Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the proposals in the Post-16 White Paper lead to more students with Specific Learning Disabilities accessing Level 3 courses.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper introduced reforms intended to widen participation in Level 3 study, including the development of new V Level qualifications, clearer progression routes from Level 2 to Level 3, an automatic college-place guarantee, enhanced support for learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and more flexible learning opportunities through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement. Together, these measures aim to ensure that high-quality Level 3 pathways are accessible, including to those with SEND, and all learners can progress successfully into further study or employment.
Earlier this year we published the SEND reform consultation, ‘Putting Children and Young People First’, setting out our commitment to strengthening support across the 0 to 25 system, including a stronger emphasis on employment outcomes, better use of vocational pathways, supported internships and apprenticeships, and improved identification of SEND at any age.
Information on the participation, outcomes and achievements of learners through these reforms will be monitored to identify their impact and to inform policy development.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure careers advisors can offer young dyslexic people (a) education and (b) training with assessment formats that enable a young person with dyslexia to demonstrate their ability.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Through competitive tender process, the department has commissioned ‘Transform Your Training’ to develop a series of continuing professional development (CPD) modules for careers advisers, including a module on supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Careers adviser qualifications and CPD cover SEND, helping advisers to understand dyslexia, identify barriers to learning and progression, work with special educational needs coordinators and other professionals, and provide personalised careers guidance.
Careers advisers help young people understand education, training and employment options, including the assessment approaches and progression requirements for different pathways. Education and training providers are responsible for preparing learners for assessments and providing appropriate support.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to introduce a pathway for the identification of dyslexia in post 16 education settings for students not identified at earlier stages of education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice requires a person-centred approach to identifying SEND (including dyslexia) in children and young people, placing emphasis on the individual’s own views and choices after compulsory school age. Identification should consider social, emotional, and developmental factors alongside academic progress, as some high-achieving learners may mask underlying needs. Post-16 providers also have a statutory duty to use screening and transition information to identify and support needs early.
The SEND reform consultation ‘Putting Children and Young People First’ aims to improve consistency in identification and support, helping to identify and support unmet or late-emerging needs more effectively.
The consultation also proposed a £1.6 billion Inclusive Mainstream Fund given to schools, colleges and early years settings to deliver an improved inclusion offer, national SEND training for all staff, backed by over £200 million over three years, and new National Inclusion Standards and early identification tools to support the provision of earlier and more consistent help.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure careers advisors understand challenges associated with dyslexia.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Through competitive tender process, the department has commissioned ‘Transform Your Training’ to develop a series of continuing professional development (CPD) modules for careers advisers, including a module on supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Careers adviser qualifications and CPD cover SEND, helping advisers to understand dyslexia, identify barriers to learning and progression, work with special educational needs coordinators and other professionals, and provide personalised careers guidance.
Careers advisers help young people understand education, training and employment options, including the assessment approaches and progression requirements for different pathways. Education and training providers are responsible for preparing learners for assessments and providing appropriate support.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the results of the internal consultation carried out by the Student Loans Company for her department regarding the proposed changes to the Disabled Student Allowance.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is not aware of any internal consultation carried out by the Student Loans Company on its behalf regarding proposed changes to Disabled Students’ Allowance.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the development of commercially viable alternatives to the use of high-concentration Carbon Dioxide (CO2) gas to stun pigs before slaughter.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We accept that there is a pressing need to address the welfare concerns associated with high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs. Legislation sets out existing alternative permitted methods for the slaughter of pigs. In addition, the Animal Welfare Committee provided an up to date and comprehensive animal welfare assessment of the current evidence on high concentration CO2 stunning of pigs and the potential alternative stunning methods. This report was published in October 2025 and can be found here: Opinion on carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs and alternative methods - GOV.UK
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to holiday clubs for disabled children in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to improving access to high-quality holiday provision for school-aged children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Through the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, the department is spending over £600 million across the three financial years from 2026/27 to provide free holiday club places, healthy meals and enriching activities to eligible children from low-income families during school holidays in England.
Local authorities are responsible for understanding local needs and delivering HAF provision that is inclusive and accessible. They have flexibility to tailor provision for children with SEND who are eligible for free school meals and have discretion to use up to 15% of funding to provide free holiday club places to children who are not eligible but could benefit from HAF, such as those with SEND.
The department is providing local authorities with an additional £12.9 million in 2026/27 to support their capacity to sustain a sufficient school-age childcare system, including ensuring sufficient holiday childcare and childcare for children in England with SEND.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting Avon and Somerset Police to install a police custody suite in the new Horsey Lane police station in Yeovil.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Decisions regarding the police estate, including the provision and location of custody suites, are a matter for Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (or equivalents), who are best placed to determine local requirements based on operational demand, policing priorities and available resources.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the volume of preventable deaths in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) Somerset due to respiratory diseases.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the number of deaths due to respiratory disease, as well as which were considered preventable, is available at the following link:
https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/respiratory-disease/data
Data is not available at a Parliamentary constituency level.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the restoration of (a) habitats, (b) species, (c) woodlands and (d) peatlands in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has supported Somerset Council to develop the Somerset Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which covers Yeovil. The Somerset LNRS will help groups and individuals target action to help nature recover and support locally and nationally important species and habitats, such as woodlands and peatlands.
Within the Yeovil constituency boundary, there are currently 480 live agri-environment agreements. Catchment Sensitive Farming advisers work closely with farmers, providing tailored advice, specialist consultancy and support for capital grants to improve water and air quality, reduce flood risk and enhance farmland habitats.
Woodland restoration is supported through a range of measures, including support for the development of Woodland Management Plans, alongside targeted capital funding for habitat restoration, infrastructure improvements, increased woodland diversity, and measures to address pests, diseases, and other threats to woodland resilience.
Peatland restoration works across England are carried out by local peatland partnerships, such as The Somerset Peatland Partnership, who are involved in managing any peatlands in the Yeovil constituency.