Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the discontinuation of the Skills Bootcamps programme on (a) AI and (b) automation training in Somerset for 2026-27 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taken to reduce the waiting times for a decision on Access to Work claims from Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised.
The Pathways to Work Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. Following over 47,500 responses from individuals, charities and other stakeholders, as well as 18 consultation events, we published our summary of the responses to the Pathways to Work Green Paper consultation on 30 October 2025.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support people living with (a) arthritis and (b) other musculoskeletal conditions to (i) return to and (ii) enter into work in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Just under 18 million people in England were estimated to be affected by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in 2023 and improving their health and work outcomes will help deliver this government's mission to kickstart economic growth.
MSK problems were one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK in 2024. Early detection and prevention, including increasing access to employment advice, can support people with MSK conditions getting into and remaining in work.
The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis and MSK conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well Connect to Work and WorkWell.
In Yeovil, there are various support services available for individuals with arthritis and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. For example, the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust provides MSK physiotherapy services, the Orthopaedic Assessment Service in Somerset offers specialist opinions for ongoing MSK problems that haven't been resolved by a GP or physiotherapist and Yeovil Hospital Rheumatology Department has a dedicated multi-disciplinary team, including doctors, specialist nurses, and physiotherapists, for the diagnosis and long-term management of inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases, and osteoporosis.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve local job opportunities for people in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Through our Get Britain Working Strategy, we are reforming employment, health, and skills support to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work, and create an inclusive, thriving labour market. This means recognising that no local labour market looks the same and our approach should be based on the unique needs of local communities and employers.
Regional DWP representatives worked with local government, NHS and wider stakeholders to develop and publish the Get Somerset Working plan, ensuring organisations maximise employment opportunities for citizens locally. They will continue to work with stakeholders as they implement the plan to support more people into good work across Somerset
Additionally, Somerset Council is working with DWP to finalise their delivery plan for the Connect to Work programme across Somerset. Connect to Work is a voluntary, locally commissioned, Supported Employment programme for disabled people and people with health conditions, to find and sustain employment. The service is expected to open to participants in Somerset at the start of April 2026.
In Yeovil, our Jobcentre Employer and Partnership Teams also work with a range of employers and partners to enhance the skills and employment support available locally. For example, working with the NHS and Care South to promote care work at jobs fairs and collaborating with Angard, Royal Mail’s recruitment partner, to supply staff throughout the year, including seasonal employment. Furthermore, through partnerships with the Salvation Army and Somerset County Council, we are delivering tailored employment support to local jobseekers.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recent trends in the number of referrals to the Pensions Ombudsman in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There has been no direct assessment of the potential implications for policies of recent trends in the number of referrals to the Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) in the Yeovil constituency. The implications of trends in referrals to TPO more widely are kept under review and taken into consideration when agreeing TPO annual resource requirements.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times for referrals to the Pensions Ombudsman for people in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Pension Ombudsman (TPO) has been experiencing over several years a significant increase in customers complaining about their pensions or schemes and this trend is continuing. This has impacted on waiting times. TPO does not hold specific information on referrals received from people in the Yeovil constituency.
DWP has allocated additional funding to TPO to reduce waiting times. TPO has also implemented an Operating Model Review (OMR) programme to improve the efficiency of its operations. This is beginning to have a positive impact on waiting times.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce the rate of child poverty in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is a priority for this Government. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in autumn that will deliver fully funded measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty.
The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.
As a significant downpayment ahead of Strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1 billion a year (including Barnett impact), investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap. We also announced the biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment in a generation and £13.2 billion including Barnett impact across the Parliament for the Warm Homes Plan.
Our commitments at the 2025 Spending Review come on top of the existing action we have taken which includes expanding free breakfast clubs, capping the number of branded school uniform items children are expected to wear, increasing the national minimum wage for those on the lowest incomes and supporting 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the weekly State Pension rate for people in (a) rural communities and (b) Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to ensuring that the State Pension provides a foundation for income in retirement. From the end of this Parliament, spending on the State Pension is forecast to be around £31 billion more a year, compared with 2024/25 as a result of our commitment to protect the Triple Lock. This will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £1,900.
Several benefits provide supplementary support for those on low incomes. This includes direct financial help to low-income pensioners through Pension Credit, the Warm Home Discount and (in England & Wales) Cold Weather Payments. The Household Support Fund in England also provides discretionary support towards the cost of essentials.
All pensioners also continue to benefit from free eye tests, free NHS prescriptions and free bus passes.
The Department continues to monitor pensioner outcomes and benefit take-up to ensure support reaches those who need it most.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to address the barriers faced by pension holders in Yeovil constituency seeking to access their financial data from private pension providers.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is developing pensions dashboards which will allow people to view their pensions picture, including State Pension, securely and in one place online.
Relevant occupational, personal and stakeholder pension schemes are legally required to connect to pensions dashboards and provide pensions information upon request. This will help people to reconnect with their pension pots and better plan for retirement.