As we develop our strategy, evidence for sector-specific interventions right across the economy—including for transport—is being considered. This consideration encompasses international best practices and regulations in other jurisdictions, including the EU.
What steps his Department is taking to improve access to GP appointments in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The Government is determined to work with the National Health Service to fix the front door of our health service and to ensure that everyone can access general practice (GP) appointments and services, including in North East Somerset and Hanham. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, it will be easier and faster to see a GP. The 8:00am scramble will end, we will train more doctors, and we will guarantee digital consultations within 24 hours.In October 2024, we invested £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to support the recruitment of 1,900 individual GPs into primary care networks across England, helping to increase appointment availability and improve care for thousands of patients. We have also delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an £889 million uplift, with GPs now receiving a growing share of NHS resources. Additionally, the new £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund will create additional clinical space within over 1,000 GPs across England. This investment will deliver more appointments and improve patient care.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme on (a) job creation and (b) other economic developments.
The Final Impact Assessment, published in November 2025, considers the impacts of a DRS on all sectors of society - this includes costs and benefits, and any wider impacts identified. There are external studies that look at the number of jobs created by DRS which the Impact Assessment draws upon, including the 2011 Eunomia study that estimated that the additional number of jobs created from the introduction of a DRS could be 3,000-4,300 across the UK.
What steps his Department is taking to help support SMEs to (a) access finance, (b) innovate and (c) grow in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The Business Secretary's announcement of a new Business Growth Service is designed to simplify access, advice and support for Somerset businesses looking to grow, innovate and thrive.Small and medium-sized enterprises in Hanham and across Somerset can access the West of England Growth Hub which offers specialised guidance on scaling up, entering new markets, and exploring various financial support options, including through the British Business Bank Additionally, Innovate UK is the national innovation agency, supporting businesses across all sectors and regions through grants, loans, investor partnerships and innovation procurement.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the extension of the Warm Home Discount scheme on people living in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The Warm Home Discount statistics for 2024-25 were published on 26th June 2025. These statistics cover receipt of the WHD for winter 2024/25. Estimates of future eligibility are not available at county or constituency level. Across Great Britain, we will be extending the WHD to an estimated additional 2.7 million households and bringing the overall number of households supported to around 6 million.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle high levels of sewage entering waterways.
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through our landmark Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will make recommendations to shape further action to transform how our water system works and clean up our waterways for good. The IWC will submit its final report later in summer 2025 with recommendations on how to reset the sector for the future. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record of over £11 billion of investment to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales. This investment will be targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health.
What steps her Department is taking to improve school attendance in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The department has a national approach to supporting all schools to improve attendance. Central to this approach are stronger expectations of local authorities and schools, as set out in the statutory guidance here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf.In addition, the department is improving evidence on which interventions improve attendance. Over £17 million is being invested in mentoring projects supporting at least 12,000 pupils in 15 areas.Regional improvement for standards and excellence teams support schools by sharing best practice across areas and empowering schools to better access support and learn from one another. This includes new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, supporting around 550 schools in the South West each year.Attendance is also supported by broader investments, including breakfast clubs in primary schools so that children start their day ready to learn, and Mental Health Support Teams which will provide access to specialist professionals in every school.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the provision of 30-hours of free childcare on the finances of families in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
On 7 July, the department published our ‘Best Start in life Strategy’, which sets out how we will make real change happen for families across the country.From September 2025, eligible working parents will be able to access 30 hours of funded childcare a week, over 38 weeks of the year, from the term after their child turns nine months until they start school. This will save eligible families using all 30 hours nationally up to £7,500 on average.According to the ‘Childcare and early years provider survey’, this would be higher (£7,900) in Bath and North East Somerset due to higher childcare fees, though these estimates are likely to be more variable due to a smaller sample size. The survey can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8919d3d0-fd4f-4adb-8ae2-08ddbed6edd3. To calculate this estimation the department has used local authority data from Bath and North East Somerset in the absence of constituency-level childcare fee data.A recent Coram report shows the average cost to parents of a 25 hour nursery place for children under three in England has halved between 2024 and 2025.
What recent progress she has made with the banking industry on the roll out of banking hubs in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The Government recognises the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets in North East Somerset and Hanham, and across the country. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 170 are already open. The location of these hubs is determined independently by LINK, the industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments. When a cash service such as a bank branch closes, or if LINK receives a request directly from a community, LINK assesses a community’s access to cash needs. This assessment may lead to a recommendation for the establishment of a banking hub in that community. A temporary banking hub is now open in Keynsham, while the search for a permanent location is underway.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed expansion of free school meals on levels of child poverty in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We have now announced that we are extending free school meals (FSM) to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026.It will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back in families’ pockets, supporting parents in decisive action to improve lives ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy coming later this year.Department for Work and Pensions data shows that 3,500 children in the North East Somerset and Hanham constituency will be eligible for FSM from September 2026.Providing over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunchtime meal every school day will also lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes, meaning children get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.
What steps she is taking to limit the use of smartphones in schools.
Mobile phones have no place in our schools. Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.
What steps her Department is taking to reduce shoplifting in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Through our Safer Streets Mission, we are committed to key reforms to ensure people feel safe on our streets and in their communities, including reducing shop theft.We are providing £5 million over the next three years to continue to fund a specialist analysis team within Opal, the National Policing Intelligence Unit for serious organised acquisitive crime.We are also investing £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime.Via the Crime and Policing Bill we will repeal the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence. This will send a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal. Also included in the Bill is a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.I chair the Retail Crime Forum which brings together the retail sector, security providers and law enforcement agencies to ensure we understand the needs of all retailers and to promote collaboration, share best practice and to work collectively to tackle the serious issue of retail crime. This includes the development of a new strategy to tackle shop theft published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft.
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate funding for the repair of council housing stock North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).
Communities and Local Government, what recent progress her Department has made on reform of the leasehold system.
The government took swift action in the early months of the Parliament to implement provisions in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 relating to rent charge arrears, building safety legal costs and the work of professional insolvency practitioners.On 31 October 2024, the government commenced further building safety measures.On 31 January 2025, provisions to remove the two-year qualifying rule in relation to enfranchisement and lease extensions came into force.On 3 March 2025, the right to manage provisions (expanding access, reforming its costs, and voting rights) came into force and we published the Commonhold White Paper, which is a crucial first step in ensuring commonhold becomes the default tenure for flats.On 4 July 2025, we published a consultation on Strengthening Leaseholder Protections for charges and services. It can be found on gov.uk here. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation seeks views on how to implement the relevant measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, and includes proposals to extend aspects of it to social housing tenants.We will publish an ambitious draft Leasehold and Commonhold reform Bill later this year.For an overview of the government’s approach to leasehold and commonhold reform, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Food and Rural Affairs, how many reports of incidents of flooding have been made in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency in the last five years.
The Environment Agency (EA) have records of 43 reports of flooding in the North East Somerset and Hanham Constituency over the last 5 years. However, property flooding is often underreported for many reasons, and this number only includes incidents of flooding that have been reported to the EA.
What steps he is tacking to support community pharmacies in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The Government recognises that pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system and is grateful to pharmacy teams across the country, including in North-East Somerset and Hanham, for their hard work, professionalism, and dedication in supporting patients in their communities, and for delivering a wide range of National Health Services.For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. The Pharmacy Access Scheme provides additional funding to support pharmacies in areas where there are fewer.This year, we will take forward legislation to enable all pharmacies to benefit from the efficiencies of hub and spoke dispensing and enable greater use of the skill mix in pharmacy teams to free up pharmacists to spend more time with patients.
What steps he is taking to speed up diagnosis and treatment for people living with dementia in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
The Government wants a society where every person with dementia receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.A timely diagnosis is vital to ensuring that a person with dementia can access the advice, information, care, and support that can help them to live well and remain independent for as long as possible. To support recovery of the dementia diagnosis rates and implementation of the Dementia Care Pathway, we have developed a memory service dashboard for management information purposes. The aim is to support commissioners and providers with appropriate data and to enable targeted support where needed.We have published the D100: Assessment Tool Pathway programme, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool to help simplify best practice for system leaders and help create communities and services where the best possible care and support is available to those with dementia. The D100: Pathway Assessment Tool launched in April, and is available at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/nccmh/service-design-and-development/dementia-100-pathway-assessment-toolTo prepare for any potential new treatments, NHS England is working closely with regulators to ensure that arrangements are in place to support the adoption of any new licensed and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended treatments as soon as possible.The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will address the challenges diagnosed by Lord Darzi and will set the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of complex health and care needs. It will set out how we support and enable health and social care services to work together better to provide that joined-up care.